Most traditional martial arts train their techniques in a symmetric way. Every exercise is performed both on the left and right side. Boxing and some other martial sports, with little or no traditional martial arts background, tend to train on one side only; that’s the reason why a boxer is either left or right sided. The advantages of training symmetrically are essentially the following:
- Better balanced body with muscles equally developed on both sides; this ensures proper posture and better spine alignment
- Double or at least boader repertoire of techniques; in case a limb gets damaged the opposite side can still operate successfully
- Capability of coping with opponents fighting from left or right guard; in fact it can put single sided opponents in serious difficulty