Unless you’re the small percentage of ambidextrous fighters, one of your hands is faster, stronger, and more accurate than the other. Knowing this allows you to determine your proper boxing stance for strategic and anatomic benefits. It may not be an advantage but at least you don’t handicap yourself.
But first of all, how do you figure out your dominant hand?
Dominant Hand Test for Fighters
Here’s a simple test I use to help fighters figure out their dominant hand.
- Go up to a speed bag
- Hit the speed bag 10 times with one hand
- Now hit 10 times with the other hand
- Keep repeating, switching smoothly from one hand to the other
Try to hit it faster with better timing and accuracy, while making smaller circles in the air with your fist. Within a few minutes, one arm will start to outperform the other. Sometimes it’s as obvious as one hand getting tired quickly or not being as fast. You might notice one hand drawing better circles in the air.
- The hand that performs the best overall is your dominant hand.
Now that you know which is your strong hand, I have one piece of advice for you:
The dominant hand belongs in the back.
Why must the dominant hand be in the back?
Here we go again. It’s a reminder for some and an eye-opener for others. The average person isn’t ambidextrous. Knowing that, you have to respect YOUR OWN BODY’s preference to give different responsibilities to each hand.
Front Hand Responsibilities:
- measuring range
- setting up bigger punches
- defense
Your front hand is responsible for controlling the distance, setting up other punches, and serving as your first line of defense. When you think about it, the jab is a perfect weapon for that front hand. The jab can control the range, set up power shots, and even act as a defense (counter-offense). If you have a great jab, you can win the entire fight by controlling the range and peppering your opponent with constant jabs. You can win a whole fight without ever bringing in the power. Now we know the front hand does the bulk of the work.
Back Hand Responsibilities:
- accuracy
- speed
- power
The back hand is responsible for hitting a moving target, being fast, and having power. Think of your back hand as the cannon. It’s farther away from your opponent so it has to be more accurate and fast. The back hand also needs to be powerful because any opponent that gets close to you should be backed off immediately with power. This is why your dominant hand belongs in the back.
…Some of you may be wondering…
IF THE FRONT HAND IS MORE IMPORTANT, THEN HOW COME THE STRONG HAND ISN’T IN FRONT?
The moment you put your strong hand in front, you become a one-handed fighter. Your accurate/fast/power hand is forced take on the weak hand responsibilities like measuring range, defense, and setting other punches. The weak will go to the rear where it becomes far less useful because it’s not as accurate, not as fast, and not as powerful.
There is where people like to argue and say, “But can’t I train the weak hand to be more powerful/fast/accurate?!” The answer is yes, but why would you do that when you already have a hand that’s perfectly made for the task? Having the strong hand in the back is like having a strong safety net, it’s the threat of the back hand’s power that keeps them away. If your back hand is weak, your opponents can rush past your front arm and force you into losing exchanges.
But doesn’t the front arm (jab arm) need accuracy, speed, and power?
Yes it does, but most of all it needs skill. Accuracy, speed, and power will having great boxing skills is the ultimate goal of making both your arms effective. The front arm is already much closer to your opponent that it doesn’t require all the physical qualities as the back arm. The back arm however, will be USELESS, if it doesn’t have the accuracy/speed/power to threaten from the rear.
What about having a southpaw advantage?
The advantage to being a southpaw is not about having a power hand in front. The southpaw advantage is to have the southpaw angles. You can stand like a southpaw but unless you’re a true southpaw, you won’t benefit from their angles because your body isn’t as comfortable in that stance. You might feel more powerful or faster but I promise you won’t be as fluid as a natural southpaw AND you’re still giving up your natural orthodox qualities.
What if my “weak hand” is faster or stronger?
The dominant hand, as shown in the speed bag test, is the one you would rely on. (The more accurate and skillful one.) If you had to amputate one arm, which one would you save? — that’s your dominant one. Sure, having speed and power helps, but ultimately the hand with more ability wins.
It’s not about stance, it’s about boxing
You’re free to stand anyway you want, but ultimately you will have to accept that you are boxing and the game of boxing sets limits on how you must move. Boxing doesn’t favor fighters with no defense, it doesn’t favor you to stand on one leg (like kickboxing), it doesn’t favor you to run straight into opponents (like grappling).
Positioning the dominant hand in the back isn’t a rule, it’s a fact of boxing. I didn’t make this rule and there’s no official book saying you MUST fight this way. The nature of boxing makes it easier for fighters with their dominant hand in the back. For reasons anatomic or strategic, boxing is easier when you follow this rule. I won’t say there are no exceptions but be aware of the natural advantages you give up by using a switch stance. As long as you’re winning fights, nobody can tell you otherwise.
See my other guides on being an orthodox or southpaw:
I remember you saying the eye test as well, (point your finder on an item and and close the left and right eye switching off and which ever eye lines up with the item or covers it up) is the dominant eye coinciding with the dominant hand. is that a way also or? and is it possible to train to have to dominant hands? or is that a natural gift?
Most people only have one dominant hand. If you give equal training to both, the dominant one will still be better. Is it possible to have two dominant hands? Technically, no — that defeats the purpose of having a “dominant hand”. If this was weight lifting and you had to lay down perfectly flat and apply equal force, then it’s good to be balanced. But with boxing, you stand at an off-angle and each hand has different angles and different responsibilities in combat.
excuse me two dominant hands
That’s interesting, Johnny..I’m right handed, but for some reason seem comfortable in the Southpaw stance..
Im the same way im right handed but the southpaw stance is more comfortable. If I were to skate board or snow board I’d be in the goofy stance (right foot first)
When you say forcing them into a losing exchange, are you referring to just forcing them into a brawl and simply eating their weak rear hand while throwing your strong rear hand?
Exactly Gordon. Theoretically, you should win the exchange because both your hands will hit harder than his.
that was a close one, Johnny….great article, BTW.
Thanks for the heads up.
Firstly Johnny, your site is a revelation! I’ve learn’t so much in a very short space of time. Thank you. I’ve been boxing for about three years now – still very much a novice, but improving ( at least I think so) all the time. Reading this article however, has given me a dilema: I fight orthodox, yet I’m sure my front hand is the stronger limb. I’m not ambidextrious -its kind of strange, for example, if I throw anything (ball etc), its with my left hand, I write and play guitar right handed. I play golf and cricket left handed. Tennis, right handed, Rounders I can swing the bat with both – you get the gist! These are things I’ve always done natuarlly without really thinking about it – maybe my brain is connected funny or something! With regard to my boxing – my defense is tight and my footwork is pretty good. Do you think I should switch? I’ve done it in sparring on occasion – especialy against Southpaws – but my footwork seems to suffer. Any thoughts or advice, would be greatly appreciated.
Keiron, do the test… see which hand is the dominant one. In your case, it looks like you’re ambidextrous because you give so many counter-examples but it seems like orthodox is the right position. Just because the left hand is stronger doesn’t mean it’s the dominant hand.
Instead of using the speed bag to test your dominant hand can i just swing them into the air to find out?
Swinging at the air isn’t the same. You have to aim at the speed bag to know which hand is more accurate over time.
I’ve been left handed all my life, picked up stuff with my left hand, thrown stuff with my left, write with my left everything with my left. However, whenever i played baseball wen i was young i swung tha bat as a right hander but threw n caught the ball as a left hander. I also play soccer n my powerful foot is my right. I’m absolute rubbish on a speed bag however, so don’t really know how to use it, b4 i started boxing i stood in an orthodox position cuz i thought a faster jab would help, but over time i trained my right 2 throw quick accurate jabs. I’ve sparred only bout 8 times in my southpaw stance n I’ve not gotten to use my left hand much cuz the ppl i spar against r very alert about it n stay as far away as possible cuz im a southpaw, plus I’m kind of a beginner. The only tym i’ve gotten somebody properly was with an uppercut cuz they were looking 4 a body shot, n i did some serious damage, wen i work on the bag i feel more control in powering my left for a straight than my right. I’m able 2 jab n move in2 space away 4rm my opponents power hand in my southpaw stance. oh n my left hooks in an orthodox stance feel abit smoother or is it jus my mind saying so cuz im left handed?. sorry 4 bombing u with all these facts bout myself, lol, I’m looking 2 get in2 boxing seriously so don’t wanna take a wrong turn this early, Thanks Johnny
I would follow the dominant hand test from above and stick with that. It’s easy to confuse yourself if you do a million activities using different sides for each one. So far it seems like you’re definitely a southpaw.
Hey im left handed and im training as southpaw but its not that comfertable I have power in my left arm and I can’t decide between orthodox or southpaw,I do many activities with both hands
Generally speaking: “left-handed = southpaw”
N i just did your dominant eye test, n my left eye was dominant…
Hey Johnny I just came across your site and it is awesome. I just started boxing 2 months ago and am just starting to spar more. I am definitely dominate left handed but thought maybe I should be boxing as a righty due to the fact that I am so left hand dominant my right hand has little power. I also have a weird birth defect where my right arm is 1.5 inches shorter than my left, other then that I’m all good though 🙂
After reading this I’ll stop with that little experiment and go Southpaw.
Any tips other on to improve my right arm jab speed and power? Probably just practice, practice, practice but any drill ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again for all your great articles.
Definitely more practice, Mark. Shadowboxing, heavy bag, and double-end bag. Also try throwing it the jab powerfully without disrupting your balance.
I disagree with this article. Ike Quartey, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Juan Urango, Marvin Hagler, Michael Moorer, Bruce Lee, Anderson Silva, Winky Wright….all fought with their dominant hand in front
If you have power in both hands….its BETTER to have the strong hand in front because you will have a great jab and great hook…and the cross gets help from the body rotation and leg explosion anyway, so it will also be a strong punch even coming with the weaker hand.
The “you will not feel comfortable and move natural unless you fight in this stance” is a terrible inaccurate generalisation.
Ideally know which stance you are comfortable and most effective in and go with it
eventually ill find out that your stronger hand is in front, and ill force you to throw your weak hand, the reason for your power hand being in the back is because that’s your big punch look at it like this the front hands are the small bombs as a decoy and the back hand is the atomic bomb
True to an extent, but it is possible to knock someone out with a strong jab. You can also place your jabs with more accuracy to influence your opponent’s moments or even follow with a hook (which is capable is a knockout) while still having knockout power in the rear hand. It’s all in my opinion a matter of your fighting style
I agree with you alot of fighters like alternating from southpaw to orthodox throughout the fight to keep their opponents guessing, like what johnny says it can be good for strategic purposes, if your fighting a guy and your switching from southpaw to orthodox, and your opponent cant stop the orthodox, then you will have a huge advantage and more than likely be able to knock your opponent, but the jab isnt meant to be strong, but what if your opponent shuts down your lead hand? and your weak hand in the back now what?
Jeremy, you have the choice of following the 99% of the majority in boxing. Or being like the 1% of the majority in boxing. If having the strong hand in front was better, you would see many more successful fighters with the strong hand in front.
Simply put, being a successful fighter with the dominant hand in front is the EXCEPTION, not the norm. I’m not saying it can’t be done but I wouldn’t recommend it as the easiest way to be champion. But yes, you can do whatever you’re comfortable with. No one can tell you otherwise if you’re already champion of the world.
how should be a boxers warm up?
Dynamic stretching, shadowboxing, jump-rope.
I’m new to boxing coming from 3 yrs wing tsun and empty hand escrima. In both styles each side was given equal training and eventually I didn’t care or notice which leg was forward. With each side feeling even should I just pick a stance and stick with it? or keep switching stances like I’m used to?
Boxers, it’s standard practice to stick to one side. Put your dominant hand in the back.
Johnny, you forget that a lot of fighters are one handed anyway, EVEN with the non dominant hand. I personally see it more as a stance thing, a right handed southpaw is a bad idea, but a lefty orthodox not so much, especially if your feet movement feels more comfortable.
I didn’t forget. The theory behind the boxing stance is BASED on the assumption that the fighter is one-handed. We purposely put the strong hand in back because it is the best stance for a one-handed fighter. The more one-handed you are, the more important it is for you to have that dominant hand in the back.
Oh I think you misunderstood me, I meant people like right handed left hookers, ie. joe frazier’s probably the most one armed fighter I can think of.
Hey Johnny great site! Got a quick question,
im left eye dominant, but right-handed and fight orthadox.
Do you think this can some way affect my vision/accuracy and depth perception?
Maybe it can but it’s not like you can change it. I’m the same as you, actually.
hi johnny,
i have a weird problem… or maybe not so much a problem;
i feel really comfortable in a southpaw stance. i always feel
at home, but my right hand is definitely more stronger and snappier.
my left is more slow and i feel it pushes harder than it snaps foward.
what do you suggest in this situation? i’ve kickboxed for many
years and i was always southpaw. after starting up boxing it
just feels natural. my right arm never tires, but my left does. should
i switch stances? being on my right really makes me feel awkward.
please keep in mind that i didn’t suddenly want to be southpaw. it just
left right from the beginning. thanks for the awesome article!
My only suggestion is to follow the guide and put your dominant hand in the back.
Ok I could stand on my right foot with my stronger hand in the front which is my right but I could also stand on my left with my weaker hand in the front which is my left that’s how I normally stand but I feel quicker, kinda comfortable and, more faster when I stand ony right foot. But I do self training I shadow box or just put on the gloves with my bro and when I do I end up switching it up a lot well just when I put on the gloves any ideas?
It sounds like you lack training and therefore, are only a one-handed fighter. When fighters are one-handed, the dominant usually feels better in front. But once you become a trained 2-handed fighter, you’ll feel better with the weak one in front.
Hi,im having trouble deciding which stance to go on,i hear what ur saying n if i was left handed and left footed i wldnt have a problem but im left handed and right footed,left hand dominant,right foot dominant,my only issue is is that i skateboard natural (right leg at back) which means thats where my balance is,n i can step in an out better in an orthadox stance,but again iv read over n over about how important it is to have ur dominant hand out back,which is fine,that is if u cld help me out on how to strengthen my les dominant leg n improve my balence in a southpaw stance?
Cheers
Jump rope, running, shadowboxing and the usual plyometric exercises.
Johnny, hi, i am an amateur boxer from india, and i box at light welterweight(64 kgs)
i am 6’1
i just want to know, is it possible to throw a left hook from the outside range, like a swing
i hate fighting on the inside, since i cant use my reach(77”)
for all the boxers in my weight class are shorter than me
any tips , on throwing a swing?
Yes you can. It would be a long-range hook.
what’s a ‘haymaker’ johnny?
is it useful for outside fighters like me?
where is it aimed?
any tips on throwing it?
A haymaker is a wide looping punch. It’s not a recommended punch for beginners because it leaves you wide open. It’s useful when thrown at the right times, which is not often. Anybody can throw it but has to be at the right time. My recommendation (especially if you don’t know what it is) is to focus on other punches because they’re more useful.
hey johnny love the site im left handed dominant but my strong side and dominant eye are my right i also do many things right handed and seem to fight better orthadox should i switch to southpaw or stay orthadox
Follow the guide.
what if you are one of those special fighters and you are ambidextrous? what do you do for yours stance
If you’re truly ambidextrous than it doesn’t matter which one you pick. If anything, pick southpaw since that gives people problems.
Johnny,
Big, big thanks for this site, regrouping all the tips (hell of a work), well organised and overall netted by a very good spirit (fighting one of course!). Thanks!!!
As for me I am an orthodoxe stance boxer but…l ameft handed (left eye dominant and so on). I was wondering if changing my stance to my natural born one would be a good idea after a couple of years I have allready been boxing with the orthodoxe stance.
Reading all the comments and your advises, the answer is yes, but on the other side, that would mean, drop down my current skills and go through a whole prossess again to change stance
You have to use your most natural stance to reach your full potential. The natural stance will help you learn faster, learn easier, and reach your highest capability. It’s like saying, “Should I learn a new punching technique which feels weird? Or should I stick to my old crappy technique that I’m used to?”
I start to boxing soon, but wantede to prepar my self a bit before starting, now i have been reading up on southpaws stance and normal stance but i don’t know whits one to use, my dominating eye is my left eye, but my dominating hand is my right, whits one should i use or should i talk to a tranier about it?
wonna add, it fells more right to stand whit my left hand in the back rather then my right hand in the back.
and thanks for the side, helped me out!
Sounds like you’re orthodox.
WOW!!!!! I love this site. Well done.
i box for 3 yeaars and want to develop my ring generalship so. Should I switch southpaw to learn the lefty stance be a switch hitter like some fighters?
You can do whatever you want. It’s good to train the other side a bit but your dominant side should still be your focus. Personally, I never train southpaw but I do use that position from time to time in sparring.
Hey Johnny, love these articles man. Your website is so resourceful. I have a question about foot placement though. I know you normally want your dominant foot in the back as well.. I am right handed and my right foot is dominant as well so orthodox feels great. My friend is right handed but has a dominant left foot, so his movements feel awkward in an orthodox stance. I know you generally discourage fighting with your dominant hand in the front, but would it be wise for a right handed boxer to fight from the southpaw stance if he has a dominant left foot?
The rule is to leave the dominant hand in the back. I have a stronger left leg as well but I’m right hand dominant and so I leave my right hand in the back.
Hi Johnny!
Awesome site! I’ve found a lot of useful information here.
But I have a question.
What is more important dominant eye or dominant arm(+leg). I feel that my right arm is more skilled and strong but my dominant eye is my left eye. Orthodox or Southpaw stance is better for me?
Put the dominant hand in back.
Does hand dominance in boxing relate to hand dominance in general. Like right handed people put the right hand back. Or is it like skateboarding where a person can be right handed but the left hand preforms better?
There’s no end-all rule but there are general guidelines. If by following this article, you find your dominant hand is the right hand…then you should stand with the right hand in back.
Hey what if I’m right hand dominant but left eye dominant?
This article doesn’t account for that. And in any case, that’s my situation too (right hand / left eye) and I stand orthodox.
But I used to be left hand dominant until little league base ball I was teased from teammates for hitting left handed and taught myself to make my right hand dominant. Now I use it to do everything such as writing
Man, I totally don’t get why they tease for being a left-handed baseball player. I thought it was an advantage in baseball.
I have a question, my power hand is my right hand, but I can land so many more punches with my left hand in both stances. Should I stick to Orthodox or switch to southpaw? I can box pretty well with both stances, but it seems like I land my back hand much more in southpaw. I feel as if I may have much more ability in southpaw I don’t know about just beings I’m a beginner and I don’t want to throw myself into an area with a much more experienced boxer than can see that I’m not used to.
Regardless, Im going to practice both stances (once I get some experience) incase the time comes for me to switch and I can be prepared.
Read the guide…follow the suggestion…or well, just do whatever you want.
Hey, i just started kickboxing and wondering. i’am right handed or atleast i write with my right hand,but i’am left legged and left eyed dominant- should i still stay with my right hand in the back?
I advise all fellow ambidextreous fighters to just focus on making their left hand the dominant one, the southpaw stance is a very good advantage and confuses many opponents. You can sometimes beat better guys just because they’re not used to beating someone with your stance
Hi Johnny
I’m left handed person but since i joined a gym i learned the orthodox stance only for almost 6 moths
and now when I try to switch to my natural stance “southpaw” its just doesn’t feel natural anymore! and i became comfortable in the orthodox stance ..
is this a negative thing to continue as orthodox ?
note: Iam right eye dominant !
First off I want to say that I have only trained boxing home with my brother for about 1 year. He goes to boxing for many years and now he is an amatuer boxer.
The problem is:
I am naturally right handed. My left hand is very, very week, I barely can punch with it. The problem is that I got used to fight in southpaw. My good leg is the left one. Every time when I try to fight/train orthodox I can’t move on my feet, i can’t move my head and I can’t fight relaxed and I feel completely immobile with zero dexterity.
Next week I will go for the first time in a boxing gym to train. Until now I only trained boxing in my home with my brother. My brother is doing boxing for many years, he is an amatuer boxer like I said. He told me that the coach will force me to fight orthodox. Is that true? And is there a problem if I refuse to fight orthodox and I choose southpaw though my right hand is much stronger and better?
I have tried to learn to fight in orthodox stance, but I just can’t learn no matter for how long I try. It seem that I just can’t move on my feet, I can’t move my head and I’m not fighting relaxed. Basically i’m completely immobile with zero dexterity.
I’m 14 and I’ve considered myself left-handed as long as I can remember. I write with my left hand, I fight southpaw and generally use my left hand more. Because I use it more, my left arm is considerably stronger than my right.
But ever since I started boxing (about a year ago), I’ve been having doubts about my left-handedness. When I’m on the speed bag, it’s my right hand that always performs better. When I’m on the bag or shadow-boxing, my right arm feels fast and snappy whereas my left arm feels strong, but slow and awkward. I’m now even deeper in doubt after breaking my left arm. I’ve picked up writing with my right hand surprisingly easily. It’s still worse than my left hand, but mostly because of the experience difference.
So here’s my question: Should I keep fighting as a southpaw? Or should I switch to orthodox and start over?
Sounds like your right hand should be in the back. But if you write and naturally do everything with your left arm, you might still be southpaw.
Isn’t the dominant hand the same as the hand that you normally throw a ball with ?
That’s a good indicator, too!
Hey Johnny. I’ve recently started boxing and fighting orthodox. I’m right eye dominant, right leg dominant and feel very at home in orthodox. I write with my left, throw a ball with my left, but do some things with my right like playing guitar. If I was to do something like shoot a bow and arrow I would draw it with my right hand. On the lads my friend says I’m very slightly stronger with my left but only very slightly.I’ve asked coaches what to do and they just say stay in the stance your comfortable in. So do I go southpaw, orthodox or just switch hit?
You are most definitely an orthodox fighter to me. Accuracy > strength.
Accuracy is probably more on the left to be honest. On vacation I went to hit one of those boxing arcade games with my right and clipped it but nearly beat it with my left. My only problem is just feel really odd and off balance in southpaw, for example if I was snowboarding I would have my right foot back so Do I still stay orthodox or go southpaw?
You still sound very orthodox to me.
I have tried this speed bag exercise, and my left hand was the fastest, strongest, and had the most stamina. However, I am left handed. Also, I feel more natural to pivot on my right leg when I punch with my right (rear) hand.
Which stance would be best for me?
What about converted southpaws