Footwork / Balance

[DanUK94]

Hi guys

Recently started boxing twice a week; mid week 1 on 1 session with my mate who's a trainer and then a group class at the weekends. Been doing this for a month or two now.

My punching technique has improved massively as well as general fitness, but one thing I struggle to improve on is footwork and to some extent; balance. Especially when throwing combos I sometimes find myself getting off balance and 'shuffling'.

Does anyone know of any drills I can do at home to help improve footwork and balance? Seen a few with agility ladders but not sure if they're more for general fitness. Also skipping?

Cheers

[WonderMonkey]

Here is a youtube playlist that I just started to create to help me with footwork. I'm not doing them all right now as I'm following my coach has set out for me, but they are here anyways.

[DanUK94]

Here is a youtube playlist that I just started to create to help me with footwork. I'm not doing them all right now as I'm following my coach has set out for me, but they are here anyways.

Cheers man I'll check it out when I have an hour or so to go through them and practise

[WonderMonkey]

Cheers man I'll check it out when I have an hour or so to go through them and practise

The first one on that list seems to be one that many people use as a foundation. That may be arguable but it's what I've seen.

[StefanTosic]

The agillity ladders are a great tool but aren't something you need to help you with footwork at this point, because it's designed for agility and speed, you can do it if you want, why not, but it won't help you resolve this particular problem, because your current problem is nothing else than aqueiring the right technique of the footwork. The sooner you learn it the boxing will become much easier for you in the future.

What I suggest you is shadowboxing and throwing combos, but while doing it concentrate on nothing else than your balance and staying on the balls of your both feet all damn time during the exercice, it means before, while and after throwing your combos and don't ever compromise your balance and your stance while executing this exercice. Stay compact. Personnally it wasn't easy learning it, took me a lot of time but my first coach had a lot of patience and kept reminding me of it all the time, it helped me A BUNCH! I was very gratefull to him for being so strict.

[StefanTosic]

PS The things I mentioned above are mostly about balance, but you could improve your footwork a lot by shadowboxing too. You can keep throwing single punches and combos while stepping in, stepping out, moving lateraly, just make sure your feet movement is coordinated with your punches. And always stay on balance, don't ever compromise it. Also you can throw combos and than step to your side, throw another punch or more. You can do whatever comes to your mind, there is an infinite number of combinations you can try while shadowboxing, a lot of different scenarios. Imagine them. Try anything you would like to try. Emulate the situations from the fights of yojr favorite fighters. Just have a fun. But you don't need to start with the really advanced stuff, start simple and learn the basics, than upgrade from it, make it more challenging.

[DanUK94]

Cheers dude

[StefanTosic]

You are wellcome bro, hope it's going to help you