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7 Steps to a Solid Boxing Stance

This 90 Second Boxing Tip is about getting you set in the right way in terms of your boxing stance. If you don’t get the boxing stance right then you can forget about becoming even remotely capable of effective punching and movement. At the end of this article is a link to a more in-depth description of the boxing stance.

The Boxing Stance

There are two types of boxing stance; orthodox and southpaw. An orthodox boxer is someone who is naturally right-handed and holds the left hand and left leg in front, closer to the opponent.

Conversely, a southpaw boxer is someone who is naturally left-handed and leads with the right hand and right leg. If you are a beginner, don’t get caught up in the notion that it feels more comfortable as a right-hander using the southpaw boxing stance. As a rule of thumb, if you’re right-handed you are orthodox, if you’re left-handed you’re southpaw.

The 7 steps are explained in the video, here is an expansion on the faults that I regularly see in the gym:

  • Turning the shoulders ‘square on’, thereby offering the opponent a much greater target to hit.
  • Losing the imaginary line from the toe on the front foot to the heel on the back foot, thereby messing up your balance.
  • Going flat-footed, thereby messing up your ability to be mobile.
  • Allowing your chin to raise above the height of the raised hands, thereby increasing the chances of being smacked in the mouth.
  • Allowing your body weight to transfer onto your front leg, thereby being “front-heavy” and vulnerable to attack.

Here’s the link to the more expansive description of the boxing stance.

Any thoughts, comments or questions let me know

Cheers

Fran

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{ 10 comments… add one }
  • Dave Il March 3, 2016, 3:25 pm

    Just done my frst spa for qbout 3 years-very rusty-made a few errors from the basic boxing stance-I believe my feet were too close together-approximately how far apart should the feet be for the stance to be effective?

    • Fran March 6, 2016, 8:09 pm

      I usually say that a comfortable step does it, the width of a pace when you walk. Can get wider at certain times.

  • Theo August 14, 2015, 6:51 pm

    Hello Fran, just discovered your website and am currently devouring the content, great work.

    I have a question regarding your stance: Your backfoot appears to be at a 90° angle, however I was always taught to keep it much more turned in. Do you have any thoughts on such a stance ?

    • Theo August 14, 2015, 6:53 pm

      In fact I just found an image that better describes what I mean, hope this helps.

      http://i.imgur.com/xm97IVG.png

    • Fran August 14, 2015, 10:28 pm

      Hi Theo

      I am always quite relaxed about the positioning of the back foot. Forward, 90 degrees, backward, whatever. The front foot ALWAYS at 45 degrees – the back foot can vary. Check out Mario Kindelan’s back foot (one of the greatest amateurs ever). His points backwards at times!

  • Steve August 12, 2015, 9:15 pm

    I love this new short and sweet series you’re doing. Keep it up!

    • Fran August 14, 2015, 10:22 pm

      Will do Steve, thanks mate.

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