Left hook question

After trolling through dozens of old posts I think I found one by greynotsoold (I have the link) that stated that the motion should be initiated by the lowering of the right heel to the floor, then the flat left foot pivoting at the same time as the left hip/shoulder begins to turn. (I like to think of it as crushing a cigarette etc).

Now I have only recently (since reading here) started to drop my right heel to the ground for added weight shift but have always initated it from the front left foot.

Bit of a geeky punch form question I know! So is the turn initiated from the bent left leg pivoting then the right heel dropping or the opposite in your opinions.

Thanks

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To hook, begin by dropping the right foot flat, leg straight, toe perpendicular to opponent. Pivot sharply inward on left toe (heel now up) This will turn your hips, then your shouilders as far right as possible

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I'll go with my original comment. You get more "whip" in your hook that way and that works pretty well.
BUT Joe Frazier and many others start the motion from the front foot and have success as well. My opinion is that pushing off the front foot gives you a "push" into the punch and that a "whip" is more effective.

Let me add: Joe Frazier clubbed lots of people into submission with his hook. But if you read up on Gene Tunney- yeah, him again-he had more early left hook kos than Frazier.

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Originally Posted by greynotsoold

I'll go with my original comment. You get more "whip" in your hook that way and that works pretty well.
BUT Joe Frazier and many others start the motion from the front foot and have success as well. My opinion is that pushing off the front foot gives you a "push" into the punch and that a "whip" is more effective.

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After shadowing it a while here it feels much more comfortable biomechanically to initiate it from the back foot. I know what you mean about pushing. I'll be trying it out extensivley on Wed when im in the gym next.
Great bit of info anyway originally Grey, thanks.

I think that one of the points that you have to learn when throwing the hook as well as other power punches is that you are shifting your weight from one foot to another. For instance after you throw a straight right, the weight is shifts to your front leg. Notice here that you are loaded up to throw your left hook by shifting your weight back to your rear leg.

Good point. Ive been reading the pointers on this site with great effect (I never used to throw the straight right over a straight left leg for example, although Ive noticed this kind of nullifys the "push off" effect from the rear right foot as I used to use before)

So when tranferring the weight to the front foot/leg this is done instantaneasly as the hip/torso is shifting to the right?

No. Get your weight in front of your punch. You do not want the push effect. You are looking to "whip" your punches.

It's nice to know that there's people that are putting the old posts to good use.

Anways the shifting of weight occurs in the motion as described by greynotsoold. You shift your weight following when you adjust your back foot, turning it in and making it flat.

There's a few more things that should be noted. Avoid telegraphing your hook by raising your elbow up to soon, instead it should be done at the last moment.

The other one is when you drop or pull the side of your body back. People do this to put more power into their punch but instead it slows them down and let's their opponent know what's coming. Your hand doesn't need to be cocked back at all, just make sure it's on the same level as your target when you're throwing it and whip it keeping your shoulder loose until you catch them. If I'm not mistaken, another point which Scrap brought up is to pull your right shoulder back when throwing the left hook.

If you want more power into it what you should do is set the hook up with your right hand which will get you set for a left hook. Be careful though when up against a fighter that is aware of your weight shifts. I think thst this motion works best right off of a slip.

Thanks a lot guys. There was a quote about the left hook I once read that said it when perfected it should feel effortless to throw but the impact should feel like a baseball bat.

With any shot both feet and knees have a roll to play one as important as the other its all to do with balance of the head thats where all the signals start by feel from the feet. If the head moves from the base in any form power and direction and speed are lost

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Originally Posted by Scrap

With any shot both feet and knees have a roll to play one as important as the other its all to do with balance of the head thats where all the signals start by feel from the feet. If the head moves from the base in any form power and direction and speed are lost

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excellent post as always mr scrap

a good strong foundation with proper balance and foot positioning first , once that is achieved everything else works. These are the basics. One can’t forget the role that the legs play in all this

Next...
How does one get speed into a double left hook?

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Next...
How does one get speed into a double left hook?

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Hips,learn to re-cock your hips,and do it quickly,either that or just arm the first one and keep the hips cocked for the second

So keep the left side elevated?

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

So keep the left side elevated?

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As long as your cocking your hips,it shouldnt matter
Though do not,and I want this etched in stone,dip your shoulder to cock your hip,it telegraphs your shot,and youll have a tendency to open your barn door for the uppercut
Just take your time on the heavy bag and it will come,break it down slow if you have to

Sorry to bring u back to the start again, but when you say cock the hip i thought you were implying to throw it upward and forward by pivoting the left foot?

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Sorry to bring u back to the start again, but when you say cock the hip i thought you were implying to throw it upward and forward by pivoting the left foot?

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Not a problem
We'll start at the beginning,what happens when you pivot the left foot,your hip cocks
Now you can do that without pivoting the foot as well,you can do it flat footed if you try
Thats were both power and speed are
You may be a little young for this visual,but Im going to try it.
Picture the old dance The Twist
Now try doing it
You should be feeling the coiled up energy every time you rock your hips,all you have to do is unleash it in a punch

Yeah ur first sentence answered it perfectly, I understand exactly what you mean.