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Basic Footwork

Footwork is all about maintaining balance and mobility in combat. There are many techniques to achieve this, and they typically try to follow these two basic rules as much as possible:

  1. Try not to get caught on one foot
  2. Try not to step across yourself

These two points are where your balance is most compromised. It is impossible to avoid these points completely while maintaining mobility, and an experienced fighter with a keen eye knows how to take advantage of such openings and knock their opponent to the ground. The following drills can teach you how to minimize these openings.

Setup

We'll be utilizing a large X on the floor. Traditionally the concepts are taught by placing sticks on the ground and stepping around them. I find learning is easier when using tape or chalk to mark your training space so you don't have to worry about tripping.

Square Stepping Drills

We’ll start with the square stepping drills to get a feel on how steps are made. When moving in a direction, the first step is made with the foot already in that direction.

Right Clockwise

  1. Stand Left foot in center, Right foot towards Right corner
  2. Left foot between back side corners, Right foot between Right side corners
  3. Left foot to back left corner, Right foot to center
  4. Right foot between front side corners, Left foot between Left side corners
  5. Right foot to Right front corner, Left foot to center

Right Counter Clockwise

  1. Stand Left foot in center, Right foot towards Right corner
  2. Left foot between left side corners, Right foot between front side corners
  3. Left foot to back left corner, Right foot to center
  4. Right foot between right side corners, Left foot between back side corners
  5. Right foot to Right front corner, Left foot to center

Go over the same drills with the Left foot forward. To change your stance simply step back with your right foot. Your Left foot should be in the center and your right foot should be in the back right corner. From here, practice stepping clockwise and counter clockwise.

Diagonal Stepping Drills

When we move diagonally we have two variations; a long step and a skip. The long step is more stable but depending on the combat situation it might be too slow, which is where the skip comes in. To skip, shift your weight in the direction you’re moving and quickly switch foot placement, with the foot-in-direction planting accordingly.

Long Step

Like the previous drills, simply step to these points

  1. Right foot on front Right corner, Left foot on center
  2. Left foot to back Left corner, Right foot to center
  3. Right foot to front Right corner, Left foot to center
  4. Right foot to back Right corner, Left foot stays center
  5. Left foot to front Left corner, Right foot to center
  6. Right foot to back Right corner, Left foot to center
  7. Right foot to front Right corner, Left foot stays center

Skip

The same pattern but skipping instead of long-stepping, and the order of which foot steps first is swapped.

  1. Left foot on center, Right foot on front Right corner
  2. Right foot to center, Left foot to back Left corner
  3. Left foot to center, Right foot to front Right corner
  4. Left foot stays center, Right foot to back Right corner
  5. Right foot to center, Left foot to front Left corner
  6. Left foot to center, Right foot to back Right corner
  7. Left foot stays center, Right foot to front Right corner

Triangular Stepping Drills

The true core of Arnis footwork is in the triangular stepping drills, providing the footwork pattern on which many defensive and offensive techniques rely. The Open Triangle is often utilised for closing in on an opponent, which can be both an offensive and defensive action. The Closed Triangle is often utilised for creating distance, for disengaging or setting up for certain attacks.

The Open Triangle

  1. Right foot on front Right corner, Left foot on center
  2. Skip to Left: Right foot on center, Left foot on front Left corner
  3. Skip to Right: Left foot on center, Right foot on front Right corner

The Closed Triangle

  1. Right foot on back Right corner, Left foot on center
  2. Skip to Left: Right foot on center, Left foot on back Left corner
  3. Skip to Right: Left foot on center, Right foot on back Right corner

Combination Drills

Practice putting these various techniques together in different combinations to drill your mobility. Try out the following in the reverse stance, forward, backward, etc.

Combo 1

  1. Right foot on front Right corner, Left foot on center
  2. Right foot to back Right corner, Left foot stays center
  3. Diagonal skip: Right foot to center, Left foot to front Left corner
  4. Left foot to back Left corner, Right foot stays center
  5. Diagonal skip: Left foot to center, Right foot to front Right corner

Combo 2

  1. Right foot on front Right corner, Left foot on center
  2. Open Triangle Skip to Left: Right foot to center, Left foot to front Left corner
  3. Left foot to back Left corner, Right foot stays center
  4. Closed Triangle Skip to Right: Left foot to center, Right foot to back Right corner
  5. Right foot to front Right corner, Left foot stays center

Get creative with how you string together your steps, moving around the X or not using the X at all. Practice moving freely, around a point or moving to face multiple points. Regular drilling will make your movement instinctive, refining both your ability to evade and generate power in real combat or training.