Bruce Lee’s footwork was renowned for being amazingly fast.
Footwork is one of the key fundamentals to being successful in a fight. So on that note today I’m going to teach you several key tips and drills to developing Bruce Lee’s amazing footwork.
Why We Need Bruce Lee’s Footwork
Footwork is so critical to success in a fight whether it be in the street or in sport that it should be considered of primary importance in a training regimen. Bruce Lee felt that way about footwork and so should you and I.
Go take a look at any street fight or amateur sport fight and you will see people tripping, stumbling, and overreaching. This causes them to lose their balance, get countered, and ultimately usually lose the fight. This is even true of professionals at nearly all levels, especially when they become frustrated and tired.
By working on Bruce Lee’s footwork drills you can take control of distance, timing, and balance. You can have more control of when the entry is created and how.
I remember training with Paul Vunak and him saying that you should spend 5 minutes every day working on just footwork. I really took that to heart and I credit that with my ability to stay calm in a fight and control distance at my leisure.
Bruce Lee’s Footwork Tips
When it comes to Bruce Lee’s footwork it boils down to just getting lots and lots of reps while focusing on the following pointers:
- Keep a low, wide, pigeon toed stance with your weight fairly evenly distributed between feet
- Obviously keep your hands up as shown in this article and video
- Never shuffle your feet unless it is for a lead leg kick
- Instead use Step-and-Replace footwork
- Basically step with the foot closest to the direction you are going
- If you are going right, then step with your right foot first, then replace with your left foot
- Take smaller rather than larger steps
- Lunging gets you into trouble as your momentum is too out of control and you can’t quickly change direction
- If you take a 3″ step forward with your forward foot, your rear foot should replace with a 3″ step. This keeps your stance width from becoming too narrow as you move around
- Don’t bounce, instead move smoothly on the horizontal plane
- Just remember, “don’t break the glass ceiling”
Bruce Lee’s Footwork Drills
Do some form of these drills daily if you want to develop amazing footwork like Bruce Lee.
The Box Footwork Drill
To do the box simply move around in an imaginary box. Go forward > left > back > right > repeat. Now change directions. Use your Step-and-Replace footwork.
Switch your lead up and train both leads evenly. You never know when you might want to or accidentally wind up with your non-dominant lead forward.
The Hot Lava Footwork Drill
This drill teaches you to become super quick either forward then backward or backward then forward.
Simply imagine there is hot lava right in front of you. Use Step-and-Replace footwork to move forward onto the lava and quickly use Step-and-Replace footwork to move back off of the lava. This is for fighters who like to be agile and make a quick lunging-in strike with a lead jab then get back before a counter can be thrown. Please remember to keep your non-striking guard hand up for the sake of your face as seen in this article and video.
You should of course practice quickly going back then immediately forward as well. This is great for moving back away from a punch, kick, or slash of a knife and then coming back in with your counter or defang move.
The Circling Footwork Drill
Get a chair or something. Now circle around it. Use your Step-and-Replace footwork. Keep your hands up. Most importantly what this drill will teach you is to maintain a 45° orientation to your opponent as you circle.
As always go both directions and use both leads.
The Hallway Footwork Drill
Prepare to amaze and entertain your family, roommates, or pets with this drill!
Simply get lots of footwork reps by going around your house using Step-and-Replace footwork. Move foward, backward, circle around corners, etc.
You will acquire lots of reps quickly. You are welcome.
Progressions for Bruce Lee’s Footwork
The following progressions might seem fairly obvious but the real key is where you put your focus. Everyone does some form of shadowboxing, throwing strikes, etc. But how many of them actually focus with intention while doing them?
Not many… which is why there are a lot of mediocre people out there.
You don’t want to be mediocre do you? I didn’t think so.
Up the Speed
See how fast you can go while still maintaining Step-and-Replace style of footwork.
Add in Jabs, Parries, Blocks, etc.
Practice any of the drills and simultaneously start firing off strikes. Jabs and parries are easiest at first.
Full on Shadowboxing / Shadowfighting
See an imaginary opponent and move around while, once again, still focusing on maintaining Step-and-Replace footwork. Bruce Lee would be proud.
Final Thoughts
Nothing in life is free. If you put in the work you can become amazing. Don’t practice till you can get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong.
Until next time,
Brian
