help with footwork

[danno]

Latley I have been getting my butt kicked when sparring and I know it's because I have bad footwork. To improve my game I have duct taped a male triangle on side of my heavy bag and a female triangle on the other, (offense and defense).

What kind of drills do you guy's do? My idea works for now but I really want to get fast and have alot of different range in my game. Any input appreciated!

[thekuntawman]

forget the triangle. people who made up that fancy dancing footwork are thinking of the dance, not martial arts.

the way the so called "triangle" is suppose to be used: stay away from your opponent centerline, but keep him on yours. you stay off his line (coming from his solar plexus), so his attacks can not be accurate and strong, and with balance. but you keep him on your own centerline, so that you can attack him from the side (45 degrees to his left or right) with good reach power and balance.

[moromoro]

where did they get this male and female traingle crap from???
i cannot see how putting a traingle in front of your bag will help you not get hit the only way is to continue sparring and train properly learn by example......

[haumana2000]

triangles

Hmmm... I disagree with the opinion that triangles are useless. As with any sport, or activity especially within the realm of fighting or combat, footwork is an essential tool. What makes the difference between michael jordan, and a high school player? Footwork, and skill. Tell any runningback that a triangular evasion or "the fakeout" is worthless. to look like your going one direction, than switching to the other. Footwork is the most important training attribute one can possess. to hit, without getting hit, to move to an angle where you can counter with minimal risk of re-counter. to slip and move, bob and weave. Even power comes from a strong triangular base, rasing on that back toe, and dropping the body the whole body behind a hit, and not just an arm. to recognize a lowline attack, and evade by removing the front leg just enough. to give him the illusion that you are further than you really are, so that when he misses, you barrel down his throat. In pro boxing, the slip is nothing more, and a triangle. It's when people turn the pattern into a rule, that they experience problems. It teaches economical angling, and motor skills, then discard it, and flow, nothing more.

[cocoy]

Whoa there moromoro. Watch Top Dog fight at any of the gatherings and you will find that the triangle is not only functional but necessary. My advice, Danno is to pick up the DogBrother's footwork tape and practice with a partner and not a bag.

respectfully

-C

[moromoro]

where did they get this male and female traingle crap from???
i cannot see how putting a traingle in front of your bag will help you not get hit the only way is to continue sparring and train properly learn by example......

hello cocoy

also this is grandmaster loloy uy's view about traingles

Quotable Quotes from Loloy Uy:

"I don't teach for pay. If I do, I'd be obliged to flatter"
"There is no such thing as triangular footwork in Eskrima!"
"..leave geometry to the mathematicians!"
"In actual combat disarming is impossible...use your checking hand on me
and I'll grind it like meat!"
"I sparred with boxers like former world champion
Frank Cedeno, former welterweight R.P. champion Ruben Rabago"
"lateral movement in Eskrima is useless..side step to the left
at the same time execute a backhand strike...what's
the effect? Both movements of the left foot
and the backhand strike go in opposite
directions and cancel each other out!"

http://cebueskrima.s5.com/photo3.html

who are you to argue.....

by the way i also use angles when it comes down to hand to hand but against a grandmaster comming at you full pace it takes time to use angles.......

[haumana2000]

Lolo uy's comments are respected, however, we have an example here of an exception rather than the rule. Many fighters have the natural attributes speed timing, concept of distance etc.. to naturally foresake much of what their peers consider the norm. A perfect example is Roy Jones Jr. WE cannot take into account that everyone has those same attributes. So for instance would you then suggest that everyone just charges in caveman style swinging their stick? Thats a sure way to get your head caved in. On a personal note, I have fought NHB, and NHB stickfighting, with no gloves, and every time was against someone bigger, (I am only 5'6) And everyime, it is my footwork, and mindset that has helped me prevail. I know the next statement will be "yeah well thats competition". I was a gang banger (hey nobodys perfect) for most of my younger years, And I HAVE the scars to prove it. (For the record I now work with "at-risk" inner city pac island kids) the point is, that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and my opinion is that footwork makes the difference. Like I said though whether its a triangle or circle, or hexagram, dont get so caught up in the shape, that you forget to move out of the way!

[cocoy]

I am only stating what has worked for me. I have fought full contact stickfighting with only a fencing mask and gloves (no body armor) and lateral movement has worked for me. I will fight again in July. I do not recommend things without having done them first hand. I have seen Tatang Illustrismo, Professor Presas, Muhammad Ali and Guro Inosanto use triangles. Guro Crafty has kicked my poor butt more than once by triangling. Pang laban hindi pang yabang. For fighting, not for showing off is what I do.

There is nothing wrong with charging straight in either, I am large for a Filipino and fairly strong and I often overwhelm my opponent by crashing and bashing.

I am no one to argue. I am not trying to change your opinion or teaching. I'm just stating how I fight and what works for me.

By the way it does not take time to use triangles, it takes TIMING.

Gumagalang,

Carlo

[haumana2000]

Well stated. You know it's funny, because Im Filipino, and French Polynesian. Polynesians are large, and Pinoys are small, I always say the damn pinoy side of my family messed up my gene pool, so i have no choice but to train harder! LOL! When I stated about charging in, I was reffering to an untrained manner with head exposed etc.. You know the bull rush with no regard for technique. Keep swinging
Upang hindi matakot,
gumagalang!

[haumana2000]

by the way, it is interesting to see such different views on an underrated subject,
salamat to all who contribute!

[cocoy]

Ha, My great grandfather was Polynesian. He was 6'4" i'm 6'. BTW, kuntawman describes a classic triangle.

By bullrush, I mean closing the gap off of a roof, into grappling range.

[Hakoko]

Cocoy,

All this time, that we train on Sunday's and you've never told me you were part Poly. Every Sunday, I walk around exuding my Hawaiian side, and am learning something cultural from my filipino side, and you never once told me. Hang on, just give me one second to wipe the tear from my eye . However, I thought you might be just a freak of nature Filipino, but now I know the secret. You have similar blood like me . Hehehe, I'll see you on Sunday at the seminar...is Cam going?

Jamie

[cocoy]

Yeah, outside I'm waipahu but i got polynesian blood brudda. Fo' real

me and cam will be there both days. Waipahus are mutts anyway.

-C

[Reactor]

The necessity of good footwork is accepted doctrine. However, in my experience, not all training methods teach it well.

In the Balintawak I practice, our instructor "taught" the footwork implicitly. By this I mean it was never expressly pointed out as a triangle, or a V, or whatever. We were simply attacked, and told to try to maintain a distance within which we could control the attacker/feeder under the stress of his attacks which were fast, random, unrelenting, and always in motion. I was simply told to try to defend myself. This was also how my instructor was trained by his teachers, mainly by Anciong Bacon.

Anyway, I discovered that this gave me the benefit of employing the necessary footwork without conscious thought, and under stress.

Having come from a different style where the footwork was taught and practiced in an isolated fashion before progressing to other moves, I found the new method profoundly effective.

[haumana2000]

Cocoy, Hakoko!
Mahalo nui braddah for the replies!

By the way, jussa let ya know Nanakuli in da house!

Hakako,
howza warrior training going? Gettin any Hakoko/Mokomoko/Lei'omano/ in lately? I hear there is going to be a big training op, going on soon
Kui'alua
Mau' Rakau
Rongomamau
this will be in HI, sometime this summer as far as I know. If you hear, let me know.