Dealing with Stance Switches in Modern Self-Defence
When it comes to self-defence, dealing with an opponent who switches stances can initially appear as a conundrum. However, as demonstrated by Icy Mike in a recent video from the YouTube channel Hard2Hurt, there are practical approaches that beginners or intermediate practitioners can use when confronted with this technique. One of the key points made in the video is understanding why your opponent might switch stances. For a beginner or intermediate level fighter, it is often because they are having issues in their current stance or they are simply trying to confuse you with a switch. Identifying the likely motivation behind the switch can help to anticipate and better respond to their actions. Mike emphasizes an essential principle – when an opponent switches their stance, you need to react immediately. If there’s a switch from Orthodox to Southpaw stance or vice versa, the combative exchange should be initiated with your rear hand. Timing is of the essence in this exchange; you need to strike immediately as the opponent switches their stance. This concept extends to Southpaws as well. If you’re a Southpaw and your Orthodox opponent decides to switch their stance, you need to utilize your right hand immediately. Remember, the key here is quick reciprocation to the switch with a straight jab. Interestingly, battling Southpaw vs Southpaw can pose challenges, as many Southpaw fighters report this as difficult as when Orthodox fighters fight a Southpaw. Here, the advantage is not being left-handed, but having more practice dealing with the opposite stance. Throughout the video, Icy Mike provides practical illustrative examples on how to respond to stance switching by focusing on various defensive strategies. He suggests that if you’re planning to switch stances, you should first build a strong defensive foundation. Drilling head movement, aggressive forward movement, and protecting the body are, thereby, essential defensive skills to work on when confronted with a switch. Improving these skills doesn’t require battling with a seasoned fighter. In fact, sparring with newer fighters who are learning can be more beneficial as it allows you to better focus on improving defensive responses and not revert to your default stance under pressure. However, it is essential to note that as fighters advance, the motivation and strategy behind stance switching can differ substantially. Unlike beginners, advanced fighters may utilize stance switching as a mental attack, control tool or faint, rather than just a simple move to confuse you. In sum, dealing with stance switches in a self-defence scenario does not have to be an insurmountable challenge. Understanding the motivation behind the switch, ensuring quick response times, focusing on building a strong defensive posture, and practicing these techniques will assist you in effectively dealing with such situations. As with any skill, practice is paramount to mastering how to effectively handle a switch of stances and improve your overall self-defence technique.Blablabla
Hard2Hurt YouTube channel provides insightful tips on self-defense, fitness, and martial arts. The owner, Icy Mike, is a force to be reckoned with. As a professional fighter and self-defense coach, he shares his experiences and knowledge, teaching viewers how to protect themselves and increase their physical strength.
Self-Defence Block
As mentioned in the video you'd better drill this a hell of a lot with guys less experienced than you (or maybe not so). I feel that this would work fairly well at an amateur level. Going to higher levels you need to look at your natural advantages i.e. height, leverage, physicality etc. and ingrain your fundamentals in a manner that you would be able to best exploit your opponent at almost any given moment. Basically how you'd expand your toolbox more or less. And tactics/ drills like these can't be mutually exclusive to the former statement, otherwise you can get outworked by anyone who has more experience or has been developed more staunchly with what they're mostly naturally good at.
Serious question, where do you get the purple a green shorts from?
Southpaw, south Jersey.
Find center line
That switch at 7:30 though!
Jakes toney used the philly shell just fine against southpaws, you just have to modify it a little bit. Its a lot better if you keep the inside foot and shoulder roll the lead hand instead of the rear
I love that some shit was said after "the guys that suck at sparing" but as you open your mouth it was cut. Is there a directors cut of your videos? I feel like we missed some heat 😆
Great vid bruv keep up the good work.
As a lefty who is right legged my style changes quite a bit when I switch stances, I can’t even explain all the differences I can just feel it on the way my body feels and my mind works.
as a guy comming from TKD, when my MMA trainer started talking about south paw and orthodox I was completely lost since we have to be as good with both legs because when we kick with the rear leg, we put it in front to not open ourselves to free counter and sudenly our rear leg is our lead leg and vice versa.
i was already confused by most of boxing so I asked him to just teach as open and close stance
Yeah, I can definitely feel my defense lacking in a switched stance just by the defensive maneuvering feeling more unnatural to do.
Hey mike, could you make a video on how to get in for infighting in MMA? I'm 187 cm but I'm a heavyweight, so I'm kinda short for the category. So i like to get in and do some infighting and clinching on the feet, but getting in is the hardest part, especially considering kicks. I'm sure you could help me!
Marvelous Marvin Hagler
I like starting out with a strong side lead instead of switching into it to change things up. My reasoning is I want to throw my precise and solid punches early and often. And then I like to switch to orthodox so that my strong hand is back and I can bide and wait to throw my power shots with my right when the fight slows down at the end of the round when both of us are more tired. My powers shots from my left suck big time, so it doesn't make sense for me to stay with my right forward. So people that I used to spar with will catch on that I only like to throw with my right haha and will only show and pitty pat with my left.
Since I don't spar at all now, I feel more confident starting with my right hand forward and I'm better at getting my shots to land with my right closer. I think the old boxing movie cliche of "switching to south paw" to change the momentum of the fight is just a movie cliche and might only really work if the opponent really is not paying attention because of stamina issues or they've been rocked and not in a mindset to make adjustments– cuz it's just creating a new angle of attack.
Although in MMA, I think it's really great to be able to be ambidextrous and have more attack angles– in the same way that it's good for basketball players to be able to shoot and dribble with both hands. You really have to practice being disciplined with your defensive guard and footwork, because early on as you switch you will get hit a lot and miss seeing things and mess up with the feet
To be able to fight with either hand forward builds a good mind-body-space-vision connection, I feel. Also something low key and underrated is that when you do switch to your less dominant stance it does change your depth perception especially when judging what's coming at you from your peripheral vision. I was told it's because in addition to having a dominant hand, humans also tend to have a dominant eye
Stance changing is ober rated. It is a by product of kicking in kickboxing, and in boxing should only be down to power hits.
What I got from that is if I ever visit Mike's gym and someone switches stances on me, it's because they think I suck. That's okay.
Very topical Mike!
Hey, are you my dad?
Bistantual lol
Lol didn’t you know its one of the Ten Commandments, thou shalt not switch stances.
Why is switching stances idiotic Mike? Is it because you suck at it? This will only work against someone who can only fight well in their natural stance in which case they shouldn't switch in the first place
This is excellent
Saber fighter here. Any melee hand weapon's fighter worth his salt is going to fight southpaw. It's the superior footwork scheme for managing distance.
Bistancsual needs to be a shirt, an hour ago. 🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾
I switch to use a stronger jab to defeat their block then push into their guard. It’s a pretty specific technique and I come out of it just as fast
Whats your history/credentials, Mike? I would like to learn more about your background.
I liked the "this is for people at intermediate/beginner level who switch stances" disclaimer. I've trained both stances since I started martial arts, like 14 years ago. I switch all the time, usually to gain distance quick. A long step that's bringing whatever attack feels right in the moment. I think it's a pretty good skill to have
counterstrike before they settle in their new stance – them changing stance is the signal to attack – won me a lot of fights all over
Imagine next sparring he switches to orthodox and you know, you are a guy that sucks 😂😂😂
as an ortho dude that got trained by a southpaw, it took me years before my southpaw was good enough to be effective.
But damn is it effective.
what you said about defence hits hard – i spent 20 years learning how to attack in kung-fu – we even did a fair bit of sparring – but we almost never practised defence – maybe 5% of the time … i learnt more about defence in 1-lesson of kickboxing – than i learnt in a year of kung-fu…
Open stance hook kick to the nutz. Noone will see that coming
Am right handed but better at southpaw. Your left get better overtime
"Southpaws have rights too!" Lol
Brilliant I will do just that
Hitting while switch up instinct should dictate .more of a range management issue. Counter pull.
As someone who likes to switch stances, i like to negate these by only switching for a reason and not staying in either stance to long, I basically just commit to switching or one
“Southpaws have rights too” glad to hear you’ve had a change of heart 🤣
The simple answer is… You still beat the shit out of them
Right-handed yet left-footed. I fight in a southpaw stance. Am I wrong to do this?
I have the sneaking suspicion that Mike has been tuned up by a couple of southpaw fighters in his life.
I throw a head kick just to confuse them a bit not to land its righr cross and hook that follows works every time coz they are not expecting it
1:46
Dude my lead is so much more useful when Im southpa
Clobbering the dude is not the only way to beat a South paw
His range is different than yours
You as an Orthodox are dangerous if you're veering right
You're vulnerable if you're veering left