FOOTWORK FOR IN CLOSE.

Aside from what your taught in the up on toes and the basic moves for outside fighting;

There is much to rethink and relearn when in close fighting nose to nose.

Same thing goes for when bridging the gap from outer to inner fighting and visa versa.

Slight variations in stance or even by just a simple knee bend or a twist out of a heel can get you out of trouble or into it further!

You have realize what takes you where and practice it, so it becomes second nature.

Imagine you are standing feet apart square shouldered to your opponent and he is in a stance with one leg further forward than the other (front stance).

Now its should be obviouse to you that he can only reach you with one hand (Unless he changes something) and you can reach him with both hands without any changes.

Here lies the first realization you have to go through to become a great 'in fighter'.

IT is the basics to know what his limitations and yours are in this situation so that you can know what the consiquences will be if you change or move. THINK IT OUT, STUDY IT.

Most front stances have your body set at about a 45 degree angle to your attacking direction so your one handed until you twist in;(then quite often you are overcommitted off the rear arm).

Realize it, only use it when your safe.Practice it ,so your legs are still bent so that your feet can still take you out of troulble when your committed like that and things dont work for you like you planned.


You must know that you can remain square shouldered and still move your feet into a front stance. (this tightens up your waist as there is a further twist there now).But you can still move freely if you practice and once you can do it,it will open up another world for you when moveing in or out or down through and under .


Practice going slowly through these diffenrent shifts and stances and realize what and where they take you.Watch your reach change and realize what distance you gain or lose from it.

Imagine a shot comming in and change slightly so that your head and body move further out of range from their shot but one side of you actually closes in further for the counter punch ,practice it.

Practice moving your feet and bend and ducking under a shot while your twisted into a square shouldered front stance and see and feel the limitations and or the advantages in some situations that can be had.


Know things like, if you have both feet under both your shoulders and someone throws a straight shot at you ; you can avoid it simply by moving your heels one way which gets you out of their firing line and it creates a situation where one of your sides closes in on them too.
So practice it for those tight situations and then put a step in afterwards and do the same with a knee bend on the outer leg and step under their lead arm ,readjust and bang you have them totally caught out and committed to their first move.

Realization is everything; you have to know ((why)) you are going somewhere for it to make a difference;
and to do that you have mark out positions ,go through them slowly until you know ,then slowly introduce them into your sparring and then on to utilizeing them in the real situations.