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Hi Sifu,
Back in the day when Health for Life was around they promoted plyometric exercises for explosive movements. For forward movement like the push shuffle or forward lunge I would step backwards loading my rear leg with all of my weight and then explode forward as fast as I could to develop explosiveness. I would switch sides and spend hours doing my footwork training like this. I was wondering if there are any good exercises that you do or would recommend to achieve explosive foot work.
I just do footwork, footwork and more footwork! I also work on explosive forward lunges, sometimes against a resistance band. I cannot do specific plyometrics as it bothers the herniated disk in my lower back (L5-S1). I occasionally do some rope skipping and do some light lifting with the legs (leg press sled, thigh extensions, leg curls and calf raises, both standing and seated). I used to run a lot, but don't anymore due to the lower back problem!
well if your talking about moving like a bullet skipping is not going to do it , you can do side pushes from static with bungies , you can also use a gravity harnes , for developing strong legs for fast moving in any direction and works amazing for bobing and weaving and can be done with pad work the use of a trampoline is also a great way to train the the legs for ankle and calfs and can be used in so many ways from punching to kicking and running weighted or unweighted , stance squats are also very good to do a few times a week do this timed , squat punches and kicking is another way to get there again weighted or unweighted timed or reps ,this is just part of what can be done , but again most poeople dont want to do the hard work without the ability to cloes fast or move away fast your a sitting duck that can only do two things get hit or block and blocking is no the best option being fast on your feet and knowing how to train is an when you can move fast in any direction you dont need many tools
Hi Brian,
As Sifu Davis stated, rope skippping has some value in developing explosive footwork because it develops the calves. In fact rope skipping, it could be argued, falls into the plyomtric catagory since the muscle and tendons are loaded and unloaded quickly. The calf muscle is important in moving quickly.
But lets look at another side of this. What type of footwork are you developing. Footwork for boxing/sparring or for self defense. If it is for self defense then quick closing is important but remember, often you ar being attacked, so the opponent is closing for you. If your oppponent has gone to the trouble to close the gap for you then don't move away. Take advantage of the opportunity he has offered you. I would recommend spending alot of time working from a natural stance. (Sifu Davis has stated that he often practices from a natural stance.) If your opponent steps to you, you stop hit as you cut his step off or if you are late, you employ a suttle turn. Only enough to create a positive angle and the turn is accompanied with a simultanious strike and defending hand. In wing chun the turn is called Juen mah and the rest of the movement is sil lin di dar. Simultanious defense and attack. Hopefully as you turn and strike there is very little for the defensive hand to do because you have created a positive angle to work from. But the focus must be on your strike or you will end up blocking then countering which is the least desirable way to handle it. Of course after your initial strike you stay on him until it is finished.
I would also offer that any time you use bungies or weighted vest when training specific movements, whether they be footwork or strikes always end your session with performance of the movements without the added resistance. For example if you are practicing stepping forward with bungie resistance and you remove the bungies you will notice your first steps will be too deep and over committed. Your have to reset the neuro system to perform without the resistance. This is simply done by performing the movements without resistance.
Skipping Rope is the usual choice for developing the calfs. You can choose to do other exercises which simulate the action of bouncing on the ball of the foot. The action on the ankle while bouncing on the ball of the foot strengthens the soleus and gastrocnemius muscle and achilles tendon, all of which are related to the calf muscle of course. Rope jumping is a plyometric exercise that develops the speed strength stamina of the calf by invoking the myotactic reflex. Doing such an exercise is especially important to the JKD practitioner when you consider the rear foot and the Bi Jong as well as the many types of shuffles used in JKD. Any exercise with similar action on the ankle joint should be considered a synergistic portion of the overall routine.
I don’t have a trampoline but I wish I did! Maybe someone here could offer suggestions on the smaller personal trampolines? I suppose they are better than not having one at all but you aren’t going to have the same room for the drills. I used to visit my aunts house when she had a trampoline and the Joe Lewis foot work drills were extremely fun. I always felt lighter than air after the workouts.
Lateral boxes are good if you want to develop lateral movement using plyometric exercises. Slider boards are also great. Though, those tools are expensive.
The one area of interest mentioned was the use of resistance bands for developing footwork. Maybe more insight into the use of those tools could be offered up? What are some of the specific ways they can be used? Also where would I buy the right set up?
It does not matter how well your footwork is if you don't have the tools to go with it. You can have speed and the best footwork around but if you telegraph, can not hit/kick, are not economic or efficient then all you are doing is dancing. Also remember footwork is not just for covering a distance or as a defensive act it is also how your feet work while attacking and maintaining that attack as long as needed. Skipping will not get you there as only little girls skip. Skipping rope is different as it will build stamina and foot coordination. If it did not do these thinds then why would professional boxers, fighters and world class wrestlers as well as many sport athelets jump/skip rope. Training the JKD footwork is also advisable. Any exercise to build strength is recommended: squats, lunges, calf raises etc... Then you need the speed training such as jumping on the trampoline or resistance running. Then don't forget stretching. Many, many other ways to do things or exercises to do are out there all you have to do is find the ones that fit you.
i do quick feet drills that i got from when i played footbal.
I made a cross out of tape and placed it on the floor.
- quick feet over the line as in a running manner, do it as fast as possible for 30 sec, repeat 3x
- quick hops over the line,back and forth, 30sec repeat 3x
-side hops, lateral 30 sec 3x
- box drill, start at bottom left corner of cross(feet together throughout, hop forward,to the right, back, then left repeart for 30sec x3
-box drill go in the opposite direction of the above drill 30sec x3
- criss cross legs over the line 30sec x3
- 4 sets of box jumps 15 and rest 30 sec in between sets
LOL, it also helps with my weak ankles, i've tore most of the ligaments in both ankles and they have a bad tendancy to just give out and i roll them very easily so with that workout i am killing 2 birds with one stone.
Well, I was easily big enough (was fairly muscular even back then) for football, but had zero interest in it! Still don't! As for being a jockey ... no way! Not only an I too big, I went horseback riding one time as a teenager and my balls haven't forgiven me yet!
a jockey if my horse were a clydsdale that is. I did play bith high school and college football and both during the season and off seasons we skipped rope for cardio and foot speed.
i also played in high school and was offered a scholarship at a highly sucessful divison 111 school, but the bigger schools said i was'nt tall enough, they liked evrything else about me, can't measure a man's heart!
i was complimented continiously on my footwork which i believe helps me in JKD.
as for being a jockey, i'm an inner city kid and the only place i've been around a horse is at a fair, horses may not like me LOL
skipping really just makes you light in your feet and does work calf but to be able to explode fast it does do such a great job , bungies secured to an upright are by far the best because they work the calfs and quads not up and down but forawrd which skipping doesnt do i have done all this stuff and experamented with it for years ,doing it forward and back your results will be amazing try it and see the trampoline is another alternative to skipping and is a bit better in the sense that it is better for your joints shadow boxing or runing on it weights and timed will give you super elastic legs for moving up and down bob and weave ducking step in and outs ect using the bungies forad and back will give you the ability to close with amazing speed or retreat so fast you wouldnt belive combine both drill and you will have bruce lee type foot work and speed lateral forard and back up and down these i can recomend as these i do once a week with other stuff notably stance squats which you can do tied for rounds when you do it say for 1 minute **** the weight fron front to centre then back and go up and doen with an olimpic barwith weight on it progress to do 3 minute round and add weight this will add another dimension to you footwork and stanand make your legs very strong and flexible lamar if i get the time i will pop in again and see you guys all the best in your training tommy
I guess I have unconventional methods, but I play a lot of basketball and it is pretty all inclusive. Great for footwork, coordination, explosion, quickness. I know it is kind of simple, but hey I am 45 and still play. I don't play as much as I did when I was younger, but I think it helps me be light and to maintain rhythym. I am a fan of rope skipping, leg curls, leg extensions, and squats as well.
Those ideas sound great Tommy. I will probably set up some type of bungie system in the close future to train with ideas you have suggested. Any tips too on making a belt harness would be welcome.
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