About the Side Step in Boxing
It’s a very simple fact that all top boxers possess great footwork and balance. The ability to remain highly mobile whilst under full control and in total balance offers the boxer the ability to maximise the opportunities to land effective shots.
Moving from side to side, also referred to as side-stepping, is a key skill to master as it plays such a massive role during offensive and defensive actions. Side-stepping allows the boxer to cut off the ring, maximising pressure on the opponent. The side step also allows new angles for attack to be opened. When mixed with ducking and slipping punches, the side step provides excellent defensive options.
Footwork, side-stepping and moving in and out , is a primary element of controlling the opponent inside a boxing ring. The side step is a key tactical skill that must become second nature. The move should combine speed and control and be carried out with efficiency. Before looking at the video, ensure that you have understood the boxing stance and then follow the video up by reading the ‘mechanics’ and ‘common fault’ sections below.
The Mechanics of the Side Step in Boxing
As with all moves, stay relaxed! Don’t tense-up.
The Side-Step to the Right
- From the boxing stance , the first action is a push from the front foot. The push should be ‘sharp’, and aimed at providing the drive to thrust the body to the right.
- The back foot lifts very slightly from the floor, allowing the power generated from the push from the front foot to shift the body in a straight line to the right. The back foot should ‘glide’ as opposed to stepping.
- Allow the front foot to follow it’s course, catching up with the back foot in order to restore the stance.
The Side-Step to the Left
Pretty much the reverse of the side step right:
- From the boxing stance, the first action is a push from the back foot. The push should be ‘sharp’, and aimed at providing the drive to thrust the body to the left.
- The front foot lifts very slightly from the floor, allowing the power generated from the push from the back foot to shift the body in a straight line to the left. The front foot should ‘glide’ as opposed to stepping.
- Allow the back foot to follow it’s course, catching up with the front foot in order to restore the stance.
Common Faults With the Side Step in Boxing
The following problems can occur when performing the side step:
- The boxer ‘steps and drags’ rather than using a sharp ‘push and glide’. For example, when side-stepping to the right, the back foot (right leg) will step across and the front foot is dragged across to the right. This approach does not offer the same speed capability as the push and glide.
- The boxer may sometimes become flat-footed. This again will result in a very ‘clunky’, almost robotic action. Remain on the balls of your feet and stay relaxed.
- The legs may ‘cross’. For example, when moving right, the front leg (left) will step across to the right, thus ‘crossing’ the line from the back foot (think boxing stance). Following this the back leg will also step across. The same problem can occur when side-stepping either left or right, and it’s a bad mistake to make!
Simple move, and something that can be practised very effectively. Spend time mastering the footwork, it’s so important. Any spare moment can be taken to get in your stance and spend time moving around. The conventional activities of shadow boxing and bag work can always incorporate footwork specific phases to build ‘muscle memory’ and improve your balance and confidence! After leaving a comment or any questions below, why not check out the articles through the following links:
Cheers
Fran
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Hey, I am just starting boxing at home, and will sign up to compete once my local gym is back open. They are shutdown due to COVID. In your coaching experience, do you think I should take a couple of weeks to learn small things like footwork and punches before I go on to learning defense, head movement, heavy bag, speed bag, and double end bag Or should I just put it all together in each workout and learn them all at the same time?
Hi Malik
Definitely the first option. have a look at this, it’s how I work with beginner boxers in he gym…hopefully it will give you some ideas – https://www.myboxingcoach.com/beginner-boxing-the-journey-starts/.
Hope it helps Malik
Hello Fran, I recently posted a question under your stance article, but I think it’s more suited for this one. To rephrase what I was saying about the corners- when you are circling your opponent or changing angles, should you adjust your feet position so that they are in the same proper stance alignment? (Lead foot 45 degrees to opponent, rear foot behind.) when I move at certain angles like 45 degree angles, I often find that my stance gets out of alignment and either very squared off or too bladed. Is it natural for this to happen or should I look to improve this using drills?
Hi Derrick
Got your previous comments…Happy Thanksgiving to you.
So this feels like a front foot pivot/rear foot pivot question, going from your explanations. In general terms, when at long range, I would expect the front foot 45 degrees/rear foot aligned to be retained. Squaring at closer range is all good when you are opting for power hooks/uppercuts.
As the opponent moves you need to use small front foot pivots or rear foot pivots to keep them in your strike zone (as well as lateral movement if you are seeking to cut off the ring).
Circling is an interesting one. Lots of small adjustments so the feet will change position in relation to each other. However, often when circling you are doing so out of range so the risks are limited, you can have a play about. You’ve given me an idea for 2 videos Derrick – thank you 🙂
Your welcome Fran, thank you for the tips. I will practice my pivots. That would be great if you made a video on this 😃
I also have one more question. If I am in orthodox position and my opponent is moving left (imagine from an orthodox point of view, your opponent is moving to the left side outside of your lead foot) what would be options to match them when they do this? Is it just a simple step to the left with my left foot or pivot to my right? I also have trouble with this whenever it happens.
Both are reasonable. You could also step across with your lead foot and let a back hand go. You might be overthinking this a bit Derrick. Get to a position where you are controlling the ground and are not too focused on what they are doing – get them to worry more about what you are doing👍
http://www.sugarboxing.com/boxing-technique-side-steps/
Can you explain these side steps techniques? are they good techniques to use?
https://youtu.be/vmI9Q1OmzJQ
Hi Joe
I quite like the YT clip. Not watched it all yet but clearly the lads are very energetic and ‘in your face’, but they are leading on some smart boxing techniques and the coach and young boxer are very much the real deal…you can just tell. My advice, well worth spending some time analysing the content on that video. The SugarBoxing images I think were representing the same type of side step, but the YT vid represents it much better (to me anyway). Thanks for the link.
I shadowbox and work my footwork so much it’s annoying to people. But it feels natural Tho. Even when I’m at work, at my friends house, walking, doesn’t matter . Lol
haha. Excellent Jibri. Keep it up 🙂
Hey Fran
Could you give me some advice on incorporating angles into sparring? Every time I do shadow boxing, bag work or footwork drills I always practice using angles. As a southpaw when sparring I am also very aware of which angles I should use to give me an advantage (like pivoting off my lead right foot to get outside their jab. What I have great difficulty with is knowing WHEN to change my angle. I find it difficult to wait for my opponent to throw a shot them pivot off of it as I can never get a successful counter off in time.
Would it be better for me to change angles all the time as I am feinting gene attacking rather than only when my opponent attacks
Hey Matt
Don’t wait for your opponent to punch! Use your pivot off your own jab and your long range lead hand hook. So, your lead hand draws the opponent’s lead and the pivot gets you out of the way readying you to take advantage of the angle you’ve created. It’s a preset routine (the jab could be exchanged for a feint but the outcome is the same).
Hope this helps, and DON”T WAIT!!!!
yeah that’s a great help mate, thanks. I suppose is it a lot like the slip and roll in the sense that its a movement you do proactively rather than relatively? And you work it into your combinations like: jab, jab, pivot, cross hook all in one sequence?
You’ve got it Matt, I need say no more 😉
Hey Mat,
I’m deployed right now and can’t really see the videos, but i’m teaching a few people that I’m deployed with how to box. i was wondering if you can email me some videos on footwork, so i can show these guys. maybe they’ll understand better that way.
Hey Fran,
Thank you a lot for these videos! They are very helpful.
Regards,
No problem, glad that they help.
Fran,
Love the site – everything extremely well explained. I wonder if you could give me any advice on footwork? The only place I am able to train is a small martial arts studio with a padded/matted floor so my feet sink in and I am stepping and dragging my feet as I am unable to “push off” on this surface. Any tips would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Matt
Thanks Matt.
If I could urge you to do one thing, find a way to push off. Many boxing rings have a mat under the canvas, sometimes a mat with quite a lot of ‘give’ in it. Boxers tend to not like it because it is physically harder to move around on. But, this doesn’t mean that it’s not good exercise. Just think, if you can master this movement on that type of flooring imagine the leg-strength and improved mobility on a surface that’s harder. Sorry if this is a ‘glass half full’ type of answer, just feels that you should make this particular disadvantage work for you.
Hope this helps Matt. Thanks for the question.
yea, my gym has a thick mat. We work MMA, kick boxing and boxing. I find it difficult to move, but I keep moving trying to get my feet across the thick mat without tripping and getting hit. I spare a lot with my friend who is 40 lbs over my weight and much more experienced; with so many details to focus on, I get hit too much. I will continue to work on getting out of the way quick with the foot work you describe here and counter. I have some other skills to incorporate and hopefully my body will begin to incorporate the action so I don’t have to think about it…and get punched. Thanks Fran.
Great footwork info’s, subscribe to this for more precise detail about boxing.
Cool….I love this stuff.
Thanks.
thanks for the video