In boxing, the hook is one of the most devastating punches you can have in your repertoire. Master the hook, and your knockout potential instantly goes up.
The reason why hooks are so powerful is because they are short and compact and travel a short distance from starting point to target. They also carry the majority of your weight behind each punch, assuming you’ve thrown the hook with the proper technique.
Boxers such as Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto, American heavyweight great Mike Tyson, Filipino firebrand Nonito Donaire, and legend Roy Jones Jr. are just some of the examples of fighters who possessed tremendous hooks and used them to great effect.
The hook is one of the most powerful punches in boxing.
Want to start throwing hooks like your boxing idols and instantly become a better boxer? Perfect the technique of your hook, and watch your opponents fall. We’ve come up with a few things you should take note of when practicing your hooks.
In boxing, they say you should never hook with a hooker. Develop your hook, and no one is going to mess with you. Today, Evolve Daily shares tips on how to perfect your hook in boxing.
1) Master the textbook technique
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Throw the hook properly, taking note of its intricate technique, in order to maximize power and effect. There are effectively two types of hooks. There’s the lead hook and the rear hook, depending on your stance.
The lead hook travels the shorter distance and is great to use as a counter, a check hook, or as a leaping hook. It can catch opponents off guard and hit them when they least expect it.
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Dig in with your lead foot, planting your feet firmly as you turn your torso towards your opponent. Put your entire weight behind the hook, and all the power that was generated from your base. The key to a powerful hook is the proper transfer of weight.
Avoid throwing arm punches because they don’t do much damage. A good, solid punch is one that generates power from the entire body, not just the arms.
2) Develop speed and power
The heavy bag is a much-needed boxing tool if you want to increase your power.
With hooks, speed equates to power. The faster and more explosive your hooks are, the more power they will carry and the more damage you can do.
The best place to train speed and power is at the heavy bag. Using the heavy bag, you are able to put your entire weight behind every punch. In the same way, you’re also training your hands in how to deliver and absorb impact. Training on the heavy bag consistently will give you a very powerful hook.
In boxing, timing is just as important as speed and power.
Also, spend lots of time developing your hooks on the focus mitts. Focus mitts allow you to hit with speed and force, all while developing your hand-eye coordination which improves punch accuracy.
Having a lot of speed and velocity in your hooks will increase the chances of them connecting.
3) Learn to set up your hooks
If you want to have a good hook in boxing, you need to transfer your weight properly.
Although you can throw a lead hook every now and then, and also a check hook to counter, setting up your hooks is still the best way to go when unleashing this technique.
The hook is a very versatile punch that can be thrown behind many other punches such as jabs, crosses, and uppercuts. The key to throwing the hook is to first create an opening. Because hooks do so much damage, landing the punch cleanly is crucial to its success.
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Additionally, you can also set up your hooks by using feints. Feints are a great way to open up an opponent’s defense. Use them correctly, and you can increase the effectiveness of your hooks exponentially. Practice the feint, and you can set up your other punches better also.
4) Punch through the target
When it comes to boxing, practice makes perfect.
Same as the cross, make sure to punch through the target for maximum effect. This allows you to fully transfer all the power you’ve generated through to the intended target.
Unlike the cross, however, punching through the target with your hooks offers you natural defense, as it is very hard to get countered if thrown correctly. Putting your weight behind each hook and delivering with follow through takes you off an opponent’s x-axis and line of sight, giving you cover.
Once you’ve mastered the textbook hook, you can throw it at will. To put it plainly, the hook should be one of the most executed punches in your arsenal. There are so many ways to utilize the hook, it’s best to use it often.
5) Learn the different kinds of hooks
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As with all techniques in boxing, there are variations. The hook is one of the most versatile punches in the sport. There are many different ways to throw the hook.
Different hooks apply to different situations. The lead hook, for example, is used to circumvent an overly defensive opponent, landing to the side of the glove guard. The check hook or leaping hook is used as both an offense initiator and a counter. The shovel hook targets the jaw and has elements of an uppercut. The possibilities and combinations are endless.
Secondly, using your lead or your rear hand has varying effects. The lead hand is by far the most compact and most powerful, but the rear hand offers diversity in your combinations.
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