An Overview of Positioning

[Discipulus]

Stance is not static. If your weight was always on the back foot, you would be severely limited in terms of movement and attack options. Baiting by going on to the front foot is very viable, as is slipping by going onto the front foot. You also need to put your weight forward slightly to load a hard left hook, left cross, or uppercut.

When we talk about stance in this way, what we're really talking about is a default, starting position. But even those of us who prefer a back foot heavy stance know the value of moving our weight around from hip to hip.

 

[a guy]

About "weight on the back foot" -

I would say that it is better for fighters who like to use in-out tactic.
Since the front foot carries less weight, you can just step in and out easier.

On the other hand you lose all the pull counters. And for a lot of fighters that is very big part of their game. Guys like Morales, Eddie Chambers, Roy Jones used that in every fight.

So after all it is tradeoff. Some fighters would spend most of the time in weight-on-the-backfoot stance, but sometimes will switch to weight forward stance just because of pull counters. I believe, Mayweather is a good example of that.

Discipulus offered the perfect response. This article is to give people an understanding of starting position, as well as the advantages fighters gain by changing that position.

I'm a back foot heavy guy myself, but I pretty often load up the left hip for pull counters, leaping left hooks, soft right hands and occasionally rear leg kicks. I didn't mean to give the impression that you're stuck in the positions I mentioned, I meant to explain what you can do while you're there.

 

[jensen34]

Just to emphasize what Disciplus and a guy said; learning to change it up really helped me get past the rest of the beginners and even some ammys.

I was always front foot heavy and that worked against beginners, but would get picked apart by the ammy fighters, destroyed by pros. Once I changed to back foot heavy starting stance it changed the game and I could actually provide a challenge to our ammys and even pros.

Being a bigger guy I also learned I don't need to risk taking damage and could still sting someone from the back foot and go for the kill afterwards.

Disclaimer: My experiences are for MT and Boxing, I haven't done much mma or grappling/wrestling.

 

[shpboris]

Of course your stance is not static, but still you spend most of the time in your preferred position. With weight on either front foot or back foot.

For example, somebody like Mathysse is definitely front foot heavy guy. You see it immediately.
Sometimes he may change this positioning briefly, but in general during most of the fight he is front foot heavy fighter.

Hopkins is the opposite of it.

So I think it is still important to be aware of advantages\disadvantages of your default positioning.

 

[a guy]

Of course your stance is not static, but still you spend most of the time in your preferred position. With weight on either front foot or back foot.

For example, somebody like Mathysse is definitely front foot heavy guy. You see it immediately.
Sometimes he may change this positioning briefly, but in general during most of the fight he is front foot heavy fighter.

Hopkins is the opposite of it.

So I think it is still important to be aware of advantages\disadvantages of your default positioning.

I agree with you.

 

[a guy]

Just to emphasize what Disciplus and a guy said; learning to change it up really helped me get past the rest of the beginners and even some ammys.

I was always front foot heavy and that worked against beginners, but would get picked apart by the ammy fighters, destroyed by pros. Once I changed to back foot heavy starting stance it changed the game and I could actually provide a challenge to our ammys and even pros.

Being a bigger guy I also learned I don't need to risk taking damage and could still sting someone from the back foot and go for the kill afterwards.

Disclaimer: My experiences are for MT and Boxing, I haven't done much mma or grappling/wrestling.

Funny, I'm the exact opposite. I started as more of a back foot heavy striker but have been learning to fight off the front foot recently. Opens up some nice options with my left hand even if I still don't like to stay there too long.

 

[shpboris]

Few words can be also said about advantages\disadvantages of how you move\stand in the stance ...

I mean, on the full surface or just or just part of it ....

This may be also different for the front\back foot ...

 

[panamaican]

Very good read.

 

[a guy]

Very good read.

Hey thanks a lot! Glad you liked it.

 

[roventu]

Hey thanks a lot! Glad you liked it.

wow. stumbled on this gem by a random search about backfoot placement. I think this thread can answer 90% of beginner questions on f11 lol it's too bad a thread like this isnt stickied, but it takes a lot of work to compile all good threads



as for my question, i find a lot of times my backfoot ends up 90 degrees to my front foot during sparring. it's harder to stay on the ball of your foot is 90 degrees (as opposed to 45 degrees which is usually recommended), but it feels more stable. But ive been watching a lot of Glory fights in the past few days and I see a lot of fighters also end up with 90 degree backfoot. is this a natural tendency, that is better to be corrected?

 

[MuffinGod11]

I tell you bro. You shuold be paid for making articles like these, this shit is invaluable.

You know the funny thing about being taught the stance and the basic stuff, usually they teach you why you shouldn't do X things (like having your hands down, and that sort of thing) but hardly they teach you why and what different stances you can have.

 

[a guy]

wow. stumbled on this gem by a random search about backfoot placement. I think this thread can answer 90% of beginner questions on f11 lol it's too bad a thread like this isnt stickied, but it takes a lot of work to compile all good threads



as for my question, i find a lot of times my backfoot ends up 90 degrees to my front foot during sparring. it's harder to stay on the ball of your foot is 90 degrees (as opposed to 45 degrees which is usually recommended), but it feels more stable. But ive been watching a lot of Glory fights in the past few days and I see a lot of fighters also end up with 90 degree backfoot. is this a natural tendency, that is better to be corrected?

I was surprised to see this thread bumped. It's been a long time since I wrote it. I'm gonna have to read it over and make sure everything is good haha!

It is better to be corrected. The reason for the tendency is because turning the foot further out makes it easier to shift weight over it without needing good hip flexion under internal rotation. Fixing that will make it easier for you to throw your rear hand and kick with your rear leg, and thus your opponents will constantly feel more threatened by those weapons. It will also leave you better balanced when you throw punches with your lead hand because it will be easier to keep your weight towards the toes of the rear foot instead of the heel. In the morning I'll try to find some videos of stretches and exercises to improve that specifically.

 

[a guy]

I tell you bro. You shuold be paid for making articles like these, this shit is invaluable.

You know the funny thing about being taught the stance and the basic stuff, usually they teach you why you shouldn't do X things (like having your hands down, and that sort of thing) but hardly they teach you why and what different stances you can have.

I appreciate that man. It means a lot.

Yea it's true. I believe in having a good starting position, but a lot of people don't teach that you should have a range of positions you can move into. Your stance changes depending on what you're doing in any moment, and may be adjusted depending on what your style is. It mostly has to be looked at as pros vs cons, not right vs wrong.

 

[Le 7th Samurai]

Great as always, thanks.

 

[Gambledub]

Awesome stuff dude!

 

[Fire of Youth]

Luv ya work!