1. Step & slide-shuffle advance
2. Slide-shuffle advance
3. Lead step forward with slide-shuffle advance
4. Push shuffle
5. Curve Left-Right (Wrestling)
6. Replace step on the inside line (Wrestling)
7. Replace step from inside to outside (Wrestling)
8. Step through (Wrestling)
9. Triangle pattern (Wrestling)
10. Circling (Wrestling)
11. Pendulum
12. Lead switch
13. Cross in front and kick
14. Cross behind and kick
15. Step through
16. Retracting
17. Lead switch with Pendulum
18. Step forward & step back
19. Circling Left-Right
20. Step-in/step-out
21. Quick retreat
22. Sidestepping Left-Right
23. Retirada Ilustrisimo
24. Retirada Caballero
25. Ilag Yuko (Ducking)
26. Ilag Liyad (Bob & Weave)
27. Tatsulok (Triangle)
28. Hakbang Paiwas (Full Side Step)
29. Angle step
Footwork in Jeet Kune
Do tends to aim toward simplification with a minimum of movement.
Mobility is definitely stressed in JKD because combat is a matter of motion,
an operation of finding a target or of avoiding being a target. In this art,
there is no nonsense of squatting on a classical horse stance for three long
years before moving. Moving is used as a means of defense, a means of
deception, a means of securing proper distance for attack and a means of
conserving energy. The essence of fighting is the art of moving. Use the
feet cleverly to maneuver and combine balanced movement with aggression and
protection. Above all, keep cool.
# The foundation is sensitivity of aura.
# The second is aliveness and naturalness.
# The third is instinctive pacing (distance and timing).
# The fourth is correct placement of the body.
# The fifth is a balanced position at the end.
The basic forms of defense utilized in
Jun Fan are:
1. Distance
2. Blocking & Hitting
3. Parrying & Hitting
4. Evasiveness
5. Intercepting
Except using Footwork to obtain Distance as a form of self-defense, we can
use Footwork in conjunction with Evasive body motion methods to avoid blows.
PRINCIPLES OF DISTANCE IN ATTACK
1. Using the longest to get at the closest.
2. Economical initiation (non telegraphic).
3. Correct on-guard position (S.P.B.K.S.).
4. Constant shifting of footwork to secure the correct measure (Broken
Rhythm).
5. Catching the opponent's moment of weakness, physically as well as
psychologically.
6. Correct measure for explosive penetration.
7. Quick recovery or appropriate follow-ups.
8. Courage and decision.
PRINCIPLES OF DISTANCE IN DEFENSE
1. Combining sensitive aura with coordinated footwork.
2. Good judgment of the opponent's length of penetration, a sense for
receiving his straightening weapon to borrow the half-beat.
3. Correct on-guard position (S.P.B.K.S.).
4. Use of controlled balance (in motion) without moving out of position
(Evasiveness).
EXPLOSIVE FOOTWORK
Explosive footwork is important for both offensive and defensive purposes.
In offense, explosive footwork allows you to maintain compound attacking
range. In defense, explosive footwork allows you to disengage quickly from a
range of overwhelming assault. 5 important factors for explosiveness of your
footwork:
1. Master basic footwork.
2. Proper body posture.
3. Powerful legs.
4. Equal weight distribution.
5. Raised (back) heel.
BREAKING OPPONENT'S DISTANCE
1. Creating a false sense of distance.
a) Short jab to extended jab.
b) Short cross to extended jab.
2. Stealing a Step.
a) Foot to hand.
b) Jab to Jab
DONTS
Don't cross-step.
Cross stepping is the process of crossing one foot in front of the other
when moving. Risks and dangers:
1. It severely compromises your balance.
2. It restricts tool and technique implementation.
3. It prohibits explosive footwork.
4. It prohibits evasive footwork.
5. It promotes structural breakdown.
6. It contorts your stance.
Don't be airborne.
Don't turn your back to the opponent.
Don't straighten your knees.
Evasiveness
SLIPPING
Slipping is avoiding a blow without actually moving the body out of range.
It is used primarily against straight leads and counters. It is a most
valuable technique, leaving both hands free to counter, it is the real basis
of counter-fighting and is performed by the expert. It is possible to slip
(In & Out) either a left or a right lead.
DUCKING
Ducking is dropping the body forward under swings and hooks (hands or feet)
directed at the head. It is executed primarily from the waist. Ducking is
used as a means of escaping blows and allowing the fighter to remain in
range for a counterattack. It is just as necessary to learn to duck swings
and hooks as it is to slip straight punches, both are important in
counterattacks.
SNAP BACK
Snap back means simply to snap the body away from a straight lead enough to
make the opponent miss. It is a very effective technique against a lead jab
and may also be used as the basis of the one-two combination blow.
ROLLING
Rolling nullifies the force of a blow by moving the body with it.
# Against a straight blow, the movement is backward.
# Against hooks, the movement is to either side.
# Against uppercuts, it is backward and away.
# Against hammers, it is a circular movement down to either side.
SLIDING ROLL
The fundamental asset of the clever fighter is the sliding roll. He spots
the punch or a high kick coming, perhaps instinctively, and takes one step
back, sweeping his head back and underneath.
BODY SWAY (Bob & Weave)
The purpose of the bob & weave is to slide under the opponent's attack and
get to close-quarters. The real bobber-weaver is always a hooking
specialist, it is the perfect attack for one to use against taller
opponents.
THE SCIENCE OF FOOTWORK : The JKD key to defeating
any attack By: Ted Wong
"The essence of fighting is the art of moving."- Bruce
Lee
Before I begin this article on the significance and proper bio-mechanics of
footwork, let me state that this is by no means a thorough exposition of all
of the various types of footwork available to the students of Jun Fan Jeet
Kune Do (JFJKD). There simply isn’t sufficient space in an article to cover
all aspects of footwork, and so this will serve, hopefully, as a primer on
footwork. Hopefully, it will cause you to research this too-often-neglected
aspect of combat.
Of the many things my late Sifu Bruce Lee impressed upon me, the most
important was the need to be fluidly mobile. Probably the most important
component in JFJKD is footwork. Ironically, most of the martial artists I
see practicing today- and this is by no means addressed only to amateurs or
beginners- are neglecting their footwork which is unfortunate, owing to the
fact that footwork is, quite simply, the science of motion. To me, the more
I learn about JFJKD, the more I see the scope of just how important footwork
truly is. Please don’t think I’m overstating things when I say that footwork
is, in a word, "everything" in JFJKD.
Take another look at the quote of Bruce Lee’s that I opened this article
with- I mean really think about it. "The essence of fighting is the art of
moving," and moving is footwork. The principles of movement form the very
heart of combat. Footwork means mobility, and being mobile is strongly
emphasized in Bruce Lee’s art. The two chief things that proper footwork
provides for the martial artist is a means of finding a target and a means
to avoid being a target. It will beat any punch or kick and get you to where
you want to go; whether in for a strike or the hell out of harm’s way.
Bruce Lee once said that the four components of footwork consisted of:
1. The sensitivity of your opponent’s aura,
2. Aliveness and naturalness,
3. Instinctive pacing (distance),
4. A balanced position at the start and finish.
It should be obvious that you cannot use your hands or legs effectively
until your feet have put you into position in which you can do so- if you
are slow on your feet, you will be slow with your punches and kicks. Good
footwork allows you to hit from any angle and also to follow up your initial
attack with more powerful finishing blows. Footwork, in short, "gets you
there and gets you out." Another important tool in JFJKD is learning how to
correctly judge distance, which Bruce Lee referred to as "the fighting
measure," which is simply another way of saying, "distance." It’s very
important to know to judge distance because distance is the relationship
between you and your opponent. It all depends on the length on the distance
you need to bridge or close between you and your opponent and also your
opponent’s reaction speed.
Bruce’s main emphasis was always footwork. He told me that "Good footwork
can beat any attack." And he used to have me drill constantly on footwork,
in an effort to get me to improve my balance. He wanted me to be able to
glide in and out, throwing techniques from all angles after coming into
various ranges through footwork. And, of course, he emphasized the avoiding
of attacks through footwork. Without footwork, you cannot complete the task
of fighting with any degree of efficiency.
Many people think of footwork as some sort of bouncing movement, but the one
thing Bruce Lee stressed to all of his students was never to move for the
sake of moving, and not to bounce simply for the sake of bouncing. Bruce
didn’t bounce around much when he was sparring; he was very controlled and
motionless- until he saw an opening. And by then you were flat on your back.
Every move you make should be purposeful; it should be done to either
deliver a hit, to move into position to deliver a hit, or to move out of the
range of being on the receiving end of your opponent’s hit.
The key to success in footwork is to keep it simple. If you aim toward
simplification, rather than complex or intricate foot patterns- which more
resembles dance patterns than efficiency- your footwork will be smooth,
direct and efficient. If you use economy of motion, you will always be
relaxed- which is crucial to your reaction time and to the speed of your
attacks, defenses and counter-attacks.
Another great benefit to proper JFJKD footwork is the fact that it provides
you with a means by which you can employ the force of inertia, which-
properly applied- can tremendously boost your punching / kicking power.
These are some of the reasons that footwork seems to me so important.
Footwork also serves to enhance your body alignment, which makes your
leverage more favorable and your strikes more devastating.
Another aspect of combat that is enhanced by proper footwork is speed. I
mean footwork is what gets you there to deliver your technique- and out of
there- before your opponent can deliver his. Footwork is not only used to
deliver techniques or avoid techniques, but also to set up techniques. It’s
part of strategy- a form of P.I.A. (Progressive Indirect Attack). It can
lure your opponent in to a trap, allow you to gain the proper fighting
measure and also bridge the gap to your opponent. Good footwork accomplishes
all of these things.
I liken good footwork to operating a four-wheel drive. Most people only
utilize a two-wheel drive; that is, they’re limited as to what techniques
they can throw because they’re really only comfortable in their two-wheel
drive mode. However, once you learn on the options that avail themselves to
you with increased mobility, you realize that footwork is an option
provider.
While some people mistakenly consider to be merely bouncing around like
Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard, others- equally as mistaken- think of
footwork as simply something that moves you in to hit your opponent, without
realizing that it’s just as important in preventing your opponent from
hitting you. In Thai Boxing, for example, you see a lot of "give and take"-
wherein one fighter will whack his opponent and then stay there and get hit
back by his opponent. Such back-and-forth exchanges are common place, and
quite often the winner is the one with the highest pain threshold. In JFJKD,
however, the bottom line is to hit your opponent- and not get hit back.
JFJKD teaches one how to be a thinking fighter. A smart fighter. Nobody
should opt to get hit particularly when you can substantially reduce the
chances of that happening by employing proper footwork.
The four basic types of footwork
Basically there are only four types of footwork- the rests being simply
variations on these four. The four basic types of footwork are advancing,
retreating, circle left and circle right. Incidentally, "circling," as I use
the term here, means, "sidestepping."
All footwork is initiated form the On-Guard Position which is also known as
the "Ready Position." The On-Guard is the most versatile of stances because
it allows you to be ready for all things- attack or defense- instantly. It’s
a geared position that is geared for mobility. You have to feel very
comfortable in the On-Guard. If you’re not comfortable in the On-Guard
Position then there is something wrong. You have to feel comfortable at all
times so that you are able to react instantly. If you are tense- that is,
not comfortable - you’re not able to react quickly. You need to so relaxed
that whatever happens, you respond to it instantaneously- whether it be the
need to immediately advance, retreat or side step an attack. That’s why the
On-Guard Position has been called the "Anchor of JFJKD"- for all techniques
flow from it. The On-Guard is the best way to move straight back, forward or
to the side. You’re not over-committed one way or the other. The On-Guard
places your strongest side forward, which, in JFJKD is typically your right
side, with your strongest hand lifted up so that your fist is in line with
your shoulder. Your chin and shoulder should meet about halfway, with the
right shoulder raised an inch or two and the chin dropped about the same
distance. The right side of your chin should be tucked into your lead
shoulder. Your left hand is also in close, to protect your midsection. Your
right hand is your attack weapon so it should cocked and ready to fire. The
right shoulder is slightly raised and your chin slightly lowered in order to
protect your chin and jaw from strikes. The right knee is turned slightly to
defend your groin area and your right foot should be rotated in roughly 25
degrees so that, if necessary, you can employ it as a kicking weapon. Your
left foot should be angled at approximately 45 degrees. The heel is raised
because it is your sparkplug- ready to ignite you forward, backward or
sideways- and depending whatever besets you. Your stance should be like a
car with its engine idling; you’re ready to go- with as much power as you
need- as soon as you engage the transmission, which in this case, is your
legs and hips. Now that you’re ready to move, let’s look at some of your
options.
The Step & Slide is used primarily as a gap-bridger. It is not utilized
typically to execute an offensive technique. However, it is very effective
in gauging and obtaining correct distance from which to launch a strike. You
take a step forward and your rear foot (left) slides up to where the right
foot was. Typically your step forward does not exceed six inches, which
means that your rear foot travels a maximum of six inches as well. The
weight distribution in the start and finish position is 50-50, with 50%
being on your right or lead foot and 50% on your left or rear foot. However,
during the movement, all your bodyweight is moving forward on your right
foot initially and then 50% of it settle on the rear leg when the movement
is completed. If you push off harder, you will notice that it to the front
leg quickly- but this is only momentary. You should be able to control the
weight distribution and be in perfect balance at all times.
The Push Step is used primarily for bridging the gap to the opponent. The
Push Step is very effective when employed with PIA (Progressive Indirect
Attack). You can fake with the hand, for example, and then move right in
instantly when the opening presents itself. The Push Step is really the only
type of footwork that works well for efficient punching. A Step & Slide, for
example, would prove to be inefficient for delivering a punch because, by
the time you step- and slide- it would be too late. Punching in JFJKD occurs
in one fluid motion. Footwork always comes after the punch is initiated- the
hand moves first and then the feet. Even in evading a blow, the body should
move before the feet. If someone were, for example, coming to deliver a
punch to my face, I would avoid the blow with my body and then employ
footwork to position me either further out of harm’s way, or to deliver a
counter strike.
The Shuffle Step is more like a pulling movement, than a stepping movement.
Regardless, it’s a quick movement. It’s one motion, whereas the Step & Slide
is a two-part motion. All of the torque comes from the toes and the balls of
the feet. While the front foot looks as though it’s flat on the floor, it
isn’t. Most of the weight is on the ball of the foot and the toes. It’s less
a push than a pulling movement, as you push with the rear leg while pulling
simultaneously with your lead leg. It’s almost like you’re trying to grab a
clump of earth and throw it back to your rear leg- that’s the type of
tension that should be in your feet and the correct motion your lead leg
needs to assume to perform this movement correctly. At the beginning of the
movement it’s very subtle and it’s hard for the untrained eye to see it.
However, while it may be a delicate, deceptive motion, it’s tremendously
powerful and efficient, allowing you to throw your bodyweight- instantly-
behind a technique. Even though I’m moving, it appears as though there has
been no bodyweight shift at all. I’m not moving- and yet I’m moving. Or, as
Bruce Lee once said:
"The stillness in stillness is not the real stillness.
Only when there is stillness in motion, does the universal rhythm manifest."
- Bruce Lee
The Burst (a.k.a.: The Shuffle Step)
The Burst is also a push-pull movement. It is used for a quick advance, for
kicking and for punching. The Burst is used primarily to deliver a
devastating kick such as a side-kick, or to counter an opponent’s attack.
That’s why footwork is not just for "transition" between techniques- but
also the delivery system that allows you to execute your techniques
properly. Any properly executed kick or punch comes off the footwork.
RETREATING:
There are many forms of retreating as there are advances, techniques such as
the Shuffle or Step & Slide, can also be used as retreating tactics.
However, I’ll focus on one retreating technique that differs from the others
in as much as it’s not simply the reverse of the advancing techniques as
outlined above.
The Pendulum Step is used primarily to avoid an attack. From the On-Guard
position, the lead leg is quickly drawn back to where your rear leg is,
while simultaneously withdrawing your rear leg backwards. The entire weight
of your body should be resting on the lead leg at this point, with the rear
foot barely touching the ground for counter-balance purposes. As soon as
this happens, you have an option- to either maintain the On-Guard from this
new vantage point, safely out of harm’s way- or to immediately reverse the
movement, with the rear foot moving back to its former position and the lead
leg becoming an offensive weapon of attack by returning fire. If you watch
the first movement that Bruce Lee does in Enter the Dragon, it’s a pendulum
step backward out of the way of Samo Hung’s attempted shin kick. If you
watch Bruce fight against Bob Baker in The Chinese Connection, you will see
the pendulum step employed as a means of avoiding an attack and launching a
counter kicking attack.
SIDESTEPPING:
"Sidestepping," Bruce Lee once said, "is shifting the weight and changing
the feet without disturbing balance." Sidestepping serves many purposes.
1. It can be used to frustrate an attack simply by moving every time an
opponent gets "set" to attack.
2. It may be used as a method of avoiding blows or kicks.
3. It may be used to create openings for a counter attack.
In sidestepping, the rule of thumb is that if you’re going to move to the
left, your left foot should move first which, if you’re in the On-Guard
position with your right side forward, would be your rear leg. Then, once
your rear leg has moved into position- anywhere from 6 to 18 inches of
travel- then your right or lead leg moves over 6 to 18 inches as well. The
same sequence applies when sidestepping right, only the right or lead leg
moves first, with the rear leg following in a lateral motion. The key is to
maintain perfect balance at all times.
Sidestep Left
From the On-Guard position, move your left rear foot to the left roughly 18
inches. Then slide the lead foot (right foot) an equal distance to the left,
all the while maintaining the On-Guard position.
Sidestep right
From the On-Guard position, move your right lead foot to the right roughly
18 inches. Then slide the rear foot (left foot) an equal distance to the
right, all the while maintaining the On-Guard position.
People should practice the sidestepping motion on their own in order to
master it. In fact, practice is the "secret," if you’d care to call it that,
of success- not only in JFJKD, but also in any other martial art. I remember
coming to Bruce Lee’s house and seeing him practice. He was constantly
practicing. He would practice for hours on end. He would practice moving and
striking with his hands, and then moving and striking with his feet and then
just moving so that he became more and more comfortable and familiar with
what he could do and how he could maneuver at different angles and at
varying speeds and distances.
I personally have been practicing- as best I can- what Bruce taught me since
1967, which means that I’m fast coming up on 30 years of training in JFJKD.
Some things I’ve become quite good at, while others I still need more work
on. However, I will say that I am a much better martial artist now than I
was back when Bruce was teaching me, simply because I’ve had so many more
years of practice. Like Bruce said,
"Like boxing or fencing, JKD is a step by step process in which each
maneuver must be repeated many times."
Another important aspect of training that Bruce Lee emphasized to me was:
"quality- not quantity." He said: "It’s better to know how to throw 5 really
good punches, than 20 LOUSY ones. So every time you throw a punch, put 100
percent into it."
Bruce always stressed emotional content or intensity in the execution of
one’s techniques. Learn to react- not plan. Let it flow from within.
Personally, I had a real problem with this in my early years of training
with Bruce. Often he would look at me and say "Ted, you lack a killer
instinct," meaning that I wasn’t able to summon enough pure anger or violent
energy from within when I performed my techniques. I’ve learned however that
"killer instinct" is hard to switch on or off like a light switch- it is
largely a situational reaction to you circumstances.
Based on the degree of self-knowledge I’ve obtained- thanks to Bruce Lee’s
teachings- I know now that I do possess "killer instinct"- in abundance. And
that should I ever need it, it’s there. The key is to maintain a clear mind
that is unobstructed by thoughts or concerns. Your reaction must be pure and
honest and, If the intent is expressed honestly, your opponent will be in
serious trouble.
Since I’ve been able to make my footwork more efficient through constant
practice, I’ve found to my delight that I’m able to move just as quick as I
could when I was younger, and probably hit a little bit harder.
I’ll be the first to admit that footwork is not an exciting thing to
practice but what it enables you to do once you’ve mastered it is very
exciting indeed. It’s like exercise for the body- nobody really enjoys
taxing themselves physically- but we know that it’s necessary in order to
enjoy the benefits that good health provides. If you want options, i.e.,
different angles and possible combinations, then you need balance and skill
in movement- and that is footwork.
PRACTICING FOOTWORK:
One of the best exercises I’ve found that you can do to enhance your
footwork is shadowboxing. Shadowboxing teaches you how to relax when you
move, how to explode when you move, how to throw techniques while in motion.
It alerts you as to which techniques are assets and which are liabilities.
You can bob and weave, move, kick, punch, kick/punch/kick and you can also
cultivate the coordination necessary to successfully execute all of the
above. It also teaches you how to regain your balance after throwing a
technique or combination- and just how important balance is. Other
activities such as skipping rope or running, will also train your
neuromuscular pathways to handle your bodyweight better and enhance your
balance, but shadow-boxing seems to be the purest exercise for enhancing
your footwork skills.
BRUCE IS THE STANDARD:
When I hear people say, "You shouldn’t bother to train like Bruce Lee did,
or to follow his teachings, because you don’t possess his attributes," I
realize that they’ve missed the point as to what Bruce Lee was all about. He
would frequently tell us that he wasn’t anything "special," but rather that
he was a very dedicated trainer. Bruce was so good, because he made himself
so good. He practiced all the time and then looked for ways to make his
practicing even more efficient. If you only work out 20 minutes a day, or
three days a week- I mean if that’s all you’re willing to commit to your
martial arts training- then, yes, it would be impossible for you to obtain
attributes similar to Bruce’s because he practiced long and hard for every
inch of progress he made.
"Don’t expect Bruce Lee like results, unless you’re
willing to put in Bruce Lee like hours to obtain them." Ted Wong
I know that the more I practice what he taught me, the better I become at
it- and the same is true for anybody reading this article. I always looked
up to Bruce Lee for his work ethic. And even now, if I find myself sitting
around not wanting to train- I think of Bruce Lee, and how hard he worked-
and I feel guilty. I know that I’m capable of better effort.
Bio-mechanics or body leverage and balance, distance and timing are the keys
to success in combat, and all of them are the direct result of getting in
tune with yourself, knowing what you can do- and at what angle and with what
degree of efficiency you can do them at- and this, folks, all comes down to
a simple matter of footwork.
