Footwork tips?

[saturday_kid]

Just wandering if anyone had/knew any little exercises, anything to do, that will improve footwork/balance?

Mines pretty poor if i'm honest.

I'm after little things I can do all the time, at work or at home even that will improve, not just in the gym.

Cheers

[boxbible]

Just remember to keep the center of your balance in between both feet all the time. So if you step forward with a jab, don't lean forward with the head and put all the weight on the front foot. Step in with the hip instead and just extend the jabbing arm. Keep the head centered over the hip. Your weight will be kept distributed evenly over both feet and you keep your balance and mobility intact.

Keep the weight on the balls of the feet. That's keeping it on the insteps of the foot rather than on the outsteps or the heel. Imagine you're trying to push a car. Feel which part of the foot has the most contact with the ground when you're pushing hard. That's where you need to keep the weight on. The balls of the feet.

Keep both knees slightly bent at all times. A straightened knee is immobile. When you throw a right hand, bend the front knee to keep your balance and add an inch or two of reach to the punch.

Don't just practice stepping forwards and backwards only. Practice stepping left and also to the right. When stepping left, always start with the left foot. When stepping right, always start with the right foot. A lot of guys make a mistake when they step to the right with the left foot first. You're legs are crossed for a split second and you can't punch and you're vulnerable defensively. And you're actually not moving anywhere with the first step.

[Scrap]

What takes you Left is the Right Foot. What takes you Right is the Left Foot.

['Frilla]

Just remember to keep the center of your balance in between both feet all the time. So if you step forward with a jab, don't lean forward with the head and put all the weight on the front foot. Step in with the hip instead and just extend the jabbing arm. Keep the head centered over the hip. Your weight will be kept distributed evenly over both feet and you keep your balance and mobility intact.

Keep the weight on the balls of the feet. That's keeping it on the insteps of the foot rather than on the outsteps or the heel. Imagine you're trying to push a car. Feel which part of the foot has the most contact with the ground when you're pushing hard. That's where you need to keep the weight on. The balls of the feet.

Keep both knees slightly bent at all times. A straightened knee is immobile. When you throw a right hand, bend the front knee to keep your balance and add an inch or two of reach to the punch.

Don't just practice stepping forwards and backwards only. Practice stepping left and also to the right. When stepping left, always start with the left foot. When stepping right, always start with the right foot. A lot of guys make a mistake when they step to the right with the left foot first. You're legs are crossed for a split second and you can't punch and you're vulnerable defensively. And you're actually not moving anywhere with the first step.

Nice write up mate. Some very good advice.

[boxbible]

What takes you Left is the Right Foot. What takes you Right is the Left Foot.

WHAT?!?

[Scrap]

What I said, Simple Helps Proprioceptive Ability.

['Frilla]

What takes you Left is the Right Foot. What takes you Right is the Left Foot.

WHAT?!?

[Scrap]

Its simple Basics, of Balance Proprioceptive Ability. All Sport with movement is Based on it. Called Oral Stability, the body transports the Head, with the Head Directing the Balance, through its Balance with the Coxxys and Feet, you get Balanced movement, Simple really. Moving the Left Foot 1st, you lose it, the Proprioceptive Ability to Do.

[boxbible]

Its simple Basics, of Balance Proprioceptive Ability. All Sport with movement is Based on it. Called Oral Stability, the body transports the Head, with the Head Directing the Balance, through its Balance with the Coxxys and Feet, you get Balanced movement, Simple really. Moving the Left Foot 1st, you lose it, the Proprioceptive Ability to Do.

Why would moving the left foot first cause you to lose it?

Also, say I'm in a standard orthodox boxing stance, left foot in front, right foot in back; now, if I want to move forward, I should move my back foot forward first?

I always thought proprioception was the feedback loop from sensors in the muscles, to the brain, and back to the muscles, to keep optimum balance, strength and flexibility.

And you can improve your proprioceptive ability by training those motions under controlled circumstances. Thus, you train yourself to keep balance when you step left to move yourself left. At first, its damn awkward. But after training, it can become second nature. Because in a boxing match, as far as I know, stepping left with your right foot first is a sure way to get KTFO one day.

[Scrap]

The Power and Stability to move Left is generated of the opposite Foot, and Vice Verse. The Foot that is the front Foot going forward is for Direction, going back, its the back Leg giving direction and Distance. Same left or right. Opposite to that, your never in Balance, because the Shoulders are not, neither is the Head where everything comes from for Do.

[Scrap]

Sorry, you slightly lift the front foot locking the knee, Feet should never become wider unless theres a Reason regarding Distance Depth or Direction

[boxbible]

The Power and Stability to move Left is generated of the opposite Foot, and Vice Verse. The Foot that is the front Foot going forward is for Direction, going back, its the back Leg giving direction and Distance. Same left or right. Opposite to that, your never in Balance, because the Shoulders are not, neither is the Head where everything comes from for Do.

Oh, so you're saying the same thing. To move left, it's the right foot doing the work pushing against the canvas while the left foot is moving leftward for direction.

It just sounded like you were saying that, to move left, you would step with your right foot, to the left, first.

[pablothunder]

Well, thats that sorted out.
So - Push off your right to go left. Push off your left to go right, remember how heavy your head is.
If you're losing your balance, drop your ass downward.

[Scrap]

You cant move your Arse

[palooka]

Bruce Lee (The Master ) had a lot of down to earth sense about footwork in 'Tao of Jeet Kun Do'; (a lot about power, speed timing etc too).