# Attempting on-your-toes boxing footwork - please critique!



## Ivan (Dec 17, 2021)

Hey guys, I'm sorry to be a bother, I know it's only been a couple of days since my last post with footage of me, but given that I am shifting my footwork almost completely, I thought it was important to get feedback on it sooner than usual to avoid getting into bad habits. I'd rather focus on learning it correctly rather than having to undo more bad habits down the line. Without further ado, here is the clip of me, it's less than two minutes long.




I actually managed to throw a pair of kicks in (two lead roundhouses which were honestly quite bad as my extension was shoddy) and a rear leg roundhouse. Other than that, I focused on the feedback I was given, mainly staying on my toes and lowering my center of gravity. It certainly feels like my footwork is lighter in a sense, it feels as if I am levitating or floating in a way. However, I do feel that my shadowboxing with this footwork lacks variety; I find myself unable to use a lot of the moves and techniques I have drilled in the past because I took them by studying professional flat-footed boxers, such as Liston and Tyson.
Just yesterday, I drilled some head movement (slipping) and one-twos whilst utilizing this footwork for two hours straight so I feel that this is pretty much the only thing I did the entire video (as well as pivot).
Because I was also focused on this new footwork, I think it led to me also forgetting to fully extend my punches, but I would like to know if the current footwork is better than the one in my recent sparring video, and how to improve it? Thank you all yet again for your amazing feedback.
EDIT: Also keep in mind this video consists of two clips edited together.


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## drop bear (Dec 17, 2021)

It looks good. When you go backwards you are setting your heel back down. This will make springing forwards again difficult. Making dealing with that rangy jab a bit harder.

So the idea is to be able to do variations of the pull counter.






The spring board video will be a bit more applicable.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Dec 17, 2021)

The "fire strategy" is good. You may not find a chance to attack. As long as you keep moving, soon or later you will find a chance to attack.

I'll suggest you to move in circle (back foot move 1 foot, front foot move 3 inch) and try to move toward your opponent's blind side. If your opponent has right leg forward, you try to move to your left. This way you are moving away from your opponent's back hand. You force your opponent to use his leading arm to jam his own back arm. Since your opponent will have no option but to turn with you, you can lead the fight this way.

Try to line up your back foot with both of your opponent's feet. If you move in your leading leg and attack from that angle, you are pretty safe from your opponent's back arm.


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## Ivan (Dec 17, 2021)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> This way you are moving away from your opponent's back hand. You force your opponent to use his leading arm to jam his own back arm. Since your opponent will have no option but to turn with you, you can lead the fight this way.


This is some of the best advice I have received to apply in sparring. I will definitely keep thin in mind. Thank you very much.


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## Ivan (Dec 17, 2021)

drop bear said:


> It looks good.


Thank you. If your opinion has moved from it being "atrocious" to "good", I must be doing something right xD
Thanks for the videos also, I will watch them ASAP


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## JowGaWolf (Jan 9, 2022)

Your footwork is definitely smoother.  I don't see the "locking knee" look. That's a good thing.  The only thing I'm not certain of its that it seems you are a little too high on your toes, but don't think too much about it.  It may simply be that I'm not used to seeing bare feet.  So what looks high to me with someone without shoes may actually be the right height. 

As for kicking. Just understand that Boxing Footwork was developed completely without the purpose of kicking or defending against kicks.  You'll just simply have to learn how to transition from a Boxing Structure to a Kicking Structure.  There is no rule that says your footwork must always be Boxing, and no rule that says your footwork can't change to support the fighting technique that you want to use.

I think at this point, the only thing left is to practice and to use in sparring.  I don't see anything at the moment that is of great concern. Even your shuffling footwork seems to have improved.  

There is however just a tiny thing to take note not a big problem, but sometimes your forward shuffle on your lead jab, only moves the front foot and not the back.  You don't always do it, so I'm thinking it's just that you are getting used to being on your toes.  I think it's something that will go away on it's own as you practice more.  It's more of a think to watch out for just in case it becomes more common.  No one ever performs perfectly with footwork or anything else and we all have the little reminders to pay attention to small things that really aren't problems but something to keep an eye on from time to time.

It's like having a stuffy nose.  For the most part it's not a bad thing unless it gets worse. From time to time our nose will be stuffy.  In sparring and fighting, from time to time our body connection won't always be 100%.  It's only natural.  So don't go spend 50 hours trying to correct it.  Just be aware enough so that you notice when it happens. 

The reason I mention this because it may mean the different between getting 100% body weight behind the jab and only getting 50%  behind a jab.  The reality is that not all jabs are meant to be 100%.


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