Balance in footwork

In the martial arts world, balance in footwork is of the upmost importance. If you do not have balance with regards to footwork then you cannot strike with power and you cannot move to avoid being struck yourself.

So what to Martial Artists mean when they talk about balance in footwork?

First let's take a look at Balance.

Balance

• "A state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc."

Now let's take a look at Footwork.

Footwork

• "A martial arts and combat sports term for the general usage of the legs and feet in stand-up fighting. Footwork involves keeping balance, closing or furthering the distance."

The goal of having balance in your footwork means you need to have stability in your stance while being able to move in multiple directions without losing stability. When you have no stability you fall over and you can no long strike with power.

If we take the definition of balance having an "equal distribution of weight"  this means you need to have 50% of the body weight on the front leg and 50% on the rear leg creating stability.

Now if we take the definition of footwork being able to "Close or further the distance." This requires you to be able to move in multiple directions.

When a Martial Artist has the body weight distributed equally between both legs they have stability in their sense of balance. In order to move in any or a direction they must shift body weight  from one leg onto the other the push off the leg with the weight on it. This would mean that they are unbalancing themselves in order to move.

Having to shift the weight around means there is no mobility.

In EBMAS Wing Tzun we have 100% of the body weight on the rear leg leaving only what the leg weighs, on the front leg. When we want to move, because there is no body weight on the front leg it is free to go in any direction without shifting body weight around as the power to move comes from the muscles in the rear leg.

Therefore in having the body weight 100% on the rear leg means we have stability and mobility with no loss of balance as the shifting of weight is not required. If we divide the body weight equally between each leg then we have stability but no mobility without unbalancing first.

When Martial Artists say be balanced in your stance they are really saying be stable, but doing so if you are doing anything but 100% on one leg you are losing your mobility.

Footwork has two parts Stability & Mobility having both means being Balanced in your footwork!

By Sifu Darren Wilson
2TG EBMAS Wing Tzun