Boxing Stances: Advantages and Disadvantages

[MatthewD]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time on these forums. I did read the rules too.

I have trained Karate and Muay Thai for quite for a years prior to taking an interest in boxing.

This bit is a bit hard to explain, but I will try.

• I am left-handed for almost everything in life, but punching
• I am right-eye dominant
• I stand southpaw
• I punch better from my right side in every way; speed, power, accuracy etc.

I think this has a lot to do with my awkward stance tendencies from mixing Karate with Muay Thai.

I have been trying to develop a strong boxing stance, by researching and shadowboxing. I can't get to a boxing gym where I live, so I have to make-do.

I'd love for someone to explain the advantages and disadvantages of foot placement, the angles the feet and hips are at, etc. I know there is no perfect stance, and every one had its pros and cons, but I feel like there are some that must be more ideal than others.

I feel that because I stood more square and chambered when I trained Muay Thai, my lead hand was more of a power-jab loaded similarly to a hook.

I would like to emphasize on speed if I can, and I am not too concerned about huge amounts of power for the time being. I think that suits my style more, since my favourite thing to do in sparring would be ducking and weaving shots and hitting people with sharp jabs and then moving on angles. I still want to do that, but with the same dexterity in my left if I can.

I have been reading a book called "Boxing" by Haislet Edwin. The boxing stance it recommends is unusual, but seems to offer me the best power and speed I have felt in my left hand so far.


Here are some screenshots: (EDIT: I CAN'T POST LINKS; CAN SOMEONE POST SOME SCREENSHOTS FOR ME?)


I find that when I square my hips up, but still keep my rear foot facing forward like that book recommended, I can push off more explosively and my rear hand feels a lot sharper and about as fast as my right, but with a bit more power, which I quite like.

What do you guys think about having the rear foot/leg facing directly forward?


Well, that's all for now. It's really late, and I'm tired. I'll clean up this post tomorrow and make it a bit more readable if I get the time.

[johnm is...]

Probably should post this in the Training and Nutrition forum. You'll get better responses.

[MatthewD]

Probably should post this in the Training and Nutrition forum. You'll get better responses.

I thought about that, but I had a feeling it was more about conditioning and diet. If a moderator can move this over there for me, that would be great.

Thanks.

[Rockin']

Standing square leaves you and your body wide open to be attacked, turning that shoulder/hips reduces the scoring area available to your opponent as well as delivers more power on your shots if you're turning in to them properly..........

[BigAlexSand]

If your left handed, learn to fight in the orthodox stance. Some can do it, as a boxer/southpaw I had difficulty fighting Orthodox and as a southpaw it is much more difficult to find matchs (coming from experience). You say your power is in your right, so if you can learn orthodox it will improve your ability to be an ambidextrous fighter/Switch Hitter.

Which stance or style is difficult to say, I believe it all depends on your attributes.

[SalimShady1212]

I'm a right handed southpaw so I'll give you my personal pro's and cons:
Pros:
-Right hand lead allows for a stronger jab and ahorter distance to unleaah power punches
-Easier to avoid the jab
-I'm right footed so stronger lead foot=easier mobility (Bruce lee believed in strong hand and leg forward)
-Can put more power into liver shots (Collazo-Thurman the other day)

Cons:
-I get hit by the left hook as it comes from the blind side
-Stamping on each others feet fighting for lead foot dominance
-Your liver is asking to be hit

Notes:
-You want your feet outside the lead foot of your opponent (lead foot dominance) as it puts you in control
-Watch Rigondeaux,Lomachenko, Pacquiao, Whitaker, Maravilla etc.
-Don't trade left hooks

[Rockin']

If your left handed, learn to fight in the orthodox stance. Some can do it, as a boxer/southpaw I had difficulty fighting Orthodox and as a southpaw it is much more difficult to find matchs (coming from experience). You say your power is in your right, so if you can learn orthodox it will improve your ability to be an ambidextrous fighter/Switch Hitter.

Which stance or style is difficult to say, I believe it all depends on your attributes.

Bronco McCart was naturally right handed, but he turned south paw and found success with it. And man was his hook crackin'.........

[BigAlexSand]

Bronco McCart was naturally right handed, but he turned south paw and found success with it. And man was his hook crackin'.........

South paws often had difficulty finding fights, always to now. Feet get stepped on more frequently, orthodox fighters are extremely suseptable to left straight and right hook while the biggest advantage is the right hook for the orthdox fighter.

I'm left handed and when I first got in the gym my trainer automatically had me train to be Orthodox but didn't find success and had to fight south paw. Finding. Fights was no were as easy. While an amateur I only had 40 bouts losing 4. My brother who boxer with me had over 80.

[Rockin']

South paws often had difficulty finding fights, always to now. Feet get stepped on more frequently, orthodox fighters are extremely suseptable to left straight and right hook while the biggest advantage is the right hook for the orthdox fighter.

I'm left handed and when I first got in the gym my trainer automatically had me train to be Orthodox but didn't find success and had to fight south paw. Finding. Fights was no were as easy. While an amateur I only had 40 bouts losing 4. My brother who boxer with me had over 80.

I never shyed away from fighting southpaws, I actually liked it. Except Bronco, that guy was good. I generally had good success against them. 40 bouts is a good amount.
Success for orthodox vs southpaw is the straight right to the body followed by the hook. Straight right head, hook. And then just mix it up. I always put pressure on them. That was just my way.

[BigAlexSand]

I never shyed away from fighting southpaws, I actually liked it. Except Bronco, that guy was good. I generally had good success against them. 40 bouts is a good amount.
Success for orthodox vs southpaw is the straight right to the body followed by the hook. Straight right head, hook. And then just mix it up. I always put pressure on them. That was just my way.

I preferred southpaw, it felt natural while orthdox did not. My Trainer came from the 60's and was a southpaw switched orthodox. He often got irritated when I would switch back to southpaw early on, then eventually sided with the fact I was better with my right as the lead and left as my power punches.

One of the first times I ever contemplated taking a knee was when I sparred with this cat Osvaldo Rojas ( fought on the Mayweather/Mitchell fight)... I started Orthdox, switched to Southpaw and got caught with a big right liver shot... My whole body seized up. I happened to be a light heavyweight and him a lightweight. Speed was obviously a big factor but taught me what to watch for real quick!