Importance of footwork

[Fight4Peace&Love!]

Is footwork vital to martial art?

 

[ks - learning to fly]

oh yes!! especially in sparring where NOT telegraphing your moves is extremely vital!!

 

[donald1]

That depends on what strategy you work on if you want to be quick, agile and fast techniques I'm sure it would play a major role
But there's other reasons too like blocking (i could block a punch or kick) but if I step off to the side that gets me out of the way and ready to counter
There's so many possibilities from footwork that this could be a loaded question (good question)

It should not be the only thing you use but used properly it can help you out greatly
Best of luck

 

[K-man]

Welcome to MT.

Does a bear s*** in the woods? Everything starts from the ground up so if you haven't got good footwork you haven't got the foundation to build your martial art whatever it might be.

But having said how important footwork is, the next thing after learning the footwork is to totally forget the footwork. :hmm: Your feet go where your feet have to go at any moment in time. The secret is that your footwork becomes part of you without you having to think about it.
:asian:

 

[Touch Of Death]

Is footwork vital to martial art?

Are bears Catholic? Does the Pope... oh wait.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Is footwork vital to martial art?

For CMA, the footwork is very important. Old saying said, "Even if you can't find any opening from your opponent so you can attack him. If you just keep moving, soon or later you will find an opening to attack."

I like to keep moving toward my opponent's side door. This will force him to turn with me. As long as my opponent is moving, something will always come up.

 

[Jaeimseu]

In modern TKD, it is my opinion that footwork is more important than kicking or striking.

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[wingchun100]

Whether it is entering, avoiding attacks, or making sure you aren't going to trip over a rock while fighting, good footwork is essential.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Is footwork vital to martial art?

Yes, unless you don't have feet, then leg work will still be important.

 

[MJS]

Is footwork vital to martial art?

Yes!

 

[Reedone816]

Having good footwork means you can always positioned yourself in an advantaged position and your opponent in disadvantaged position.
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[Buka]

Welcome to the forum!

What great answers. They pretty much say it all.

 

[hoshin1600]

i was told by someone who got to meet, interview and work with many old generation chinese masters that it was always said if you wanted to judge someones ability in martial arts dont look at their upper body or arms look at their feet and foot work.

 

[Mark Lynn]

Is footwork vital to martial art?

Yes and no

For studying martial arts, yes foot work is essential. If you are studying a martial art that has forms you going to learn some sort of foot work; if you are studying a weapon based art like Kendo, the FMAs, fencing etc. etc. etc. you are going to learn some sort of foot work; if you are studying a throwing art you are going to learn some sort of foot work; and so on and so on.

However in the very basic format, one of my instructor's has said, that for self defense related study all of the foot work a person really needs generally can be learned on the football field. Thus putting aside the need for the vast majority of ways foot work is stressed in learning martial arts (for SD related purposes).

 

[Mark Lynn]

i was told by someone who got to meet, interview and work with many old generation chinese masters that it was always said if you wanted to judge someones ability in martial arts dont look at their upper body or arms look at their feet and foot work.

While I have never met any chinese masters, I have met some Filipino masters and I totally agree. It is the slight variations in foot work; that allow for setting distances between the two people where one can hit and the other misses, moving on angles to absorb the attack and counter it, allow for the disarms and the throws or takedowns, etc. etc. Just like for the empty hand arts of karate and such.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

if you wanted to judge someones ability in martial arts dont look at their upper body or arms look at their feet and foot work.

If my opponent is not moving, I'll just look at his back leg.

- Which direction does his back foot point to?
- What percentage of weight does he put on his back leg?
- Is he ready to spring from his back leg?

If you can replace your daily walking by this, it will help your footwork big time.

 

[K-man]

Yes and no

For studying martial arts, yes foot work is essential. If you are studying a martial art that has forms you going to learn some sort of foot work; if you are studying a weapon based art like Kendo, the FMAs, fencing etc. etc. etc. you are going to learn some sort of foot work; if you are studying a throwing art you are going to learn some sort of foot work; and so on and so on.

However in the very basic format, one of my instructor's has said, that for self defense related study all of the foot work a person really needs generally can be learned on the football field. Thus putting aside the need for the vast majority of ways foot work is stressed in learning martial arts (for SD related purposes).

With respect to your instructor I would suggest he/she is only partially correct. The footwork you learn on the football field gives you great balance and ease of movement, essential for self defence. The footwork you learn in class is for many of the techniques you may use in your self defence such as trips, throws and takedowns. That is not to say the stances are not there if you don't study a traditional martial art, just that they are formally practised in certain martial arts.
:asian:

 

[Mark Lynn]

With respect to your instructor I would suggest he/she is only partially correct. The footwork you learn on the football field gives you great balance and ease of movement, essential for self defence. The footwork you learn in class is for many of the techniques you may use in your self defence such as trips, throws and takedowns. That is not to say the stances are not there if you don't study a traditional martial art, just that they are formally practised in certain martial arts.
:asian:

K-man

I understand your point and agree. I believe learning a martial art is different than learning self defense although there is some over lap. Generally (IMHO) we as martial artists tend to look at things through the martial art or martial sport lens (so to speak), which generally involve two mutual combatants engaging in combat. Whether it is in the octogan, the high school gym on the wrestling mat, the boxing ring, the Kendo match, or the local dojo in sparring class etc etc. Also depending upon how we teach kata, Anyos, forms, etc. etc. we teach foot work to deal with all of those types of situations. But for the most part the foot work that we work on for the contest part (mutual combatants), is what the majority of the foot work training is meant to deal with. It is in this context that what the instructor was saying I believe is correct.

His point being that much of the stance work and training we do in the martial arts has more place in the ring, the octogan or the dojo then really on the street. The evasion skills learned on the football field (USA football) had more practicality in regards to self defense than most traditional or sport martial arts foot work. I totally agree with your concluding sentence as I believe the instructor I quoted would as well.

 

[K-man]

K-man

I understand your point and agree. I believe learning a martial art is different than learning self defense although there is some over lap. Generally (IMHO) we as martial artists tend to look at things through the martial art or martial sport lens (so to speak), which generally involve two mutual combatants engaging in combat. Whether it is in the octogan, the high school gym on the wrestling mat, the boxing ring, the Kendo match, or the local dojo in sparring class etc etc. Also depending upon how we teach kata, Anyos, forms, etc. etc. we teach foot work to deal with all of those types of situations. But for the most part the foot work that we work on for the contest part (mutual combatants), is what the majority of the foot work training is meant to deal with. It is in this context that what the instructor was saying I believe is correct.

His point being that much of the stance work and training we do in the martial arts has more place in the ring, the octogan or the dojo then really on the street. The evasion skills learned on the football field (USA football) had more practicality in regards to self defense than most traditional or sport martial arts foot work. I totally agree with your concluding sentence as I believe the instructor I quoted would as well.

In reality in a real fight feet will go where feet will go. That is a comfortable balanced position. That is why people have a go at TMAs for unrealistic stances. In a lot of sport sparring situations the only stance required is a natural fighting stance similar to a boxer's stance. It is only when you include grappling in the sparring that the TMA footwork is used. A wrestler will use the same footwork without formally training it. My training is all directed at self defence and all footwork I teach is all for self defence. In karate it is taught in a formal way, in Krav the exact same footwork is used but it is just taught as part of the technique.
:asian:

 

[drop bear]

In reality in a real fight feet will go where feet will go. That is a comfortable balanced position. That is why people have a go at TMAs for unrealistic stances. In a lot of sport sparring situations the only stance required is a natural fighting stance similar to a boxer's stance. It is only when you include grappling in the sparring that the TMA footwork is used. A wrestler will use the same footwork without formally training it. My training is all directed at self defence and all footwork I teach is all for self defence. In karate it is taught in a formal way, in Krav the exact same footwork is used but it is just taught as part of the technique.
:asian:

Sorta kinda both. You need to football footwork to gain or give ground then switch to fight footwork. Then switch back.
You see it a bit with multiples.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PgKg0Hc7YIA