The left handed

[Karate_John]

I feel like this might be an interesting topic for a discussion. One thing all left handed people know, we live in a right handed world. I would think left handed practitioners are even more rare when it comes to Martial Arts.

I feel Martial Arts are no exception, it was created mostly by right handed practitioners. As such, most drills and the like are designed for the right handed practitioner. Don't get me wrong left handed practitioners can get the "southpaw advantage" in a fight, But I feel overall they are at a disadvantage with Kata and most drills. Basically no mater how often I practice on my right side it will never feel as crisp as my left, I'm sure for a right handed person the opposite is true. I'll call it the "comfort feeling" of the "strong side".

So, My fellow martial artists whats your opinions? are there disadvantages or advantages? Do you feel all things are equal overall? discuss

[Wastelander]

We have a couple of left handers in our dojo, and it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. The only time you even notice is when you have them attack in self defense drills, and they throw a left punch where most people throw a right. Conveniently, most of our techniques work either way.

[bushido_man96]

I think that it just depends on each person. True, most people are right handed, and when they design drills, this will play a roll in it. But, I don't think this necessarily means the left-handed are at a disadvantage in performing. Where something might need tweaked, though, is where the right hander drills with a right hander, and then moves into drill with a lefty. Its important, I feel, to let the lefty drill on his comfortable side, so it would be important for the drill designer to have a lefty handy to work his drill, and see what things would work differently for them.

I think where the lefty is caught in a disadvantage is when they have a right handed instructor whose only solution to answer all lefty questions is to say "just mirror it" or "do it the same on the opposite side," when the solution isn't always that simple. A good instructor should be able to work and explore more with the lefty experience, so that when the challenges arise, they are better prepared to work with it.

[RAM18]

As a left handed myself i don't find it too much of a struggle. I would say equally a dominant leg can be just as awkward!

A lot of karate is ambidextrous though. A lot of katas specially the Pinan/Heinan series moves are performed left and right which to many imply they can be equally used to either hand/side.

[sensei8]

Any construed advantage/disadvantage is up to that person. Some might be effected by facing a left-hander AT FIRST, but, a MAist should have the abilities to quickly set that aside and forge forward with the task at hand.

After all, any punch is just a punch! Any strike is just a strike! Any block is just a block! Any kick is just a kick! Address the technique(s) as they occur!

Counter striking has no reverence to whether the opponent is left or right dominate; counter strike accordingly without the regards as to how/where it's coming from, left or right. because whatever the technique(s) are and whatever the side of the body they are coming from, understand this, they're going to be coming at you one way or another. Be prepared or be defeated!!

Disregard any notions other than any techniques executed by an opponent who is left handed is different, but only for a noted moment; a quick moment!! Adapt!! Overcome!!

If you've any left handed people in the school, and left handed people affect you on the floor, well, spar them until any notions are erased; the sooner the better.

Mizu No Kokoro AND Tsuki No Kokoro! Understand them and practice them because a left hander is just that, a left hander and it's nothing else to be overly concerned with. And when one is overly concerned with something, the fight is quickly over. "Whoa...that's different!"....then, it's back to the business at hand: defending yourself!!

Any disturbances with an opponent because they're affected by any thing abnormal will be manipulated quickly because it can be construed as a weakness, and weaknesses can be taken advantage of, especially in a lesser experienced MAist.

Imho!

Edited April 7, 2015 by sensei8

[sensei8]

As a left handed myself i don't find it too much of a struggle. I would say equally a dominant leg can be just as awkward!

A lot of karate is ambidextrous though. A lot of katas specially the Pinan/Heinan series moves are performed left and right which to many imply they can be equally used to either hand/side.

Solid post!!

[Karate_John]

Great reply's so far!

[cathal]

For me I've seen quite a few drills that focus on the left-leg forward. Yet by the end of the class sensei's always managed to get both sides trained up nicely. That way you're sore everywhere instead of just one side

For me training both sides is important. You never know what angle an attack will come from so logically you should prepare both sides.

[DWx]

To be honest this probably matters more at lower levels when students have a clear dominant side and leftys and rightys come together in partner practice. More so I think for orthodox fighters coming into contact with southpaws. Whereas left-handers probably spar regularly with right-handers, those who are right handed won't have necessarily sparred with left-handers so it can feel a bit awkward for them. Tends to even out the more experience you have.

Though you get fighters like Bill Wallace who spar and fight very well off of one side, I personally think you should train both sides equally as Superfoot is more the exception than the rule.

FWIW my instructor is a lefty (I'm right handed). The only time I ever notice is when he's writing, or from his preference to demonstrate with the left leading.

[Karate_John]

FWIW my instructor is a lefty (I'm right handed). The only time I ever notice is when he's writing, or from his preference to demonstrate with the left leading.

Funny thing, My instructor had no idea until we were eating after class one night.... was a good laugh.

But yes, I tend to agree, orthodox fighters coming into contact with southpaws for the first time can be interesting. I change my lead often when sparing and it throws off quite a few the first couple of times.