Orthodox stance

Kurt Prenzel, boxer of the 1920s, displaying orthodox stance with left hand and left foot to the fore

In combat sports such as boxing and MMA, an orthodox stance, also known as a northpaw stance, is one in which the fighter places their left foot in front, thus placing their left side closer to the opponent.[1] Because it places the right side (the stronger side for most people) in the rear, the orthodox stance can allow for more rotation and distance to accelerate right sided strikes, in turn generating more power.[2] This makes it the most common stance in boxing,[3] as well as MMA,[4] and primarily used by right-handed fighters.

  1. ^ Lissenden, Hilary (8 January 2015). The Complete Guide to Boxing Fitness: A non-contact boxing training manual. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 33–52. ISBN 978-1-4729-0281-8.
  2. ^ "Deciding Between Orthodox or Southpaw". How to Box | ExpertBoxing. 23 December 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  3. ^ boxingtimmy (20 October 2023). "Boxing Stances: Explained - Boxing Daily". Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  4. ^ Spartacus (20 January 2023). "Maximize Your MMA Skills with the Right Fighting Stance". Spartacus MMA. Retrieved 20 October 2023.