Keep your feet space shoulder width apart while turning your left shoulder to the front of your body. I like my fighters angled this way as less of their body is exposed and they can punch with more leverage this way. You must not start squared up.
You want the knees bent and the elbows resting on the side of your body. (Ribs) Feet turned out a bit so they're not facing sideways.
Your hands are up and chin tucked. This is a proper setup for boxing stance. I'm going to teach you a great drill that teaches you how to move while keeping an ideal punching stance.
The Box Drill
Boxing stance starts in ideal position and ends in ideal position. The box drill teaches you how to do this. You must learn how to move well and stay in your ideal punching stance if you want to punch with scary authority and not become a target.
To begin the box drill, get into your stance and move to the right with your right foot initiating the movement. You end being in your ideal stance. Again, start in ideal stance/position end in ideal stance. Be sure to keep your left shoulder in front, elbows touching the ribs, hands up and you move while being on the balls of your feet. You never want to square up while moving.
When moving to the left, you begin by moving your left foot, with the right following and ending in proper stance. Be sure to keep your left shoulder in front, elbows touching the ribs, hands up and you move while being on the balls of your feet. You never want to square up while moving.
Moving forward the front foot leads while the back foot follows and you again end in ideal stance. Be sure to keep your left shoulder in front, elbows touching the ribs, hands up and you move while being on the balls of your feet. You never want to square up while moving.
When moving backwards your back foot leads while your front foot follows, ending in ideal stance. Again...When performing the box drill be sure to keep your left shoulder in front, elbows touching the ribs, hands up and you move while being on the balls of your feet. You never want to square up while moving.
Closing Thoughts
The box drill will lay the foundation of moving with proper stance and keeping it. This basic skill is lacking in many amateur and even professional fighters today. Many Fighters punch with their feet too wide or too close together limiting their balance. It's really disgusting to see.
You cannot be taught anything new until you have this basic skill down. This drill will make you a MUCH harder puncher, because you will punch with optimal leverage and force. Fighters who lack potent power usually have a weak boxing stance.
You will also be less of a target when implementing this drill properly. Many fighters make the mistake of squaring up when moving laterally. A good fighter will see this and capitalize on it by letting his hands go on you.
The solution? Do it right!
Just look at vintage footage of Iron Mike Tyson's fights on how he would rip those viscous uppercuts, and leave his opponents unconscious. Iron Mike Tyson was famous for that and it was one of his favorite weapons in his heavy punching arsenal. Remember Evander Holyfield vs. Bert Cooper? Evander Holy field couldn't miss with the uppercut that night and it was a pulverizing blow to Bert Cooper. That's what basically one that fight for Evander Holyfield when Bert Cooper was hanging tough and having his own moments with his uppercut.
Great fighters know what this punch can do, and what it can add to their offense. This is why great fighters hone it relentlessly in their training and work it wisely in their fights. You must learn from them and take note of their great success with it. Again, Why it's so underused by many fighters, I have no idea.
The key to throwing the punch is dropping down quickly with your head looking up and driving up with the leg's while not over flexing your spine. The uppercut is far from an arm punch as so many fighters today throw it that way.. When you drop down and rip up with it you're throwing it right. You use some trunk rotation and a quick bend when throwing the punch too. Yes you use your arms to throw it, but more so at the finish of it. That's where the ripping part comes in, you think of ripping into your opponent for more punching power.
If you get lazy and sloppy with the uppercut it can leave you open for a good counter punch. The counter punch thrown is often a hook that can knock you out before you knew what hit you. It would be very smart for boxers to perfect this punch in their training while at the same time eliminating the chance for any counter punches. You can perfect this scenario in good sparring sessions. Honing it in good sparring will leave you feeling confident and fully prepared to use it in your fights. You want your sparring partner to give you different looks so he can make you work for openings. With good timing you can work the uppercut of a good double jab and follow it up after a right hand, left hook. The upper cut is not just a punch you can work on the inside.
You must work on doubling the uppercut so if your opponent blocks the punch you will have a better chance of scoring with it as he won't anticipate another follow up shot coming.
Another great time to perfect the upper cut is in your shadow boxing. Don't just wait for sparring. If you had problems landing it or throwing it in a previous sparring session this is a less threatening chance and time for you to perfect the upper cut. Just imagine the scenarios you had with it in sparring and role play with it in shadow boxing. I will guarantee you that your success rate with the uppercut in sparring will go threw the roof.
Do this then watch how a fast and powerful well thrown uppercut ends fights for you quickly and easily. It takes lots of practice though. If you are willing to put i hard and consistent practice then you will enjoy this very underused weapon wondering why more fighters don't perfect it but at the same time being very glad that they don't.
Rob Pilger has sinced written about articles on various topics from Boxing, Fitness and Boxing. Get a great 21 day trail membership while it lasts to to watch training videos teaching boxing stance and other boxing training secrets at. Rob Pilger's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.