Request for links/ advice to Shadow Boxing and Footwork drills

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by aaradia, Apr 18, 2020.

  1. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Hi all,

    I know this has been posted all over MAP before. But I am hoping for one place to see various links. I imagine with all the stay at home orders, others might find one place for this useful too. I also am happy to take advice and descriptions of the same.

    I am working on my shadow boxing, since that will probably be the only sparring related thing I will do for quite some time. Frankly, my shadow boxing isn't very good. I can throw wild combinations fine, but I am working on not just random strikes, but intelligent combinations that will make sense whenever I get back to actual sparring. I am NOT very creative. Also my footwork is rather poor. So, focusing on what I CAN do, instead of what I CAN'T do, now is the time to focus on improving that. But I need some help.

    I have been watching some of Simon's Head of his organization's footwork online class. Going to watch the rest of it this weekend. I will post a link on here later on this weekend, if I can. My school has also been posting online training sessions and one is on this subject. Planning on watching it this weekend.

    But I need more.

    Thanks in advance for any assistance with this!

    (Mod note/ caveat: I am opening a can of worms with this request. So let me add that I want links from actual participating members. As a mod, I won't allow new people to join up just to use this request to spam advertising links. MAP terms of service still applies.)
     
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  2. axelb

    axelb Master of Office Chair Fu

    The first that comes to my mind as a useful resource, although boxing focused so i imagine you'd want something more, but it's a good start:
    Precision boxing YouTube channel had a lot of useful shadow boxing drills, round ideas, footwork.


    I had a great video from budo brothers, with Harinder Singh with more drills and footwork that is useful for a kungfu background, foot work drills but that's a paid for video "martial arts for everyone".
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2020
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  3. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Thanks. I am personally more interested in drills that add kicks, but I am sure there will be some useful information in this too. Besides, I want this thread to be helpful for others too and those more boxing oriented will also appreciate it.

    Yes, I couldn't think of the name. Sifu Harinder Singh has a free footwork class that I was looking at. I am not sure if it is just a Facebook link though.

    I am not adding any costs to my life right now. Saving money because who knows what the future brings? And I don't have extra money to spare. So, it is free online links I am interested in. I am still paying my school right now. They are having people pay, and then extending their memberships- tacking on the months paid for now to the end of their membership. And as long as I have a job, I am happy to do this to help keep my school afloat during this crisis. (I am sure some people are putting holds on their accounts, or cancelling outright too. But so far, I still have my job.)
     
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  4. icefield

    icefield Valued Member

    Ludwig's stuff is good can be done with a partner or as shadow boxing combinations

    Bas rutten has hours and hours of daily workouts free with combinations all over the place
     
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  5. icefield

    icefield Valued Member

    From a TMA view David Ross has put a little out there

    As has this CLF lama group

    And from a Thai point of view simply practise everything in this video without a bag you can't go wrong
     
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  6. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

  7. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Nice to see Sifu Singh being referenced by a few of you.

    The Century Martial Arts video aaradia mentioned is below.



    You aren't alone here. It's something I see a lot of.

    While learning lots of combinations is fine it still doesn't help with the creativity and visualisation.

    Just like hitting the heavy bag I get my students to use visualisation.

    Firstly just a Singh shows in his video is the aliveness.

    Round 1.
    Just get that aliveness. You need to work the connection with the ground. make sure both lead and rear foot are connected, as so many are front foot heavy.

    Practice that spring forward and back, side to side, angles and rotations.

    Round 2.
    Imagine an opponent in front of you. They aren't hitting yet, just moving around trying to figure you out.
    Move with them.
    Sometimes they push you back, sometimes you push them back. Again, no punches or kicks.
    Picture them moving, using angles, slipping, bobbing, weaving, ducking and so on.
    You can picture the opponent as being Bruce Lee, Chuck Liddell or someone from your own class/style.

    Round 3.
    Now we are working the jab.
    Your imaginary opponent is jabbing you and you are jabbing them.
    Picture them coming forward and throwing a single jab. You can slip, duck, move away, or parry/block.
    You can lead with your own jab. How do you picture then evading your shot?

    Now we have a picture of someone in front of us you can see how you can't ever stop moving, because if you do you get hit.
    Even if not moving your feet your upper body and hands need to be constantly shifting the ensure the target (your head and body) aren't static.

    Round 4.
    Combinations. Stick to using the hands.
    Now we can use combinations such as jab cross, double jab, jab high then low, low then high, or maybe jab cross hook.
    You can make your own combinations, but remember we have this imaginary person in front of us throwing the shots back at us.
    If you take their jab cross hook you could parry the first two shots, then weave under their hook.

    Pick a technique and drill it with you leading, then them leading. Visualisation is everything, otherwise you are just a robot throwing out shots.

    Round 5.
    Defence.
    In this round you must make a defensive movement before you can strike back.
    It may be that you parry their jab then throw a jab back.
    You could slip their high line attack with a duck and throw a body shot.

    Round 6.
    You can now use your kicks.
    You can effectively start your rounds again.
    Start with a front kick.
    Picture the opponent and work your kick leading, then move in response to their kick,

    Round 7.
    Combinations of kicks.
    As above, move with your opponent. Work attacks with multiples and defend the same.

    Round 8.
    Hands and feet.

    So already we have 8 round of shadow boxing that really works our visualisation.

    Theming the rounds keeps things fresh and allows you wo refine, rather than just throw a technique because you feel you should.

    Hope that helps.
     
  8. Unreal Combat

    Unreal Combat Valued Member

    I like to use a 6 round system personally ( 5 rounds in Muay Thai + one extra round to build up that extra gas in the tank mentality)

    Round 1
    Movement only, with a focus on footwork and maintaining strong posture and guard.

    Round 2
    Start throwing hand combinations in with your movement. Some simple examples below:
    • Jab - Cross - Lead Hook - Rear Uppercut
    • Cross - Hook - Cross - Hook
    • Lead Uppercut - Rear Hook - Lead Hook - Rear Uppercut
    Round 3
    Add defensive leg blocks alongside your hand combinations. Think about how you can attack with your hands after blocking a kick with the leg block. Also starts getting your legs warmed up.

    Round 4
    Utilize knees now. Think about how you can attack with your knees after blocking a kick with the leg block. Think about how you can add knees with the hands (after a jab, after a cross, after a hook, throw switch knees after straight punches or a stepping knee after a leg block as an example).

    Round 5
    Now we start throwing elbows into the mix. Keep everything nice and tight, but relaxed. Try and visualise range when throwing elbows as well as using knees or straight punches to step in for setting them up.

    Round 6
    Last but not least, now you should be really warm, it's time to start throwing your kicks in. Start with low kicks, work up to body height kicks, then if feeling warm enough throw in some head height kicks also.

    Always important to focus on technique primarily. Speed will build up naturally as you get fitter and your technique gets better. If you're throwing big power bombs during shadow boxing you're doing it wrong.

    Have fun. :)
     
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  9. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    One thing I like to make sure I cover is making sure it's shadow fighting rather than just shadow "boxing". I'm not a boxer so I don't just restrict myself to punching but try to include "traditional" strikes (palm, elbow, knifehand, etc), locks, throws, covers, sprawling, takedown defence, etc. If you have space to breakfall you can even take it to the floor, shrimp, hip escape and then tactical stand up back to your feet to carry on. And also make sure to include defensive movements. So many people treat shadow boxing/fighting as a mainly offensive affair.

    If you're having trouble being "creative" and "in the moment" I'd suggest structuring the rounds maybe?

    Round 1 - 2 minutes footwork (bobbing, weaving, covering, moving)
    Round 2- 2 minute hand strikes
    Round 3- 2 minutes close range strikes (head, knees, elbows and throw entries)
    Round 4- 2 minutes long range strikes
    Round 5 -2 minutes all in (try to combine it all)

    With a minute's rest inbetween (and the end) that's 15 minutes worth.
     
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  10. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    So after reading this thread I've managed to find video of aaradia's new shadow boxing skills. :)

     
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  11. Grond

    Grond Valued Member

    Years ago a coach of mine introduced me to the joys of "mirrorboxing" which is exactly what it sounds like, shadowboxing with your mirror image. Any cheap full length mirror will do. You will be amazed at how much your shadowboxing improves when you're basically replacing your shadow in the traditional sense with a direct opposite image. It's particular good for improving timing of attack and defense hybrid combinations because if you are moving right in both respects, you will never hit your image but your fists etc will land in precisely the sweet spots. Strikes you think are OK usually end up looking way sloppier than you think, at least for me it really helps sewing up that sloppiness that comes with not really having a target or bag to aim at.

    Also, for fun and this is a fun, guilty pleasure...you can shadowbox TV talking heads. Just dial up your least favorite cable news pundit whoever that might be, and stick and move, stick and move. Just take care not to punch the television. I won't share my personal politics online but I really enjoy simulating some rounds with those big mouthed types who talk tough behind a screen.
     
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  12. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Yeah, good ideas, but I have to be outside. When my school re-opens I can try the mirror boxing, but not now.

    Hopefully someone else will read this suggestion that can do it though.:)
     
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  13. axelb

    axelb Master of Office Chair Fu

    TV Shadow boxing is an interesting one, i might give it a go :)

    I use the mirror Shadow boxing also on occasion.
     
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  14. Grond

    Grond Valued Member

    You can get those rectangular "over the door" hanging mirrors pretty cheap and they're pretty easy to move out doors. Hardware stores are still open in the states, don't know if you can get access to one but it's a good place to pick these up.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Thanks, the issue is my place is too small to do much of a workout inside. Defnitely not to shadowbox. I work out out in my yard fro things that don't need much space. And the person who rents the front house is letting me use his backyard for stuff that takes up more space.

    I can shadowbox in my own yard, but not inside.

    Again, I will store this idea away for when my school re-opens. We have mirrors there. And I won't be sparring even when the school re-opens for some time. I think it will re-open in stages, with no contact at first. Even when they allow contact, I will probably hold off for awhile. So, I will shadow box at my school too.
     
  16. Grond

    Grond Valued Member

    I'll level with you, I'm sparring with my whole house at this point. This one big metal post in my cellar is Apollo Creed. I mowed the lawn the other day and got pretty aggressive, in fact I feel really terrible right now for people who don't have them. :(
     
  17. Grond

    Grond Valued Member

  18. Matt F

    Matt F Valued Member

    Some things that might be useful







    Can be done on the spot or just for a few steps , maybe with a clinch turn ,depending on space...




    YouTube

    This can be done with the hands on a wall and not actually kneeing the wall, if a bag is not available. Straight and round knees....

    Knees On The Bag
     
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  19. Grond

    Grond Valued Member

    I'm gonna throw out a personal observation, but if you're going to do a lot of home footwork, use the right flooring. You'll notice in these videos what's different is what they are standing on, (mat, gym floor, parking lot). Some may see this as common sense and others not but repetition injuries are annoying and counterproductive at best and a serious health risk at worse.

    If you already have a mat, great. Most people don't have the the luxury of inch-thick boxing ring padding at home. If you don't have a mat, avoid doing footwork barefoot if you have a decent pair of supportive sport shoes.

    Truth that a hard surface plus repetitons over time leads to stress injuries very commonly. It doesn't take long either. I am personally guilty of this kind of "shoeless shadowboxing" and let me tell you, my ankles are telling me to knock it off as of today.

    If you're outdoors, grass and Earth are probably going to be a lot more easier on your connective tissue than say asphalt or concrete. Shadowboxing there is a great way to shank an ankle (again personally guilty).
     

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