Right Handed or Southpaw?

Question

Martial Artists: Do you fight primarily right handed or southpaw? Is this different to how you say, write your name?

Also does anyone have any stories about the strengths and weaknesses of being southpaw. Has anyone ever tried to learn or give up fighting southpaw?

Answer 1

Interesting note on this.
My brother and I have both trained at the same school for the same time frame. I am right handed and he is left handed. we are the same height, weight and build.
When we workout together we draw a crowd as we match each others movements so well. When we kumite it is hard for us to hit each other cleanly, we usually land equal blows but on different sides. We are too evenly matched and similar, there is rarely a clean exchange.

This doesn't really answer your question but it relates to the left hand/ right hand thing.

Answer 2

try being a southpaw who's grandmother tried to beat it out of you! i still can't do some things with my left hand or my right one.i can use both but i sometimes get "retarded". some days i write right,some i write left. southpaws run in my family,she only "beat it out of the women" not the men as 90%of the men in my fam.are left-handed.most of my aunts and cousins(female) were too as well as my mother,now i know why we're "crazy" 'cause we still use the side of the brain for southpawed ppl but it gets confusing!and when i fight i have a mean southpaw uppercut!

Answer 3

In Chinese martial arts, one trains both sides equally. I even had one instructor (sifu) who would joke about the 24 Simplified Form in Tai Chi Chuan: first, do it democratically, then do it the communist way! This being the case, one grows strong on both sides.

To answer your question simply, though, just as in western boxing, there are advantages and disadvantages in fighting "southpaw". A southpaw could disrupt the standard fighters timing and rhythm, but would also put his/her head slightly closer to the opponent. The strategies used in getting inside could differ slightly as well.

Answer 4

i fight right handed. The best way you can tell which fighting stance you should be in is, if you have you best strongest hand at the back and have you weakest leg at the front (or opposite side to your back hand). this is so that you can jab with you weakest hand and then when your ready you can bring in your back hand as a stronger punch. it is best to train both ways tho, so that when your fighting and you change you stance, say as if you was moving out of the way of a punch, eg switching side step. you will be much stronger and it wouldn't feel strange fighting the way your not used to. i train with some students that are southpaw and when doing pad drills or sparring fighting becomes completely different. but in the street fighting a none experienced person you would be in allot better position if you knew how to fight anyway. but remember fighting in the street is allot different com-paired to training or sparring in the dojo.

Good luck with it.

Answer 5

Am right handed, but coordinated and can use both for most things.
I write right handed though as with the left it looks more like a third graders writing. lol
I don't see where there'd be any weaknesses being a south paw. Other than everyday things of course.
One advantage a left handed friend told me about was the fact that most of us right handers forget about left handers and never a see a punch coming from the left side cause we expect a right. I have to agree with her. I got punched in the head several times in karate class by a left hander 'cause I forgot about it.

Answer 6

As a swordsman, I am effectively ambidextrous. I can use a rapier in either hand, or have a secondary weapon in my off-hand.

When dealing with right-handed people, basic rapier guards used by a lefty will pretty much put a wall of steel in their primary lines of attack and getting past it is always interesting.

I have been known to change hands in the middle of a bout that was dragging on, both to rest my sword-arm and to give my opponent something he hasn't seen yet and try to keep him off-balance. Take my word for it, it works.

Answer 7

I'm a southpaw but I mostly fight righty. It's just how I've been taught.

Answer 8

another silly question . fighting right handed is southpaw. weakness, not many to an unskilled person and if your smart you don't just work one side . much better to drill in an ambidextrous fashion therefore cancelling out any predilection for a natural weakness.

Answer 9

If you fight one side better than the other you are predictable the best form of defence in either case is attack and if you attack from both sides equally then you are unpredictable and dangerous, and thats what wins fights time after time. Never being taken for granted and keeping your cool under pressure, never let your guard down and your ego in check.

Answer 10

i'm a MA so i'm ambidextrous.i also played auusie rules footy from 5 yrs old which is a very good way to learn to use both sides of your body.i defend myself with whatever i need to.same when i ysed to ring fight.the only reason ppl think southpaws are stronger etc.is because it's uncommon and their opponets ar'nt prepared for it.
PS.you prove my point spidert. you grew up together so you are prepared.