One of the best ways to become better and improve your skill is to isolate. Putting constraints on your drilling and training.

This means only throwing specific punch, kick, combination, takedown, transition, submission or working only defense, offense or counters.

So instead of using all the tools you have, instead you focus on one or selected few.

This type of limitation improves you because all you can do is throwing specific strikes, specific combos, working from specific position or going for specific submission.

Putting these constraints and limitations makes you work to look for openings and opportunities you otherwise wouldn't. Increasing and improving your fight IQ.

One of these limitations and constraints is drilling same side lead strikes...

Video Breakdown

Same Side Drilling Breakdown

Imaging your rear hand is broken and you cannot throw a single punch with it. All you have is your lead hand as well as lead kicks and knees.

During this drill, you are only focused on throwing your lead side strikes.

You have:

• Jabs
• Lead hooks and lead uppercuts
• Lead elbows
• Lead front kicks
• Lead roundhouse kicks (low, mid and high)
• Switch kick knee

Not only do you have individual punches, kicks and knees but you must combine them all into combinations and utilizing footwork along with them.

You are focused on trying to maximize the damage and find openings you usually don't because most people don't throw same side strikes. They usually alternate left to right or vice versa. But you will be stressing your nervous and muscle system to find new ways to execute.

So focus on combining lead side punches, with kicks and knees and with footwork.

Use same side punches to set up same side kicks and kicks to set up your same side punches.

One important strike you can begin to incorporate is the switch kick or switch knee. This is when you quickly switch stances where you lead kick or knee becomes rear for you to execute the kick or knee with more power.

Especially powerful when left lead leg becomes rear for you to throw to the liver.

This drill is also great opportunity for you to drill out of your opposite fight stance.

If you are primarily orthodox, then switch to southpaw and drill with your right hand forward. Focused on delivering punches, kicks and knees from a fight stance you usually don't drill or fight out of.

Combine with Footwork

You have to combine footwork with everything you drill. You can't be stationary.

It will add another dynamic element to becoming a better fighter.

With all the same side strikes you can start utilizing the step in and step out, forward and backward shuffle, lateral movement, side step shuffle and pivots. The 5 key footwork movements covered in the "Fighter's Footwork" program.

How to Drill

I've talked about this many times before.

Always start with shadow boxing first then move on the punching bag.

Shadow boxing will help you with technique, speed, movement, flow and punching bag will help you with distance, range and power.

Only work the lead same side punches, kicks and knees. Combine them within combinations and also introduce footwork.

Do this on a round based system.

Decide on a number of rounds. I usually do 5-8. Then pick 2 or 3 minutes per round.

Work both stances: orthodox and southpaw.

Don't drill anything else but same side lead strikes. Isolate and drill.

Learn to Fight

Begin to implement lead side strikes into your training into your drilling but make sure you know how to punch properly and how to implement fighter's footwork.

You'll need these two programs to elevate yourself to the next fight level. "Striking Fundamentals Vol.1" and "Fighter's Footwork".