How important do you feel footwork is for self defense?

As El said, without footwork there would be no martial arts. Even arts like Boxing that don't use feet for striking at all are worthless without proper footwork. I do think that in many ways it's not given enough thought. Footwork can make or break a technique. I know when I started practicing Sanda in my free time here in China, I spent/still spend almost up to half the time on footwork. We'd do twenty minutes straight of just pure footwork drills. Just bouncing in and out without hitting each other to get timing and rhythm and all that jazz down.

But anyway, different arts have different approaches to footwork and different people move in different ways, but in the end it's our feet that move us to where we need to be in martial arts, so it may look different with different styles, but it's still the base of every style.

It's extremely important and not nearly trained enough in class and I am not talking about the bouncy stuff either. We tend to want to stay, hold our ground and hit hard. Works for some people but not for me.

I think we are lazy and don't like to do things that take a lot of effort. Working the strength and flexibility balance is just not our way. We are OK with working strength and then think we can just muscle everything. I was guilty of that way of thinking too but changed it once I started Chinese Martial art and saw the much underestimated value of flexibility and agility. Have you ever seen the footwork of a Taiji practitioner in actual application of their techniques. It's something else to see. These guys can move.

As others said footwork is what keeps you grounded.

Without good footwork it's easy to be taken down. It's hard to generate good power.

And in some arts like Uechi Ryu we spend a lot of time working on footwork. I can't think of a class where footwork hasn't been addressed in at least some manner.

Proper footwork is imperative to self-defense as well as competitive martial arts. I think it is overlooked because it can be the hardest part of martial training to teach. Most trainers focus on the striking and grappling aspects of their systems, and connect footwork as a secondary consideration, which I feel is a mistake. I have seen some good striker at our school that are continually off balance because of improper footwork. Not because we don't teach it as part of each class, but because they focus themselves on the striking aspect of their sparring and class work rather than avoiding being struck or controlled. Footwork allows you to: not be where your opponent is striking; adjust your distancing in and out; sidestep or circle your opponent making them re-acquire you as a target; reposition your base to optimize your targeting and striking power; and to set yourself to establish clinches and throws.

If you don't move well your opponent knows exactly where to find you when he strikes or moves. Basically it makes you an easier target to get to.

Footwork is important for no other reason than it allows you to keep your balance. That's an incredibly necessary skill for self-defense.

It also helps you create optimum offensive and defensive angles and movements.

"How important"? I dunno, "very"? What scale are we using for "important"? If you have good footwork, you'll be a better fighter than if you don't. It should be practiced in some form in every session.

Foot work is the foundation for all fighting. If you have bad footwork chances are you're not going to be a very effective fighter.

it helps alot. anderson silva has great footwork. if you were fighting lets say robbie lawler who is known for knocking people out then you would want to get out of the way of his punches/knees/kicks so he missies you. speed kills. foot work helps you throw your punches too. you can move you lead leg & move in for the attack.

very important i do want so say though that my foot work from tang soo do did transfer over into kickboxing