Foot Work

[stubbs]

Can some of you add to my list of types of footwork?

The main angles I work on are the same as a compass if you imagine North, South, East and West, with North East, South East, South West, North West inbetween - or imagine you're standing in the middle of a Union Jack flag. Movement along these angles can be steps, step and slides, hops etc as below.

For the actual footwork movements I've listed the following:

Stepping

Step & Slide

Push Step

Shuffle Step

Pendulum Step

Box Steps

Hop Step

Stepping through (eg, the rear leg comes forward to become the leading leg)


I know there are others but I either haven't learnt them or used them in sparring. Can anyone add to the list of usable steps and add a brief description? I've probably missed some really obvious ones knowing me.
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[Marky]

"step back" and "step forward". Bring the front or rear foot to the other, then bring it back to the starting positon. I understand that a lot of steps use this type of movement, but this would be of particular use in bringing your rear foot straight back to avoid a roundhouse kick, then step-sliding forward from there. Or is that one of the ones that's already on your list and I don't know the shorthand name for it?

[SevenStar]

if you're looking for footwork from various styles, there is the switch step used in thai boxing, and the "z" step we used in jun fan, which is pretty much the same as the switch step, but used for a different reason.

[SevenStar]

actually, looking at your list again, it may be what you list as a shuffle step. Can you describe it?

[Becca]

Cresant step

[Ray Pina]

Element Step: Think of what a bull fighter does right as he steps out and around and sticks the bull.... that's a very useful step.

[stubbs]

Originally posted by SevenStar
actually, looking at your list again, it may be what you list as a shuffle step. Can you describe it?

The shuffle step is a quick advance. Your lead leg pulls you quickly forward by pulling the ground with the ball of your foot while the rear leg simultaniously pushes forward from the ball of the foot. It should be pretty much one movement and doesn't really look like there's much movement in your body other than the fact it advances quickly.

I'm familiar with the 'switch' in Muay Thai too. Cheers for reminding me.


Becca - is the crescent shape formed vertically or horizontally i.e. as though you were stepping over something or are you stepping round something? When would you use it?

EFist - is it exactly the same as the bull fighter? Do your feet come together as the target passes? I imagine that would be good for evading a hefty side kick.
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[stubbs]

Originally posted by SevenStar
if you're looking for footwork from various styles, there is the switch step used in thai boxing, and the "z" step we used in jun fan, which is pretty much the same as the switch step, but used for a different reason.

I'm only familiar with the Muay Thai version to set up a kick from (what was) the lead leg. Whats the jun fan use? I guess it could be used to evade an attack to the lead leg, or to swap knee's if you're kneeing, or as a distraction maybe?
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[Ray Pina]

Well, I don't want to define it, or force it into a form.

The general idea is that it is the earth element, and people holdfast and fight over the earth.... so one foot stays planted and is the pivet point, the other comes around.

The tempation at first is to lean back and away while piveting; but actually lean in, turn tight..... this step saves my a$$ all the time.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by stubbs
I'm only familiar with the Muay Thai version to set up a kick from (what was) the lead leg. Whats the jun fan use? I guess it could be used to evade an attack to the lead leg, or to swap knee's if you're kneeing, or as a distraction maybe?

as you know, the thai switch is a very slight movement. the jun fan step is exaggerated. bring your lead foot back to the same line your rear foot is on, and simultaneously shoot the lead leg forward to the line that the lead leg was in previously. Now, unlike the switch step, you step forward again with the now rear leg, replacing it as the lead leg. Notice what happened? you gained some ground. you are several inches further forward than you were previously. And that's what it's used for. the switch is done in conjunction with a strike to hide to motion. you are at that time in the same place you started from. When you step in, however, you are closer to your opponent.

[SevenStar]

I've posted this before, but it's a good page:

http://trinity.psnw.com/~dlmurray/footdrills.html

[Becca]

Originally posted by stubbs
... Becca - is the crescent shape formed vertically or horizontally i.e. as though you were stepping over something or are you stepping round something? When would you use it?
...
It is used while advancing. It looks like you are drawing an outward facing cresant moon on the ground, except your foot is not actually dragging on the ground. You are not actually stepping around something, but it can be used to set up a sweep in such a way once you close.

The reason it is used is two-fold. You do it to disguise your intent and to distract your opponant. If they look at your feet too often or too long, they don't notice what the rest of you is doing.

The other reason is to assist in rooting. the theory is that you cannot move from position of tension to another position of tension quickly. You must move from a position of looseness or near relaxation to get quick movement. You loose root when you move, but while advaning with the cresant step, you are actually maintaining a loose stance and can recover your root instantly should you get suprized with something you opponant throws out and can more easily evade a sweap or kick.

[omarthefish]

Are sure it's not for something more mundane like just hooking someones lead leg or otherwise disrupting their stance?

[Becca]

How do you jook someone's leg from 4 feet away?:confused: It can look similar to a sweep or low hook kick, but it is called a cresant walk for a reason...:rolleyes:

[omarthefish]

If your 4 feet away then drawing circles on the ground is just dancing.

[Becca]

It's called footwork. The Macaraina is dancing. :rolleyes: There's been alot of study into body mechnics and how to move so's you are less vulerable when moving from a rooted position to another rooted position. Some people choose to see this is over-ritualisation. I prefere to look at it as enlightenment and understanding my art.

Choosing to call something you don't unerstand "drawing circles on the ground" is nothing more than ignorant. Why bother asking is you don't want the knowledge?:confused:

[omarthefish]

Wow...:eek: ....if it wasn't for the fact that there's like 10 hours between our responses it would almost seem like we were flaming each other.

"Why bother asking is you don't want the knowledge?"


Originally posted by omarthefish
Are sure it's not for something more mundane like just hooking someones lead leg or otherwise disrupting their stance?

...was a rhetorical question. It's true...I wasn't looking for information. I was suggesting that your explanation didn't make any sense even thought the footwork did. And this little remark:

"but it is called a cresant walk for a reason..."

Doesn't make any sense either....unless you are doing Ed Parker's Kenpo or some other distinctly American art I hadn't thought of. (I'm sure there are many) To be specific, the reason it is called crescent "walking" could very well be just because that's one of the most commmon translations of "bu". Stepping...walking...pretty much the same in Chinese. But maybe it's because it resembles walking just as much up close as from far away..

The most common reason for that kind of stepping is usually to step around something...like a lead leg. In many forms it IS ritual. For Hung Gar, in Fu Hok, it's kind of like clearing the ground of sticks and rubbish that mught be there before you settle into your form.

And what you described IS "drawing circles in the ground". Would it offend less if I said describing circles on the ground?

[Becca]

....unless you are doing Ed Parker's Kenpo or some other distinctly American art I hadn't thought of.
There is a strong si,ilarity between Pai Lum and American Kempo, yes. Grandmaster Pai studied Chinese Kempo at the Northern Okinawan Monistary as a youth before being taught his family's style, White Dragon Fist, or Pai Lum, as it is commonly called.

I was being a bit sarcastic in my las post. I'm sorry. But to have someone call one of the most basic forward steps "dancing" because I'm "drawing circles on the ground" was insulting to me. I forgot to keep in mind that you very likely would not have known I would be offended.:o

Let me try to explain a bit better. One is either rooted with a defencive posture, rooted with an offenive posture, closing or circling (offencive posture) or evading (defencive posture). Rooted is a stance and non-rooted is footwork. Sometimes they look similar to one who is not familiar with this way of classification. But while it may look similar, it is very different is application, intent and often in the actual body mechanics, as well.

[omarthefish]

Originally posted by Becca
[B]There is a strong si,ilarity between Pai Lum and American Kempo, yes. Grandmaster Pai studied Chinese Kempo at the Northern Okinawan Monistary as a youth before being taught his family's style, White Dragon Fist, or Pai Lum, as it is commonly called.

...who'd a thunk it. lol. I threw that comment in as an afterthought.