Anyone got any advice about helping me switch to Southpaw?

I met Rich Franklin and talked about fighting for about half an hour. I asked him all kinds of questions about fighting and he awnsered every single one. I very strongly got the impression that Rich thought being left-handed has helped him greatly, so I have decided that I am going to make the switch. I have pretty fast hands and hit hard for my size but I get abused everyday by my sparring parter (he is 5'10, 205 now, but when he fought as an ametuer he won the Chicago golden gloves and had a 74-5 amataur record. He doesnt go all when we spar but he beats me senselessand I am only 19 years old, Im only 6'0, 172 lbs, his uncle was also the national Muay Thai champion of the Philipines and has done Thai fighting with him. He would have done real well as a boxing pro but stuff happened in his personal life that prevented him from going pro). UFC veteren Sean Alvarez who is the grappling instructer at my school didnt spar with him before his UFC fight because he got the hell beat out of him by this guy. No one in my gym gets in their with this guy, hes an animal and hits really hard. I hope by switching to left handed I will improve greatly,Im going to pay for making the switch on Monday when I spar with him but I feel more comfortable as a lefty everyday, my jab is stiffer and faster as a lefty and my kicks are better with increased power. My left hand is getting harder already. My footwork and defense have a long way to go but with all the shadow boxing and bag work I feel more comfortable everyday. Got any advice to help me make the switch, should I abandon right handed tottally. Is my grappling going to be worse now that I have to put my right foot foward?

 

Move your right foot in front rather than your left foot and lead with your right hand. Continue to practice that way.

 

Eh dude, that's like the very definition of being a southpaw. I kinda think he already knows this little tidbit.

 

dont switch to southpaw. go with whats natural to you.

 

Everyone one of my jiu-jitsu partners who think they want to fight in MMA, go upstairs and spar with this guy and promptly change their mind, his nickname is the abuser, the pro fighter their will not let any of his amerature fighters spar withthis guy because he breaks their confidence, I dont really care though, I have to admit, he makes me kind of gun shy though

 

Do you want to learn how to fight southpaw..or just tell us about your boxing trainer who COULD have been the best but never was??

 

Youre probably right, but I just figured Id give it shot, I really have nothing to lose, I kick a ball with my left foot and can hit a baseball lefty, in order to try and make the switch I do everything lefty, brush my teeth, write notes in school, pick up objects, crank my meat,(only joking). Im going to try it I got nothing to loose only my head

 

I understand your point but I just wanted to lrt you know what Im up against everyday and why I get abused.

 

Clearly your sacrcasm detector is on off mode. To better enjoy Sherdog turn it back on because sarcasm is frequently used in the forums.

Furthermore, what other way is there to become a southpaw than to practice in the southpaw stance?

In this way I have used sarcasm and answered his question which is why I'm better than you.

 

switch you stance will not make you any better fighter. Just a difrent angle for the other fighter to deal with some people have massive trouble with leftys some its esaier to fight a leafty casue they are alwas open for somthing.

be carful of your defense it when you switch from right to left your defense completly changes so practice and make sure you balance will be ok being untauraly for you it may take some getting use to.

 

lol

 

uhh, left jab? that wouldn't be south paw stance buddy. also, i don't understand what your stance has to do with your grappling?

maybe when engaging for a takedown or defending against a takedown but other than that...it stance means nothing.

as for me, i always felt more comfortable standing south paw because i can fling my jab out with my right quicker

than with my left...but that was really the only advantage. my kick was weaker and my left cross wasn't as powerful.

i guess if you practise quite a bit you can improve on all your weaknesses. good luck.

 

I dont know you personally but you seem knowledgable from your other posts but Franklin said he thinks its worth a shot so Im going to give it a shot

 

Thank You im going to need it

 

Anyone else got anything for me?

 

Try out the SouthPaw stance and train that way for a week or so and see how it feels.. If it feels ok, or you even think you can get used to it than keep going with it.. If not, fight your natural way. I am naturally SouthPaw so that is the way I prefer to fight. I would say being SouthPaw gives you a little bit of an advantage when it comes to striking to a certain extent

 

Recommend trying to track down a western boxing coach and get their help. They're all about stance for the punch. My old coach was great in helping me. I am naturally right handed, but generate a better jab with my right, so I can go southpaw. Since it is you standup where it will matter, try a boxing or Muay Thai coach for help.

 

I used to box, and what I did was learn to fight southpaw, but it wasn't my primary way of fighting. It took a long time to get it to where I was comfortable and effective, but once I did I used it only when my traditional stance wasn't doing the job. My advice would be not to abandon what's natural to you, because it'll always be the most effective, but it is definatly worth getting familiar with just for the times tradional doesn't work so well. As dumb as it may sound, dribbling a basketball with my left hand helped me out a lot too. Good luck man, you sound very dedicated

 

Thanks bro, I could definetly believe that, I train hard, but I still need to train harder, Thank you, I need good luck

 

Thanks I box 4 times a week with that guy and do muay thai once with an instructer from NJ