Footwork Foundations

Club session — 45 minutes of feet, because the punches are only as good as the floor under them

Boxing
Beginner-friendly club class
45 min
Works for 6–16, no equipment per boxer
1 coach
Effort 2/5
Boxing gym floor
footwork
stance
beginners
fundamentals
no contact

The MatPlans curriculum teamBJJ black belts & coaches · 12+ yrs on the mat

Kit: 16 cones or spot markers, wraps optional, timer or bell. No pads, no bags — and no ladders; the floor itself is the drill.

Warm-up8 min

Build the Stance

Setup: Each boxer in their own cone square, roughly 2×2m, spread across the floor. Say the promise of the night up front: no punches until the last block, and the punches will be better for it.

How it works: Build the stance from the floor up, everyone following: feet under the hips, step the rear foot back and out, knees soft, weight on the balls of the feet, hands up, chin down. Then wake the stance with games in place: bounce lightly and freeze on the bell — inspect. Sit as low as possible without moving the feet, then back to normal. Eyes-closed balance for ten seconds. Finish with partner nudge tests: partners gently push a shoulder from front and side; a good stance wobbles and holds, a bad one steps — both results teach.

What to say

“If someone shoved you right now, where would you fall? Fix your feet until the answer is nowhere.”
“Weight on the balls of the feet — heels kiss the floor, never marry it.”
“Low and soft beats tall and stiff — springs, not stilts.”

Easier

Skip eyes-closed; nudges become a light hand press held steady.

Harder

Nudge tests with eyes closed; hold the low stance for twenty seconds.

Drill10 min

Box the Compass

Setup: Same personal squares. Teach the one rule of boxing feet before the game: the foot nearest where you're going moves first, the other drags after — and the feet never cross or click together.

How it works: You are the compass: point forward, back, left or right, and the room step-drags one step that way and rebuilds stance. Start slow and loud, checking each direction lands with the correct foot first. Then it becomes a game: silent rounds where they read only your hand; double-step calls; and FAKE — a half-point where anyone who moves does five bounces and grins. Last two minutes, the square shrinks in their heads: two steps any direction must always finish inside their cones, so every move has to come back home.

Rounds: 4–5 rounds of 90s, rest 30s · calls go silent as they improve

What to say

“Nearest foot first, other one drags — say it in your head every step until it says itself.”
“Same height the whole time — a stance that bobs up and down is a stance that arrives late.”
“After every step you should be instantly ready to step again — that's the whole test.”

Easier

Voice calls only, slow tempo, no fakes.

Harder

Diagonal calls join in; three-step chains finishing on the bell in perfect stance.

Drill10 min

Shadow My Shadow

Setup: Pairs facing each other at arm's length plus a fist, both in stance. No contact anywhere in this game — hands stay up but quiet.

How it works: The leader moves, the shadow keeps the distance identical — forward, back, side to side, honest speeds only. Ninety seconds, swap roles. Round three: leaders may fake with shoulders and eyes, and the shadow learns to trust feet and chest instead. Round four is the game version: the leader tries to touch the shadow's lead shoulder with an open hand, one gentle tap; the shadow's only defence is distance — no blocking, no swatting. Score taps, swap, rematch. Every skill in this game is boxing with the punches removed.

Rounds: 4 × 90s, swap each round · strictly no contact beyond the shoulder tap

What to say

“Guard the distance like it's your wallet — that gap is where every fight is won.”
“Watch the chest, not the eyes — chests can't lie about direction.”
“Small steps, lots of them — big steps are cheques your balance can't cash.”

Easier

Leader walks, shadow walks; drop round four's tapping game.

Harder

Round four allows both to hunt the tap at once — double shadow, still no blocking.

The rest of this lesson is free — along with 3 more this week.

House lesson.

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