Old tricks for footwork/balance

[cambay411]

whats a good method to train keeping your rear front slightly out and away from the body to keep the proper stance, i find when i circle clockwise (backwards) or start moving in and out i end up side on rather than square on

Not sure what you mean but if you mean your not square on with your opponent that is a good thing. If your side on you have used your footwork to create an angle to land a punch. Once again hard to explain without showing you.

Yes the footwork drills you find on YouTube are good. Start out simple tho. Forward, backward and side to side. Put a cross on the floor with tape, put your front foot in the middle and work your rear foot around the other ends of the tape (4 ends).

I think shadow boxing is under estimated. Shadow box with no punches, just footwork. Also light sparring.

Thank you for the reply. Ill do the tape in the squash courts at the gym tomorrow. there are squash court lines on the floor and i follow them in my stance so moving round the box's, up and down the lines, pivoting on corners etc is this a good thing to be doing

when i say i end up side on, if you imagine looking down birds eye view to two orthodox stances, when i circle or move out and back in i find im nearly all side on, my right cross would be seen a mile away and id have to lose balance to land it or move my foot to throw and it would be seen anyway. I keep trying to keep my rear foot out in front of me but find im literally sideways

Yes those are exercises you should always keep up on.

Also, set up some cones in a square formation and then one more cone in the middle (5 cones in all and it doesnt have to be cones as I use pop cans at home). Work your footwork all around them. Go around them and over them in between your legs. Do rounds with just footwork and rounds shadow boxing.

I cant be 100% exactly sure what you mean about your issue without actually seeing it. But it sounds like your having trouble staying on your opponents center line and keeping your opponent in your center line. When I say center line I mean in position to land a punch basically.

I recommend looking it up on yahoo or google so you can see pics and read more into it. Its hard to find info on tho so you will have to dig a little.

Anyway, a drill you can use to work on this...... Grab a partner square up on each other and dance. One takes the lead the other follows. No air punches or anything, just footwork. Work on staying on each others line.

[cambay411]

http://www.sugarboxing.com/boxing-te...e-foundations/





Here is a link I found the other day when discussing the topic on another thread. Ive only skimmed over the page but the info looks pretty solid.

[manchestermatt1986]

Ok, so i shadow boxed for about 20/25mins in 5/10 mins at a time amongst footwork along squash courts and skipping. It felt great, i kind of descended inside myself and found balance easy, i could feel my movements and how to tidy them. ended up doing some movements over and over until i could feel they were smooth/easier. even punches i was concentrating on twisting my knuckles right over at the last minute, i felt faster and smoother than i have before and the opponent i was making up in my head was slightly more reaslistic (slightly!!) BUT......

i kept realising i was dropping my chin right down to my chest and even hanging my body forward, (as if i was stairing at the floor infront of my feet)

[cambay411]

Ok, so i shadow boxed for about 20/25mins in 5/10 mins at a time amongst footwork along squash courts and skipping. It felt great, i kind of descended inside myself and found balance easy, i could feel my movements and how to tidy them. ended up doing some movements over and over until i could feel they were smooth/easier. even punches i was concentrating on twisting my knuckles right over at the last minute, i felt faster and smoother than i have before and the opponent i was making up in my head was slightly more reaslistic (slightly!!) BUT......

i kept realising i was dropping my chin right down to my chest and even hanging my body forward, (as if i was stairing at the floor infront of my feet)

Sounds like you might be on the balls of your feet a little too much. Tho you do want to stay on the balls of your feet, you dont want to pick your heels off up off the ground. This will cause you to lean foward into your punches.

[manchestermatt1986]

Ok, so i shadow boxed for about 20/25mins in 5/10 mins at a time amongst footwork along squash courts and skipping. It felt great, i kind of descended inside myself and found balance easy, i could feel my movements and how to tidy them. ended up doing some movements over and over until i could feel they were smooth/easier. even punches i was concentrating on twisting my knuckles right over at the last minute, i felt faster and smoother than i have before and the opponent i was making up in my head was slightly more reaslistic (slightly!!) BUT......

i kept realising i was dropping my chin right down to my chest and even hanging my body forward, (as if i was stairing at the floor infront of my feet)

Sounds like you might be on the balls of your feet a little too much. Tho you do want to stay on the balls of your feet, you dont want to pick your heels off up off the ground. This will cause you to lean foward into your punches.

Ah, thank you for that cause I do try to be 'up' on the balls of my feet, helps me glide but I think its a old habit from Thai boxing years ago. Keeping the rear heel 'up' is normal thou right, even when just in my stance? So my cross is ready?

[cambay411]

Ok, so i shadow boxed for about 20/25mins in 5/10 mins at a time amongst footwork along squash courts and skipping. It felt great, i kind of descended inside myself and found balance easy, i could feel my movements and how to tidy them. ended up doing some movements over and over until i could feel they were smooth/easier. even punches i was concentrating on twisting my knuckles right over at the last minute, i felt faster and smoother than i have before and the opponent i was making up in my head was slightly more reaslistic (slightly!!) BUT......

i kept realising i was dropping my chin right down to my chest and even hanging my body forward, (as if i was stairing at the floor infront of my feet)

Sounds like you might be on the balls of your feet a little too much. Tho you do want to stay on the balls of your feet, you dont want to pick your heels off up off the ground. This will cause you to lean foward into your punches.

Ah, thank you for that cause I do try to be 'up' on the balls of my feet, helps me glide but I think its a old habit from Thai boxing years ago. Keeping the rear heel 'up' is normal thou right, even when just in my stance? So my cross is ready?

Good question, and I would say yes it is normal.

I dont think issue is in your stance. I think your going to far on the balls of your feet when your throwing punches (combinations on the heavy bag for example). Likely almost on your toes. Your not focusing enough on the turn of your hips and shoulders but putting to much focus on putting your weight into your punches maybe.

Your putting that umph into your punches but your momentum is bringing you forward and causing you to lean forward. And this all comes from being to far on the balls of your feet, or maybe I should say putting too much weight on the balls of your feet to where your basically on your toes.

Stand straight up right now, get into your stance and lean forward. You dont want that lean in your stance even when your throwing.

[manchestermatt1986]

So if im doing this correctly, im finding that i can punch throu harder and further, knocking the opponent back with a cross. but even thou i am not leaning forward im still closer to the opponent overall?

[Beanz]

Good footwork will always get you out of a tight jam.

[SugarBoxing]

Good footwork will always get you out of a tight jam.

thanks, cap