How to Improve Footwork for Martial Arts
Successful Martial Arts Practice Relies on Footwork
Nov 14, 2009 Brian Jungwiwattanaporn
Developing solid footwork is an intensive activity that requires attendance while training. While people may fight adequately with their upper body, utilizing the lower half of the body to move and control range will enable martial artists to access better strategies. When developing your footwork it is vitally important to keep several key principles in mind.
Martial Arts Stance
Of primary interest is your stance. Does it increase or decrease your mobility and what scope of attacks and defenses does it provide? A wider wrestling stance geared towards initiating a shoot or sprawling on your opponent is different than the stance of a kick boxer, judo player, or someone using Filipino and weapon based arts. Despite this, across all martial arts, remaining flat footed is regarded as poor form. A martial artist should be bouncing and balancing on the balls of their feet, ready to move forward, back, or side to side.
The Purpose Of Martial Arts Footwork
Different styles have different needs and strategies. The stance in Tae Kwon Do is strong in switching the lead leg quickly to utilize different kicks and potentially confuse the opponent. The shuffle step in Tae Kwon Do can also subtly close distance. Evading is also an important skill and being able to bound backwards or ideally off to a side angle is highly beneficial. Being able to bound forward to rapidly close distance is also useful and has been used to great effect by MMA champions such as Lyoto Machida.
Footwork along with upper body movement creates angles for attack. Filipino martial arts are known for the use of triangular footwork, with a footwork matrix of a smaller inverted triangle resting inside a larger triangle, providing a scope of movement, and thus attacking options. Chinese arts often used a circular based footwork to engage opponents. Creating your own set of attacks and responses based on a footwork matrix is a valuable tool used by high level Tae Kwon Do players as well as strong practitioners of the Filipino martial arts.
Developing a footwork matrix is possible through repetition so that foot movement becomes reactionary given the situation. Boxers in the gym will practice footwork by jabbing the heavy bag and then circling or pivoting after the punch is thrown. Building these reactions through repetition help ensure the boxer can strike and then create a new angle to evade or attack again. In knife arts as well as fencing, a lunging attack may be used with a quick bounding step to retreat and avoid counterattack. Practicing with a partner will help develop the feeling for attacking range, distancing, and timing.
Developing Footwork in Martial Arts
Keeping on your toes and maintaining the endurance to do so can be accomplished through work with a jump rope. While cross training in sports such as basketball which require both upper and lower body coordination will help your ability to move with rhythm. Developing balance is also key, and arts such as Tai Chi Chu’an as well as freestyle wrestling will focus on posture and weight distribution which will develop the touch necessary for strong balance.
Developing a footwork plan whether it is jab and circle out, or using triangle based footwork to set up or wrestling shot or attack with a weapon requires planning and thinking. Working with a partner and experimenting what works best for your size, speed, and skill level is necessary. Other arts, such as Capoeria, while having a footwork paradigm, also rely heavy on improvisation which will help develop quick thinking while moving your feet. Cross – training in Capoeira also provides strong balance and a feeling for range.
Sport Specific Martial Arts Training
The footwork needs of a Mixed Martial – Arts fighter/stylist are different than those of other arts. The MMA competitor needs to be ready to kick, take down, sprawl, evade, and close distance. Training in a base art, such as wrestling or Muay Thai, is often necessary to have good fundamentals in at least one area of footwork. Footwork is one area of martial arts technique and should be complemented by takedown defense, strong striking, clinch work, and ground technique. Being well – rounded will help to ensure that when your footwork fails you have other skills on which to rely.
Footwork For Self-Defense
Footwork designed to fight a single opponent is also very sport specific. Wrestlers, MMA fighters, and Tae Kwon Do stylists face one person only which creates a lack of awareness when in a real situation where multiple attackers may exist. Training your footwork (or in a serious situation, sprinting) to meet multiple attackers or to defend a specific person against an attacker requires more thought than martial arts competition, and requires a higher degree of situational awareness.
Foot work in martial arts
|
Martial Arts Footwork
|
What do you think about this article?
Latest Articles