Fighting Footwork
Footwork is extremely important while fighting. As I teach it, there are two sets of stepping patterns. The “V” series and the “+” series. To go along with those stepping patterns, we need to discuss phases to a fight. As I have said many times before, there are typically three phases to a fight. They are:
- Early phase - All defense and the following offensive techniques begin and end in the first few moves of the attacker.
- Middle phase - This phase can be alluded to stopping the fight once you and the opponent have both exchanged a technique or two and then you finish the fight with a debilitating techniqe to one of the 6 major components of the body.
- Late phase - This phase is simply about a battle, where both opponents trade blows back and forth until one can no longer stand.
Footwork can make or break your ability to get away from your opponent’s tools, and deliver your own defensive technique and follow up with a series of offensive ones. The stepping pattern you use mainly depends on which type of “phase fighter” you are. This post will talk about the female of the footwork patterns or the fighting V.
Figure one and two shows the left side of the basic “female V” pattern.
(figure 1), (figure 2)
Notice that in figure 1, my posture in the fighting stance is upright, covered and springy. Prepared to move in any direction indicated with the two sticks. In figure 2, I have moved along the left side of the female pattern and aligned my body in height, width, and angulation to match the attacking posture of my opponent. This posture is extremely important for the defense. Next, let’s show how we take this angulation and use it to deliver blocking or striking.
(figure 3), (figure 4)
Figure 3 shows a close up of the hand positioning while I do the left side evasion, using the female pattern. Both hands are up in the window of combat prepared to remove barriers, assume a clinch position or to strike. Figure 4, shows Matt Munson attacking, I used the female stepping pattern to evade and block. Then, I simply pivoted on my heel and ball of foot and returned a over the bridge counter attack (These techniques and terms can be found in the American Combat Taekwondo Instructor’s Manual and in the Standing Grappling DVD series).
Remember to think about body angulation while stepping. Look at these following photos taking into account of the body posture while blocking or striking.
(figure 5) (figure 6) (figure 7) (figure8 )
You will notice that in each photo, the body is postured a little different to facilitate the technique being delivered. Remember the defensive technique doesn’t always change just because the tool is different. An attack delivered with a shovel at angle #1 can most times be defended with the same technique even if the attack is delivered with a knife.
So, remember when you do your stepping pattern practice to keep your body posture and angulation in mind. Until we meet again, Let’s get Training!
Jim
