Boxing Footwork - Don’t throw a single PUNCH until you get this right

Footwork is the foundation upon which all boxing skills are built

Footwork is more than just moving your feet around the ring; it's an art form that requires precision, agility, and coordination. 

It is the dance of the boxer, a symphony of movement that allows you to maintain balance, generate power, and evade your opponent's attacks.

In the realm of boxing, footwork is the greatest skill to master. 

A boxer with exceptional footwork possesses a distinct advantage over their opponents, 

As they can effortlessly control the distance, create angles, and launch precise and powerful attacks while evading their opponent's punches.

By understanding and mastering this crucial aspect, you will elevate your performance, gain a strategic advantage, and move with the grace and precision of a true boxing maestro.

Defensively

WHAT TO DO

The primary use of footwork to defend yourself is to simply step back and out of range. 

Stepping back and out of range is widely regarded as the easiest and safest defense in boxing. 

By creating distance from the opponent, you give yourself time to think, catch your breath and minimize the chances of getting hit.

This allows you to reduce the target area, absorb less impact, regain composure, and plan your defensive and offensive strategies effectively. 

Overall, mastering this technique is fundamental for developing solid defensive skills and minimizing risks in close-range exchanges.

If you wish to be a fighter but one of your massive concerns is getting punched in the face 

Click Here to read our “WHY DEFENSE IS SO IMPORTANT IN BOXING” post and learn all the fundamental defensive moves and what situations you should be using them in

Closing distance

WHAT TO DO

Proper footwork when closing the distance is crucial as it allows you to counter effectively, minimizes the chance of your opponent countering, 

And allows you to create angles and deceptive movements to get close enough to deal damage to your opponent.

One way you can close the distance with footwork is by simply, 

Stepping forward while moving your head off the center punching line. 

But instead of stepping directly forward, aim to step slightly to the side. 

When stepping left, shift your weight onto your left foot and when stepping right, shift your weight onto your right foot.  

This weight shift prepares you to deliver a powerful punch once you're within striking range. 

For beginners, after stepping left, follow it with a left hook or a left body shot. 

And after stepping right, follow it with a straight right hand to the head or body. 

While you can experiment with different foot positions and punches, I advise all beginners to stick to the basics until they become more comfortable with the movements.

Power Generation

WHAT TO DO

A recent study found that only approximately 25% of power is generated from the arms while 35% is generated from pushing legs into the ground. 

Plus the other  40% is generated by hip rotation which is another aspect of footwork as well

Basically, feet and hips are responsible for generating 75% of the power in your punches 

This can be the difference between your opponent feeling they have been hit with a pillow vs them feeling like they have been knocked with a sledgehammer

So if you do want to get a few knockouts as you advance at fighting then you are going to need your footwork to 

Punch some random opponent AS HARD AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN and make them hit the canvas

But of course, you dont have to always throw power 

And there are certainly times when it is much smarter to throw with more speed

If knowing when to throw speed vs when to throw power is something that you are unsure about 

Then Click Here and read our “HOW TO THROW A PUNCH - PUNCHING TECHNIQUE FOR BEGINNERS” post for a full breakdown and explanation.

Feinting

WHAT TO DO

When it comes to feinting, footwork plays a crucial role in creating deception and misdirection. It allows you to fake movements and trick your opponent into reacting or committing, opening up opportunities to land punches. 

There are multiple different ways to feint your opponent with your hands and hips but since this is a footwork blog post here’s how you do it with your feet…

All you need to do is quickly jolt your whole body forward and take the tiniest step you can. 

The step shouldn’t be big enough to put yourself in his range 

But should be just big enough to make him believe you are about to enter his range. 

As soon as you do this you want to bring your body back to balance as quickly as possible 

So that you are ready to capitalize on whatever opportunity you have just created for yourself

Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to punch after every feint. You can use a feint simply to see how your opponent would have reacted if you threw a punch

Allowing you to also see what parts of their body were left open in an attempt to stop your punch.

So next time you do feint you know exactly what's open and can take advantage with a devastating blow

Creating angles

WHAT TO DO

Sometimes in close-range situations, your opponent will be able to successfully block every punch

And at that moment you need to realize that standing still and punching isn't enough to win and you are wasting your energy

One thing you can do instead is move to either side to create angles and disrupt your opponent's defense.

Allowing you to find the open spots and capitalize on their unawareness

Here's a breakdown of what you should do:

To step to the right side (assuming you're an orthodox fighter), 

• Push off your lead foot, and step to the right. 

• As you land, aim to transfer your weight onto your right foot, 

• Upon landing, explode with your right hand to land an impactful and unforeseen counter. 

• As you advance in skill, you can incorporate a left-hand punch while stepping out to keep your opponent off balance.

To step to the left side (assuming you're orthodox), 

• Step with your left foot, 

• Shift your weight onto that left foot, 

• And pivot your entire body, swinging your back foot around 

• As you become more comfortable with the movement, you can add a hook or perform a check hook.

I will warn you that these are by far the most dangerous forms of footwork. 

It is a high-risk, high-reward defense as once you get it right you will become untouchable 

But while you are practicing it, you will get punched A LOT

The reasons are that you are so close to your opponent while you do these, they require extremely good balance, 

And if you don’t perform them quickly enough then it will be easy for your opponent to counter and there will be nothing you can do to stop it

That is why I only recommend beginners try these 2 movements at first and only the most basic movements until they get more comfortable in sparring, 

However, if you like this style of fighting then the best to ever do it is Lomachenko and if footwork is something you want to excel at then he is the fighter to study and learn from.

RISKS

Like all things in boxing, there are risks in trying to pull these moves off in sparring, but this isn't a reason not to try them 

Instead, it is a warning to be careful when and with who you perform them.

The first thing you need to be cautious of is throwing yourself off balance. If you dont have experience performing these moves then you are going to throw yourself off balance at least once in the ring.

This is why it is important to practice it on the bag and while shadowboxing

But don’t get too confident because you’ll soon realize, It is completely different once your opponent is moving and punching back. 

Although like anything else in boxing, once you master it, you’ll be able to move around and confuse your opponent without even thinking about it.

Another thing you need to realize is that these movements will take up a lot of energy and burn your legs in the process. 

So if you decide that you do want to use a lot of footwork in your sparring then I recommend scrolling down to the bottom to see how you can build up explosiveness, strength, and endurance to allow your legs to perform at maximum output during your fights. 

Now I understand that improving leg endurance can be a painful and annoying thing 

But unfortunately, it is something that all boxers must do. 

If you do want to make the process slightly less painful and annoying then I recommend checking out our Boxrope. 

I’ll be honest it won’t take away the burn from your hard-skipping sessions 

But it will take away the unnecessary inconvenience of your rope tangling up or feeling off-balance and hard to use. 

Click Here to learn more and see how it can minimize inconvenience and improve your footwork as a fighter

Anyways the final problem with footwork is that each movement is only helpful in certain scenarios. 

For example, angling to the side is a great way to direct your opponent when he is in a corner. 

But if you try it in the middle of the ring then there is a great chance that he is simply going to step back, out of your range and there is nothing that you can do about it. 

On the other hand, stepping forward might be great when you're in the middle of the ring and you want to push your opponent back. 

But if you have your opponent in a corner then stepping forward will make it easier for him to counter or clinch up and throw you into the corner.

So if you do want to use footwork to defend yourself and throw off your opponent. 

It is crucial to study and practice exactly when and how to use these movements so that you don’t accidentally make it easier for your opponent to punch you.

How to Improve Your Footwork

WHY YOU NEED A COACH

The best thing you can do is ask your coach,  

The reason I continue to stress this in other blogs is that different people have different issues when it comes to footwork and so the advice provided is very general in order to simply get you comfortable moving, improve speed and give you an idea of exactly what you should be thinking while you are moving around in the ring

However this advice will not get you fight-ready on its own,

By getting your coach to oversee these drills, he will be able to pinpoint the exact mistakes you are making and offer expert advice to tell you exactly what you need to do in order to fix the problem.

WHAT TO DO

I also understand that the coach isn't always around and sometimes you want to get that extra bit of practice in. 

So to improve your footwork in boxing, there are several effective drills you can incorporate into your training regimen. 

• Ladder drills, which offer various variations that can be found on platforms like YouTube, are excellent for enhancing agility, quickness, and coordination
• Moving around while bouncing a tennis ball on the ground, challenges your footwork and hand-eye coordination simultaneously. 
• Shadow boxing is a valuable exercise where you simulate boxing movements without an opponent, allowing you to focus on perfecting your footwork technique and movement patterns. 
• Skipping, a classic exercise in boxing helps develop foot speed, rhythm, and endurance. Dont have a skipping rope? We got you :) Click Here to see the number 1 Most Respected Rope On The Market. Crafted By Boxers, For Boxers

These are just a few examples, as there are countless other drills designed to improve footwork. However, starting with these recommended drills, especially if you're a beginner, is highly beneficial. 

By incorporating these tried-and-true exercises, you can be confident in their effectiveness, as they are commonly used in reputable boxing gyms and have been proven to yield positive results in enhancing footwork and foot speed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, footwork is the foundation upon which all boxing skills are built, requiring precision, agility, and coordination. 

Mastering footwork also grants a distinct advantage, allowing control over distance, angles, and precise attacks while evading opponents. 

It is crucial to practice footwork drills such as ladder drills, bouncing a tennis ball, shadow boxing, and skipping, as they improve agility, quickness, and coordination. 

These drills, widely used in reputable boxing gyms, have been proven to enhance footwork and foot speed, making them essential for boxers at all levels of experience. 

By dedicating time and effort to mastering footwork, you can elevate your performance and move with the grace and precision of a true boxing maestro.

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to learn more about boxing both in and outside of the ring 

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