Southpaw on purpose

[white devil]

Bruce Lee said that your lead hand should be the stronger one..since it will be doing most of the work during a contest...

Being right handed myself,i've decided to train my lead jab exclusively for the past few months.My left has become quick and as powerful as my right...Now i havent learned to switch to southpaw because it will take too much time to re-adapt my muscle memory..but being able to do so would be very impressive in a fight as a way to keep the oponent guessing while switching back and forth in between rounds.

What do you think about a right handed newbie deciding to be a southpaw from the beggining?

[Sagacious Lu]

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Before I took up boxing I was always taught to lead with my dominant (right) hand, but my boxing coaches have me leading with my left. I've always practiced on both sides so the change isn't as dramatic as it might have been, but I still catch myself thinking backwards (so to speak) sometimes. I haven't been using my new stance long enough to have a very strong opinion, although I see pros and cons to both.

[eXcessiveForce]

to make a very long story short.


I started of orthodox but ended up southpaw.

injury changed my lead, then later an injury changed my lead back. Now I switch back and forth without realizing it.

However i'm still not where I want to be. It's almost as if I have two skill sets, since injuries effected more than just me lead. I have different capabilities. I'm still working on evening that out.

I don't see a problem with it, as long as the person is trained properly. Southpaws do have an advantage with some fighters.

[GQchris]

Makes sense to be able to be proficient at both southpaw and righthand, but what do you guys think about the lead backfist?

I haven't seen too many guys who could use that backfist as effectively and with as much power as Bruce Lee did.

[white devil]

its extremely hard to obtain a quick backfist..the motion comes mostly from your elbow (i guess) and not from your body..

but about the southpaws,it's really to your advantage because southpaw are hard to fight since most right handed boxers aren't used to them...on the other hand all southpaws are used to fight orthodox boxers..so i tought one of the best way to fight a southpaw would be by switching sides.

[HtTKar]

This is a really good discussion. I wonder if there is a "correct" answer or not. I am right handed, but for as long as I can remember I have always used a southpaw stance...way before I even knew who Bruce Lee was. I am pretty much ambidextrous and use both hands for any task. When I was first learning how to box I was told that I was all wrong. Similar to how kids were forced at one time to write with their right hand, I was re-trained to fight in an orthodox style. I was not really given a reason but just did what I was told.

I think that sometimes this kind of messes me up. If I'm in there slugging I'll find myself switching stances from orthodox to southpaw. This has its pro's and cons.

Now, when I was first learning we used to spar barenuckle with no shots to the head (I know, its not real but we were kids). I think the main reason that the orthodox style developed was this; While using barenuckle I would usually attack the persons forearm and wrist as these were the closest targets. A couple well placed pucches to my opponents wrist bone and they couldnt use that arm very well. Its kind of sacrificing your weak arm in order to preserve your good arm. In old times fights would go on for a long, long time and by the end both hands took alot of damage. If you can only knock a person out with one hand, you better save that hand for the later rounds.

I also feel that a person gets used to doing different tasks with each hand. Its kind of easier to swat away a punch with your weak hand, whereas you might try to block with your strong hand. Its also easier to grab someone with your weak arm and punch them with your strong arm. Perhaps this is just training though. Today, wearing gloves, I guess it doesnt really matter. But if you have a good coach and he tells you to fight orhodox, its probably best to follow his fight plan.

[white devil]

Hey Mike do you know i'm here with my notepad noting everything you write?Your points are amazing,all of the time.Just wanted to let you know.

[QUOTE]I also feel that a person gets used to doing different tasks with each hand. Its kind of easier to swat away a punch with your weak hand, whereas you might try to block with your strong hand. Its also easier to grab someone with your weak arm and punch them with your strong arm. QUOTE]

that is very true, ever noticed it in a hockey fight?

[white devil]

just wondering, do you consider shoulder blocks as ''hard blocking''?