Jo
Any ideas that you use to drill and ingrain foot movement that is efficient while being attacked by one or more opponents?
One of the concepts worth practicing is looking to acquire the adversaries' flanks and rear...as directional changes are the best way to not bind up. Turn your movement elliptical or use a cut back and look to get behind the adversary.
You may also find that,once behind him, you can use him as a shield against another opponent's attacks or you can grab him by the scuff of the neck and seat of the pants and drive him into other opponents as in charging behind a shield.
When you think of it...natural instincts want us to move forward and in force on force drills every backpedaler gets literally run over by his adversary, especially if he is a big man. But we need to work at this stuff.
Drills in moving off line should include simple, stanceless, explosive take offs laterally 3:00 or 9:00 _but also at angles such as the 5:00, 7:00, or 2:00 and 10:00_ against the most common street attacks, punches, shoves, kick in the nuts and 'shoots' take downs at close range so we learn the body signals coming at us...always followed by counters that would stop someone...here you would need to always work at stopping power and targeting...remembering you will be in tunnel vision mode and fumbling is a possibility.
However, when you think of it...the direction you move is going to be dictated by the terrain and environment of where the attack occurs.
You may have a wall or cliff on one side, a car, furniture,etc., and have to move in a different direction than what is ideal.
What is important is that you can explode and move in any direction of the clock, and you should practice them all. Your body will know what to do if you practice moving in all directions.
it is best to own every direction on the clock. If you are behind in the reactionary curve your body is going to pick the direction that you move at the subconscious level.
Do to the genetics of "Who you are" this initial reaction may not be the optimal one. Just realize that the conscious mind will catch up and you can turn your sub-optimal initial move into a much more optimal move.....within a couple of steps.
Become proficient in moving in all directions, and in being able to move up a hill or down on hill, on grass, mud, gravel, concrete, etc. It is all important...
and this is something not easily in our schedule.