What is Kickboxing?

Kickboxing is any physical activity where kicking and punching are allowed. Points of contact are mainly hands and feet, but sometimes elbows and knees. Different styles exist for various purposes. It can be a fighting style or a workout. Kickboxing comes from Japanese karate and combines multiple types of martial arts.

Stance: Orthodox vs. Southpaw

When taking a boxing stance, your natural stance depends on your hand dominance, though you will practice both poses. Boxers don’t face their opponents’ head-on but face slightly to their target’s right or left.

To get in your stance, imagine the bag is at 12 O’clock. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. If you’re right-handed, your right foot will be back, and your left foot will be in front, and your toes will point towards two O’clock. If you’re left-handed, your left foot will be back, and your right foot will be in front, and your toes will point towards ten O’clock.

The fists hover close to your chin. In an orthodox stance, the left hand is slightly in front of the right hand. In a southpaw stance, the right hand is slightly in front of the left hand. Some kickboxers call this “hands at home.”

Boxers use this stance, so they are a smaller target. The dominant side is back because, in that stance, the dominant side can create more power. It makes more sense when I explain the different punches.