Developing Explosive Entry Footwork

[drop bear]

Do you mean landing with the front foot, then launching, as a way of energy generation/tricking them on distance, or lettting your front foot fall back as you go forwards, 'falling' into the entry?

Switching pretty much.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Switching pretty much.

Thats what i was getting at with the first one. But ive also seen people do that falling punch and was wondering if buka (or anyone) had a rationale for doing it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Thats what i was getting at with the first one. But ive also seen people do that falling punch and was wondering if buka (or anyone) had a rationale for doing it.

Most of the CMA systems use this approach - striking coordinate with front foot landing.

But when you attack and you detect your opponent moves back, you may have to coordinate your strike with your back foot landing. Your front foot landing may not give you enough distance, you may have to slide your back foot to move forward.

 

[Buka]

Do you mean landing with the front foot, then launching, as a way of energy generation/tricking them on distance, or lettting your front foot fall back as you go forwards, 'falling' into the entry?

If you're referring to that drop step step that Rory Miller does, no, that's too slow. Or if you mean bringing the foot back so you're actually semi off balance and falling - no, falling isn't really fast, it's just falling. Getting propelled, or thrown to the ground has the body moving faster than when it just falls.

Here's something to show the concept I'm referring to. Watch the feet of the batters. Especially the lefties (who have their back to first base, the direction they're trying to go) if you watch the whole six minutes notice how many batters make their first step away from the direction that they're actually going. And these are professional athletes who have many millions of dollars on the line. And I believe you'll get a better concept by watching the entire video.

 

[Danny T]

As for the footwork itself, I recommend moving the front foot backwards as your initial explosive movement forward.

Yes, as the foot goes backward the body actually moves forward and then there is the explosive push from the leg driving into the ground. I call these 'take-offs' and we practice them as a part of our footwork drills.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I like this footwork very much.

Here is a slow speed clip.

 

[dvcochran]

Yes, as the foot goes backward the body actually moves forward and then there is the explosive push from the leg driving into the ground. I call these 'take-offs' and we practice them as a part of our footwork drills.

Agree. It is a great example of the friction equation. A must have for explosive starts or attacks.

 

[geezer]

Wingchun 100, Yak Sau, Lan Sau: Welcome back y'all!!! Good to have some of of the old 'chunners posting here again.

Anyway, first thing to develop an explosive entry don't do what I've been doing lately: namely working more hours, training less, and eating junk food.

So, looking back to when I was trying to get more explosiveness (rather than growing a larger gut to close the gap) I'd recommend that in addition to those supplemental exercises mentioned before, try training by doing the very same movement you want to improve. Just go someplace where you have a lot of space, like a long empty sidewalk at a local park and repeat that explosive WT forward lunge demonstrated by Emin, over and over again.

Start doing short range forward bursts five times with a right lead, then five more with the left lead. Then do sets of medium range bursts, and finally sets of long range bursts. Continue like this for a hundred yards, then turn around and do the same all the way back. If you have a partner who can hold pads and retreat in front of you, so that you have a physical target to work on, so much the better. Work angles too.

To vary the mix, add in a lead leg kick to start and follow with punching combos. Remember "every kick a step, every step a kick". And like Yak or somebody said before, lead with the strike, not the step.

...Oh, and especially if you are doing the WT "drag-step", be willing to wear out a lot of shoes. Good luck!!!

 

[Prostar]

My question is, how do you move?
Do you lead with your upper body and push off with the legs?
Or do you go in feet first, looking a bit like Bugs Bunny?
I always taught people to lead with the belt and, the head and feet come right along.
Going belt first also helps drive the power.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

My question is, how do you move?
Do you lead with your upper body and push off with the legs?
Or do you go in feet first, looking a bit like Bugs Bunny?
I always taught people to lead with the belt and, the head and feet come right along.

You should have

- hand-foot coordination.
- elbow-knee coordination.
- shoulder-hip coordination.

Going belt first also helps drive the power.

Power come from the leg

- back to front.
- bottom to up.

 

[Flying Crane]

I like this footwork very much.

Here is a slow speed clip.

Ok you like this footwork, but does it fit within the wing chun approach?

 

[Flying Crane]

If you're referring to that drop step step that Rory Miller does, no, that's too slow. Or if you mean bringing the foot back so you're actually semi off balance and falling - no, falling isn't really fast, it's just falling. Getting propelled, or thrown to the ground has the body moving faster than when it just falls.

Here's something to show the concept I'm referring to. Watch the feet of the batters. Especially the lefties (who have their back to first base, the direction they're trying to go) if you watch the whole six minutes notice how many batters make their first step away from the direction that they're actually going. And these are professional athletes who have many millions of dollars on the line. And I believe you'll get a better concept by watching the entire video.

On the video, are you focused on the lifting and then re-planting of the forward foot by the batter, in anticipation of the swing of the bat, as the pitch is coming in?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Hello everyone,

Been a while since I posted here. Hope everyone is doing okay.

Lately I have been trying to work on developing my footwork, especially entering. I've been looking around for some good exercises to help with this, but most of the videos/etc. that I see are geared toward general footwork. I'm looking for the specific ability to close distance in the blink of an eye.

Jason Van Veldheuysen from Precision Striking is a huge proponent of using burpees to help with this, but I believe variety really is the spice of life. I need to have more than just one exercise to develop this, or else I will get bored in no time.

I'll be browsing the forums looking for other threads on this topic, but in the meantime I thought I'd start a discussion of my own.

Good to see you posting again! I'll reply more when I've read through some of the other responses.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Plyometrics in general should help. I posted a thread a bit ago asking about them, ill see if i can find it. Outside of that, get a bob or a bag or something, and just practice entering combinations over and over. Youll naturally build up the muscles needed and get better at them.
Edit: so apparently a bit ago means 3 years to me...anyway here's the thread.Plyometrics

Meh, what's a year or three among friends?

I agree on both parts of this. First, have some exercises (burpees, other plyometric exercises, etc.) that demand fast, explosive movement of the legs. Burpees aren't ideal, because they're jumping muscles, but they do train some of the same groups and get you neurologically used to explosive use of the legs to move mass. And working entering movement is specifically training the muscles. I do some of my bag practice from "too far away", some of it specifically so far away that it requires a full extra step (and not a small one) to get in striking range. I work it slow at first to develop the strike with timing and so I can pay attention to anything that might cause problems when I speed up. Then I ramp it up to full speed, forcing myself to make those explosive entries. Just like running fast is the absolute best training to improve running speed, practicing explosive entries is the absolute best exercise for developing the explosive entry.

I also mix it up on what the footwork is. Sometimes it's by common boxing principles (feet never pass each other). Sometimes it's a step-through.

Oh, and be sure to practice explosive exits, too, using the entry momentum. Sometimes you want to enter, hit, and exit before they can adjust.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

well you dont want explosive footwork, you want footwork powered by explosive muscle and practise of fast movement, I'm not sure how burpees, help that ? excellent exercise that it is, as it doesn't really help the leg muscle get power, but it does admittedly help with fast movement in your muscles, so half way there especially if you want to get up quickly to punch someone

If the burpees are done with a jump-squat, they'll help build explosive muscle power, though the muscle groups and firing order won't entirely match the forward movement.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

you dont need someone to play against and you could improvise with a wall , dont they have squash courts in America?

They're much harder to find than they were 20-30 years ago. We used to have racquetball courts all over the place (nearly the same thing), but none of the places around me now have them that I'm aware of.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Do the travel version. Shove a broad jump in there.

"the travel version"

Somehow, that just tickles me today, DB. Thanks.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Welcome back, bro.

Plyo and strong core are spot on. As for the footwork itself, I recommend moving the front foot backwards as your initial explosive movement forward.

With practice you can develop your entry so fast you'll be on top of them before they realize it.

I've never paid attention to that. I now have something to work on in my next training session - thanks!

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Ok you like this footwork, but does it fit within the wing chun approach?

This thread started in the general martial art talk section.

There are many different ways to move the body, The WC method is just one of many ways. I will never allow one MA system to put any restriction on my personal training. I select those that fit me. I discard those that doesn't.

 

[Flying Crane]

This thread started in the general martial art talk section.

There are many different ways to move the body, The WC method is just one of many ways. I will never allow one MA system to put any restriction on my personal training. I select those that fit me. I discard those that doesn't.

I think it’s pretty clear that the OP is coming from a wing chun perspective. Maybe that matters, maybe it does not. That’s up to him.