Apollos Boxing tips – Switching stance, At Apollos Boxing in Bolton we like to teach our boxers as much as possible and give them as many options as possible, for example switching their stance from southpaw to orthodox and vice versa. This is not something that every boxer has to do but we do feel like it is the easiest technique in boxing that gives people the most problems!
Switching your stance basically is just changing the position of your feet, usually in boxing you are taught to put your stronger side at the back so if you are right handed you would stand with your right foot back and left handed would do the opposite, by switching your stance you would just change position of the foot that is at the back.
As you can see it is not a major difference you still have all the same shots in both stances and still have a left and a right hand it just changes the position of your feet. As a high percentage technique you usually throw your jab first, when you switch stances the jab also changes so if you was a right handed fighter you would lead with your left hand if you switched stance you would now lead with your right hand which is now leading.
At Apollos Boxing we teach all our boxers and the MMA fighters that come to train with us that the jab is the safest shot to throw first but it doesn’t have to only be the first shot you always throw, even if you was a right handed boxer you could lead with your rear hand, there are no set rules you can lead with whatever shot you want so really switching stance doesn’t really change much as you can lead with any punch in any stance.
Below we have highlighted three ways that switching your stance can give you an advantage over your opponent –
Boxers don’t like southpaws – A lot of boxers both amateur and professional don’t like to box southpaws, the main reason for this is that most people are right handed so when they come across a left handed boxer it throws them off and more than anything, this is a problem that starts with boxers when they first start sparring and kind of becomes a problem throughout the time they box. As mentioned above at Apollos Boxing we like to get our boxers used to both sparring and defending in both stances to avoid this fear of southpaws.
Gives you more options with your footwork – By switching your stance in a boxing match or in sparring it gives you the option to get a different angle that you couldn’t get in your normal stance, also by switching backwards and forwards it actually covers more distance that a normal step whilst staying in your stance.
Can add power to a shot whilst switching – One of the ways we teach our boxers to switch their stance is whilst throwing a shot, if you switch forward whilst throwing a hook for example you are putting all your body weight behind the shot therefore adding more power into the shot, as mentioned in a previous article about power punching it’s not just the power of the shot you throw it is landing the shot without your opponent seeing it, it will cause more damage too. Whilst you throw the shot during a switch of stance it not only adds more power to your shot but also catches your opponent off guard.
As you can see from the reasons above switching your stance in boxing is a useful technique to use, one thing we would advise you to do is to get used to being to defend yourself in your opposite stance, a lot of boxers will attack when in the opposite stance but do not practice defense. At Apollos we like all our boxers to be able to not only be able to box and switch in both stances but also be able to defend in both stances.
Not every technique will work for everyone and something that we like to explain at Apollos Boxing is that your own boxing style will be different to other peoples styles so just try out as many different boxing techniques and strategies and build up your own style around what works for you.
If you would like more information on switching stance or any boxing related questions in general then please feel free to contact us for more information.
If you would like more information on training with us down at Apollos Boxing then please feel free to contact or to get booked in for a boxing one to one or even a small boxing group class.