Handedness

[Rick]

When I took beginners' classes in Fencing last year, the fencing coach noticed that all of us were right-handed. She asked if there would be any volunteers to learn how to fence with the left hand. She noted that it would add a new dimension for the class as a whole since everyone in attendance would be able to learn how to fence against both lefties and righties.
I volunteered to make the switch because of two reasons: (1) Learning with the left hand wouldn't make a difference as to learning with my natural side simply because I didn't know how to fence... hence I did not have a natural side fencing-wise, and (2) I have had episodes in where I've demonstrated ambidexterity at some points in my life.
More than one year later, I'm still fencing (and now competing) as a lefty. However, I've been told many times that since the left side is not my natural side, I may experience slow progress in my fencing development. I choose not believe this comment. But if there are any lefties, ambidextrous, or "switch-fencers" out there with some opinions on this, your comments are most welcome. Of course, general comments from anyone who'd like to be heard are also welcome.

[kro]

I think that the biggest asset of being left handed and fencing that way is the psychological advantage that you gain over a right handed fencer. I have fenced many right handed fencers that have had better skills than I, but I beat them because they did not know how to fence a lefty. Personally I think that there is no difference between handedness, but as long as the righty's have a problem with lefty's that is OK by me.

kro

[Gav]

There is a difference fencing a left handed person. I am left naturally handed. Consider, would people moan as much when they fence us if there wasn't? It's all in the angle of attack. If you attack another right handed person the blades are facing each other diagonally acros the body. If you are righ handed and fencing a leftie then this angle doesn't exist. As there is more rightie's than us lefties it becomes ingrained to fight as though you were fighting righties all the time (this also applies to 2 lefties when they fence.

Higher up in fencing it doesn't matter as much because those up there have more experience to draw upon.

[Christopher J Umbs]

Actually I prefer fencing lefties for some reason (RH myself). I guess I just like the particular set of openings that they leave.

Chris

[belligerent_sorceress]

as one of two lefties on our school team, i have learned that i do have an advantage over righties. the only thing that sucks is having to stand on the end of the drill line...but i can deal with it. i am lefty- hear me roar. rarr.

[Rick]

Hey Gav... funny you should say that there are more righties than lefties in the world. I believe that to be true. However, taking a walk in my fencing club would make one think that they just stepped into the twilight zone. There are just about as many lefties as righties (and on some nights maybe even more lefties than righties). True story: one of our RH fencers made this comment during a tournament: "I was having a tough time in one of my pool bouts... then I realized, 'Oh Yeah, he's right-handed!'"

Also, I couldn't agree with you more about some righties who 'moan' when they see that I'm a lefty... in fact back in Beginners and Intermediate classes, I would often bout with the coach because none of the other students wanted to bout with me during free fencing (leftophobia).

Southpaws RULE!!!!!!

[Gav]

Rick.

Its true that fencing seems to attract a higher proportion of lefties then righties. Maybe we know an opportunity for superiority when we see it.

[Bugaboo]

Yet more evidence that, sadly, fencing attracts misfits.

(sigh)

Right-handed people seem to have difficulty fencing you "lefties" only because we know how volatile you can be if you don't win. It's very intimidating.

Most right-handed fencers I know have pushed the USFA to sanction left-only events, much in the same way we finally got women out of the men's competitions. Allowing "lefties" to mix it up with serious fencers dillutes the experience for us.

Please don't post any more messages about left-handed fencing -- you must know how inflammatory the topic is. I have to assume you're trolling for a fight with an innocent passerby.

(I'm praying for you now.)

[HilandDoug]

Bug, I laughed out loud reading that post! I hope you're not serious....

When I practice during the week, it's usually with a good friend and fencer who is a lefty, so at this point I am not bothered by it. When I was younger, a coach gave me some great advice when fencing lefties:
"Do what they do." Think about it.

[Gav]

Bugaboo.

Great post. ha ha ha ha ha ha

[Rick]

Bug,
That was pretty funny. Got any more material?

[kro]

Right-handed people seem to have difficulty fencing you "lefties" only because we know how volatile you can be if you don't win. It's very intimidating. [/b]

Bug,

I resemble that remark. Does this mean that I have an excuse for throwing my helmet? "Sorry director I am left handed and I cannot help it."

[Wafath]

I think being left handed is a slight advantage at the lower level... in foil and epee. In sabre it doesn't make a difference to me. Head is still target, as is the forward hand.

I have had several sabre bouts where I didn't wake up to the fact the my opponent was left handed until we went to shake hands after the bout.

I think this is why, compared to foil and epee, there are less lefty sabre fencers. (but for some reason there is a very high poportion of lefty women sabre fencers in my area. Dunno.)

W

[Rick]

All joking and chest-thumping aside...
Being lefthanded, I face more righties than I do fellow lefties at tournaments. But since my club has almost equal number of both lefties and righties, I get to practice heavily with both. Hence, I've developed offensive and defensive strategies respective of what side my opponent leads with. But sometimes, during competition, I have no choice but to take whatever opening my opponent is giving me. So at some point, it shouldn't really matter which side my opponent is bouting with. It's just a matter of practicing how to hit certain target areas.

And I would agree with what KRO said... the advantage is psychological. And it is only psychological because some fencers haven't practiced bouting against lefties as much as they do righties (this happens to left-handers, too -- what's good for the goose is good for the gander). They see something unfamiliar and they go "Wait a minute... there's something not right here..." and then they get tentative and hesitant. Or better yet, some fencers refuse to adjust to their opponent's leading side and force their way into what was once open against righties, but is not there for lefties. By the time they realize it's not working, their down 3-0 with the momentum going for the opponent, and they, themselves, slipping into re-strategizing mode while on the strip (and again becoming tentative).

[Foil Girl]

In my fencing classes, the guy I usually get matched up with in fencing is left handed. It was frusterating at first (seeing as I have less then a year of fencing experiance), but after a few lessons I've gotten better. Like one of you guys said before "do what they do". Now my problem is making the transition back to fellow right-handers. "Wait! No! You're supposed to go the other way! wait!" (light goes on).

------------------
-Foil Girl

[Moonitic]

Around here, lefties don't really have more of an attitude. Heck, I enjoy fencing them. They're taught to go for the flank, under the weapon arm. That's what I was taught to do. Gets 'em (almost)every time. People who say they have an "advantage" are the ones who LET the lefties have the advantage. I don't choose to be one of them. You can't let anyone get a psychological advantage on you...you lose before the bout starts. That was a hard lesson to learn, but a fun one to teach others. Before the stress fracture, I had people groaning when I stepped onto the strip against them.

As for being taught to fence left handed when you're right handed, my coach encourages this & does drills that help us. Why? To get us to use BOTH sides of the brain. It makes for better fencing, he says. We look like idiots, but isn't that the fun of fencing sometimes?