# Two Great Reasons To Move Your Feet

- Link: https://brianejohns.com/2015/05/13/blog-two-great-reasons-to-move-your-feet/
- Published: 2015-05-13T12:57:00-04:00
- Author: Brian Johns

![](https://i0.wp.com/brianejohns.com//wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-
06-15-at-12.57.43-PM.png?resize=792%2C680&ssl=1)

Often, I see folks executing techniques without moving their feet in class, seminars,
and camps. You cannot reasonably expect an effective technique or defence without
moving your feet. There are great reasons to move your feet!

## How do you expect to 󠀁[hit](https://brianejohns.com/2015/12/10/blog-a-surefire-counter/)󠁿 the other person without proper footwork? How do you expect to defend yourself without moving out of the way?

While it is understandable that training partners may fear accidentally hitting 
each other, they should work together slowly to execute proper footwork in conjunction
with the technique, both on the offensive and defensive sides. That said, here are
two reasons to move your feet:

(1)_ If you’re not there, you won’t be hit_: Filipino Martial Arts footwork drills
are there for a reason. Regardless of the drill, they are designed to teach you 
to move in various ways and directions to avoid, to the greatest extent possible,
getting hit or to lessen the impact of a hit.

If you’re not there, you won’t get hit. You may be training with a speedy opponent
who can hit you at will, but you will learn to move and counter over time. When 
you’re training, you should practice moving your feet, not just the stick or knife
techniques.

Look at the below video of Muhammad Ali’s elusiveness and movement in his younger
days. While his movement is in the sporting context, the principle remains the same….
MOVE.  This is especially important when defending yourself against a stick or a
knife attack.

If you are not able to see this video, click [here](https://youtu.be/78zuI7DAQ6M).

(2) _If you don’t move, you won’t be able to hit_: if you don’t move your feet, 
how do you expect to get into range to set up or execute a hit/poke/slash?

## Your chances of a successful engagement go way down if you don’t utilize proper footwork and bridge the gap, especially against an opponent who moves well.

If you don’t practice moving into range after a defensive maneuver, how do you expect
to succeed if you ever encounter a real-life obstacle?

_Notice Master Chuck moving in with his left foot to hit poor Andy?_ [Video here](https://youtu.be/WNjBTdESPlM).

When working with a partner, you must constantly move to make this second nature
and not be caught flat-footed.

I suggest practicing footwork for [5 to 10 minutes per day](https://brianejohns.com/2022/08/17/blog-its-a-pain-in-the-ass/).
It’s not that hard!

## Bottom line:_ move to avoid getting hit and move into position to hit!_

## Additional Reading

 * [Inaugural Video of the Week: Stick and Foot Position](https://brianejohns.com/2024/02/26/stick-and-foot-position/)
 * [Your First Filipino Martial Arts Class: What to Expect](https://brianejohns.com/2015/07/08/blog-your-first-filipino-martial-arts-class-what-to-expect/)
 * [3 Great Reasons For One Step Sparring](https://brianejohns.com/2016/03/21/blog-3-great-reasons-for-one-step-sparring/)
 * [Video of the Week 2: Footwork](https://brianejohns.com/2024/03/04/video-of-the-week-2-footwork/)
 * [Video of the Week 3: Footwork Rules](https://brianejohns.com/2024/03/11/video-of-the-week-3-footwork-rules/)

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