Hi, do any of you know any good ways how to get my footwork perfect? My stance is fine but when I'am moving around I struggle.
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Hi, do any of you know any good ways how to get my footwork perfect? My stance is fine but when I'am moving around I struggle.
There are more than a few ways to improve one's footwork: what problems in particular are you having?
Skip!
One of the oldest and best is the easiest....Tie your feet together with abt 2ft slack...Practice tilll you can move without ever pulling the rope to it's limit...Once you can move without ever extending the rope to it's limit shorten it 6" and do the same ...When you get there do the same till you can move without ever pulling the rope tight...once you can move pivot and stay balance with only a foot of slack you are where you need to be....Of course when you box you will always have to move your feet more than a foot or two apart but being able to do it with such a limited space will give you what you needQuote:
Originally Posted by English Bulldog
Try this: begin by standing with your feet under your shoulders toes on a line. Shift all wt to rt foot, lift left foot place it so large to touches lrg toe of rt ft, w/ left foot at @ 40dg angle, then take one natural step forward with left, rotating leg inward so hip and shoulder (left) are in front of your chin. Rt foot on to heel up @ 2", move it @ 3"directly to theright: feet should be under shoulders frnt to bk, side to side.
Slide the left foot forward 3-4in., slide the right foot up to position. Shuffle forward in this manner, then go in reverse,moving the right foot first. Do this until you begin to feel your balance sliding not lifting the feet. Now begin throwing your jab as you move, hands and feet notin serquence, punch continuously driving arm full out not upsetting your balance. forward and back. Do the same with the right then with both hands. Punch continuously not shifting wt or upsettying your shuffle at all. More later
Jump rope, dance classes, and lots and lot of shadow boxing have helped me tremendously... but what has helped me the most... is watching our pro-fighters in the gym work out and then to try to imitate there moves...
Blackvenom-2001
Shadow boxing is essentail for footwork. Watch your feet as well as your hands.
Dancing my friend dancing you would be surprised how much that actually helps, it helped me a lot and its also a good for your rhythm as well, plus its a fun exercise give it a try bro.Quote:
Originally Posted by English Bulldog
I wouldn't rate dancing really as it's a totally different type of movement, far more random.
To practice footwork for boxing you have to rehearse the same movements over and over.
15 Minutes a day concentrating on moving can make a huge difference.
Also work on a good stretch routine for your hips and every joint and muscle down to your ankles and toes.
If you've got stiff legs, your automatically a stiff vertical fighter.
I agree with Andre. Thats why I never do weights with my legs.
Weightlifting is fine and dandy for boxing but stretch BEFORE and AFTER working out!Quote:
Originally Posted by hitmandonny
Also low weight and high reps are a boxer's best friend....that gives you the long lean muscles.
As for footwork:
1. Jump rope
2. focus on it in shadow boxing
3. when I warm up I usually circle the ring for a few rounds both ways before starting my shadow boxing
...or dance with the video arcade machine...Quote:
Originally Posted by ICB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKOjF...eature=related
EXCELLENT post. People seem to greatly underestimate the value of watching and emulating.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackvenom-2001
Quite honestly, Im perplexed by how difficult it is for many people to learn footwork. It's easy. Like venom said, just watch and learn. Watch Ali, then just do it. I mean, did nobody gallop or sidestep in he school yard as a kid? It's the same thing.. Don't everthink it.
Just bounce up and down on the balls of your feet, moving front to back and side to side.
When you jab and move forward, step with your lead foot, and drag the rear foot.
Simple.
Ill give you a cracker, but you must have the basics before trying it you also need a partner of the same or simular standard. Get two valcro headbands and 4ft of elastic rope tie the velcro to the headbands, then each of you put them on. the secret is to always have tension on the rope and both move with your eyes shut. At first there will be a few problems with distance but given time it will give unbelievable awareness and speed, also oral perception its a cracker.
So you'd need a partner of similar height as well?
Does one person follow the other kinda thing?
Is it to sort of get you to move without leaving your head behind therefore keeping your feet under you?
As opposed to going ass over tip because someone steps on your toes while your moving back head first (yes I've done that!).
It does, you understand what feel is about its very tireing you need good consentration levels it only needs light elastic, its one of the things Ive been working on
Interesting thanks Scrap :) I might try talking a training partner into doing this with me some time.
I use to do the samething. while i was circling the the ring i pretend to side step my opponet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lyle
skipping rope is good.
Check your stance,it might not be as perfect as you think
If you tend to lean back,or forward to far,you wont be able to move
I don't think anything I do is perfect. Posture and balance is something I am continually working on.
I don't think there will be any quick fixes and with me I think part of it is physical as well as technical.
I need to become consistant with my stretching etc to loosen up muscles that bend my back out of place to move more effectively.
Is there something in particular you want to work on? Defence, closing the range?
I think skipping is great for endurance in the legs but it does not automatically mean your footwork will be better. Train as you want to perform.
To improve your footwook drill footwork. As Donny has mentioned, shadowboxing is great. Actually try a couple of rounds just dancing round the ring, have someone you know won't try and kill you chase you round the ring whilst you evade, that'll get you moving.
Don't forget to move your feet when working the heavy bag, sure you can do a round slugging on it but switch with moving in and out of range, move round the bag, move after throwing every punch or combo.
Have a good pad partner. Have them move round (I'm sure they do).
If there is a specific combo you want to work on, eg. jab/cross/hook/ throw in place, throw it moving forward/back, throw the jab, step forward and out and move again before throwing the hook. Practice it light and fast/hard/ etc etc.
Lots of things to play with that your trainer should or could be doing, plenty of things you can work on at home. Good luck;)
Some great points there Missy.
I think another thing you'll have to learn is that when speaking of footwork, it does not have to be elaborate or flash.
Practising economy of movement is a great tool as it conserves energy and the small subtle movements can get you where you want to go a lot quicker than any flamboyant exaggerated moves. see B-hop vids on you tube.
Thanks missy and hitmandonny,
yeah I have a lot to work on but I'll try to put your ideas into practice over the next few months and watch some bhop :)
I seem to either over reach and pick my back foot up off of the ground (and bounce around like a fool) or plant too heavily on my back foot and leave my weight on it too heavily (and be economical with movement).
I haven't managed to find the happy medium consistently. Perhaps you're right on point when you mention range there Missy as well as hitmandonny's comment on economy of movement.
My balance does seem to be better when I force myself to throw combos and get into more of a flow though. Odd!
everybody can't dance around like ali. first make sure that you can move regulary without crossing your feet.
one thing i can say has help me is skating. it really helps for you balance ey and your feet are shoulder width apart . but there is one negative thoe and that is that to pushing can create the habit of bringing you feet together when you try to step fast. so you just need to work on that in shadow work after you skate.
This will certainly help...
You can get some free footwork drills by registering here:
Learn How To Box
or get the full package here:
Boxing footwork
Laters
This should help your footwork and its free.
Learn How To Box
Peace
Hey English Bull
Read lots of replies, some real good, some so complex I'd need to run them by Stephen Hawking to make sense of them. Broadly speaking, I'm strongly with Donny and his suggestion of 15 minutes a day as a start, from where you can move onto some of the more complex stuff (Scrap mentions this). In terms of foot movements, you have 8 basic directions (straight lines and diagonals) and a pivot (either direction). This range can be expanded as experience is gained. Some things to remember:
The basic fact is that although Von insists that footwork is simple, it isn't. It becomes simple after you have put in lots of work! Then again, it's little wonder that Von finds it easy as according to his/her description he/she is doing it wrong (boxing in the catatonic style of Valuev rather than the 'blink and you miss it' style of a young Tyson).
- Keep the movements simple
- Keep the movements short (no more than 5 inches in either direction)
- Maintain consistency e.g. when moving forward push off the back leg and when moving backwards push off the front leg.
- Use mirrors and taped lines on the floors and mirrors to ensure that you have a benchmark to work to.
Listen to Donny's 15 minute a day tip, then build up the the esoteric world of Scrap! You can get some simple footwork tips at my site.
Cheers
Fran
Im not sure if traditional type dance is good for footwork. But, have you tried more of hip hop type danceing? It helped my more advanced footwork. For example the UFC fighter Anderson Silva who is maybe the best boxer in MMA, has really nice, rythmatic, danceing like footwork. I have pretty nice footwork and i see boxing as kind of a dance. It is all about your rythm and of course not being predictible. Dancing in and out from your opponent. I would almost say that anyone with really nice/advanced footwork can prolly dance decent even if they dont realize that they can. Also like i say i have nice footwork and what works for some might not complement other peoples styles. And like you said in another post hitmandonny more subtle and simple footwork can be more efficiant than the flashy stuff. So one should figure out there style and do what works for them.Quote:
Originally Posted by hitmandonny