Any boxing stances that favor mixing with Muay Thai

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pailum117

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I've been doing MT for awhile now, but due to time constraints I can't do it asmuch as I want, so I've decided to also sign up for some boxing classes to really work my hands and defense.

However I know that the stance alot of boxers take kills you for MT and MMA with alot of the angles they stand at. I don't want to completely work against myself between MT and boxing; so is there a boxing stance that I can work from that's similar to my MT stance?
 
Everyone has a different stance. I started off in MT then moved my way to boxing, so I have a bit of a hybrid. Not as square as a "standard" MT stance:
MTStance2.gif


not as deep of a boxing stance.


I don't stand as tall as most MT stances or keep my hands palms facing out like a lot Thais do. I right hand is kept at about eye level against my cheek. My left hand is usually a little lower and I kind of probe with my jab. Dutch fighters are good to look at

 
You just want to stand a bit more squared off. Traditional boxing stance is quite linear, so just square up a bit.
 
Honestly guys, that Muay Thai "standard" stance is like the hands down/open stance you see in boxing fight posters or photography when they are posing for a picture - not that many professionals actually fight with that stance, when they do most don't use it all the time, and even with most of the people who use it a lot it's only an "initial state" and as they get into the exchange they change the stance

People shouldn't copy that stance in boxing, and People shouldn't copy that stance in Muay Thai. Otherwise, we go to the gym and I start liver punching/kicking the crap out of you. I'm serious, so many people have that open Muay Thai stance and when I ask them why, it's always like "I dunno, I saw it on youtube". Rob Kaman's stance you see in TwoFour Lowkick's post is what you should just use ALL the time, if you're concerned about the stance thing.


So just roll the shoulders forward, boom elbows in tight. You stand as sideways or square as it suits you, realizing you get advantages and disadvantages in both, it all depends on your style and what suits your style best.
 
ambertch said:
Honestly guys, that Muay Thai "standard" stance is like the hands down/open stance you see in boxing fight posters or photography when they are posing for a picture - not that many professionals actually fight with that stance, when they do most don't use it all the time, and even with most of the people who use it a lot it's only an "initial state" and as they get into the exchange they change the stance

People shouldn't copy that stance in boxing, and People shouldn't copy that stance in Muay Thai. Otherwise, we go to the gym and I start liver punching/kicking the crap out of you. I'm serious, so many people have that open Muay Thai stance and when I ask them why, it's always like "I dunno, I saw it on youtube". Rob Kaman's stance you see in TwoFour Lowkick's post is what you should just use ALL the time, if you're concerned about the stance thing.


So just roll the shoulders forward, boom elbows in tight. You stand as sideways or square as it suits you, realizing you get advantages and disadvantages in both, it all depends on your style and what suits your style best.
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Agreed. The only thing I'd add is that you don't have to use the same stance the entire time. I'll usually start if in a "classical thai stance" (it seems rather defensive) while I'm trying to figure out my opponent, then I'll switch once I get a bit comfortable. If I don't have to worry about someone kicks or I get them in a corner, I'll get low and switch to a more boxing like stance (Take a look at the KenFlo/Gomi fight to see what I mean).
 
ambertch said:
So just roll the shoulders forward, boom elbows in tight. You stand as sideways or square as it suits you, realizing you get advantages and disadvantages in both, it all depends on your style and what suits your style best.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I don't think there is one ideal stance for both boxing and muay thai, it really depends on what suits you best. Really, you should be able to make minor adjustments to your stance as necessary for the given opponent. Truth is you can make that narrow lead shoulder boxing type stance effective in kick-boxing as well, you just have to learn to throw kicks by circling to find the angles vs. coming straight in and transitioning to kicking is a more natural transition if you are more squared up. As Ambertech says "there are advantages and disadvantages to both" you just have to know what your greatest advantages and strengths are and use the stance that best lets you leverage those advantages against your opponent. That said, you have to be able to make the adjustments necessary to properly defend yourself as well.

I personally will use a low lead hand, narrow shoulders boxing stance in MT or Kickboxing sparring against certain opponents (usually, shorter stockier guys who like to get inside), and it is often very effective...... being i am a tall and long fighter with quick enough feet, it lets me take advantage of my reach and keep pressure guys on the outside with my jab.... That said, a guy with quicker feet or that i know throws good high kicks, I would definitely square up more and get the lead hand up higher. Just depends, but you can make many stances effective, the key is your mobility in that particular stance and your ability to make adjustments when necessary.
 
Honestly, which sport do you want to focus on? Because at some point or another, one will become your dominant, go-to style. Boxers box, and Muay Thai guys do Muay Thai; you're going to have to relearn a lot of fundamentals when crossing over to either sport and your attempts to blend the two may leave you more messed up and mediocre than when you started.

I'm not saying anything bad about either sport, and I'm not saying that they can't compliment one another but you first and foremost have to define your end goal and decide on your own time, how you're going to integrate both elements and implement them towards your end goal. When you're boxing, you should focus on boxing and listening to your coach and not worry so much about how you're going to adapt it for another sport...at least not while you're at the boxing gym. Listen to your coach, do what he says and attempt to follow it to a "t", then try to understand why he advocates that particular style, weigh the pros and cons, and decide if you want to incorporate it that way into other sports.

That being said, I generally agree with this reply:

ambertch said:
Honestly guys, that Muay Thai "standard" stance is like the hands down/open stance you see in boxing fight posters or photography when they are posing for a picture - not that many professionals actually fight with that stance, when they do most don't use it all the time, and even with most of the people who use it a lot it's only an "initial state" and as they get into the exchange they change the stance...
Click to expand...

Tucking your elbows closer to your body provides much better protection against body shots. Exaggerating the backward lean in the "classical Thai stance" :rolleyes: is pretty detrimental, especially if you're new and don't know what you're doing; you'll probably end up fighting off of your heels, getting pushed backwards all the time, and losing your balance all because you wanted to look like Sagat from Street Fighter.
 
ssullivan80 said:
Agreed, I don't think there is one ideal stance for both boxing and muay thai, it really depends on what suits you best. Really, you should be able to make minor adjustments to your stance as necessary for the given opponent. Truth is you can make that narrow lead shoulder boxing type stance effective in kick-boxing as well, you just have to learn to throw kicks by circling to find the angles vs. coming straight in and transitioning to kicking is a more natural transition if you are more squared up. As Ambertech says "there are advantages and disadvantages to both" you just have to know what your greatest advantages and strengths are and use the stance that best lets you leverage those advantages against your opponent. That said, you have to be able to make the adjustments necessary to properly defend yourself as well.

I personally will use a low lead hand, narrow shoulders boxing stance in MT or Kickboxing sparring against certain opponents (usually, shorter stockier guys who like to get inside), and it is often very effective...... being i am a tall and long fighter with quick enough feet, it lets me take advantage of my reach and keep pressure guys on the outside with my jab.... That said, a guy with quicker feet or that i know throws good high kicks, I would definitely square up more and get the lead hand up higher. Just depends, but you can make many stances effective, the key is your mobility in that particular stance and your ability to make adjustments when necessary.
Click to expand...

oh shit...u just showed me something big ! :wink:
 
All I can say is that you want your left foot between 9 and 12, and your right foot between 3 and 6. The rest you will learn while hitting bags/pads/sparring partners.
 
Smw said:
All I can say is that you want your left foot between 9 and 12, and your right foot between 3 and 6. The rest you will learn while hitting bags/pads/sparring partners.
Click to expand...

All I can say is if your left foot is between 9 and 12 and your right foot between 3 and 6........................that means you're not kicking enough !

:icon_lol:
 
NuTzOnSwOll said:
All I can say is if your left foot is between 9 and 12 and your right foot between 3 and 6........................that means you're not kicking enough !

:icon_lol:
Click to expand...

I don't understand..
 
Look at how Kyshenko fights, also Zambidis. Those guys have got some nice stances IMO, they can load up a lot of power and throw good hand combinations.

Also Buakaw is not bad, a bit more like stiff Thai style. Masato is also a nice example to try and emulate if you love to use hands. Yodsanklai uses a pretty angular/wide stance IMHO as far as Muay Thai goes, he also manages to use to fucking load up his left roundhouse like no tomorrow. You can also see he tends to keep his weight distribution a little forward as he is the stalker/pressure type fighter who likes to break down opponents.
 
I'm currently considering taking up boxing at my school since I can't do Muay Thai down here (away from home). I already attended one workout. It'll be interesting...
 
Smw said:
All I can say is that you want your left foot between 9 and 12, and your right foot between 3 and 6. The rest you will learn while hitting bags/pads/sparring partners.
Click to expand...
So you have your lead foot pointing out to the left, and your rear beyond 90 degrees backwards? Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Are you talking foot location or foot direction?
 
Snubnoze707 said:
So you have your lead foot pointing out to the left, and your rear beyond 90 degrees backwards? Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Are you talking foot location or foot direction?
Click to expand...
I think he means the actual position of your foot itself, not where your feet point...if that makes sense.
 
Position of the feet. I couldn't think of a better way to explain it.

I was just trying to re-inforce that proper footwork is necessary to success in any combat sport.
 
Smw said:
Position of the feet. I couldn't think of a better way to explain it.

I was just trying to re-inforce that proper footwork is necessary to success in any combat sport.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

One thing though...I know that when I'm boxing, I should only focus on boxing, which makes perfect sense if I want to develop.

I'm just curious as to how you guys utilize different styles of standup and blend them together within your arsenal. Do you have any detailed approaches to doing so? Or do you just experiment and kind of wing it?
 
When you are boxing learn about boxing and what makes it work. When you are learning about MT do MT. That to me is the great mistake of MMA, people are so often trying to go and mix 2 or three arts together _before_ they have even bothered how to do one of them correctly. Once you understand how box like a boxer, roll like a BJJer and do MT like a "Thai", then you can start mixing them together and get something truly dangerous.
 
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