Should a left handed kid starting out always be taught to fight southpaw?

Why do some trainers make them fight orthodox?

I think they should be allowed to fight naturally, people in the know in here will bring up the dominant eye being the key to it all.

Trainers who do the reverse are like teachers in the old days forcing all kids to write right handed they are total fuck wads.


To make someone a switch fighter too early is useless in my mind even if they got to see the other side of the fence so to speak its too early for 99% of them to even understand which parts to utilize correctly and would create bad habits. Later on for only some situations that allow; certain techniques where you can safely switch stance right in the middle of a technique (creating the technique itself) can be cutting edge.

There is a huge advantage to having the hand you are most comfortable in using being your lead hand: It does 80% of the offensive work, while your rear hand primarily defends.

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Originally Posted by greynotsoold

There is a huge advantage to having the hand you are most comfortable in using being your lead hand: It does 80% of the offensive work, while your rear hand primarily defends.

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I think thats very true. Bruce Lees Jeet Kune Do utilized that right at the beginning it was the first way round you'd learn. Same in Wing Chun they taught you how to strengthen your weaker side first. But both these styles switch stance as they fight by style.

Do boxing trainers make beginners use their strongest hand out front very often?

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Originally Posted by Andre

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Originally Posted by greynotsoold

There is a huge advantage to having the hand you are most comfortable in using being your lead hand: It does 80% of the offensive work, while your rear hand primarily defends.

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I think thats very true. Bruce Lees Jeet Kune Do utilized that right at the beginning it was the first way round you'd learn. Same in Wing Chun they taught you how to strengthen your weaker side first. But both these styles switch stance as they fight by style.

Do boxing trainers make beginners use their strongest hand out front very often?

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Generally, no, I don't think so. In most cases I think it would be a left handed guy fighting orthodox (like Cooney, or Basilio) though Michael Moorer was naturally right handed.
I read about a trainer in New York, late 80s or very early 90s, that had a real run of success in the Gold Gloves tournament. He turned everybody southpaw, unless they were left handed. They boxed orthodox.

Grey, the Cubans did that in the late 70s, they were Big on it.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Grey, the Cubans did that in the late 70s, they were Big on it.

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Does that effect the dominant eye leading, with balance coordination etc?

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Originally Posted by Andre

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Grey, the Cubans did that in the late 70s, they were Big on it.

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Does that effect the dominant eye leading, with balance coordination etc?

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It does, but Amateur, over 4x2s, being the scoring methods they use, it has its advantages.

Remind me please: If im naturally right handed, am I usually left eye dominant?

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Originally Posted by Andre

Remind me please: If im naturally right handed, am I usually left eye dominant?

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Right Eye.

Cheers.

Chatting with a lady yesterday who teaches balance to the elderly to stop them falling.

She was saying to stand with your legs tight together and squeeze them inwards parallel as much as you can from the thighs down to the ankles, while holding your arms out to the sides on 30% angles like lowered wings and imagining someone trying to hold your arms in but you force against the imaginary force:She says this turns on all of the pathways to the brain your muscles will use for balance.

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Originally Posted by Andre

Cheers.

Chatting with a lady yesterday who teaches balance to the elderly to stop them falling.

She was saying to stand with your legs tight together and squeeze them inwards parallel as much as you can from the thighs down to the ankles, while holding your arms out to the sides on 30% angles like lowered wings and imagining someone trying to hold your arms in but you force against the imaginary force:She says this turns on all of the pathways to the brain your muscles will use for balance.

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Good Technique.

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Originally Posted by cfc

Why do some trainers make them fight orthodox?

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In the 19th century stretching into the early 20th century there were no southpaws. A left handed fighter was considered a freak resulting from some kind of screw up in the birth process. Jeffries was a converted south paw. As boxing evolved the south paw advantage became clear and with that more conversions took place which is a bit of a twist. Some southpaws started to be converted in order to get the best out of their power side. Oscar Delahoya is a natural left hander and so is Cotto, Tyson, Basilio and Cooney and they all have something in common. A devastating left hook. Conversely Winky Wright is the only converted right handed fighter that I know of.

Winky Wright is a right handed southpaw.

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Originally Posted by AdamGB

Winky Wright is a right handed southpaw.

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So was Hagler

I'm left handed but fight orthodox. That's just whats comfortable for me. Also I find that being left handed I have a strong jab as well as my right hand. It should be what you find comfortable.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

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Originally Posted by AdamGB

Winky Wright is a right handed southpaw.

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So was Hagler

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Hagler was a natural southpaw that at times fought right handed.

Not what He told Me.

Most trainers are stupid and uncaring about whats best for the kid, and only care about whats easy for them.

A southpaw is gonna have an advantage whatever way he fights but its still best to stay southpaw, unless the fighter is short and stocky with short reach then it may be an advantage to go orthadox because its easier to get inside against other orthodox fighters. But Manny pacman still manages well as an inside fighter, so I would suggest keeping him southpaw.

Put the question in another sport....would you take a left handed pro pitcher or hitter in baseball and try to switch him to right hand?
When I was a kid in grade school, the teachers would not allow a kid to write left handed...it created a lot of frustration and resentment on the kid.
My opinion..if he is left handed--teach him left handed, you can later develop some right hand punching technique...but work with his natural ability first.

My son is left handed, but he is ambidextrous he can switch hit he fight's orthodox, it's what you
are comfortable with. Yes scrap you are right, Hagler, was orthodox.