left hook

[fightingforever]

Hello guys Im new here, but Im definately no stranger to the sport of boxing. I have a question reguarding punching power which I bet you probably get alot about it. I did search but nothing gave me the answer I was looking for, so I'm hoping someone can help me out here. I have been working on my left hook for a while now and it is really hard to learn but I've finally got the technique down-pat but it seems like theres not too much mustard behind it. I want it to be like if I hit someone they would feel like "he tried to kiss the front end of an express train" .

My question is, if my technique is good how is it possible to get more power? Usually a lack of power is from lack of technique. Normally I would do something like explosive lifting and plyos pushups but power in the hook doesn't even come from the shoulders, its pretty much just the rotation of the torso and the hips.

Also hitting the bag is kind of hard because its so much wider than a persons face that you would be hitting and the thick gloves just make it more akward. I feel there is such little room to generate full power unless I pull my left hand back first, but that would be telegraphing then. I always try to go straight from my stance to the bag with my hooks so they are wide or looping punches. And with palms down, i feel like I'm pushing the bag more than punching it.

So my question is, how can I make my left hook more powerful, and also I would like to know if it's ok to extend the elbow past 90 degrees when practicing the hook.

[Howlin Mad Missy]

not asking for much are you?

Lemmie just say something off the bat. I spent years doing jkd where the you aim to have little or no telegraphing & that's a very good thing but that for a self defence attitude where speed and hitting them first helps.

What I found when switching to boxing is - wait for it - in the purest sense there is some telegraphing that slips in to peoples technique. I'm not talking about those big haymakers you see when a guy is in trouble (see Khan).

It's one thing to stand still and hit a bag it's another for you to be moving and your target be moving. Consider if you roll under to your left, does that shift make it feel natural to let go with a Lhook? How about if you step as you roll? How about when you step with each punch jab-Rcross-Lhook. You are giving your body room for the punch.

Not every thing you throw has to be even, thrown with the same force, speed and tempo. Experiment with keeping your bodyweight even as you punch, then forget the power just go for speed, now commit to putting all your weight behind your left so your weight shifts to your front foot. Don't neglect your foundations and experience with tell you when to look for speed over power and when you can try a shot to take someones head off.

Sorry if this is a bit fuzzy but I'm coming down with a bug and I'm feeling dizzy

[Scrap]

Missy thats Brilliant advice.

[Von Milash]

fightingforever, do you throw your hook palm in or palm down/elbow up? if you truly "turn the hook over" you can get much more weight behind it, rather than the slap you often see with amateurish "palm in" left hooks.

also, you can do full body weight training meaning no isolated movements using machines... do something that emulates the actual motion. for example, for a left body shot, you might toss a heavy slammable medicine ball against a concrete block wall with as much force as possible, using the exact same motion as the punch itself. . that is a plyo, but a plyo that mimicks the real thing to a T.

[fightingforever]

Thanks for the advice everyone. And Von Milash, I use the palms in because palms down feels like a push more than a punch when I use it. And if I try to turn over my hook, it either gets too wide or my arm is too low to hit anyones chin unless its an oompa loompa or something, I am very short and have a short reach so thats why I use palms in.

[Von Milash]

well there's likely part of your problem. learn to turn it over. done right it ISN'T a push. no matter what anyone says, every great boxer has learned how to do it that way.

[Trainer Monkey]

Cross is at a palm down angle,the jab is palm down,the the hook is palm up and down

[BoxingDude66]

Hi,


You say you're not stranger to boxing, which is good, so it should make this explanation a lot easier. As you know, the Left Head Hook gets its power from the rotation of the hips to the right when throwing the punch, similar to throwing a Cross and twisting your hips to the right.

If you throw the Hook could, it is awkward somewhat, at least it was for me, because you have to twist your hips to the left real fast to unleash the power of the hook before you unless it with your hips moving to the right. I believe it is this transition that makes the hook more powerful. My suggestion is to move in with a Cross, which already sets your hips to the left, and then unleash the Left Hook. Make sure the Cross blinds his sight of vision though, like a good Jab, but rip that Hook to the Head or Body. I would say a Jab, Left Head Hook, but throwing two punches off one hand makes them a little weaker because you don't have the full power you need with hip rotation. Hope that was helpful to you

[southpawed]

fightingforever, do you throw your hook palm in or palm down/elbow up? if you truly "turn the hook over" you can get much more weight behind it, rather than the slap you often see with amateurish "palm in" left hooks.

i have to disagree alittle here. I throw my hooks palm in and i get some pretty good force behind it. I've seen the ammy slap hooks that you're talking about. but i still believe that, if you throw a hook and just keep your arm at a 90 degree angle, no more no less. you'll crack that sonofabitch with a hook thats as good as any other. Hell, Sugar Ray Robinsons left hook on Gene Fulmer was palm in. And if you havent seen it, that thing was no 'slap' lol.

[El Kabong]

What I did to get power on my left hook was I place my fist where I want to finish and I "rewind" to my starting point and after a couple of times doing that I throw everything behind it. It's legs and rotation and transfer of weight.

[Von Milash]

fightingforever, do you throw your hook palm in or palm down/elbow up? if you truly "turn the hook over" you can get much more weight behind it, rather than the slap you often see with amateurish "palm in" left hooks.

i have to disagree alittle here. I throw my hooks palm in and i get some pretty good force behind it. I've seen the ammy slap hooks that you're talking about. but i still believe that, if you throw a hook and just keep your arm at a 90 degree angle, no more no less. you'll crack that sonofabitch with a hook thats as good as any other. Hell, Sugar Ray Robinsons left hook on Gene Fulmer was palm in. And if you havent seen it, that thing was no 'slap' lol.

fair enough, it works for you. but a lot of guys don't learn to throw it palm down, inside, nice and tight. it's one less bullet in their arsenal.

i can also guarantee that SRR could throw it palm down, too.

[El Kabong]

I throw the hook both ways palm down for quick hooks and palm inside for the more powerful ones as when you land the punch you land it on your whole fist and not just your pinky and ring finger knuckles....but just brushing a guy on the tip of the chin with that kind of hook can make them go all wobbley.


The best thing to do is do what feels right for you and what you are more comfortable with. If you throw a punch without conviction then it loses it's effectiveness and you have to have confidence in the punch to throw it with conviction and it's easier to build confidence when you are comfortable and you see/feel the results