Thread: Please help with my stance!

For the past two years I have boxed using a traditional stance. The results of my fights have been mixed, and I have always felt that I could do better. The trainer I had paid me only a little attention, since I'm a novice and he spent all of his him with his prized open fighters. I'm a middleweight at 5'10". My reach is not very good, but I feel I am strong, I'm pretty quick, and have good feet. I think my 'chin' is good and my conditioning is average or slightly below. My defense may be slightly below average also.

A guy I have been working with has me using a more square stance. Both feet are more pointed forward, but lead shoulder/hip is still slightly turned outward. I crouch and bend my knees more. And by being more square, I find its easier to move my head laterally both in rythem and while punching. My strategy when sparring is to get low, get inside, work the body then head. I also find that its easier for me to throw flurries and maintain my balance this way. My old coach seemed to teach just one way, but what could I work on if I wanted to try this stance/tactic?? My sparring and fights would usually consist of me and my opponent trading jabs and 1-2s with me getting the worst until I would get close enough to hook to the body.

Is this stance what's called a 'crouch'? I wouldn't say it's a Peek-a-Boo, maybe I'm mistaken. The guy told me to watch Miguel Cotto fight. Is that good advice? Any feedback on this approach is appreciated as always.

Most of your description is concerning your foot placement and your body squareness, while your proposed descriptions are based on other criteria: "Peak-a-boo" is mostly about where and how you hold your hands. A "Crouch" is more about bending your knees and getting low vs. standing upright,

Another thing to consider -- and remember I am no expert so it's just an idea -- is that your stance when outside, or closing, might be effective AND different from your stance once you get inside (where you like to fight.)

Getting more square inside MIGHT make some sense.

I don't understand why you would want your BACK foot pointed STRAIGHT ahead (which is what I understand) since this eliminates the possibility of turning it straight (to that position) as you hit with a power hand -- you lose (much of) the corresponding hip turn and push from foot to hand that MAKES the power hand more powerful than the simple jab.

(My coach also has us turning the back foot for ALL power hand shots, including specifically the hook AND uppercut.)

He also encourages us to fight tall -- I have your height (5'10") and being heavier (MINIMUM of 175 lbs) would tend to fight guys who are taller than myself so that might allow you to compare.

Now fighting tall doesn't mean that I can't (or shouldn't) go under to get inside or get low when I am inside. He's all for that, especially getting low when inside.

Also note, that being vertical -- keeping the spine naturally straight -- makes turning and keeping balance much easier and faster.

--
HerbM

I'm sorry, I was mistaken. My backfoot is actually at the 2 o'clock position.

I know when you bob and weave, it's so much easier to do when you are more square than sideways. Everytime I try the rope drill (bob n weave under both sides of a fixed clothesline), I find this out.

I know that when I am out of range or at the edge of range, its better to stand at an angle. But the thransition from this to being inside more square-on it kind of difficult...