Boxing footwork techniques - The Truth

By Neill Ryan Why are good boxing footwork techniques SO important yet why is it the part that boxers tend to ignore the most? The footwork is the part of the training that the casual boxer and his coach don't recognise. Even the mass of fans watching the big fight don't really seem to cotton on that it was the exellent footwork that enabled the boxer to move so well - punch so hard and take so few shots. It's the subject that all coaches seem to agree is the most important but spend the least training time on. World class boxers and sportsmen alike share a common skill (which to many goes on behind the scenes) of superb balance and and footwork. The onlooker is much more likely to notice the effect - which may be a knockout punch or a superb back-hand volley. A common metaphor that is heard so often that it doesn't register anymore is that "you can't build a house on sand" ans this really gets to the point very well. The bigger issue is, if we know that boxing footwork techniques are so important then why is it that people tend to ignore it in their boxing training? Surely if you just take one look at Manny Pacquiao's abiliy to move in and out without taking a single shot and then that should be reason to take notice??? Apparently not.  Boxers and coaches alike want to go into gyms and just punch bags. The coach will often tell the novice boxer how to stand and perhaps give some ongoing correction to the foot position for the first few weeks. But other than that it is rare to see and proper specialist boxing footwork techniques being practised - the kind that are specifially designed to turn you legs and feet into POWERFUL springs which can make you punch twice as hard and move so well that you can literally make a fool of you opponent!