Soresu concepts: footwork.

[Veldryne]

I havent really put a lot of thought into my footwork, when i practice i just work on changing pace and keeping the strides smooth. Doing whatever I can to keep my balance where I like it. Crossovers, sweeps, shuffles, i sorta do whatever feels natural for the moment, and the strikes/parries im going for.

[Darth Nonymous]

I havent really put a lot of thought into my footwork, when i practice i just work on changing pace and keeping the strides smooth. Doing whatever I can to keep my balance where I like it. Crossovers, sweeps, shuffles, i sorta do whatever feels natural for the moment, and the strikes/parries im going for.

Oh boy. You're gonna need some fancy footwork for Ataru!

I have a few footwork videos in the works. One for Makashi and two for Soresu.

Footwork is all important. Without good footwork, techniques like strikes and parries are all but useless.

[Veldryne]

oh I agree, i just dont know how to put it into words, or show others how i do my footwork

a lot of it is old karate and aikido footwork i suppose, with some modifications mixed in based on how my body moves

ill try to get some video made up in the next couple of weeks, i think solinus was asking for one a while back anyways

[Master Nero Attoru]

Oh boy. You're gonna need some fancy footwork for Ataru!

I have a few footwork videos in the works. One for Makashi and two for Soresu.

Footwork is all important. Without good footwork, techniques like strikes and parries are all but useless.

Great advice as usual.  Footwork is a big part of swordsmanship... but sadly an oft-neglected one as well.  I look forward to seeing your Makashi vid!  I gotta get making one of those myself.

[Veldryne]

Yeah, I work on my footwork, i dont think about how i do it, i just do. sometimes empty handed to keep myself moving and feel out the steps, direction changes, lunges, spins and whatnot

been doing it a lot lately actually for the spins because they still dont feel comfortable

[Master Lucien Kane]

I always teach it as a calculated risk if you're going to cross your feet. You can do it, but you always run the risk of tripping yourself. If you're in mid cross leg move and I advance to make you back up. Your chances of tripping over yourself are increased; if your feet are uncrossed you likely won't trip.

So it's a measured risk that you need to train for, for instance I often leave my blade down by my side in a very relaxed manner. This is counter-intuitive because I have no guard. So if someone happens to be faster than I am they will score a hit on me. It is a calculated risk on my part because I take a gamble on my speed against theirs. It gives me an element of surprise as well because I know what is open on me, so the second my opponent moves I have a good chance of catching that. Still though it's a risk whether or not I can bring my blade to bear before their blade reaches me. It works for me, but I train for that.

[Master VorNach]

I havent really put a lot of thought into my footwork, when i practice i just work on changing pace and keeping the strides smooth.

Foot work is essential. Lack of maneuverability leads to a lack of life.
If you're moving your feet and weapon (in a productive fashion) at the same time you're already a few steps ahead* of most people.

...a lot of it is old karate and aikido footwork...

Aikido footwork is quite good footwork for much of this activity.

*I really didn't think about that until after I'd proofed this before posting.

[Veldryne]

It's not that I don't think of practicing my footwork, I do, and I do practice it. It's more that I don't think of how I do it, I just feel it out as I practice.

It's hard to explain. But it works for me. And I make sure to stress to all the newer guys how important footwork truly is.

[Darth Nonymous]

Foot work usually consists of several drills to train particular types of steps and /or situation using foot work. The drills themselves should cover things that are counter-intuitive to create a n effective training regimen. As far as footwork skills I would say the following list begins to touch on the requirements:

1.Adavance, retreat, go right and left, stay in place

2. Reversing direction quickly within a stance. Understanding direction from within your stance.

3. Charging, lunging, and spinning. Changing direction at will.

4. Circling, dodging, jumping and other high amplitude movements.


This is not a complete list but the progression is sound and common.

Now about the issues of "Crossing you stance" or your legs. I'm not sure what people are talking about when they are referring to this. If you mean putting one leg in front of the other, I am afraid there is no way around it. There are ways to be able to do it without sacrificing any footing or equilibrium but those methods are often not share widely. Most people won't work on them because they see them as remedial.

I think most of this comes from not the fact that the legs are cross but that some folks do not have a good understanding of which way is front in their stance. But then again, I am not sure what people are referring to.

[Master Lucien Kane]

When you're circling your opponent is what they mean by crossing your legs. There's a way to do it without crossing your legs, however I feel that crossing your legs as you circle is a more efficient, fluid means of locomotion. The trick to it is, as Master Nonymous said, is maintaining your stance as you move. If you maintain a proper stance as you move you'll be less likely to be off balanced by needing to change directions mid step.

I do it intuitively, so I'll have to go back and make a video where I break down what I do while I do it... That might be my next video... Footwork is so important, and yet I feel how we maneuver our battlefield is so neglected.

[Darth Nonymous]

When you're circling your opponent is what they mean by crossing your legs. There's a way to do it without crossing your legs, however I feel that crossing your legs as you circle is a more efficient, fluid means of locomotion. The trick to it is, as Master Nonymous said, is maintaining your stance as you move. If you maintain a proper stance as you move you'll be less likely to be off balanced by needing to change directions mid step.

I do it intuitively, so I'll have to go back and make a video where I break down what I do while I do it... That might be my next video... Footwork is so important, and yet I feel how we maneuver our battlefield is so neglected.

I see. That isn't really crossing your legs.

Crossing your legs, as what is mostly frowned upon, would be letting either foot or both feet cross your centerline with your hips square. It is a common mistake for novices or even those new to weapons. The real issue is the angle of the hips to the legs and position of the feet. There is a weak angle to every stance and the trick is keeping that angle closed off to the opponent or opening it to allow them into range. In a basic forward stance, the strength is forward and backward. But that strength can be compromised if your stance is too narrow in relation to your hips. If you feet are in line and the forward foot is pointing directly forward, the hips must be turned to open them a bit. If the stance is narrow or in line and the hips are perpendicular to that line, you will get the "tightrope" effect where it feels like trying to balance on a tightrope.

Understanding the function of the hips in relation to the lower body and upper body is key.The biomechanics that are happening down there are legion, But many of the extended "non-realistic" stances are trained to allow proper body mechanics during performance speeds by examining them in protracted and stable positions. Obviously it is impossible to maintain ones stance while moving, the two states are by definition opposite, but by training long stable stances, the body has reference point to return to when the balance is disrupted. After a while using that unbalancing effect is added to techniques, but that is getting ahead to Juyo.

Often percentages for weight distribution are thrown around. I am not convinced that there is any objective or useful information to be gathered from that type of detail beyond, "Put more weight on this foot". Front stances are the weight centered forward, back the opposite, in ready stances the understand should be that the more aggressive stance is with weight centered backward and defensive the opposite. I mention this because weight distributions given a lot of weight (forgive the pun).  And knowing where your weight is is an essential component of footwork. understanding the mechanics of what your doing can also aid in your technique.

[Solinus]

I see. That isn't really crossing your legs.

Crossing your legs, as what is mostly frowned upon, would be letting either foot or both feet cross your centerline with your hips square. It is a common mistake for novices or even those new to weapons. The real issue is the angle of the hips to the legs and position of the feet. There is a weak angle to every stance and the trick is keeping that angle closed off to the opponent or opening it to allow them into range. In a basic forward stance, the strength is forward and backward. But that strength can be compromised if your stance is too narrow in relation to your hips. If you feet are in line and the forward foot is pointing directly forward, the hips must be turned to open them a bit. If the stance is narrow or in line and the hips are perpendicular to that line, you will get the "tightrope" effect where it feels like trying to balance on a tightrope.

Understanding the function of the hips in relation to the lower body and upper body is key.The biomechanics that are happening down there are legion, But many of the extended "non-realistic" stances are trained to allow proper body mechanics during performance speeds by examining them in protracted and stable positions. Obviously it is impossible to maintain ones stance while moving, the two states are by definition opposite, but by training long stable stances, the body has reference point to return to when the balance is disrupted. After a while using that unbalancing effect is added to techniques, but that is getting ahead to Juyo.

Often percentages for weight distribution are thrown around. I am not convinced that there is any objective or useful information to be gathered from that type of detail beyond, "Put more weight on this foot". Front stances are the weight centered forward, back the opposite, in ready stances the understand should be that the more aggressive stance is with weight centered backward and defensive the opposite. I mention this because weight distributions given a lot of weight (forgive the pun).  And knowing where your weight is is an essential component of footwork. understanding the mechanics of what your doing can also aid in your technique.

And this is the exact reason why it is often "neglected", untrained, or even ignored. Many people, like myself, have no coordination. I personally try to watch as many videos as I can, but they aren't very good. So my training in footwork is minimal, and I am not even sure if it is correct.

But the concepts described above seem to be very complicated. Especially without someone to guide me. I don't quit at anything I do. Ever. There is no quit in me. But I do get discouraged at times. Usually when that happens, I'll go back to my basics and work on Shii-Cho. Unfortunately, my footwork is lacking.

[Master Lucien Kane]

And this is the exact reason why it is often "neglected", untrained, or even ignored. Many people, like myself, have no coordination. I personally try to watch as many videos as I can, but they aren't very good. So my training in footwork is minimal, and I am not even sure if it is correct.

But the concepts described above seem to be very complicated. Especially without someone to guide me. I don't quit at anything I do. Ever. There is no quit in me. But I do get discouraged at times. Usually when that happens, I'll go back to my basics and work on Shii-Cho. Unfortunately, my footwork is lacking.

You have more coordination than you give yourself credit for. I've seen you move quite intuitively at times, and with more practice you're going to be a great swordsman.

[Darth Nonymous]

Ok, Ok, this Friday VorNach will be coming over and we will shoot these stupid footwork videos if it kills us!

[Solinus]

Ok, Ok, this Friday VorNach will be coming over and we will shoot these stupid footwork videos if it kills us!

Yay! Happy dance!

Seriously though, thank you. You have no idea how immensely important and helpful the TPLA videos are to me.

Oh and Lucien, thanks dude. I appreciate the encouragement!