Footwork Breakdown

When it comes to excelling at the highest, elite, levels what you’ll find is that the most smallest details will usually be the difference between domination, and struggle, regardless if you win or not. This is the reason why certain athletes and fighters can make the toughest of feats seem easy. It is down to the fact that champions take advantage, or master the most simplest techniques down to the most complex of details in a way which no one else. This same approach should be taken to footwork, especially because footwork is the most important aspect in all of boxing. The better your balance, the more powerful you can punch , the quicker you can counter and the swifter your reactions will be defensively.

Mechanically, great footwork and balance really involves the shifting of weight, manipulation of movement and mastery of momentum in order to maintain your centre of gravity as often and as for as long as possible. In doing so, your ability to move your upper torso to get out of the way of incoming punches and also to shift your weight  into a punch is also enhanced. While fighting, the continuous and intense movement of not just you, but your opponent too, means that the stability of your balance control is constantly being tested. Most fighters,  and even including some popular professional fighters, don’t have a true understanding or appreciation of having a consistently stable balance.

Mechanics

Getting in and out

When going forward, your back foot pushes off, and being on your toes, specifically the frontal area of your feet, will most likely be the best tool you have towards initiating forward momentum. The toes, or front balls, of the foot in the direction you’re moving into, should be the last point of contact with the floor when you’re lead foot lands on the floor. So instead of going forward and landing on your toes first, then putting your heal down, it should be the other way around. If you were to slow down the sequence of landing on your toe first, then heel, what you’d find is that momentum in the feet would be going backwards for the split second before you land the heel. This effectively delays time as to move backwards and get out of range after the punch, means you have to then shift weight and momentum back to your toes so that you can push off to go in the backwards direction. So rather, what you ideally want to do, is land on your heel first, so that when you land, the last point of contact is your at the front area of your feet and it is easier to move back because the last point of where the weight is shifted to, is also at the same place where power is required to generate from in order to push off and move back.  This shortens the time it takes to get in and get out, minimising the risk of being counter-punched, as the whole sequence is smooth and in two directions. This is opposed to landing toe-first-heel-second and pushing off, which involves momentum going in four directions (forward when landing on toes, back to the heel, then forward to generate power to push off, and back when you push off).

In order to maintain balance, particularly when going forward, the toes can act as anchors, regulating your moving momentum, keeping it under control, with the initiative always being under your own control. The aim is to always keep it as central as possible with weight always evenly distributed, regardless of positioning, and in the case that you do lose control, it must be seized back as quickly as possible. The best way to do this by keeping the momentum of your movement as minimal as possible.

Side Movement

When moving to the side, the required technique is a little different but the same concept applies. The aim is to keep your weight as central as possible as often as possible. Let’s say you’re moving left. The correct way to do so is to take your lead foot and move it left first, whilst your right foot follows after. When the left foot lands, so does the front ball of the feet. The way in which you land should be aimed at  making it easier to anchor yourself and keep the weight from leaving the centre because as soon as you land in this way. Then after placing your lead foot down, then bring your rear foot back to get back into position so that you get back into the correct stance.

Backwards Momentum

One of the most simply ways to catch an opponent with a simple 1-2, is to catch your opponent while he moves laterally (to the side), as so many fighters tend to cross their feet and then land their feet incorrectly. In this instance, the jab will hasten his movement which will encourage him to make the mistake, or move back, then the right hand will have a safe window of opportunity to strike effectively without worry for retaliation because most fighters cannot punch going backwards. This is one of the reasons historians rave about Sugar Ray Robinson’s ability to knock guys moving backwards. Not many people can do it, and this is part of the reason why. Despite the general movement of his whole body moving backwards, Robinson was able to shift his momentum in a forward direction from one part of his body (feet to legs to torso to glove) for a split second, separate from the general momentum of his whole body.

Practising efficient footwork to quicken weight distribution

In order to do this, a fighter needs to be aware of what the direction of movement is at all times, and also aware of how he can get it back to a stable central point, in order to limit the time it takes to complete a physical sequence. Getting to this point requires focus in training, to make it second nature in the ring. One of the best punches you can practise to develop this control is the jab to the body, because in order to do it quickly, it requires great control to get in and then out, due to so much momentum going forward not just in the feet but the upper body too. You’ll realise that if your toes land fast, the momentum in your feet will go backwards whilst your body is still going forward, and that’s why it takes longer to step out. If you land heel first and then toe, you can push off as the momentum will turn/ act as stored power to push out. This concept is the first step towards mastering momentum.

Final Notes From Reemus

Always remember, champions are the challengers that decided to take one aspect of their technique, and then magnify their approach of their game in order to perfect their craft. If you want to gain an edge, you can’t afford to neglect possibly the most important aspect in all of boxing. It is no coincidence that possible the greatest contenders for the mythical pound for pound title, including Sugar Ray Robinson, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Joe Louis had extremely good balance. So don’t just simply work towards improving your balance, urgently stress time in training to get great at it. You’ll then soon start to reap the rewards, in the form of greater timing and reactions. Others will allow themselves to neglect this aspect of their game, and this is where you will make the divide, simply dedicating time towards doing what the others are not.