So at my new gym I’ve become aware that I tend to stand quite square on to my opponent, with my feet parallel facing them. At my old gym I was aware of it but they seemed to take it as a personality quirk without really telling me to fix it. My question is why does standing slightly side on make you harder to hit? Is there are a more elaborate response other than “that’s just how things line up”?
Stand in front of a mirror in one stance then the other and you'll see. In words: if your stance is angled your left arm protects the vulnerable/ legal to hit spots on your left side. You can hide your chin behind your left shoulder. Your right glove can easily protect your face and, if you block the hook properly, you'll roll your right shoulder into play, not just the right glove. By angling your stance you move your liver further away from your opponent. In general you give yourself about 6 more inches to see punches coming. It helps your offense too, by moving your left hand considerably closer to your opponent. Since your left shoulder will now be closer to the center line of your body, you can more readily get your shoulder into your jab. Since your chin will be behind your left shoulder you can lower your left glove and that allows you to jab from different angles and to bring your hook from our of his line of sight.
In very simple terms, defensively you're giving your opponent less real estate to hit by being on an angle instead of squared up.
Common sense. The smaller the target you present, the more difficult it is for an opponent to hit. Squaring up..... That's a tendency you have to get rid of ASAP. Bad ****ing habit. Have you actually competed in a smoker or an actual amateur tournament?
squaring up is good only in close distance and clinch followed with defensive movements slips, crouches, etc.