Benefits of being left-handed?

[Menjo]

I find advantages in being left-handed myself, its funny because the less experianced in karate tend to get confused which side to attack from. The experianced i attack with my side however they usually know what to do.

[HapkidoBlackbelt]

I like that fact that I am left handed. Simply because when it came time to learn the techniques from block form instead of kick form I could pick it up alot quicker than the right handed students. They learn from the kick form with the right hand which they are used to doing everything. I felt right at home doing it from either side cause I have had to learn alot of things already in my life from a different stance or hand. I had to learn to play guitar right handed because I didn't have the money to buy a left handed guitar. I was given a guitar as a gift and learnt the way to play it with my right hand so martial arts techniques are no different. when it comes to sparring I think I have an advantage because I have had to practice so many other things with my right hand that it is versed just as good as my left.

[Kreisi]

It might work against a right handed opponent, who has not a lot of experience against a left handed... Thats the only thing i can think of. Atleast theres always a little benefit.

[Sengra]

We train both sides, and we are always challenged on our weaker sides. Typically, we'll do twice as much out of our weak side than our strong. In time, our weak side will change. Reverse and repeat.

Now fencing is a sport where lefties have an advantage. If you're a rightie, you're not used to lefties, but lefties practice against righties all the time. 70% of the A-rated fencers in the U.S. are lefties. ("A" is the highest grade in fencing.)

I could not agree more...I played against a leftie once, she played foil but wanted to try epee. I play epee but I lost the match...in foil, i did not even score...

[Goldtooth]

I have a judo instructor friend who teaches seminars and makes a big show of teaching and doing 'right and left sided judo'. The funny thing is that when he says 'ok do it left handed/left sided', that many people do very poorly if they are right side dominant because they have ingored their entire left sides out of convention.

I have found that my personal experience as a lefty allow me to be more adroit with my left side altogether, and have noticed the same trend among my left handed peers. I am as confident with my right cross, or my right hook kick, or my right o goshi as i would be with my left.

[White Warlock]

I am a left-hander (hehe, Left-Handers Anonymous meeting).

In competition/sparring left handers have a distinct advantage, as noted by others. Right handers spend over 90% of their time competing/sparring against other right handers, with only a little exposure to left handers. Left handers, on the other hand, are exposed to right handers over 90% of the time, but are also in-tune with the way left handers fight. So, over 90% of the time, left handers have the advantage. Of those times where a left hander fights a left hander, they zero each other out, no advantage.

In grappling/wrestling, there is little difference. Certain 'angles' are emphasized, and left-handers tend to be more ambidextrous in their employment of techniques, but the advantages are miniscule.

In a street situation, i feel left handed practitioners have an advantage, because they have trained in diversity. Most everything they studied, they had to 'change' to adapt to their handedness... which gives them a more 'flexible' approach to learning, and thus applying. In a real encounter, being adaptable is key.

[JKDkid2]

Being lefty in martial arts helps somewhat but i dont think that we have hugeee advantage i find i have more of an advantage in sports but thats about it.