# The Pendulum Step



## Ivan (May 5, 2021)

Hey guys I haven't posted in a long while. I have been practicing the Pendulum Step. This is the footwork demonstrated by the Kazakhstani boxer in the video below.




The Pendulum Step is footwork used to be able to maneuver in and out of your opponent's range. It's a hit and run style of movement, where you slip in quickly, land a shot or two and then manouver outwards. However, I have been wondering, how do I know if I am doing it properly? I have been practicing this for a while now, to the point of developing blisters on my feet. I have filmed a video of me practicing it and a couple of my concerns are listed below, along with the video. I've been working on this footwork for a while, but it feels off. The reason I wanted to learn this, is because of my way of boxing. I have always desired to be a slugger type of boxing, and have really wanted to use Mike Tyson's peek a book style. However, I always gravitate to moving around the ring and unloading quick shots, instead of pressuring my opponents. I belive that this Pendulum Step footwork would really complement the way I box. But again, I would like some feedback to improve it, and some questions below answered.

1. The feet are definitely supposed to leave the ground. You are constantly shifting your stance back and forth, and whenever you want to step in for a shot, you hop in forwards a bit more and hop out backwards.
The video I have filmed is just the stationary position without any punches. But are my feet hopping too far up off of the ground?

2. Is my stance shifting too far forwards and/or backwards?

Here is the video below:


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## jobo (May 5, 2021)

Ivan said:


> Hey guys I haven't posted in a long while. I have been practicing the Pendulum Step. This is the footwork demonstrated by the Kazakhstani boxer in the video below.
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if you move your feet faster than your opponent,  you tend to move faster than your opponent,  especially true if they are flat footed, this tends to be at the exspence of power and it very tiring

how do you know if your doing it properly,  you need an opponent that doesnt move his feetquickly to punch holes in


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## drop bear (May 9, 2021)

Ivan said:


> Hey guys I haven't posted in a long while. I have been practicing the Pendulum Step. This is the footwork demonstrated by the Kazakhstani boxer in the video below.
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> ...



It is more about shifting your bum back and forwards rather than hopping forward and backwards on your toes. 

Which is why you are going up and down so much.


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## angelariz (May 11, 2021)

Ivan said:


> Hey guys I haven't posted in a long while. I have been practicing the Pendulum Step. This is the footwork demonstrated by the Kazakhstani boxer in the video below.
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> ...


Gonna follow this. It is not the same as how we do the pendulum step but it is always good to look at different perspectives.


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## angelariz (May 11, 2021)

One of my teachers is a super fan of Lomo and young Muhammad Ali's foot work. It is the least trained and most necessary tool in any martial system.


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## Shatteredzen (May 12, 2021)

Ivan said:


> Hey guys I haven't posted in a long while. I have been practicing the Pendulum Step. This is the footwork demonstrated by the Kazakhstani boxer in the video below.
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> 
> ...


Good Job Ivan, I recommend practicing your footwork while hitting a heavy bag. You don't have to hit it much but it aides in learning to circle/enter on your opponent and with your distance. The biggest thing though is it will teach you to properly load your support or forward legs to generate power and maintain balance. If you practice without the bag, alone or just shadowboxing, it will be harder when it comes to an actual fight because you didn't train the process of landing the strikes and then recovering your footwork. This is why you see people stumble into the bag a lot when they are hitting a heavy bag, its because they have not really trained "hitting" so much as throwing the strikes in the air.


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## Sifu Mike (Aug 31, 2021)

Ivan said:


> Hey guys I haven't posted in a long while. I have been practicing the Pendulum Step. This is the footwork demonstrated by the Kazakhstani boxer in the video below.
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> 
> ...


Sorry, but you don't have it. Think about the namesake: Pendelum. Everything below the waist moves in harmony. The front foot comes upwards as the backfoot immediately follows. At the point of completion the front foot delivers the kick. Immediately thereafter you do your return with backfoot moving in an arc ("pendelum") and front foot follows. Only 2 moves but tuff on knees so do lots of quad work.
Karate's Shuffle or Cross Over footwork doesn't compare when all things are equal.

You can return to full start OR only complete the returning "arc" with the front foot close to your opponent putting you in a great position for delivering multiple punches-opponent not ready for these as most fighters do a 1-2 series of strikes. When that close, keep arms tight and relentlessly go for knock out!

PS: NEVER have both feet move off the ground at same time when doing "footwork" (Pendelum Kick excluded, obviously) ...Push Step, Drag Step, Walk-Step; Keep 1 on ground at all times. Learn by running in place with 1 foot staying on ground til other (lifted) foot returns to ground. This gives you constant stability. Watch Karateka as they "bounce" up and down a lot. That leaves them open for an attack - providing you are aggrssive and fast and attitude ready.

Sifu Mike


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## Kung Fu Wang (Aug 31, 2021)

Ivan said:


> It's a hit and run style of movement,


If you have already moved in, why don't you want to move out without finishing your job?


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## Ivan (Aug 31, 2021)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> If you have already moved in, why don't you want to move out without finishing your job?


Usually the stance constantly moves you in and out of the range of your opponent. By moving in and out, you're also putting yourself at your optimal range to punch, and using the momentum to increase punching power.


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