southpaws advantages/disadvantages

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 10/09/2009 9:47pm

So I'm a lefty, it seems to be a disadvantage (sometimes big & sometimes small) for the most part when it comes to everyday life. What about when it comes to fighting? Are there any professional fighters that are lefties? What are your experiences when it comes to fighting with a southpaw or fighting as a southpaw?

In FMA most single stick guys I know train with the right arm along with myself. I'm still not quite sure if this is an advantage or not, at least my better arm is free to strike/clear/ grab or whatever. When striking (FMA) with my left i'm way better than the right handers using their left. As far as empty hand goes I feel more comfortable in a right handed stance w/ my left up front, although I frequently switch it up during a match I like firing powerful jabs with my more coordinated left to set up for my right cross.

Do any of you right handed guys fight southpaw to keep your more poweful right up front?

**100xobm** · Posted On: 10/09/2009 10:36pm

I'm a lefty who fights orthodox because I'm blind in my right eye, and I got to keep that side away. I don't do striking frequently just because my peripherals make it kinda dangerous.
However, my left hook is 'the business' (in the way that a judo noob with some chun and a bit o boxing can throw a shitty hook) or, I feel, would be if I worked at it.

That being said, it's great in judo on my fellow green belts. Blues and browns know how to deal, but greenies get destroyed by my Yakimov style Kata Guruma. Doesn't seem to matter in BJJ though, you just shove those guys and they go down, it's almost as if they want to be on the ground...

**Dezroy** · Posted On: 10/09/2009 10:46pm

I'd say it's an advantage to be a lefty. One example I can think of is that your liver shot will be with your power hand.

**socratic** · Posted On: 10/09/2009 11:01pm

The way fighters around here describe it, being a southpaw is an advantage vs orthodox fighters because your normal footwork will lead your power-attacks into their weak-zone, and since southpaws are a minority not many people are completely 100% comfortable and untroubled fighting them as the would be another orthodox.

**SaintHamish** · Posted On: 10/10/2009 1:19am

Im right handed but I box southpaw.....The best advantage for me is that my left cross is dangerous but my right hook and overhand are my most powerful meaning that I have more options for quick powerful punches....Being able to swap between the two stances is the biggest advantage IMO.....

**Boxudo** · Posted On: 10/10/2009 6:47am

Being a southpaw is an advantage when it comes to striking, and neuteral when it comes to grappling. Here is why:
Let's assume that 10% of the population is lefthanded
As a southpaw, in training you spend 90% of your time sparring against orthodox people.
As a right hander, you only spend 10% of your time preparing to fight a southpaw, something which takes a significant adjustment in style.
Therefore, Southpaw=Advantage.
As for your question about fighters who are lefties, i have noticed that Southpaws are generally over-represented in the UFC. In some ways i think this reflects the advantage i just described, but it could just be a coincidence.
Famous southpaws:
Anderson Silva
Chris Leben
Rich Franklin
Yushin Okami
Mirko Cro Cop
Brandon Vera
Marcus Davis
the list goes on...

In my experience, MMA was the first place where i found being a lefty to be an advantage. So go southpaws!

**FriendlyFire** · Posted On: 10/10/2009 12:18pm

I'm right handed, and somewhere in the years of fighting with both sides in karate, I learned I preferred to fight southpaw. Fun note, I preferred kicking with my left leg, which was backwards since most karate kicks were front leg in sparring. However, now I have started boxing and fight southpaw mainly because my left cross is so natural/strong feeling and I prefer jabbing with my strong hand. I also like to fantasize about throwing kicks to the head with my left leg. So yeah, right handed and southpaw=win am I right?

Boxudo, How could you forget MACHIDA!!2132rasgsr

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 10/10/2009 12:53pm

Thanks for the replies everyone. Still even as a southpaw I don't fight many other southpaws. So while I may have somewhat of an advantage fighting a right handed person, I still do not have as much expierence fighting other southpaws. Of course, fighting another southpaw may just neutralize any advantage I would normally have.

**3moose1** · Posted On: 10/10/2009 1:47pm

Advantages: Annoying as **** to normal people. **** you and your lefty faggotry.
Disadvantages: Most coaches are orthodox...and understand that left handed people are possessed by the devil.

Also, statistically, you're more of a ******. <333

**permahudef** · Posted On: 10/10/2009 3:26pm

Boxudo pretty much nailed it.

In addition, it opens up the ventral surface for strikes against an orothodox fighter. What I mean is an orthodox rear-leg highkick is to the skull and needs to get past the shoulders. A southpaw rear-leg highkick (i.e. Crocop) comes into the face of your opponant.

Left bodykicks hit the liver, right bodykicks don't.

Left legkicks hit the inside leg of an orthodox opponant, right legkicks hit the outside leg.

I originally came from a karate background, so I still find kicking comfortable with either leg. For the face/liver reasons I've mentioned before, I finish a lot of combos with a left switchkick instead of a right kick. Tiips depend on the range.