Clock Stepping and Circling

[Iron_Eagle_76]

One thing I noticed and was thinking about the other day is when new people spar their first time, they are very linear and generally move simply forward and backward in their fighting stance.

In Pai Lum we have what is called clock stepping to drill into the student the four directions of movement, not including angles.

1. Stepping forward where the person springs from the back leg and does either a backfist or jab is 12:00 o'clock.

2. Stepping backward in a defensive stance, (I prefer cat stance) and blocking or throwing a counter strike is 6:00 o'clock.

3. Stepping to the right and evading a straight line attack is known as 3'oclock.

4. Stepping to the left and evading a straight line attack is known as 9'oclock.

3 and 9 o'clock can also include a duck or bamboo to avoid a loop or hooking attack, as well as counter strikes for each of these movements.

Circling is the practice of using good footwork to circle your opponent as to not stay stagnant and too rooted. Often times in TCMA I believe people mistake rooting for being stationary, which is not what it is. Rooting is using your stance and leg training to incorporate the entire body into a technique, and can be thrown on the fly rather than in one stagnant place.

When circling my feet go right to left when going clockwise and left to right when going counter-clockwise. Angling is very important also to add into the four directions of clock stepping.

Feel free to add to this discussion.:)

[sanjuro_ronin]

One thing I noticed and was thinking about the other day is when new people spar their first time, they are very linear and generally move simply forward and backward in their fighting stance.

In Pai Lum we have what is called clock stepping to drill into the student the four directions of movement, not including angles.

1. Stepping forward where the person springs from the back leg and does either a backfist or jab is 12:00 o'clock.

2. Stepping backward in a defensive stance, (I prefer cat stance) and blocking or throwing a counter strike is 6:00 o'clock.

3. Stepping to the right and evading a straight line attack is known as 3'oclock.

4. Stepping to the left and evading a straight line attack is known as 9'oclock.

3 and 9 o'clock can also include a duck or bamboo to avoid a loop or hooking attack, as well as counter strikes for each of these movements.

Circling is the practice of using good footwork to circle your opponent as to not stay stagnant and too rooted. Often times in TCMA I believe people mistake rooting for being stationary, which is not what it is. Rooting is using your stance and leg training to incorporate the entire body into a technique, and can be thrown on the fly rather than in one stagnant place.

When circling my feet go right to left when going clockwise and left to right when going counter-clockwise. Angling is very important also to add into the four directions of clock stepping.

Feel free to add to this discussion.:)

My old boxing coach used to have us fight out of the corner on a regular basis.
In kyokushin one of the main drills is to fight on the blind side of the opponent.
In Hung kuen, level changes and foot work keep us moving in but not "linear".
And so forth and so on.
Very rarely do you find a system that is linear ( front and back), YET, it seems to be the thing that the majority of practioners do !
Why?
When we feel pressure, we tend to move back, just as when we feel lack of pressure we tend to move forward.
What needs to be entrained is HOW to move back and forward.

[Iron_Eagle_76]

My old boxing coach used to have us fight out of the corner on a regular basis.
In kyokushin one of the main drills is to fight on the blind side of the opponent.
In Hung kuen, level changes and foot work keep us moving in but not "linear".
And so forth and so on.
Very rarely do you find a system that is linear ( front and back), YET, it seems to be the thing that the majority of practioners do !
Why?
When we feel pressure, we tend to move back, just as when we feel lack of pressure we tend to move forward.
What needs to be entrained is HOW to move back and forward.

Very true, which I believe is one of the reason good footwork, movement, clockstepping, circling, and counter fighting should be priority one in a new martial artist's training. My instructor used to always tell us that anyone can learn how to throw a punch or kick, but delivering it is a whole different thing. Lots of truth in that I believe.

[pateticorecords]

Footwork is very important, learning when to be light on your feet and when to ground yourself are crucial in quickness, mobility, torque, and power generation.

Foot (movement) drills in different angles and directions should always be encouraged while focusing on proper stances and body alignment.

Elastic band resistance training should also be incorporated.

Practicing with a partner in a corner and with your back against a wall will also help with better angling, balance (centering), and leg weight distribution while forcing you to use your body (trunk), waist, and hips.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Very true, which I believe is one of the reason good footwork, movement, clockstepping, circling, and counter fighting should be priority one in a new martial artist's training. My instructor used to always tell us that anyone can learn how to throw a punch or kick, but delivering it is a whole different thing. Lots of truth in that I believe.

For sure.
Footwork is the crucial element that puts EVERYTHING together, without it you got NOTHING !!

[bawang]

this is rediculous, clocks dont have feet.


i think the main problem is people expect everything to be taught in the form, and forms dont have footwork. most northern kung fu have anywhere from 10 to 30 types of footwork, but if you look at the form its just lunge into bow stance.

[sanjuro_ronin]

this is rediculous, clocks dont have feet.


i think the main problem is people expect everything to be taught in the form, and forms dont have footwork. most northern kung fu have anywhere from 10 to 30 types of footwork, but if you look at the form its just lunge into bow stance.

The "clock" for footwork has been taught for 1000's of years dude, even before there were clocks !!
:D

[Iron_Eagle_76]

this is rediculous, clocks dont have feet.


i think the main problem is people expect everything to be taught in the form, and forms dont have footwork. most northern kung fu have anywhere from 10 to 30 types of footwork, but if you look at the form its just lunge into bow stance.

How do you shoot bow and arrow with feet?? I no understand.:D

[ShaolinDan]

How do you shoot bow and arrow with feet?? I no understand.:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK2BX4S00Yc&feature=related

[Iron_Eagle_76]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK2BX4S00Yc&feature=related

Well played Sir!!

[YouKnowWho]

In Chinese wrestling, it's very important that you walk in circle toward your opponent's side door so you can use your opponent's leading arm to jam his back arm. When you move your back foot 1 feet, you move your front foot 3 inch. This way your back foot, your front foot, and your opponent are always line up in a straight line.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4783/circlerunning.jpg

There is a special footwork in Chinese wrestling and that's "circle running". You grab on your opponent's leading arm and try to run behind him.

[JamesC]

In Chinese wrestling, it's very important that you walk in circle toward your opponent's side door so you can use your opponent's leading arm to jam his back arm. When you move your back foot 1 feet, you move your front foot 3 inch. This way your back foot, your front foot, and your opponent are always line up in a straight line.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4783/circlerunning.jpg

That seems similar to Greco-Roman Wrestling's footwork as well.

Can anyone elaborate on that? My own exposure to either is very limited so i'm only going off observation.

[Kansuke]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqyixwqiCag

[pateticorecords]

love this foot work for it's style;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euDuq-kSFS8

[XinKuzi]

I'm glad Mr. Wang has chimed in regarding this. Studying Shuai Jiao has helped my footwork a lot. I think if your footwork is good for throwing, it will be good for striking as well.

[Darthlawyer]

For those of us who "LARP", or still do traditional forms practice, one thing that my instructor suggested that I've found useful is this:
if you have one form that is very linear, i.e. move after move in one direction, especially stepping forward, modify the form so that you alternate stepping forward at 45 degrees to the left and right and then throwing the same move as if the opponent had been straight ahead.
My school also has some very simple two man drills that involve a block while stepping at a 45 degree angle forward.

If you want to see a high-caliber fighter that will block and work an angle moving forward, watch Manny Pacquiao (sp?).