Footwork Question

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 8/25/2010 9:45pm

Simultaneous move and attack. NO CAN DEFEND!

He is both going very slow and not striking at the same time like he should be doing/does when he fights.

**maofas** · Posted On: 8/25/2010 11:33pm

Originally Posted by KidSpatula

The footwork in the Machida video looks a bit awkward to me. Machida is doing a very long sweeping step with his leg on that second step to get around a very small forward motion by his opponent. That second step is a rather lengthy period of time where the stance has to be reestablished before Machida can effectively strike or defend. Also what's strange to me is the fist step basically puts Machida directly in front of the other guy's danger zone, so if the guy threw a 1-2 (rather then 1... 2) he'd be stepping right into it.

I understand this video is trying to demonstrate using pivots to put yourself at awkward angles, but why is he moving to the left just so he can make a huge step back over to the right? The fist step seems both risky and pointless. When they zoom in on Machida's feet it's very apparent that his footwork is awkwardly complex.

It would be better from my understanding to simply take a greater step (or two quick step jabs) to entirely clear your opponent's right hand, creating a very strong set up for your own right hand (or kick) OR (if you really love to pivot, like I do) do a step pivot around the jab to set up a hook (or liver kick).

IMO it's because Machida demos from an orthodox stance in the video, but is a SP. He does some things that make more sense Orth vs. SP (pivoting off your front foot would be taking you away from their 'danger zone' in this case), but make less sense when you switch feet and do it the exact same way (he should be pivoting off the rear leg or waiting for the 2 and going the same way, both of which are more difficult to do when he probably just wants to show the basic pivot motion).

On the flip-side, somewhere else in the video he shows deliberately stutter-stepping into the opponent's 'danger zone as a feint before evading the other direction. Dunno about that one, but yeah, it's in there.

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 7:17am

as with any evasive movement, the smaller the movement the better your chance if landing effective counters.

YouTube- Floyd Mayweather vs Ricky Hatton (Official Highlights)
about 1.14

I would point out however, especially in kickboxing, the pivot is dangerous if the guy throws a roundhouse after the right cross.

**Bugeisha** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 10:43pm

Originally Posted by maofas

To make your pivot faster/better, don't swing your back foot around, cut the semi-circle you'd be making into a straight line step. This prevents your weight falling back on your heels and needing to recover from your pivot before you can throw a punch. Congrats, you're doing krotty. :p

I actually like the circular footwork better, but allowing the front foot to readjust. I think it makes it easier to keep the weight even, and to keep your center pointed toward your opponents. If you cut to the angle with the back leg, your momentum is going away at an angle and it's harder to redirect for your counter. I do it almost like a really tight tenkan-irimi from aikido. That lets me re-angle my momentum so I can do stuff like switch right off of the pivot and kick the back of their leg.

**Sang** · Posted On: 8/26/2010 11:43pm

Maofas is correct, the first movements he show work awesome for southpaw if you don't mind ending up in orthodox stance. I use a different one quite often, step back into orthodox stance then pivot off the front to get a better angle. I have yet to properly use his two step backs then pivot when retreating even though I've been shown it dozens of times :( .

**maofas** · Posted On: 8/28/2010 1:29pm

Originally Posted by Bugeisha

I actually like the circular footwork better, but allowing the front foot to readjust. I think it makes it easier to keep the weight even, and to keep your center pointed toward your opponents. If you cut to the angle with the back leg, your momentum is going away at an angle and it's harder to redirect for your counter. I do it almost like a really tight tenkan-irimi from aikido. That lets me re-angle my momentum so I can do stuff like switch right off of the pivot and kick the back of their leg.

Well, if something works better for you, obviously that's how you should do it.

Personally, I find when you make a circular whirl of your rear leg you have to judge when to stop it (too late and your stance winds up too narrow to get a decent punch), and you wind up having a bunch of momentum going to the side which you have to stop.

I find aiming a straight diagonal step instead of whirling, while I pivot on the front foot works better because I land solidly on the ball of my rear foot, which acts as a stopper (which it can't do when whirling because the momentum is going to going sideways). You land with your weight on the ball of your foot ready to push off into a punch or rear leg kick. I like high round kick a lot off this pivot...I should probably look to go low more though. ><

My guess is a shorter stance makes a less momentum-y whirl, but my longer stance with the rear leg whipping around farther away from my core throws me off balance too much.

Originally Posted by Sang

Maofas is correct, the first movements he show work awesome for southpaw if you don't mind ending up in orthodox stance. I use a different one quite often, step back into orthodox stance then pivot off the front to get a better angle. I have yet to properly use his two step backs then pivot when retreating even though I've been shown it dozens of times :( .

You know Machida got that one right out of sanbon kumite (3-steps)...the idea is to practice going straight back 2x then cutting an angle.

I drill backpedaling into sidesteps/pivots sometimes, but I never use it specifically as a setup to draw someone in (I guess I'm just not that leet). I just look at it as everyone will be caught backpedaling sometimes (it's what happens when you get caught) and you need to escape that movement before you run out of room.

And I've never used that pivot-into-pivot motion he does, I think that one is really hard to do. I'm happy enough when I land one sweet pivot and want to counter right away so it doesn't go to waste.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 8/28/2010 1:39pm

Wouldn't a straight line necessitate a narrowing of stance?
If one foot is the pivot and tho other goes in a "circle" the radius does not change and the "distance to my core" should not really change either..
Ftr i use a straight line, or even a curve inwards to bring my knees/level more into play.

**maofas** · Posted On: 8/28/2010 1:58pm

No, my step is straight to where my foot would wind up from an ideal whirl (a diagonal step) not stepping on a straight line like I'm standing on a tight rope.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 8/28/2010 4:21pm

Understood, i think.
Using this image:

One foot is in the center, the other foot is at one of the corners.
The two paths around the square and circle, to the next corner described by a straight line or a curve are what i am talking about.
Say from "6 o'clock" to "3 o'clock" in the image.
The straight line, one of the sides of the square, means your stance must get narrower as you pivot.
The radius of the circle is constant.
Of course it will obviously end up at the same "width" once it gets there.

**Bugeisha** · Posted On: 9/02/2010 9:16pm

Originally Posted by maofas

Well, if something works better for you, obviously that's how you should do it.

Personally, I find when you make a circular whirl of your rear leg you have to judge when to stop it (too late and your stance winds up too narrow to get a decent punch), and you wind up having a bunch of momentum going to the side which you have to stop.

I find aiming a straight diagonal step instead of whirling, while I pivot on the front foot works better because I land solidly on the ball of my rear foot, which acts as a stopper (which it can't do when whirling because the momentum is going to going sideways). You land with your weight on the ball of your foot ready to push off into a punch or rear leg kick. I like high round kick a lot off this pivot...I should probably look to go low more though. ><

Ah, I think we're talking about a slightly different motion with the circularity. What I usually go for starts with a circle but tightens; I suppose it's more like a spiral, only my lead leg adjusts as my rear leg comes in, to let me drive right off of the movement. My rear foot is not coming to the same position it would if I did a linear diagonal step. I'm trying to find video of what I'm talking about, but no luck so far. I may see if I can get someone to take a quick vid at the dojo if I don't find something. If I were going along the diagonal like that, I'd probably go with a straight step.