When is a hook an overhand right? The answer depends on your stance and the direction you are facing. In this video lesson I look at how stances change in an instant, and how that changes the punch and its power. It is for boxers, martial artists and anyone working on kata bunkai.

All it takes to change from a front stance to a rear stance is a change of direction. From a neutral stance, such as a horse riding stance, turn one way and you are front left, turn the other and you are front right. That could be orthodox to southpaw, or square on to a front stance.

The Same Movement, a Different Punch

People tend to think of punches as fixed things: this is a hook, that is an overhand. But the body does not know the names. What matters is the angle of your body, the line of the arm and the direction of the force.

Change the direction of your body and the same arm movement can arrive at the target as a different punch. A movement that is a hook from one stance can come in from above, more like an overhand, once the body has turned. That matters because it means you have more options than you think, from positions you might have thought were poor.

Why Stances Matter for Power

Your stance decides where your weight is and which way it can travel. A front stance lets you drive forward. A rear stance loads the back leg. A neutral stance lets you go either way. Understanding that is paramount to understanding body dynamics and mechanics.

When you know how one stance becomes another, you can:

  • Find power from angles where you did not expect it
  • Switch between orthodox and southpaw without losing balance
  • See how one movement can have several applications
  • Read your opponent's stance and predict their likely punches

The Link to Kata Bunkai

This is also the key to a lot of kata bunkai. Kata are full of turns and stance changes that look like walking from one position to the next. Once you see that turning changes the stance, and the stance changes the punch, those turns start to look like real techniques.

How to Practise

Stand in a neutral stance. Turn a little one way and throw, then the other way and throw. Notice how the same arm action changes. Then try it on the bag from different angles. Keep it relaxed and let the body turn do the work.

Take It Further

For more on punching mechanics, look at The Boxing Series. To apply these ideas to kata, see Kata Unleashed.