One of the most important elements of fighting is understanding your kung fu footwork in your fighting ranges. Engaging with someone can be difficult when they keep stepping away from you. You won’t see this happen much in a street fight where one person is gunning for another person.
You will however see this happen in ring/cage fights all the time.
On the flip side of this, understanding how to shuffle step can aid you in stepping just outside of your opponent’s range of attack or it will allow you to step in at just the right moment.
This is also good for when you are setting up your opponent for a counterattack.
It’s important to remember that when you are countering that you don’t overcommit your strikes.
In this video, Sifu Phu is discussing how to counter a person who is stepping in and out of range with a jab.
You will also learn a technique where you can use a feigned attack on your opponent to confuse them and make it easier for you to counterattack.
Keep in mind this is just one scenario that can happen.
…Give the lesson a try let us know how it went
The Shuffle Step Is Basic Kung Fu Footwork
Kung Fu Footwork is the practice of moving around a martial arts mat with speed and grace while engaging in combat. It is a highly technical skill that requires years of dedicated training to master, but there are ways to begin improving yours today!
The shuffle step is basic footwork in kung fu. It is especially useful for moving quickly and maintaining a good balance.
The shuffle step can be performed either forward or backward, but it’s important to note that both shuffles are started with the left foot stepping directly in front of the right foot and vice versa.
The first thing any kung fu beginner learns is how to do this technique because it lays out the groundwork for other advanced techniques later on down the road.
Kung Fu footwork is a way of moving quickly while maintaining good balance and staying light on your feet. It’s also a great way to move if you’re trying to hit someone because, if you do it right, it’s fast and powerful—and with just the right amount of speed and power.
Here are some things to keep in mind when practicing Kung Fu footwork:
- Keep your weight centered and neutral at all times. Don’t lean forward or backward too much; remember that the goal of this exercise is not just speed but also balance!
- Move one foot forward or backward (but not both). Then slide the foot you moved forward or back so that it ends up approximately even distance from each other when completed.
- This will be different for everyone depending on where they start and how long their legs are compared to others. Reverse directions until both feet are even again before starting over
The shuffle step is the first thing a kung fu beginner learns, and it lays the groundwork for other more advanced footwork techniques.
The shuffle step is basic footwork in kung fu and it’s used to move quickly while maintaining good balance and staying light on your feet.
It’s also known as the “heel-toe shuffle” since you lift your heel briefly with each step then tap it back down before lifting your toes off the floor (you’ll see this motion in some of these videos).
In addition to being used by beginners learning kung fu, they are often seen as part of other martial arts like capoeira or silat because they allow practitioners to move quickly while maintaining their balance through different weight shifts.
This is the first thing a kung fu beginner learns, and it lays the groundwork for other more advanced footwork techniques.
The shuffle step is simple: you start by keeping your weight centered and neutral; you then move one foot forward or backward (but not both at once) about an inch, such that you’re still balanced over both feet but with most of your weight on the back foot;
next, you slide the foot you moved forward or back until it’s beside your other foot; your feet should be approximately an even distance from each other when you’re done moving; finally, reverse the order of those steps and repeat.
Conclusion Kung Fu Footwork Is Irrelevant?
The shuffle step is basic kung fu footwork. It’s a way of moving quickly while maintaining good balance and staying light on your feet. The shuffle step is the first thing a kung fu beginner learns, and it lays the groundwork for other more advanced footwork techniques.
The fact of the matter is that really focusing really hard on footwork isn’t how we do it. For us everything happens for a reason.
Of course, you need to train your feet but it’s more important to train your core. It’s even more important to learn how to feel the energy. We seek connection in our martial arts. From being connected we can feel how our feet should go.
First, I am embarrassed to say that I owe you guys an apology. I complained about the audio on one of your videos a few days ago, and finally figured out today that the problem was at my end. My ear buds died with no warning. One minute fine and the next … :blush: … Anyway, I found this video a delight to watch. Those are indeed some of the moves which Mr. Lee taught in his early books, and they were done very well. I really needed that refresher lesson right now. The warm-up at the beginning was also fun to watch. And, timely. I have been indulging a bad habit of charging lately. I will now go and practice the moves shown and see if I can just break that silly habit. 🙂
Thanks!
Steve Taylor
That’s okay Steve it happens. We are glad you are enjoying the lessons….
You’re a fine teacher. Thank you. Again–concise, easy to follow AND inspiring. I’ll be subscribing soon.
Sifu Phu is definitely one of a kind. We look forward to having you a part of our Enter Shaolin family soon!
i have enjoyed your lessons as well as the whole crew. i cannot at this time afford to enroll. thanks for the help. i hope all of you do very well with this worthwhile enterprise!
Very blessed to be able to watch and learn from your videos. Very informative and great teaching. Thank you all Shaolin Family. I am eager to become part of group and will definitely sign on when able. In the meantime, thank you!!!
Hey Shannon! Thank you so much compliments. We feel extremely blessed to be able to share Sifu Phu’s knowledge with you.
We look forward to the day you can join us for more great training. Until then, stay blessed and happy training!
Very Cat-like and graceful!
🙂
Very useful and effective! A good entry approach while utilizing the fundamentals of balance, stance, transition, and projection! I will definitely be practicing this!
cool when I use to kickbox moving out of range and crossing the distance fast can be an advantage two thumbs up guys
Really liked the lesson. Reminds of a few of the ways I used to use it a lot. We can teach our opponents what we want them to do in a progressive manner. Jab to the various targets works well against a variety of people. Never have understood why people quit using something that their opponents can’t stop. (i.e. Football plays that the other team can’t stop and then for what ever reason goes away from it.) Lead with the front hand jab until they can stop it and then progress forward. Blocking their vision with the front hand and following up with many different tactics. Another thing I found interesting was how moving the back leg forward or backward depending on where it was could put us 2 to 3 feet forward or backward from where our opponents thought us to be. Had the bad habit of bringing that front leg up too soon. Still see that with others now. A lot harder to get out of the way on one leg. Outside of this lesson I have a few other thoughts. Will forward in another venue. Proof again tonight that Kung Fu can be very valuable to many that only our able to get it on the internet. Also an excellent way to help remember something from many years ago. Looking forward to the next nuggets of excellence.
Thanks for the response Jim, so glad you enjoyed the lesson.
I find a hem or jewel of insight in every video lesson, that is very rare today. Most like to hear themselves talk, no so here. Today’s jewel is in the snap step forward and hand movement together as one, it’s perfect!!! Most people teaching these days fail to mention the most important small bits that make it work in perfect harmony together…. I really like your teachings…. it so reminds me of a old friend, WOW!!! Uncanny, the similarities in form, & spirit, mostly in the effort to make the message ring true…. Thanks again, you guys really have something here… please keep up your efforts, they are growing in ways you may not see just yet, but you are building momentum it will bring you everything you want in time including a great following with good intentions & strong form.
Thanks Jerry!