Footwork versus head movement.

Folks,


Now I am going to admit, I have harped loud and long about people and their lack of movement. Especially in the martial arts. But I would like to make what I think is an important point about the kind of movement that can be made. In sportive aspects, most martial artists have attrocious foot work. Think of a cinder block with a gi on :) But in a self-defense setting, space may be at a premium, and it may hinder a person from using effective defensive footwork.

Having acknowledged this, I would like to speak a piece about the value of good head movement. While not as flashy as the Alis and Sugar Rays of the world, slight head movement is VERY valuable. The key is not to make the the opponent miss by miles neccesarily. If you can do that, more power to you. But making your opponent miss by inches may be more beneficial. For the first point, you can save a lot of energy by making slight movements, or by rolling your shoulders. While it does not look very cool, it is very effective, and it makes you hard to hit. James Toney in his prime, Roy Jones jr, and Floyd Mayweather jr. have perfected this concept.

Secondly, head movement can make your opponent spend a lot of energy trying to knock you out. When you can make your opponent BARELY miss, they think that they just need to put a little more energy. So your opponent will try to punch harder, to do damage, but they will not get better results.

In my dojo, there is a game I call phone booth. I basically outline a small area of the mat with belts. For 2 minutes straight, for multiple rounds, the students have to spar without leaving the confines of the "phone booth." Space is at a premium, and it also makes it clear how footwork is NOT always practical. Head movement becomes a lot more important. Give it a try, it can only help you.