Topic: Footwork (Read 872 times)

Moon-toh · « **on:** March 31, 2010, 10:58:41 AM »

So I have been thinking about the success of mixed martial artists who train boxing properly. Most of the time it seems to be either superior to the Muay Thai striker or at least enhance the technical aspects of it.
Just in the UFC, BJ Penn, GSP, Anderson Silva, Machida, all train with incredible boxing coaches, improving on their Muay Thai training.
Most Muay Thai guys are not that technical, though some certainly are. But any good boxer is extremely technical. Additionally, the best boxers, at least as far as success in MMA, seem to have incredible timing. In my observation, these traits have to do at least mostly with superior footwork. I don't think this needs to be exclusive to boxers though. Other martial artists, TMA or MMA, can benefit from proper footwork and timing training. I train in Wing Chun Gongfu, but the unique lineage I trained under focused heavily on footwork and the boxing elements within it. I also train regularly with a pro-boxing coach. The footwork aspects of it often seem to be overlooked.
Any thoughts or arguments to this?

daawarrior · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2010, 03:34:26 PM »

Well being a boxing coach. It is boring to just train somone on just foot work. There are only so many ways to move. I mean you have the "T" and the "X" formation to start your basics with. Which is actuality is all basics. I think there is a misconseption of advanced boxing and basic beginner boxing. They are very simular. Footwork is basic and not much to it. You just have to be able to switch footwork technique from one to the other within a split second.

DpR

TFC RICK · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2010, 09:01:13 PM »

I would agree, I think footwork is generally overlooked. An old schooler shared with me once, "Foot work is like a chess game. If your foot work is weak you are only a pawn. Your attack and mobility is limited. If your foot work is strong, you are the queen. You can move and strike at will."

That may have been a long winded metaphor, but it stuck all this time and makes sense to me.

Tony G · « **Reply #3 on:** May 06, 2010, 09:38:40 PM »

My foot hurts........ LOLOL Just now figuring out what it takes to stay balanced when I would normally be "off balance". Thats the key huh Don?

Moon-toh · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2010, 12:40:00 PM »

Well, perhaps I should clarify what I mean by footwork. Of course, I mean mobility. But I also mean using the legs to control the upper body. Including using them to generate punching power.
The best boxing coaches seem to emphasize footwork/the legs very heavily. The best guy in town here in Jax places so much emphasis on it, it is almost a different art entirely from what most coaches do. Of course few have this guy's knowledge and experience.
Another aspect of footwork is timing. There is nothing easy about acquiring a superior sense of timing in movement/mobility and generating power in the body.
If you read the old book by Jack Dempsey "Championship Fighting," he basically describes it as the key to success. Of course Dempsey was the first generation after they put on gloves. Modern coaches use techniques that evolved around gloved fighting. That's great I think, and not less in any way.
But for application to martial arts, non-gloved technique is important. Many MMA guys train boxing for this express purpose. GSP, Anderson Silva, and BJ Penn have all out right said in interviews that they do boxing because it gives them timing and footwork they just can't get anywhere else.
Anyway... just some thoughts. Appreciate you guys responses.

Jesse2k18 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2010, 02:50:54 AM »

I have noticed that since focusing on footwork my stand up ability has improved greatly. I try to focus on movement and setting up all my shots with correct body position in relation to my opponent. I also like to set people up for shots based on their footwork errors. I look for people to cross their feet and other simliar mistakes often before I go in for an attack.

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Author Topic: Footwork (Read 872 times)

Moon-toh

Footwork

daawarrior

Re: Footwork

TFC RICK

Re: Footwork

Tony G

Re: Footwork

Moon-toh

Re: Footwork

Jesse2k18

Re: Footwork

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