BOXING FOOTWORK FOR BEGINNERS

If you are right-handed, stand with your left foot forward: this is the orthodox stance. Left-handers mirror it, right foot forward, which is called southpaw. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, the front foot pointing at your opponent and the back foot turned out at roughly 45 degrees.

Bend your knees slightly and keep your heels light, not glued to the floor. Hands up, chin tucked, elbows in. The stance should feel athletic, like you are ready to move in any direction. If it feels stiff, your feet are probably too wide or your knees are locked.

Keep your weight balanced roughly 50/50 between both feet, maybe a touch more on the back foot. This keeps you ready to step any direction and to punch with either hand. Lean too far forward and you cannot move back. Lean too far back and your punches have no weight behind them.

Stay on the balls of your feet, never flat-footed. Flat feet are slow feet. You do not need to bounce around: a small, ready posture on the balls of your feet is faster and wastes less energy than constant bouncing.

The golden rule of boxing movement: the foot closest to where you are going moves first, and the other foot follows. Going forward, your front foot steps and your back foot drags up behind it. Going backward, your back foot steps and your front foot drags back.

Your feet should end every step in the same stance you started in. Same width, same angles. If your stance changes every time you move, your balance and your punching platform change with it. Step and drag. Step and drag. It should become boring. Boring means it is working.

Forward and back are simple: step-drag in the direction you want to go. Lateral movement follows the same rule. To move left, your left foot steps first and your right foot follows. To move right, your right foot steps first and your left foot follows.

Never cross your feet. A crossed stance means you cannot punch, cannot move, and one shove puts you on the floor. Never let your feet come together either. Keep that shoulder-width base under you at all times, in every direction.

A pivot changes your angle without giving up your stance. Plant your front foot, keep your weight on it, and swing your back foot around so your body turns. You end up at a new angle to your opponent while staying balanced and ready to punch.

Pivots are how you escape the ropes, create punching angles, and stop fighting in a straight line. Practice small pivots first: plant, turn your body about 45 degrees, and reset. When it feels natural, the pivot becomes one of your best defensive tools.