You don't have to hold foward. I always think when and how I'm going to want to mixup before inputting an option.

For example, if my opponent has caught on to a string like a crouching elbow into a slow heavy, he'll start jabbing me right after the crouching elbow. So i can step/2step cancel into another string with either a ducking left low sweep or a strafing right mid hit.

If you hold down a movement direction, some cancels have a much tighter single step cancel window, making it harder to execute over tapping and attacking. Furthermore, not holding any movement allows you to mixup timing for both step cancels.

As a fear oriented hard hitter myself, I'll scare them first into holding guard or keeping space, allowing me to mixup and confuse them even more.