hi guys,
I'm a right handed southpaw, I've tried orthodox but I prefer right hand/foot forward as I can move more fluidly and dart in and out quicker.

Anyone else a right handed southpaw?

How did you get better at the straight left? Whenever I throw it in sparring I seem to over commit and leaves me off balance and open to right hook to the body. Being my weaker hand it seems slower to so I can't shoot it back n forth like my right.

hi guys,
I'm a right handed southpaw, I've tried orthodox but I prefer right hand/foot forward as I can move more fluidly and dart in and out quicker.

Anyone else a right handed southpaw?

How did you get better at the straight left? Whenever I throw it in sparring I seem to over commit and leaves me off balance and open to right hook to the body. Being my weaker hand it seems slower to so I can't shoot it back n forth like my right.having a funny cross is the price the majority of people pay when they decide to be a convert.

I was a right handed southpaw for ages......from a family of right handed southpaws going back to the time of Jack Dempsey!

I do try and train both stances equally now though because my straight right from the orthodox stance is stronger than any of my right lead punches from the southpaw stance!!

As for the straight left, a half decent opponent will figure out fairly quickly that it isn't your strongest punch and exploit that by circling to your left and looking for openings for their right hand (hook or straight). This in turn would mean that your right hook would have further to travel for contact.

I also noticed that it was easy for my left to drop below chin level. I'd honestly consider adjusting to orthodox or seriously improving your left hand.

Strangely I found myself using my left hand more as a left hook than as a straight, the punch seemed far stronger than my straight left. Check out Calzaghe vs Eubank round one (the knockdown punch) to see how to throw this punch well from the southpaw stance.

I was a right handed southpaw for ages......from a family of right handed southpaws going back to the time of Jack Dempsey!

I do try and train both stances equally now though because my straight right from the orthodox stance is stronger than any of my right lead punches from the southpaw stance!!

As for the straight left, a half decent opponent will figure out fairly quickly that it isn't your strongest punch and exploit that by circling to your left and looking for openings for their right hand (hook or straight). This in turn would mean that your right hook would have further to travel for contact.

I also noticed that it was easy for my left to drop below chin level. I'd honestly consider adjusting to orthodox or seriously improving your left hand.

Strangely I found myself using my left hand more as a left hook than as a straight, the punch seemed far stronger than my straight left. Check out Calzaghe vs Eubank round one (the knockdown punch) to see how to throw this punch well from the southpaw stance.did you cause many knockdowns or knockouts with your right hook? I found the southpaw right hook to be the most awkward punch in boxing. the problem though is that the majority of southpaws are left hand happy.

i'm sorry i didn't read the text i was staring at your sig

i'm sorry i didn't read the text i was staring at your sig

Same here...

But going off the title I'll assume either

A) your left hand is worthless so you're compensating by putting your dominant hand foreward (i did that for a long time)
B) its just more natural to you, and you enjoy how uncormfotable it makes orthadox fighters.

If you're going to be a right handed southpaw, you have to make a committment to work on that left hand... remember that rear hand is supposed to be your power hand.
You'll have to spend WAY more time working on it than if you stood in a conventional manner.

So if you're choosing soutpaw because your left is weak and awkward and its frustrating to try to get better with it, so you're using your stance as a shortcut, then you're doing it for the wrong reasons.

Noticed you have Bruce Lee in your avatar, i believe he preferred the soutpaw stance... was that an influence?

Me, but only because it feels right. I can do both (or used to rather...don't box anymore so not sure I count!) but I feel like I was able to get more leverage on my right hand from the southpaw stance if that makes any sense, especially to the body. It feels off throwing a right hand from orthodox, like my footing isn't where it needs to be, so I would always be thinking about the position of my feet even when it was fine. I also feel like I move my body better from southpaw. My left feels about equal to my right, with my left straight feeling a tad weaker than I'd like..but then again, my right straight from orthodox feels like I'm off balance... I mean, I can write, eat, etc with my left almost as comfortably as my right. But I feel left handed when it comes to boxing.

Thanks for the tips guys.

I have tried orthodox and am not bad at it, but my movement sucks with my left foot forward and I like to be constantly moving. So it was either learn better movement with left foot forward or create more power with left.

I don't do southpaw because my left is so bad, i throw an OK left but not powerful enough to knock anyone down although I have stunned an opponent as I throw it out of rhythm. Tbh I just enjoy fighting southpaw as I can move quicker on my toes.

Any tips on the straight left then? Or just practice it 1000 times every session?

p.s no Lee wasn't my inspiration for southpaw, although I come from a martial arts background so i got comfortable with southpaw from young

Cheers guys

Don't clinch your left when you try it for a few times(100). So you can get the whip feeling down, then start to clinch your fist right before it full extends. Do that after you get the whip feeling down, and do that for a few times. Then it becomes natural and you'll always throw it like that.

Then again, I am ambidextrous so it's different for me but I prefer to use my right hand.

I switch hit btw. Two, almost totally different styles for both stances.

A southpaw with a weak left hand is a victim waiting to happen. I'm suprised that people are countering your weak left with right hands.The counter to a southpaw straight left is a left hook; don't see it coming and you turn right into it.
I would suggest finding some source that credibly details the mechanics of throwing a straight right hand and mastering it, with your left of course. Punching is technique.
If you can learn how to turn guys into it, a southpaw right hook is a substantial weapon. Keep in mind that most go right hand happy when fighting lefties (Why???); just as the counter for a straight left is the left hook, counter their right with your right hook.

Don't clinch your left when you try it for a few times(100). So you can get the whip feeling down, then start to clinch your fist right before it full extends. Do that after you get the whip feeling down, and do that for a few times. Then it becomes natural and you'll always throw it like that.

Then again, I am ambidextrous so it's different for me but I prefer to use my right hand.

I switch hit btw. Two, almost totally different styles for both stances.

Thanks will give that a try, it's worth giving it a go as I enjoy southpaw. If in a few months it isn't working in the ring then I guess I'll go to boring orthodox :P

http://www.infoocean.info/avatar4.jpgI think it is good!

http://www.infoocean.info/avatar4.jpgI think it is good!

Elaborate pls

having a funny cross is the price the majority of people pay when they decide to be a convert.

If they're uncoordinated and weak with it they shouldn't convert.

I was a right handed southpaw for ages......from a family of right handed southpaws going back to the time of Jack Dempsey!

I do try and train both stances equally now though because my straight right from the orthodox stance is stronger than any of my right lead punches from the southpaw stance!!

As for the straight left, a half decent opponent will figure out fairly quickly that it isn't your strongest punch and exploit that by circling to your left and looking for openings for their right hand (hook or straight). This in turn would mean that your right hook would have further to travel for contact.

I also noticed that it was easy for my left to drop below chin level. I'd honestly consider adjusting to orthodox or seriously improving your left hand.

Strangely I found myself using my left hand more as a left hook than as a straight, the punch seemed far stronger than my straight left. Check out Calzaghe vs Eubank round one (the knockdown punch) to see how to throw this punch well from the southpaw stance.

Nunn vs Kalambay KO

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9QFlCvedmxQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Same here...

But going off the title I'll assume either

A) your left hand is worthless so you're compensating by putting your dominant hand foreward (i did that for a long time)
B) its just more natural to you, and you enjoy how uncormfotable it makes orthadox fighters.

If you're going to be a right handed southpaw, you have to make a committment to work on that left hand... remember that rear hand is supposed to be your power hand.
You'll have to spend WAY more time working on it than if you stood in a conventional manner.

So if you're choosing soutpaw because your left is weak and awkward and its frustrating to try to get better with it, so you're using your stance as a shortcut, then you're doing it for the wrong reasons.

Noticed you have Bruce Lee in your avatar, i believe he preferred the soutpaw stance... was that an influence?

+1

i'm sorry i didn't read the text i was staring at your sig

My God, my God, this!! Name please. Must know.

Being a right-handed southpaw is for lazy people who have a fixation for being southpaw.
If your leadhand was so weak ... you turn southpaw to fix it?
That is a lazy mindset.
No! you keep working your lead hand, develop it.

Ofc it's not going to be good in the beginning but just giving up on it is foolish.

Turning southpaw because your lefthand was weak????+
It's a horrible-horrible idea....

You will never ever develop your left-hand....

One of the best punches in your arsenal will be extremely weak and slow(the cross).

you'll be a one handed fighter who won't be able to effectively set-up your best punches...

You will be extremely easily figured out, a sitting duck for the right hand.

You know how it's near impossible for a lefthanded orthodox to fight southpaw..
haha well, you are doing the same thing except converted lefties don't often fight southpaws.

You will be meeting orthodox fighters all the time.

Right now you might have a slight advantage since meeting southpaws is very unnerving..
But this advantage will quickly vanish.


You should switch stands bro before it's to late

Don't clinch your left when you try it for a few times(100). So you can get the whip feeling down, then start to clinch your fist right before it full extends. Do that after you get the whip feeling down, and do that for a few times. Then it becomes natural and you'll always throw it like that.

Then again, I am ambidextrous so it's different for me but I prefer to use my right hand.

I switch hit btw. Two, almost totally different styles for both stances.
You prefer your right hand than you are a righty !?!?!?!?!?!
Just because you can punch with your lefthand doesn't make you ambidextrous my friend.

i'm as right-handed as can be yet my left hook is my favorite punch and I have a good jab.

It's all about developing you left hand Dempsey.
If you stand orthodox your left hand will develop very fast and you'll be using your weaker hand more than your strong hand.

If they're uncoordinated and weak with it they shouldn't convert.



Nunn vs Kalambay KO

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9QFlCvedmxQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



+1



My God, my God, this!! Name please. Must know.



Good work on the Nunn fight!

did you cause many knockdowns or knockouts with your right hook? I found the southpaw right hook to be the most awkward punch in boxing. the problem though is that the majority of southpaws are left hand happy.


The southpaw right hook from my southpaw stance feels my heaviest punch on the heavy bag, barring the straight right from my orthodox stance. But your quite right, I've never knocked anyone out with it. Its a tough punch to place against an orthodox fighter.....especially one with a high left guard. Pacquiou used it beautifully against Ricky Hatton.

I think I'd have had much more success with it against a southpaw......but I've only ever met one switch hitter in the gym, strangely I've never sparred a dedicated southpaw and I've been messing about with martial arts and this boxing lark since the early 90s!

im a left handed orthadox i write with my left hand but i throw stones and stuff with my right hand its real wierd >.<

Thanks will give that a try, it's worth giving it a go as I enjoy southpaw. If in a few months it isn't working in the ring then I guess I'll go to boring orthodox :P
So having 2 hands is boring?
So being able to throw hard shots is boring?
So being able to throw combos easier is boring?

Nah man, it's just you who are to lazy to work on your lefthand.
When it start to get better, you'll be able to put together better combo's, set your punches up better etc etc.

I don't get this fixating of being southpaw/lefty some people have...
Sorry to tell you bro, you aren't a lefty...
that is why you shouldn't stand southpaw, it is made for lefties(obviously).

Do a right handed archer stand southpaw?
Do you throw a ball with your right foot forward?
Do you swing a bat with your right foot forward?

There is a reason why righties stand orthdox..
A very simple reason.
So are you telling me that a 1000 year old boxing tradition is wrong?

im a right handed southpaw and im having the same trouble, good thread thanks for the answers!

Lol at Dempsey ducking his own tread.
He didn't get the response he wanted and abandoned it quick.

Dude, fighting southpaw as a righty because you have a bad lefthand is fuc'king stupid...

good replies from moh

the left cross is so crucial as a southpaw because the jab has limited effectiveness for most southpaws. the issue with a righty converting is that their weak hand is in the back AND has tons of responsibilities!

one advantage in converting to south paw is so you're placing your strong hand as the lead. This works well for fighters with shorter reach as they can land their strong hand more often.

Miguel cotto oscar de la hoya, fernado montiel are southpaws that converted to orthodox and all their right straights are trash, they mostly depend on their lead jab and lead hooks

bad idea, you will most definitely become a one-handed fighter, and i dont think you'll be much of a puncher either

Its funny you say that UGH! considering bruce lee in your avatar was a huge advocate on having your dominant hand up front. Shoot, hes right handed and is even standing southpaw in your avy.

Its funny you say that UGH! considering bruce lee in your avatar was a huge advocate on having your dominant hand up front. Shoot, hes right handed and is even standing southpaw in your avy.

I started southpaw because of Jeet Kune Do, I still catch myself switching to southpaw when trying new things, or when someone is getting the best of me in sparring.

I think in an actual altercation, alot can be said for keeping the dominant hand foreward, especially if its the only hand with real power. However against a trained boxer, using only boxing techniques (no grappling, no kicking, no open-hand strikes) being a right handed southpaw with no quality punches from your left isn't a very good combination.

I guess I shouldn't knock right handed southpaws, there really isn't nothing wrong with it. I just find that so many people (i was one of them) don't want to put the work into developing that left hand, and they get a little "beginner success" fighting as a right handed southpaw, (usually a quicker and straighter jab and an easier to throw lead hook) and they stop there, maybe they learn how to parry with the left, but other than that, the hand is pretty much worthless.
If someone is willing to put in the extra time into developing that rear hand, I don't really have a problem with it.

I'm right handed southpaw however I developed my both hand on a heavy bag.
I gain much better balance switching to southpaw.

As for straight left...when slightly pivoting on your left leg focus on keeping the weight on that left leg. I also slightly lean my head to right side. If I do that I get really nice smacking sound on my bag.

Right hook is strong however I'm working on developing it into overhand hook as most guys are orthodox.

Also I stand on a snowboard vice versa than most folks so I have some lefty in me.

Note, I've tried only light sparring as I'm a bag hitter mostly.

I'm a switch hitter.

You have to keep throwing it to get it better. It's the only way.

Throw it without clenching a fist. Leave your hand open, and just let is flop around at the end of the punch, so you can get that snap motion.

Then after many reps of that, you then begin to clench your fist right before your hand is fully extended. That way you get the snap feeling down, and then start getting the hang of throwing a legit punch.

As far as over committing. I can't say what is the sole reason for it but when i used to do it, it was because I wasn't snapping a punch. I was shoving my fist out there, like a push-punch.

Once I learned to snap the punch, my left straight out of the southpaw stance was no longer over reaching.

I am. I didn't even know until recently. I thought everyone jabs with their right. :lol1:

Right here. awesome thread

There is no short cut. You just have to develop your left hand. The left is too critical of a weapon as a southpaw for it to be neglected. Here are some tips:

- Before power or speed is relevant, you have to be able to land the left. That starts with footwork and proper angles. Properly setting up straight lefts with footwork can make landing them easy against a righty to the point where even if they aren't powerful, they have to respect them. See Pacquiao all night against De La Hoya for example or 4:18 in the video below to be exact.

Practice stepping your lead right foot to the right and throwing this left in rhythm. Throwing this punch in rhythm with your foot movement will weaken it but again, it will land frequently. Getting this down will help lay the foundation to other, more powerful left crosses and hooks.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/piHrtkQXkhY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

- Now for landing more powerful lefts....Practice, Practice, Practice throwing straight lefts and hooks over and over again on the heavy bag. Start slower focusing on getting the rhythm as fluid as when you throw rights, then work on speed and power. Also work on angles. Practice throwing the straight left cross or left hook feet planted, fast and powerful ONLY when your lead right foot is on the outside of the bag. Develop an instinctive habit where you automatically throw a left the moment your target gets left of your center in line with your left.

- No matter how much you practice, your left hand will still be slower and less powerful than your right since you're naturally a righty. Another way to compensate for this, is with throwing your left as STRAIGHT and as IMMEDIATE as possible. NO loading. NO telegraphing. Go from point A to point B and nothing in between.

TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN, throwing your left cross DIRECTLY from your chin (defensive position) DIRECTLY towards your target. It will make it deceptively quicker and powerful. Much more likely to catch them off guard. Then it doesn't have to be the most powerful shot to be effective.

- Lastly, develop throwing your straight left like a jab when you slip punches to YOUR right. Example, your orthodox opponent throws a straight right, you'll want to slip to your right. Instead of just slipping the punch, throw your straight left like a jab. When you throw it right, your left shoulder hit your ear which positions your left arm against your chin as a shield for that in coming right. I oftentimes snap this jabbing straight left automatically whenever I slip my head to my right.

CAUTION: Don't do this if you don't have the proper angle/positioning. If your lead right foot is on the inside of your orthodox opponent's lead foot, his right will likely still connect with your chin. You're better off ducking the right at this point.

That's why everything with the left starts with proper footwork and positioning.

I don't feel comfortable fighting orthodox. I feel like I'm leaving myself wide open and slow.

hi guys,
I'm a right handed southpaw, I've tried orthodox but I prefer right hand/foot forward as I can move more fluidly and dart in and out quicker.

Anyone else a right handed southpaw?

How did you get better at the straight left? Whenever I throw it in sparring I seem to over commit and leaves me off balance and open to right hook to the body. Being my weaker hand it seems slower to so I can't shoot it back n forth like my right.
I am a right handed southpaw. There is a video on my YouTube channel of me training a professional fighter that is a right handed southpaw working and developing his straight right hand. Go to my YouTube channel and search "Adam Kayoom"

BTW...it is absolutely smart to fight with your dominant hand front. Right handed fighters who fight orthodox have to take the time to develop their left jab or they too will be a one handed fighter correct? Of course. You have to develop your weak hand either way. Fighting with your dominant hand forward gives you the advantage of having your most powerful and fast hand, also be your most active hand and the one closest to your target at all times.

Sorry for sounding ignorant but how can you be a southpaw if your left is weak? both hand and foot?

You have to keep throwing it to get it better. It's the only way.

Sorry for sounding ignorant but how can you be a southpaw if your left is weak? both hand and foot?

anyone help me out here?

In my very black and white way of looking at things you are either left handed / footed or right handed / footed or you are ambidextrous (spelling)

So you fight south paw, orthodox or you can be a switch hitter, not sure why you would try to make it more complicated.

Surely your going to struggle with the basics here, If you struggle with the basics your going to take along time to improve, that's if you actually intend to box..If not guess it doesnt really matter.

anyone help me out here?

In my very black and white way of looking at things you are either left handed / footed or right handed / footed or you are ambidextrous (spelling)

So you fight south paw, orthodox or you can be a switch hitter, not sure why you would try to make it more complicated.

Surely your going to struggle with the basics here, If you struggle with the basics your going to take along time to improve, that's if you actually intend to box..If not guess it doesn't really matter.

It's not complicated. It's a simple matter of risk/reward.

The risk of a naturally right handed fighter fighting southpaw is no one respecting his power hand IF he doesn't develop or throw it.

The reward is that fighter has his most powerful, fastest and accurate hand front and center, closest to his target. It is also the most active hand.

It's just that simple. And as I said before, you can work on developing the left hand so that opponents have to respect it.

It's not complicated. It's a simple matter of risk/reward.

The risk of a naturally right handed fighter fighting southpaw is no one respecting his power hand IF he doesn't develop or throw it.

The reward is that fighter has his most powerful, fastest and accurate hand front and center, closest to his target. It is also the most active hand.

It's just that simple. And as I said before, you can work on developing the left hand so that opponents have to respect it.

Thanks makes sense sort of, but doing this would probably mean you have to throw more combos to implement the power shots, most powers shots are from the drive and twist of the hips from the strongest hand? backfoot?

I get what your saying, just making things more difficult unless you are actually good with both hands/feet.

Most times I watch boxer switching to their unfamialir stance they get caught or switch back fairly quickly, IMO I think you have to me more naturaly gifted to be able to pull it off, practice will help and may make it like natural but IMO it will always be forced to a certain extent.

I don't feel comfortable fighting orthodox. I feel like I'm leaving myself wide open and slow.


Sounds like a stance issue more than a dominant hand issue. Have you mirrored yourself to see if you're stance is correct when orthodox?


I'm fine with right handed south paws... I was one for a long time. Retraining to be an orthodox fighter was very frustrating but well worth it.

BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU NEW TO BOXING AND THINKING OF MAKING THE CHOICE .. . A couple of things to consider, it is easier to teach your less dominant hand to travel short distances correctly than it is to teach it to travel from the rear correctly... IE its easier to teach your left hand to jab properly than it is to teach it to be an effective straight.

Most newcommers I've seen that want to be a right handed southpaw are usually choosing to do so because they're looking for a shortcut to do well in sparring. They never fully develope the left hand and they become a one handed fighter, both in offense and defense. At first it seems like you found the magic formula... You almost instantly become a better fighter, and you feel quicker and more powerful. This is mostly an illusion, you're jab may be faster, your lead hook may be more powerful, but mostly you're just using your right more than you did before.
You'll definately do better at first, but thats because your knowledge of the sport is basic, and you haven't put the hours in to be a proper orthodox fighter. The problem is that this improvement can only go so far. At a certain point, when you start sparring more experienced guys, you'll realise that there is a brick wall you just can't overcome. This is because you've ignored your left, your awesome magic secret trick of standing southpaw has been exposed... (sorry you weren't the first one to think of it) Now you're just a one handed fighter and will be beaten by anyone with a half decent understanding of angles and footwork.

If you're new and want to be a right handed southpaw, make sure you're working that left hand twice as hard as your right.... For every 1000 shots on the bag with your right, throw 2000 with your left.
Thats the only way I know of to make sure your left catches up...


Also when your left gets strong enough to compete with your right (by working it twice as hard) you'll probably find yourself inclined to switch to orthodox, because you want to have that monster straight & etc with your right.