Lesson 7 of 11 · 7 min
Footwork
After this lesson: Move in every direction and pivot while keeping your stance.
Lead handRear handDrag an animation to turn it · tap a cue to jump to it
Footwork keeps you in range to hit and out of range to get hit, and it keeps you balanced so every punch has power behind it. Good footwork looks boring: small steps, the same stance after every one.
Forward and back (from above)
Animation: red glove is the lead hand, blue glove is the rear hand.
Side to side
Animation: red glove is the lead hand, blue glove is the rear hand.
The rules
- The foot closest to where you're going moves first. Forward: lead foot. Back: rear foot. Towards your lead side: lead foot. Towards your rear side: rear foot.
- The other foot follows the same distance, so your stance is the same after every step.
- Small steps. Push off the balls of your feet and glide; don't hop high.
- Never cross your feet.
- Hands stay up while you move.
Never cross your feet
Animation: red glove is the lead hand, blue glove is the rear hand.
The pivot: a new angle without stepping back
Animation: red glove is the lead hand, blue glove is the rear hand.
The pivot turns you on the ball of your lead foot while the rear foot swings round. It takes you off the line your opponent is punching along and gives you a fresh angle to punch from. Try it straight after a combination.
Animation: red glove is the lead hand, blue glove is the rear hand.
Try it
The box drill
- Imagine (or tape) a square on the floor, about two steps wide.
- Move around it in your stance: forward, to the lead side, back, to the rear side. The foot closest to the direction moves first.
- Change direction every round. Hands up the whole time.
- Last round: add a jab at every corner and a pivot at the end of each lap.
3 rounds · 2 min work · 60 s rest. Clear some space and turn the sound on.
Get ready
0:10
Check it