Close Quater Footwork Tips

[ANTSAN]

The last few nights at training we've been working on pivoting on the front and back legs 45-90degrees to avoid an oncoming attack (kick or punch) and then following up with a counter attack such as a hiza, shita-tsuki, gedan mawashi, or a combination of a few.
My biggest problem here is being able to pivot / step far enough away from the opponent in order to effectively follow up with a combination of counter attacks - I simply find my self too close to move around them properly, so I guess theres some footwork issues on my part.
Can someone give me some pointers on footwork when up close and well within striking distance, particuarly when it comes to effectively moving around your opponant! this would be much appreciated!

Osu!

[BigAl]

Back when I practiced jujutsu, for a while we were concentrating on fighting in tight quarters. One of the best things for footwork I picked up from that is shifting. If you're in a left lead stance, rather than taking that right step forward with your right oitsuki, you'd instead shift to a right lead stance in place while executing the technique. The other part was to always stay on your opponent in close range, never letting them get too far away from you. Shita tsukis, elbows, and knees would be key at that range.

(My other favorite part was using your environment to take out your opponent, such as bashing him into a wall or other not so soft objects but that's another thread )

[Nix]

Sounds like basic sabaki-movement. As I understand, your problem is keeping a correct distance. If you move in while pivoting (something which I personally prefer), you will of course need to focus on close-distance techniques, such as shita tsuki, hiza geri, gedan mawashi, uchi momo geri, etc. It is also vital to control the opponent, either by putting your hand on his arm, or if allowed grab his sleeve. You can also use your control to push the opponent further away from you, in order to increase the distance and execute a mawashi geri jodan, for example.

Usually simply pivoting is not enough; you need to move your feet also, so you end up in a comfortable kumite no kamae facing the opponent. You can move in, to the side as you please, as long as your counter-attacks suits the distance.

[MilkManX]

Originally Posted by Nix

Sounds like basic sabaki-movement. As I understand, your problem is keeping a correct distance. If you move in while pivoting (something which I personally prefer), you will of course need to focus on close-distance techniques, such as shita tsuki, hiza geri, gedan mawashi, uchi momo geri, etc. It is also vital to control the opponent, either by putting your hand on his arm, or if allowed grab his sleeve. You can also use your control to push the opponent further away from you, in order to increase the distance and execute a mawashi geri jodan, for example.

Usually simply pivoting is not enough; you need to move your feet also, so you end up in a comfortable kumite no kamae facing the opponent. You can move in, to the side as you please, as long as your counter-attacks suits the distance.

That is how we do it in Enshin as well.

[ANTSAN]

Thankyou, great tips and just in time for training tonight. Ill try to keep all this in mind.

Osu!