Southpaw training

[Bruce888]

Hi All,

I have been going to a muai thai gym for about 3 months now and am really enjoying it. However one thing that is a bit of a pain is i seem to be the only southpaw in the gym.

All the punches / kicks / combos etc are all demonstrated in the orthodox stance. Its not that hard to convert it to southpaw but sometimes i think maybe i should just train like all the other guys to make it easier on everyone (training partners).

Also becasue i am a southpaw alot of the moves the coaches are showing dont work on me so well because my stance is not like that demonstrated.

Some of my training partners, particularly other beginners, get frustrated because i am not in the stance the coach has just demonstrated. I hope i dont get a rep in the gym as being awkward to train with, no one will want to train with me.

Does anyone have any advice, similar problem, words of encouragement?

Cheers

[Romeoblood]

I am also southpaw

it has its drawbacks and its positives when it comes to training but it is a weapon when it comes to fighting

Master your southpaw techniques and mix that in with some orthodox stuff and you'll have no trouble being a successful fighter

[hurricane]

i love training southpaws.

[Allan Shrek]

They should all be drowned at birth.

[H1SSY]

If you are just going over techniques let your opponent practice on you in orthodox stance and then switch when its your turn to do the technique. In sparring aswell, you will be a blessing for anybody fighting a southpaw as you will be the only natural southpaw.

any good trainer should be able to manage fighters in both stances easily.

[vileniall]

i'm a southpaw my training partner is southpaw and at our mma club its about 40% southpaw.

[RichH1]

Being Southpaw is awesome, its nothing but a help for your other training partners as they will be used to them, and for you its a good weapon for when you fight as your opponent will spend most of a round to get used to it

[Knowls3y]

They should all be drowned at birth.

how rude im a southpaw.....but yeah you got a point we should be drowned at birth....saves us and the world a lot of trouble

[thaison]

I dont find southpaws as hard to deal with in thai or mma as they are in straight boxing.

Your coach is obvioulsy clued up enough to have you stand with your stronger side back so he should be cool to tailor everything for you to learn how to fight southpaw, depending on factors such as age and previous expierence if its that much of a problem you could be taught how to fight aurthodoxed from day one.

Alot of thai's can fight pretty comfortable from both stances also which obviously gives them more attacking and defensive possibilities

[waikru]

I'm also a southpaw and didn't have any training issues but I did learn to fight both styles so I could switch during technique training.....any good coach can teach to both styles.