Wrestling southpaw?

[jack36767]

My right hand is dominant and I didn't know which way round to wrestle.

I picked some wrestlers brains about it and was advised that the Right handed orthodoxy in wrestling is dominant hand (right hand) forward. But I was also advised that in a fight involving standing strikes, the opposite is true, so a lot of wrestlers end up needing to swap for fighting/mma.

I was also advised that wrestling weak hand forward can provide its own advantages in pure grappling. I took this to mean I should learn to wrestle however I would box/kickbox.

I am of the understanding some attacks (I.e the single leg) are only viable in matching stances (each with their right foot forward, for e.g.). But my coach advises against unnecessary stance swapping, i.e to stay in one stance and force them to change stance if need be, by reaching for a leg (so he pulls that leg to the back) or by posting my hand in his shoulder on the side of his front leg and pushing as part of the single leg shot, forcing him to step his front leg back. Or just do other attacks.

But if someone must switch stances, he advocates that it should be the opponent. You are strong in your usual stance, and he in his. That's why you are standing that way. It is how you practice. If you put your weak/less practiced stance against his strong/more practiced stance, you are not maximizing your advantages. If you keep your usual stance and force him to change his, you are maximizing your advantages. So this should become your habit.

For this reason, a left foot forward wrestler may wrestle quite differently to how an "orthodox" (right foot forward) wrestler would. Presumably, like in boxing, this puts left hand forward wrestlers at an advantage against right hand forward wrestlers if only because we are more familiar with the match up because left handed people are less common. If he swaps to mitigate this situational experience advantage, he is now in his b stance and you are still in your a.

I am not an expert. I just wrestle for JJ. But this is my understanding.

Halt, etc, am I right? I would hate to misguide someone and would love your opinion for my own reasons.

I'll say again, do not switch stances to "match" your opponent's. The single leg is the most common takedown, and right leg lead wrestlers most often shoot it to their opponents trail leg because most opponents in wrestling wrestle right handed as well. You just have to set up your shot.

If you are learning wrestling and striking at the same time it would be beneficial to match stances.

But again, stop worrying about what your opponent is doing and matching stances, boxers don't switch stances to match opponents and Marcelo is going to do what Marcelo does not worrying about what you are doing.

TS you'll be fine leading right leg and most instructionals and matches you see will be with right leg leads

 

[Shizzx]

honestly go with what you feel comfortable with.. I switch stance and am comfortable with both legs being lead but that from training one side at a time for months.
it also throws some people off because they arent use to attacking the opposite side they train on.

 

[Ck1989]

I'll say again, do not switch stances to "match" your opponent's. The single leg is the most common takedown, and right leg lead wrestlers most often shoot it to their opponents trail leg because most opponents in wrestling wrestle right handed as well. You just have to set up your shot.

If you are learning wrestling and striking at the same time it would be beneficial to match stances.

But again, stop worrying about what your opponent is doing and matching stances, boxers don't switch stances to match opponents and Marcelo is going to do what Marcelo does not worrying about what you are doing.

TS you'll be fine leading right leg and most instructionals and matches you see will be with right leg leads

You obviously know your stuff that's a great help. What would be the process of shooting for a double leg when standing right foot foreward against a left leg lead in terms of what side my head should go to etc

 

[jack36767]

You obviously know your stuff that's a great help. What would be the process of shooting for a double leg when standing right foot foreward against a left leg lead in terms of what side my head should go to etc

It doesn't matter, you hit your double the same way regardless of their stance. A right leg lead double is going to be shot the same either way.

Just like striking, you do your punches the same way regardless of the opponents stance, a jab is a jab, a hook is a hook etc. Some things will be more available or not but you still execute the techniques themselves the same.. am I not making sense? Because this is the 4th or do time I've said this

 

[Ck1989]

It doesn't matter, you hit your double the same way regardless of their stance. A right leg lead double is going to be shot the same either way.

Just like striking, you do your punches the same way regardless of the opponents stance, a jab is a jab, a hook is a hook etc. Some things will be more available or not but you still execute the techniques themselves the same.. am I not making sense? Because this is the 4th or do time I've said this

Yeah thanks, just like I said I have no clue when it comes to wrestling at all. That's what I'd been doing but was told it was wrong so got pretty confused. Appreciate the advice

 

[jack36767]

Yeah thanks, just like I said I have no clue when it comes to wrestling at all. That's what I'd been doing but was told it was wrong so got pretty confused. Appreciate the advice

I would like to know who the person who told you that learned it from lol

 

[Ck1989]

I would like to know who the person who told you that learned it from lol

I wondered that myself, I'd guess it would probably be from like rener Gracie or something, a jiu jitsu guy anyway