When facing someone who knows how to exploit your right/left handedness

[Headbald2]

How do opponents take advantage of you if you are a right hander (or a southpaw?). Some fighters are trained to exploit the weakness of right handed people or exploit the weakness of southpaws. Just what is it that they are trained to do and how do you counter that "weakness-exploiting" technique? Sorry,not very familiar with the subject but have been curious about it.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf104]

Easiest way to handle it is know how to fight in multiple stances. right-forward, left-forward, bladed, and squared for each. If they're good against one, you've got three others to go with.

 

[wab252]

If you are right handed... the best way I can take advantage of that, is by making you fight left handed. If I can get you to fight left handed, you are not as good because you do not practice as much on that side... which gives me an advantage.

When you watch local Karate / TKD folks fight.... there seems to be some "rule" that you have to match the other guy. They both start rightie... one switches to leftie, so the other has to switch to match him... But he really wants to fight rightie.... so he switches back and now the first guy must switch back to rightie as well... so that they match.....

Watch boxing. A right handed boxer fights right handed, whether his opponent is right or left handed. The boxer stays in the stance that he fights best at and learns to adjust to both right and left handed fighters. Yes, some boxers switch... but most don't. When they switch because they are frustrated.... that rarely works out for them. If they have trained and prepared to switch, to throw the other guy off... things go better.

If you are in a Karate / TKD type fight.... understand that there is no rule to match stance. If the other guy wants to switch to leftie.... fine. You do not have to.... just learn how to work against a leftie.

If you have trained both sides.... you can switch. But, switch because you want to and switch when you want to. Do not be baited by the other guy into switching when they want you to. When I fight someone following the "matching stance rule" I will switch and time how long it takes him to follow with his own switch. Then I will switch, wait that length of time and attack, to catch him mid switch. The advantage is mine, because I knew when he was going to switch. If you are going to switch, do it on your terms, not theirs.

 

[Headbald2]

If you are right handed... the best way I can take advantage of that, is by making you fight left handed.

Any examples?
Do you make them fight left handed by going to the side where the right handed guy can only punch with the "weak" hand?

 

[isshinryuronin]

When you watch local Karate / TKD folks fight.... there seems to be some "rule" that you have to match the other guy

Haven't noticed that, at least in the old days. Not that familiar with the current sport sparring.

Easiest way to handle it is know how to fight in multiple stances. right-forward, left-forward, bladed, and squared for each.

Agree. To me, the opponent's lead side matters only in my tactical choices to attack.

If you have trained both sides.... you can switch. But, switch because you want to and switch when you want to. Do not be baited by the other guy into switching when they want you to.

Exactly. I use stance as a tactical technique to get the other guy off his game. One way is just as I sense he is about to attack I'll switch my stance which normally has adverse effect of some kind on him which I can take advantage of.

 

[wab252]

Any examples?
Do you make them fight left handed by going to the side where the right handed guy can only punch with the "weak" hand?

If the switch to match your stance.... switch yours stance and time them.

If they don't switch to match you.....

Attack the lead leg. If you hit them with good hard leg kicks, they may switch to protect the leg that is now sore. Or, use foot sweeps on the lead leg... if you start sweeping them, or at least getting close enough that you interrupt what they are doing and frustrate them, they may switch to try to force you to use an unfamiliar angle on your sweep.

Take away their jab and circle behind them, away from their power hand. The idea is to keep them turning the same way, until they get frustrated enough to switch.

Whether you are attacking the lead leg or the lead hand, always follow with a shot.... If you sweep, you should be going for the sweep.... if they lift their foot away, they are on one foot and unable to use power.... they are open for an immediate punch, you want your punch to land before their foot.... even if they block, you should be knocking them off-balance as they are on one foot. If the root the foot you are sweeping, again they just immobilized themselves... throw a punch that lands before they can reset their weight. (if you are allowed... if they defend a foot sweep, they are open for a hip throw...) If you are attacking their lead hand, as soon as you move over, throw your attack before he can turn towards you. It's like you are trying to get past that lead hand, so you can take his back.... you won't get to his back most of the time, but you will create an angle where you are facing him and he is facing where you used to be. From here everything should be open for you.

The most important point is that you decide which way you are going to fight. Do not let the other guy dictate that. Learn the adjustments you need to fight a rightie and a leftie. If you know how to exploit each side.... you will know what they are wanting to do to you.

 

[drop bear105]

I did a big stint of sparring there for a while from orthodox stance lining my right shoulder up rather than my left.

And then throwing lead rights rather than jabs.

That way I can take advantage of left or right handed people without having to out switch stance them.

 

[Fungus96]

I always felt that I do certain techniqes better from certain stances, so when someone switch to south paw, my spinning back and hooks kicks with my dominany legs get more dangerous to my opponent, in particualr the spinning low kick alternative sweep, as that is one of my power kicks so when someone suddely switch to southpaw i feel I get served a "free setup" to a spinning low kick.

I fine mysel spontanesouly switch to south paw when i meet a kicker. When we sometimes as an excersie in fighting class to "only kick", I always immediately swithc to south paw. So had I been into say TKD where they mainly kick, I would unquestionable be a southpaw person. But normally i still go orthodox, because im more habitizes with guarding myself with hte lead left elbow. I tend to be more defensive with left and aggresive with right. Not sure why.

So in a way, I feel I can handle both ways, but my preferences for the techniques tend to change. It's fun to practice all verisons.

 

[PhotonGuy7]

How do opponents take advantage of you if you are a right hander (or a southpaw?). Some fighters are trained to exploit the weakness of right handed people or exploit the weakness of southpaws. Just what is it that they are trained to do and how do you counter that "weakness-exploiting" technique? Sorry,not very familiar with the subject but have been curious about it.

From what I've seen, self defense techniques in martial arts schools are usually primarily taught to be used against right handed attackers because the vast majority of people, about 90% or so, are right handed. There is however always the chance you might be up against a left handed attacker so that's why I think it's good to train how to defend against both right handed and left handed attackers.

 

[PhotonGuy7]

Easiest way to handle it is know how to fight in multiple stances. right-forward, left-forward, bladed, and squared for each. If they're good against one, you've got three others to go with.

That's usually how katas are.

 

[PhotonGuy7]

If you are right handed... the best way I can take advantage of that, is by making you fight left handed. If I can get you to fight left handed, you are not as good because you do not practice as much on that side... which gives me an advantage.

Sort of like this?