Footwork Drills?

[Paul B]

Anyone else include some footwork drills in their practice?

I know that traditionally footwork isn't really pulled apart from technique,but I think some basic stepping drills help people grasp the concept of moving without bouncing up and down and losing power when they execute technique.

We start with a series of steps:

Straight Step (Regular Step)
Push Step (Off of the Rear or Forward Foot)
Diagonal Step (on a 45)
Step and Pivot (Circle Step..180 pivot on front foot)
Step and Turn (Step and Turn 180 on Heels)

Then we finally progress to mixing and matching the stepping drills to the point where they can be incorporated with the technique.

Thoughts?

 

[matt.m]

No, actually we only really do stance practice. We of course are attentive in class during technique practice. Foot work is the most important aspect. Without your feet you have no base.

 

[Davejlaw]

Here's one thing my GM taught me that you can do to improve footwork. For any technique (wrist grabs and such) that can done with one hand, take your free hand and tuck in into your belt behind your back. As humans, we use our free hand for balance all the time, like a kangaroo uses its tail. When you don't have that hand/arm posting outwards helping you balance on your feet it really makes you concentrate on your footwork a lot more. Of course this won't work throughout HKD practice but any techniques that can be done one-handed this will help out.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Actually, I don't like that drill

My instructor is beg on guarding the face. So if you are doing any technique or position where only one hand is in play, the other hand better be guarding your face (or he yells at you, smacks you in the face with a pad, etc...etc..). Probably accomplishes the same goal of not allowing you to use your off-hand as a counter balance so you need to have good balance and footwork, but has the benefit that your are ingraining the idea and the habit of protecting yourself.

In kicks, the rear hand always stays at the face. In Hoshinsul, if only one hand is engaged or moving, the other guards the face. In punching, when the jab goes out, the back hand stays home for protection, when the straight punch goes out, the lead hand comes home to protect, hooks and upercuts as well. SO you get used to be balanced and controlled on your feet without the counter-balance of the hand(s), but you get used to protecting yourself as well

 

[FearlessFreep]

I know that traditionally footwork isn't really pulled apart from technique,but I think some basic stepping drills help people grasp the concept of moving without bouncing up and down and losing power when they execute technique.

My first Taekwondo instructor wouldn't let us spar until green belt so the 'beggining' sparring class was almost all footwork. Various ways of sliding and stepping and moving at various angles, etc... No punches or kicks, just lots and lots of footwork drills