Orthodox stance
Way of positioning the feet and hands in combat sports
オーソドックススタンス · 正架站位
- Type
- Stances
- Martial arts
- Kickboxing, Boxing, Mixed martial arts
- Classified as
- footedness, laterality
In combat sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts ("MMA"), an orthodox stance is one in which the fighter places their left foot in front, thus placing their left side closer to the opponent. Because it places the right side (the stronger side for most people) in the rear, the orthodox stance can allow for more rotation and distance to accelerate right-sided strikes, in turn generating more power. This makes it the most common stance in boxing, as well as MMA, and primarily used by right-handed fighters.
Other Kickboxing stances
Japanese terms for stances
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 大上段 | daijoudan | holding a sword above one's head (kendo posture) |
| 二枚腰 | nimaigoshi | posture in which the legs are firmly planted (in sumo and judo) |
| 死に体 | shinitai | losing posture; falling position from which it is impossible to recover |
| 変わり身 | kawarimi | change of attitude (stance, position) |
| 騎馬立ち | kibadachi | horse stance |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q5260471 (CC0); text quoted from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.