How important is your Footwork?

[Alan Armstrong]

What better way to start of this topic, with a video clip from with Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris battling it out in the Coliseum.

Bruce Lee starts off losing the fight to Chuck Norris.

Bruce turns the fight around to his favor with his boxing footwork.

Then Chuck mimics Bruce, but Bruce's footwork is superior and Chuck looses the fight.

Now by watching Muhammad Ali's Footwork & Jab techniques, Bruce Lee couldn't have had a better role model from the man that could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

How important is your footwork?

[Tempest]

Footwork is an extremely important part of fighting.

Here though is a better example of why having the best footwork+best timing is the key to winning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u3GKFqSUtw

Silva is just so thoroughly dominant in that fight because he has the better footwork. He gets to dictate range. He gets to dictate timing. In the end, his opponent gets to swing, miss, and get countered a lot.

[TJ-Jitsu]

Its absolutely critical, but more importantly is how my opponents footwork (or lack thereof is...).

Power is drawn from your hips, but that power is drawn from your legs. Takes lots of training to really get and apply it. Depending on how someone stands, you cant necessarily tell what they're going to throw, but you know what they CANT throw. Usually what they cant throw they also cant counter or block adequately either. Much like jiu jitsu, I don't enjoy a fair fight. I attack where my opponent is weak. Depending on his stance sometimes it punches, sometimes its kicks, and sometimes its throws.

Spend a year or so just throwing a punch or whatever to get a rough idea of how your arm/leg is supposed to go. Then start working on your footwork and see how drastically your strikes improve.

[tallgeese]

It's huge. It facilitates power, evasion, penetration... in short just about everything important in a fight. It's immaterial if we're talking about your primary art being a striking based platform or grappling, or weapon. Your footwork is your connection to not taking damage or being put in a negative position.

FMAs are typically fantastic about their focus on footwork right out of the gate. Granted, when you're stick is a stand in for a two foot razor blade minimizing contact is a great idea.

Boxing is another great example of high level footwork. Cutting angles and generating power has truly been developed into a science with this art.

Each different based on the focus, but each very well placed and efficient in delivering the principles of the arts combat focus.

[sensei8]

As everyone has mentioned, footwork is everything!!

Without proper footwork, there is no effective work at all. From the top of ones head, to the bottom of ones foot, everything must work together, and at their specific moment; not before and not later.

Tai Sabaki can't be understood, and then mastered, if Ashi Sakaki and Te Sabaki aren't first understood, and then mastered on their own. Otherwise, effectiveness will not be born, if at all!! These elements must first be understood before either of them can be mastered. Point 'A' to point 'B' can't be reached if ones footwork, Ashi Sabaki, isn't first understood; and if it's not understood, then, it'll only be an illusion, if at best.

Nothing's possible without effective footwork!! Oh, sure, one can try, but it'll be vain.

[Alan Armstrong]

Lomachenko's Matrix Style Footwork & Matador Feints Explained - Technique Breakdown

your move...

[bushido_man96]

As the others have mentioned, footwork is very important. A big, strong striker that stands like a statue and swings will eventually get overworked by someone with good footwork. Holly Holm used good footwork and distancing to win her fight with Ronda Rousey, and there are tons of other examples out there to boot. Olympic TKD uses a ton of shuffling footwork to set up kicks, counters, and combinations.

[Alan Armstrong]

Here is a video, showing the effectiveness of simple footwork and punches in a street self defense situation by a boxer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJUw7OXXGwg

[bushido_man96]

Excellent breakdown in that video. Really like how he explained all that.

[Alan Armstrong]

Excellent breakdown in that video. Really like how he explained all that.

It is all very text book stuff but for someone not knowing this technique it is a painful lesson to learn.

Used it alot in TKD classes.

Stepping a little to the side with the lead foot (flanking) striking with the same side punch and pivoting on the lead foot bringing the rear leg around, nicely targeting the opponent's right side of chin (then quickly if need be, mirroring the technique on the right side) now in a more dangerous position for the opponent and safer for oneself for many follow up strikes.

Caperera uses it in their Jingas and it is used alot in Wing Chun for off line angle strikes also.

It is an effective technique due to its efficiency to quickly get off line defensively and making a new line off attack at a moment's notice, combined with the element of surprise and with precision striking speed can end a fight quicker than it started.