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Old 11-23-2004, 07:31 AM   #26
TheWonderKid
Dojo: Memorial University Aikido Club
Location: St John's, Newfoundland
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Canada
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Re: Article: Southpaw Swrodsmen by Hiroaki "Rocky" Izumi

This is probably a bit late to add things but I'm relatively new to akiweb and obviously didn't get a chance to discuss this topic when I wasn't a member.

I disagree that a lefty would find themselves at a disadvantage in combat for quite a few reasons. Some of which I have drawn from history and some from fencing, which is vastly different from bokken I know but some principles still apply I think.

Back in the day, lefties were considered 'sinister,' in fact I think in latin (or some language anyway) that is the word for 'left.' Why was this? It was because outside castle staircases were constructed to spiral clockwise from top to bottom. The idea being that a righty defender could swing a sword easily with no wall in the way whereas the attacker's arm would be restricted by the aforementioned wall. However, if a left attacked, they had the same advantage as the righty and oftentimes the righty didn't know what to do about it as the left side isn't as good a target anymore. Thus lefties became 'sinister.'

In fencing I fence left against mostly righties. In my class there are about 20 of us and only myself and another are lefties. If everyone fenced against everyone, then I would fence 1 left, and 18 rights. They would fence 2 lefts and 16 rights. Ergo, a lefty would be much more accustomed to fencing a righty than they would a lefty. Your technique is different as well because of the mechanical different of fighting a mirror image. Being used to fencing against righties, I have little problem with it but I can see holes in their otherwise excellent defenses just because they can't correctly adjust, this leaves openings.

Perhaps simply being a lefty I'm trying to salvage some dignity for my handiness, I don't really know. Personally my class does little with bokken and focuses more on jo (which I switch back and forth depending on what I'm doing). Most of my bokken practice is what I can gather from seminars, guest instructors who teach bokken, as well as instructional clips and texts. And then I practice both to allow the switch more easily.

Again, my two cents are probably worth very little here but that's just what I think.
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