How to Improve Your Footwork in Boxing

"When you watch a boxer with good footwork, it's like watching a graceful dancer, except he's a dancer who beats up his dance partner." -Joe Guson, pro boxing trainer

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Boxing Trunks
• Boxing Gloves
• Boxing Hand Wraps
• Boxing Mouthpieces

1. Keep your weight balanced on both feet.

2. Stay on the balls of your feet so you can attack, spin or retreat quickly to safety.

3. Practice moving side to side or in a circular motion around your opponent.

4. Shift and shuffle your feet quickly, but keep them close to the ground so you have a solid base under you.

5. Switch stances often when training. This means you'll change which foot is in front.

6. Work your calf muscles by jumping rope, biking and doing bag drills while moving constantly.

Tips & Warnings

• "Good footwork requires training with an integrated approach to movement, strategy, punches thrown and balance. It all has to work together, so you should always be thinking about your footwork." -Joe Guson
• Get caught flat-footed and you will be vulnerable to counterpunches.

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[neillk2]

on 5/12/2009 Boxing footwork is too often over-looked by many a coach - some great comments there by everyone...Neillhttp://www.boxingfootwork.com

[djjohnson]

on 1/9/2007 - my name is david johnson i am a 22 year old father with all the ambition,hard work ethic and drive it takes to be the next great boxer i want a trainer to take me as a lump of clay and mold me to my full potential. Im 6'0'' 180 with a 76'' reach and fight left and right handed i love to box i just need direction. id like to contact joe guson. anyone with feedback contact me a [e-mail]
thankyou

on 11/22/2005 Use lateral movement. If you stand still in front of your opponent, you're just a target. When circling your opponent, move away from their power hand, thus if you're facing a righty, circle toward your own right side (their left, away from their overhand right). This forces them to reach in order to land a power right, weakening it and providing an opportunity to counter. Also, many power punchers have to set their feet to throw bombs. When you move, even a little, they have to reposition themselves and that prevents them from lobbing bombs at you. And I know it sounds obvious, but when you step, don't cross your legs. Move the foot nearest to the direction you're headed, draw the other foot along behind it, and repeat. No "left foot forward, right foot forward, left foot forward" stuff. The point at which your legs cross each other is the point at which your opponent will catch you off balance. Proper footwork is more, as George Foreman put it, "like skipping". Just keep your feet on the ground while you do it.

on 11/22/2005 A southpaw is a boxer who is left handed.

on 11/22/2005 Most boxers lead with the left foot, while a "southpaw" (usually right-handed) leads with the right. A kickboxer puts most of his weight on his back leg, so that he can easily block a kick with his lead foot. Don?t retreat ? take punches, respond to your opponent, and block and counter when your opponent has committed to a punch.