Chinese Footwork Drills

[huolung]

Inspired by another thread inquiring as to the application of a technique displayed in a form as well as the various posts regarding the effectiveness of kung fu, I decided to post this thread in hopes of allowing all of us the opportunity to share as well as learn from each other information on the various footwork techniques/drills of traditional Chinese Martial Arts. Western boxers are known for their agility as well as speed and power. In short they are generally pretty effective fighters. That being said, it is my observation that the best boxers spend a lot of time on footwork drills. What are your thoughts on this? Do you perhaps have a favorite drill? Have you made one up of your own? Or do you simply want to discuss application. As I am a novice OBSESSED over perfecting basics I would be honored have this discussion with anyone willing...


Namaste

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

I have been doing a lot of Kuntao/Silat footwork drills. Kuntao is Old school Chinese arts preserved in Indonesia. I am not sure how much of what I am doing is from the Kuntao, or the Silat though. The system I am doing is blended.

We do a lot of entry, and positional training as well. We have a large grid on the floor with all the lines to show you the angles, and direction of movement to help you learn the positional skills.

I have found many time that when a technique is not working, it is because my foot work is off the line by an inch.

[EarthDragon]

Great topic, As teacher of 8 step praying mantis footwork is a high priority as you can tell by our name our entire system is designed around footwork.
We have probably the most intricit footwork I have seen.

Often times i move to my students sublty with a quick slip or slide at a angle and they wonder how I got the advantage so quickly.

Bagua footwork is in my opinon the most advanced way to move around your opponent.
I have also had the honnor to work with heavy wieght professional boxer Paul the hit man Marrinaccio and was able to teach him some footwork that he uses often in the ring. boxing has limited and basic movments that everyone uses so he sought out to expand his knowledge of foot movment.... i was glad to help.

[TenTigers]

triangle footwork of Kali -pekita tirsia was very helpful and easy to learn

[YouKnowWho]

In CMA there is a move that you just step your front foot on the ground as hard as you can and make a loud noise. It's called (震腳 Zhen Jiao) in Chinese. When your opponent doesn't know what's just happened, you move in. It's a great "distraction".

IMO, you should modify all your foot works into just a single "hop". For example,

- A skip in side kick should be a flying side kick.
- A skip in front kick should be a jumping kick.
- A stealing step should be just a "hop".

Instead of moving one leg first and the other leg after, you move both legs at the same time and also land at the same time. This way you have just combine 1,2 into 1 and your speed has just been increased.

[Lucas]

In CMA there is a move that you just step your front foot on the ground as hard as you can and make a loud noise. It's called (震腳 Zhen Jiao) in Chinese. When your opponent doesn't know what's just happened, you move in.

IMO, you should modify all your foot works into just a single "hop". For example,

- A skip in side kick should be a flying side kick.
- A skip in front kick should be a jumping kick.
- A stealing step should be just a "hop".

when I first encountered this in one of my shaolin forms, i asked my sifu what it was for. his stomp is such a loud bang, like a whip. he did said for distraction, but also to trap or stomp on the bridge of the foot if possible. this was taught to me in da hong quan first. rapid closing with attack is done after the stomp. strike or move in to throw/sweep if pushed off balance from a trap.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

when I first encountered this in one of my shaolin forms, i asked my sifu what it was for. his stomp is such a loud bang, like a whip. he did said for distraction, but also to trap or stomp on the bridge of the foot if possible. this was taught to me in da hong quan first. rapid closing with attack is done after the stomp. strike or move in to throw/sweep if pushed off balance from a trap.

Reply]
Although the foot stomp is not emphasised, this is pretty much the tactic of the kuntao I am doing. in fact, I am absolutely convinced it is some strain of Old School Shaolin preserved in Indonesia

[Lucas]

Reply]
Although the foot stomp is not emphasised, this is pretty much the tactic of the kuntao I am doing. in fact, I am absolutely convinced it is some strain of Old School Shaolin preserved in Indonesia

ive never seen or read anything about kuntao, point me to any good online information?

[David Jamieson]

http://www.angelfire.com/droid/kuntao_matjan/silat-kuntao.htm

[Lucas]

http://www.angelfire.com/droid/kuntao_matjan/silat-kuntao.htm

thanks DJ.

[David Jamieson]

no problemo. :)

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

ive never seen or read anything about kuntao, point me to any good online information?

Reply]
http://www.willemdethouars.com/

http://www.kuntaosilat.com/

http://www.silat.tv/

[Lucas]

danke

67890

[Lucas]

Reply]

http://www.kuntaosilat.com/



i like his video. esp the stuff inside the workout room.

[huolung]

Wow!
Thanks everyone for the wonderful posts. I must say I've always wondered what a lot of that stomping was for. I speculated but other than that... I just wanted to bring up this topic because I have met a few practitioners of Northern styles who have no understanding of fundamental footwork techniques like xing (hsing) bu, the walking step or xie bu, crab stepping. Admittedly some of these people were more modern wushu. But I believe footwork is a major component to understanding one's style...

Namaste

[YouKnowWho]

Many systems have interest foot work:

- The Gong Li system has a footwork that you jump up with your left leg, land on your right leg, you then move your left leg behind your right leg as a stealing step (a 3 steps footwork). It can cover almost 12 feet distance, the best advancing footwork that I have ever seen.

- The long fist system has a footwork that you jump up with your left leg. move you right leg back in front of your left leg, and then move back your left leg (also a 3 steps footwork). It can cover 12 feet distance, the best retreating footwork that I have ever seen.

- The SC system has a foot work that you jump up with your right leg, and land both right and left legs at the same time.

All 3 footwork require "upward jump - a hop".

[huolung]

Many systems have interest foot work:

- The Gong Li system has a footwork that you jump up with your left leg, land on your right leg, you then move your left leg behind your right leg as a stealing step (a 3 steps footwork). It can cover almost 12 feet distance, the best advancing footwork that I have ever seen.

- The long fist system has a footwork that you jump up with your left leg. move you right leg back in front of your left leg, and then move back your left leg (also a 3 steps footwork). It can cover 12 feet distance, the best retreating footwork that I have ever seen.

- The SC system has a foot work that you jump up with your right leg, and land both right and left legs at the same time.

All 3 footwork require "upward jump - a hop".

I had wondered if there was anyone that used the hopping/jumping footwork for which Northern Styles are notorious. I just recently started incorporating it more as at first I thought it a bit too risky. And for a while I had trouble emitting proper power directly after landing from a hop/jump. I find that such footwork takes confidence and stability. But it improves tactical options a great deal!

[YouKnowWho]

I had wondered if there was anyone that used the hopping/jumping footwork for which Northern Styles are notorious. I just recently started incorporating it more as at first I thought it a bit too risky. And for a while I had trouble emitting proper power directly after landing from a hop/jump. I find that such footwork takes confidence and stability. But it improves tactical options a great deal!
There was a black belt TKD guy from Dallas who came down to challenge me long time ago (I'm bragging again). After I hurt his feet that he no longer be able to kick me, I jump in with one punch on his face and end that fight. That was the only attack that I did in the whole match. I had a lot of fun tried to hurt his leg when he kicked me. The hop can give a surprise effect on your opponent. If you come down 45 degree from the sky like a hawk, not many people will expect that kind of "entering strategy". There was one time that when my body was still in the air and before my body landed on the ground, my opponent was already on the ground on his back. I guess he just fell back down himself by surprising and didn't know why I attacked him like that. That was so funny.

[jdhowland]

Our style uses a lot of stomps. Haven't seen anyone mention yet the use of stomps as a method of sudden change of weight distribution from one foot to another. Good for adding power to downward blows while closing the gap by an extra inch or two. 7-star kicks also stomp the back foot to add power to the front foot's heel; the idea is to get both feet to land at the same time.

Be well. jd

[huolung]

Our style uses a lot of stomps. Haven't seen anyone mention yet the use of stomps as a method of sudden change of weight distribution from one foot to another. Good for adding power to downward blows while closing the gap by an extra inch or two. 7-star kicks also stomp the back foot to add power to the front foot's heel; the idea is to get both feet to land at the same time.

Be well. jd

Really? That's cool! I am glad you mentioned stomping in this thread. I had speculated before as to the possible applications. Is there a possibility that the stomp also may help with getting extra power through the spine? Maybe far fetched. That's why I'm asking...

[YouKnowWho]

Is there a possibility that the stomp also may help with getting extra power through the spine?
When you control your opponent's arm and you use stomping, you can send a shocking wave into you opponent's brain and stun him for a second.