Question on stepping

[Holmejr]

Pushing forward with the rear and pushing packward with the front is typical. Step slide, slide step. And typically staying as balanced as possible for mobility and solid foundation. Locking in when you need to.

 

[HighKick]

Current style uses shallow stances meant for high mobility in all directions. Our fighting stance has weight slightly forward, not a 50-50. Propelling off the rear foot makes sense for this since we're already "primed" for explosive forward motion.

Try very quickly dropping your hips forward by engaging the abs, add just a little more bend in the front knee and driving the hell out of the back leg pushing the knee high.
Watch some elite fighters on youtube and you should see what I am talking about.

 

[Holmejr]

So I'm seeing everyone say to push off the back leg. Has anybody specifically been taught to pull forward with the front leg just for a simple forward step through?

Well throwing rear knees are kinda like that, you don’t necessarily pull push off from the rear, but thrust forward with hips. Basically transference of energy and balance to the lead leg.

 

[Fungus]

So I'm seeing everyone say to push off the back leg. Has anybody specifically been taught to pull forward with the front leg just for a simple forward step through?

From a force analysis perspective both these seem problematic
- pulling yourself forward, how from a zenkutsu dachi when your centre of gravity is behind?
- pushing yourself forward with the leg only, starting with an already straight back leg? A spring needs to load first.

It seems the logical possibility, at least for the initial takeoff is what isshinryuronin said! about assisting with the hip, to propell forward off the already straight leg

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Dude I'm trying, but having to start the backwards movement by pulling with the rear leg lol. Different feeling than pushing forward......

This footwork drill can be helpful.

 

[JowGaWolf]

When you take a step do you
Use your front leg to pull your body forward or

It depends on the technique that I'm using. If your teachers are stressing one way over the other, then it's probably technique specific and not the general rule of things. Here's a good example

If you are ever in this position then you are no longer physically able to push forward. The only option is to pull yourself forward.

 

[Buka]

This is why your rear leg need to bend. This is why straight rear leg front stance is not proper for fighting.

I’ve never seen a martial artist in a straight legged fighting stance. Do people actually do that?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I’ve never seen a martial artist in a straight legged fighting stance. Do people actually do that?

I have only seen 1 guy did that. A foot sweep to the leading leg, that match is over.

 

[isshinryuronin]

caused me to reexamine some very basic things like stepping. This guy has put more emphasis on perfection of technique than past instructors. Alot of it is very boring but at the same time it has resulted in improvement in areas I hadn't thought about in years.

I have posted several times the past couple of years on my quest to improve my stepping. I've only been stepping (usually crescent type) for 58 years but felt there was something missing in my technique, or at least room for improvement. I think I've finally got it down.

Even though this move, like many others, are basic in nature, they can be done in an advanced fashion. Many black belts make the mistake thinking at shodan or nidan they have mastered the basics. This is a false belief and will keep them from really developing their art to its full potential.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

This is a false belief and will keep them from really developing their art to its full potential.

When I step forward, I always move my back leg "behind" my front leg (this way I still use my side to face my opponent). One time I saw someone moved his back leg "next" to his front leg. I tried that footwork in sparring. My opponent tried to kick my belly (because I exposed my center). After that day, I kept my old way.

Any footwork that exposes your center can be dangerous. This is also why it's a bad idea to switch sides in the middle of a fight. The moment that you switch sides, the moment that your opponent's back leg roundhouse kick will hit your belly.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Any footwork that exposes your center can be dangerous. This is also why it's a bad idea to switch sides in the middle of a fight. The moment that you switch sides, the moment that your opponent's back leg roundhouse kick will hit your belly.

Yes, the potential danger is there. I often switch sides. But this can be effectively minimized by:

1. Not telegraphing your step.
2. Execute the step crisply with speed.
3. Switch stances when out of range.
4. Switch when the opponent is occupied with his own adjustments.
5. Throw a feint as you step.
6. Keep up an effective guard while stepping.

And one can use a switch step, changing lead leg while staying in place, to lure the opponent to attack. Footwork is a technique just like a punch or kick, and the same thought, intent and effort in execution should be exercised as in executing any other technique.

 

[Haruhiko]

Footwork is a technique just like a punch or kick, and the same thought, intent and effort in execution should be exercised as in executing any other technique.

And it's art dependant.

 

[marvin8]

Simple question on stepping. You're in a front stance, fighting stance whatever, one foot forward. When you take a step do you
Use your front leg to pull your body forward or
Push off your rear leg to propel your body forward
Both?
This obviously applies to stepping through while attacking also
Just curious, had different instructors who stressed one over the other.

Both so you can change the rhythm, etc., in your stepping. When attacking, you often push off the rear leg to propel forward. Cejudo is a wrestling Olympic gold medalist and UFC champion. One of his two fighting stances. The wider stance gives him distance deception.

However, if you only step forward and attack while entering the fight zone, your opponent can move and/or counter you. There is a higher level fighting skills process (e.g., lure, listen, control, dissolve, attack) than just stepping and attacking. Sammy's video is an example, although less detailed..

...The basic idea is you know your opponent knows one of you is going to strike the other first, so you "feint and bait", get them to swing but you already won't be there, and that's when you strike.

Step back, forward(bait), back (avoidance), forward, swing. Definitely works in kumite. Practice over and over.

 

[Sammy Naur]

Both so you can change the rhythm, etc., in your stepping. When attacking, you often push off the rear leg to propel forward. Cejudo is a wrestling Olympic gold medalist and UFC champion. One of his two fighting stances. The wider stance gives him distance deception.

However, if you only step forward and attack while entering the fight zone, your opponent can move and/or counter you. There is a higher level fighting skills process (e.g., lure, listen, control, dissolve, attack) than just stepping and attacking. Sammy's video is an example, although less detailed..

That's what I was trying to say, if you're comfortable getting hit in the first place (something many people are not) then the next most important thing is to practice hitting someone who has just thrown some part of themselves.

There is a lot of fight video out there on this, where somebody capitalizes on someone else's movement. That's the open secret IMHO, you need to watch what the other person does a little while. Then bust.

You can practice against imaginary opponents all day long, but to beat a specific person takes a little observation. That's how they do it in pro sports inside and outside fighting. "Watch the tape"

 

[isshinryuronin]

There is a lot of fight video out there on this, where somebody capitalizes on someone else's movement. That's the open secret IMHO

It's no secret at all. This is something anyone who practices MA knows. It's a fundamental concept. BTW, do you practice MA at all? If so, which one and for how long?

 

[JowGaWolf]

This is why your rear leg need to bend. This is why straight rear leg front stance is not proper for fighting.

I've seen some people have a "straight" rear leg in professional boxing. Found in Pendulum Boxing from Russia. "Straight leg" for me is leg straight with slight bend. It is not the straight leg that we see in forms.
If your leg is in a position where if I kick into your knee and the knee snaps back, then it means your leg was straight. If I do the same thing and your leg doesn't snap back, then it means your leg was bent.

Dmitry Bivol's footwork sometimes moves him while he's in a bow stance. This is a good example of how the front foot reaches out for a short pull. The pull steps are shorter than the push steps when he retreats.

 

[JowGaWolf]

So I'm seeing everyone say to push off the back leg. Has anybody specifically been taught to pull forward with the front leg just for a simple forward step through?

yes.

 

[Sammy Naur]

It's no secret at all. This is something anyone who practices MA knows. It's a fundamental concept. BTW, do you practice MA at all? If so, which one and for how long?

That's what "open secret" means. But I don't think anyone knows these things

Yes, I mostly practice boxing and wrestling nowadays, but dabbled in many different areas.

Whole life.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

So I'm seeing everyone say to push off the back leg. Has anybody specifically been taught to pull forward with the front leg just for a simple forward step through?

If you are outside of your opponent's kicking range, when you move your

- back leg, you are still out of kicking range. Your opponent still cannot kick you.
- front leg, you may move into your opponent's kicking range. Your opponent can now sweep/kick you.

It's always safer to move your back leg before moving your front leg.

 

[marvin8]

If you are outside of your opponent's kicking range, when you move your

- back leg, you are still out of kicking range. Your opponent still cannot kick you.
- front leg, you may move into your opponent's kicking range. Your opponent can now sweep/kick you.

It's always safer to move your back leg before moving your front leg.

From JKD Bai Jong stance with weight on front foot, replace front foot with back foot using the momentum to deliver lead kick...

https://imgur.com/zffttEP

https://imgur.com/jclB6cb