training footwork

[TjD]

what do you do to train your footwork?
what do you emphasize/focus on when doing so?

[Ng Mui]

Footwork should aid the hands and visa versa.
After completing S.N.T. and moving on to C.K., you should work on adding more power in your attacks by adding your body weight behind each technique.
Work on using footwork to avoid attacks or aid in deflections.

Wing Chun has a definite range, so train on staying in this area, advancing as your opponent retreats and side stepping as he advances.

Hope this helps.

[Sihing73]

Hello,

Footwork is one of the most important aspects of fighting. Positioning is vital to both good offense and defense, imho. I like to tell people that there are only three ways to deal with any attack:
1) Avoid
2) Evade
3) Intercept
I first came across this concept of only three methods of dealing with attacks while reading, "Living the Martial Way". After a bit of thought I tend to agree that all methods of responding to an attack fit into one of these catagories.

Having said all of that the concept or subject of footwork within the context of Wing Chun are largely based on how ones lineage approaches it.

For example, there seem to be two main schools of thought on footwork. Those who believe in very mobile footwork and those who tend to emphasize a more rooted and static approach. However, it is more likely that you will come across a mixture of the two. I personally find that a lot will depend on the approach being towards more street combat or more of a traditional bent. My opinion is that traditional schools will emphasize the developement of strong stance and good STABLE footwork whle those stessing combat applications quickly will tend to emphasize more mobile footwork and combinations.

Depending on your approach you may find it useful to practice a lot of shifting. With proper shifting it is possible to deal with a variety of attacks with minimal movement. You may also want to explore side stepping and stepping off the line at an angle. In many cases a slight shift in your own position relative to the opponents will allow you to attack them without them being able to attack you. In our system we look imagine a power zone which is where we have optimum power and abilty to both attack and defend. This is in the shape of a triangle from each shoulder forward to where our hands can intersect comfortably. Ideally we we like to keep the opponent within our power zone while staying outside of theirs. If done properly one can shift or side step or angle step and be able to strike the opponent while they will need to shift or step in order to hit you with any type of power.

It is also helpful to play around with the body angles and see which ones work best. For example when performing a Taun Sau try taking up a stance with the same leg leading and then switch legs so the opposite is leading. See which position is stronger utilizing proper structure and not relyingon muscle. Try this with all of your techniques.

Explore several options but the key to making it work is to internalize the concepts and let them flow naturally. If you find that you do better by taking a more static and stable stance then make that your forte. Do not try to fight someone elses fight.

Peace,

Dave

[TjD]

Originally posted by Ng Mui
Footwork should aid the hands and visa versa.
After completing S.N.T. and moving on to C.K., you should work on adding more power in your attacks by adding your body weight behind each technique.
Work on using footwork to avoid attacks or aid in deflections.

Wing Chun has a definite range, so train on staying in this area, advancing as your opponent retreats and side stepping as he advances.

Hope this helps.

i know that. i was asking how do you train for this? any drills?

[Gangsterfist]

Travis,

Here are some things we have done in class that I think help. Perhaps they may help your training. Most of them require a partner, but I will list some single man exercises I know.

1) Chi girk drill - You and a partner start off a few feet apart. One of you is on offense the other on defense. Both of you place your hands on your hips and get in your side nuetral stances. The one on offense is going to kick at you no higher than your waist line. You have to move around it with wing chun foot work. They just keep coming at you with kicks and you keep moving around them. Use WC foot work, angle stepping, center line, all that good stuff. More advanced you can start to try pak girk, tan girk, huen girk, etc.

2) Single person drill - angle step across a large area alternating feet forward. Then do it the same way backwards. Then do the huen ma stepping forwards. Then do it backwards. Do this at controlled rates until you can do it fast.

3) Long pole - 2 person - This one you have to be careful. Someone takes a long pole and jabs it at your legs (controlled, easy, light movements, you don't want anyone to get hurt) you must use your foot work to avoid getting hit. You can actually use any kind of pole a padded one might even be best. This teaches you how to move at long range when you cannot get into trapping range. Once you get advanced at it try rushing in once you move away from the strike.

4) Jump rope - single person - just try using your footwork while jumping rope. This teaches on the toe, fast foot work when you need that extra bit of speed. You also get one good cardio work out.

5) dummy drills - The dummy is a great tool. Practice moving into and around the dummy using foot work. Remember the dummy is big and heavy so you can't move him, but you can move around him (haha the dummy probably is a male lol).

Those are some things I have done in the past to train foot work. Just remember there are different levels of live foot work. Sometimes you want to be rooted, sometimes you want to be on your toes, sometimes you want to be inbetween. It all depends on the situation.

[couch]

One of the things we do in our school that helps you to stay in range of punching, but far enough away to block (with a step) is:

Have a partner stand with a mitt extended out their arm's length at head level. Take a forward stance (switch with either one to feel the difference) and punch the mitt. The mitt holder will spin on the spot making you walk a circle. Go both directions.

Use this drill to develop a stable stance and gain punching power from stepping.

Good luck in your training.

Couch

[TjD]

thanks for all the good replies everyone, but i was more interested in drills and footwork for bridging the gap

you're 2-3 steps away from your opponent. how do you get in there without being taken out in the process?

do you practice any drills/footwork for bridging the gap?
currently i've just been practicing the knife form (over and over), along with 1- and 2-step sparring. it's working well but i was wondering if there was anything else and i was interested in other approaches.

Originally posted by Gangsterfist
3) Long pole - 2 person - This one you have to be careful. Someone takes a long pole and jabs it at your legs (controlled, easy, light movements, you don't want anyone to get hurt) you must use your foot work to avoid getting hit. You can actually use any kind of pole a padded one might even be best. This teaches you how to move at long range when you cannot get into trapping range. Once you get advanced at it try rushing in once you move away from the strike.

in my experience, the footwork in the pole is quite different than any footwork you'd use in hand-to-hand fighting. since you have a pole with a long range, stability isn't as much of an issue as is your ability to stay out of their range and lunge in for the kill. the cat stance/horse stance used in the pole form is great for this - but not too hot for close quarter fighting. not to say chi gwun doesn't have its uses. it's great training

**edit**
whoops i read that wrong. interesting drill. is the point to get inside the range of the pole or just not get hit?

i'm seeing visions of westerns where the guy with the gun says "dance pilgrim!" except with a pole instead of a gun
**end edit**

Originally posted by Gangsterfist
5) dummy drills - The dummy is a great tool. Practice moving into and around the dummy using foot work. Remember the dummy is big and heavy so you can't move him, but you can move around him (haha the dummy probably is a male lol).

the dummy does have some good footwork for once you've bridged the gap; if you know how to apply it. i think the footwork in the dummy is more for delivering strong blows and getting you to learn your structure more than anything.

Originally posted by Couch
One of the things we do in our school that helps you to stay in range of punching, but far enough away to block (with a step) is:

this confused me a bit. why do you want to just stay in the range of punching? and well, i'll let other people jump on you for saying "block" :P

[TjD]

does anyone even train bridging the gap anymore?

or did that get replaced by grappling since everyone will only be trying to take you down and choke you out anyways

[Sam]

In Fut Sao Wing Chun Kuen we have straight line, side to side, angular, circular, triangle, square, entering, and bridging (timing, broken rhythm). We have our Siu Baat Gwa footworks.
http://futsaoyongchunkuen.com/

[russellsherry]

hi guy's in tend kto do a lot of chasing fotork and work on closineing as well also i lile the philipino footwork from arnis as well it helps the wing chun fotwork. peace russellsherry

[russellsherry]

hi guys sorry about my typeovers, when closing, i try maybe a low front kick or round to enter, then making sure i am covered
enter with a wing chun jab but always at a angle keep them guessing also arnis footwork, can give you another option you might go the gunting nerve strike to the bicep area open him up, so to speak peace russellsherry

[Brodie Bortigno]

The best way to train footwork is to do, obviously, alot of stepping backwards and forwards (almost never step straight backwards, though, always at the appropriate angle). Also, do alot of chi sau and make the chi sau move! Don't just stand on the spot and play with the hands, get it moving around the place. Chi sau is not a static excercise for just the hands; it is for the hands and the feet and everything else. As your footwork gets a bit more stable, ask a training partner to put some pressure on you and move you backwards and see how well you fall back into your stance. Does your hip fly out? Do you fall over or sway? It's a good way to test the strength of your stance and the effectiveness of your footwork.

Training footwork is about common sense and lots of practise. Don't get caught up in obscure stepping drills that serve no purpose. Keep it simple and practical.