Footwork is one of the most important yet neglected aspects of boxing. Anyone can throw a punch, even if it is not a very good one. But to be able to move your feet in a particular way to take you out of any danger and position you for your next shot, that is where the real skill is. If you do not learn footwork in boxing, you may train your entire life, and one of your biggest regrets will be not learning footwork. In this article, we will be discussing the whole syllabus of footwork, which will make your footwork many times better.
Tips For Becoming the Master of Footwork in Boxing: A Complete Guidebook
| Sr. No. | Tips/ Drills | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner Techniques For Improving Footwork in Boxing | ||
| 1 | Circular Left | Learn to walk before you can fly. Your most basic foundation of footwork is forward, back, left, and right. This is what will set up all the extra stuff in the future. |
| 2 | Circular Right | This is the second basic foundation of your boxing footwork. (i.e., the foundation is circular left and circular right). |
| 3 | Moving Forward With Moving Lead Foot Firstly | A simple rule of thumb to follow is that, regardless of the direction you are moving in, the foot closest to that direction will move first. This will ensure your feet stay in line and you are always positioned to throw shots. |
| 4 | Lead Side Pivot | These are essential for making a new angle, getting you out of corners or off the ropes. Push your back foot into the floor and turn 90°. |
| 5 | L Step | The L step is also used to create a new angle, hop back onto your lead leg, and then use the rear leg. Stepping out horizontally to make a new angle and walk back to the center rim. |
| 6 | Gallop | Galloping is the one exception where you will start with your rear leg to move forward, as that lead leg lands. You will be in a perfect position to throw those big shots. |
| 7 | Step Backs | Step backs are used to evade your opponent's shots and regain a sensible range. Push your lead foot into the floor and simply hop backwards. |
| 8 | 1-2 Footwork | One two-footwork using the lead leg for Jabs and feints, and then simply bring the rear leg up slightly as well. This will allow you to move forward, chaining multiple Jabs together. It will also let you move circularly without breaking any momentum. |
| 9 | Rear Pivot | The rear pivot is just like the lead pivot. You are using this to make a new angle, but instead of moving around the lead side this time, you are pushing the rear leg into the floor and moving around your rear side. |
| 10 | Rear Side Roll Step | Use the rear side roll steps if someone throws a punch at you from their left arm. Roll underneath and make a new angle. |
| 11 | Lead Side Roll Step | The same thing for the lead side, but this is if someone throws a punch at you from their right arm. |
| Intermediate Techniques For Improving Footwork in Boxing | ||
| 12 | The Hop Reset | The Hop reset is a nice way to release tension in your legs and stay loose on your feet. Make sure not to do this in a punch and range with an opponent, as it can be risky. Don't confuse this with the step backs. This is not a way to evade a shot. It is simply a way to stay loose on your feet. |
| 13 | Lead Side Quick Movement | Lead side quick movement combines the pivot, the hot reset, and the stance. This is just generally a nice way to circle back to the center ring while staying loose. |
| 14 | Rear Side Quick Movement (L 1 2) | The rear side quick movement can also be called the L12. All we are doing is an L step and then putting our lead leg down, which we call one, and our rear leg down, which we call two. This footwork is highly effective because you can throw your shots on either the one or the two, and you don't have to break your rhythm whilst doing so, which puts you in a perfect position to throw a combo. |
| 15 | Double Step Backs | As soon as you have landed, take a double step back; you can use this to avoid multiple shots from aggressive opponents coming at you. |
| 16 | Stepping With 1 2 | Stop throwing all of your throws with your rear leg stuck to the floor. Step your rear leg in as you throw the two to close the distance. |
| 17 | Back Spin | Back spins are an elusive way to avoid aggressive opponents. Push your lead foot into the floor and pivot backwards into the opposite stance. |
| 18 | Front Spin | Front spins are a nice way to close the gap on an opponent unexpectedly. These can be risky, so proceed with caution. Push your rear leg into the floor and pivot into your opposite stance as you move forward. |
| 19 | Check pivot | Step your lead leg horizontally off the line whilst leaning back and dipping your chin. You can throw a hook with this and turn it into a check hook. A nice way to counter opponents coming at you with the straight shots. |
| 20 | 180’s | 180s has similar motion to the rear pivot, where we dip and turn 90°, but this time we dip further and turn 180°. |
| 21 | Come Through | This is used to recover from Shots you have accidentally overextended on as you are falling in. Make sure your rear foot touches in front of them. Your head is dipped off the line, and then push that rear foot into the floor and pivot into your stance. |
| Advanced Techniques For Improving Footwork in Boxing | ||
| 22 | 45’s | You should use these in close range, and they are used to create a new angle on an opponent. Dip down and load most of your weight onto your lead leg. Shift your body 45° and land on that new angle. Ready to throw your shots. |
| 23 | Step Shift | A step shift is another good way to create an angle on an opponent in close range. Slightly step your rear leg off the line and towards your opponent. Make sure that when you do this, your hands are up and you dip your head off the line, as this is the riskiest part of the movement. Next is the shift from that position, you have stepped in. Jump your body 90° around your opponent and land dipped over your lead leg, ready to throw your shots. |
| 24 | Roll Step Shift | The roll step shift is the same as the step shift, but instead, you roll as you step across the shift. |
| 25 | D’amato Shift | Another unique way to change the angle in close range. Load up on your lead leg and then jump your body into the opposite stance laterally across your opponent. Make sure that when you land, you dip slightly over your lead leg so you are in a perfect position to throw your shots. |
| 26 | Double Come Through | The double come through is the same as the normal come through, but this time takes an extra skip in case your opponent throws multiple counters. |
| 27 | Check Uppercut | The check uppercut is just like the check hook, but this time, when you step your lead leg off the line instead of putting it horizontal, you put it more behind you on a diagonal angle, and this uppercut is used just to count out straight shots. |
| 28 | Pendulum Step | The pendulum step, bounce up and down on the balls of your feet, and this will allow you to face in and out of range while throwing each shot on its own unique bounce. |
| 29 | Backward Check L’s | In a backwards check L's, throw a shot from your lead hand while stepping your lead leg back vertically, and just as that lead leg lands, perform an L step and land into your new stance. |
| 30 | Gazelle Hook | The gazelle hook is used to close the range on an opponent quickly. Set this up with a feint to the body so you can load up your lead leg and then jump towards them with the hook. |
| 31 | Square Bounce | The square bounce is another nice way to stay elusive on your feet, mess up your opponent's tracking as you are quickly going from left to right, and then throw a surprise shot. This works well when someone is trying to cut you off on the ropes. This can be risky. Proceed with caution and practice first. |
| 32 | Reversible Pivots | The reversible pivot involves simply pivoting from the lead side, then straight into the rear side as soon as you land. This is nice when someone throws a shot that you anticipated, and when you land. So you can get back around the other way and avoid their shots. |
| 33 | Reversible Pivots and L Step | The combination you should try. |
| 34 | Pendulum Step + Backward Check Ls + 180 + L Step | Another combination you should try for improving your boxing footwork. |
Practice these moves repeatedly and start combining them to improve your footwork in boxing. Get creative with your footwork and start visualizing how you would use this in your fights. The key to good footwork is just repetition. There is no fancy drill; you can do skipping, ladders, or anything like that. It is just pure repetition. Go into the gym, practice these maneuvers a thousand times in a row, and don't do it until you get it right. Do it until you can't get it wrong anymore.
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