ducking under a hook

[voodoo_dude]

Ok so after a few sparring sessions Ive learnt that my biggest weakness is defending against hooks (right and left). I just dont see them coming or when I do its too late to react and I get thumped on the side of my head.

My trainer showed me the motion of ducking under the hook but I just cant react quick enough.

Is there a practical drill or exercise to help me learn to duck the hook?
any advise welcomed!

[AdamGB]

Get into the habit of bending your knees with your body shots... you should always be slightly bent... if you're upright it'll take ages to duck.

Just keep sparring and you'll recognise the timing, is the lad throwing hooks at you taller or shorter?

If You're not quite quick enough to duck under the shot then move away from it as you duck so you have more time... roll with it.

[Sharla]

I find ducking difficult aswell - thanks for the tips Adam!

My solution has always been to cheat by stepping back with my rear foot only - to make the hook miss - and then come back in with a straight punch immediately to counter the hook.

I'll also throw a right cross at the same time as an orthodox opponent throws their left hook sometimes without moving. The straight right usually blocks the path of a neat horizontal (as opposed to an angled punch) hook to the head.

But these are cheaters techniques to avoid ducking so maybe best to mainly stick to Adam's advice otherwise you could end up like me avoiding learning to duck for a long, long time!

[voodoo_dude]

The guy throwing the hooks is about my height.
If they work and help me defend against a hook then I dont see them as cheaters techniques!

Thanks for the tips guys

[hydroman19]

Have the same problem with it sometimes. Yeah I like to lean back as well but of course then you get an earfull from the trainer .

[Von Milash]

get into the habit of rolling... PERIOD. don't just stand there and hit the bag. Hit the bag and move... hit it and roll to the left, then to the right, etc. Hit it and move your head. Hit and retreat. Etc.

Becoming a better defensive fighter and being harder to hit is just as much a function (if not more) of you learning to slip/bob/weave/roll/whatever BEFORE a shot is thrown at you as it is you REACTING to the shot being thrown at you. You are NOT faster than a punch. But you are faster if you move first.

So it isn't just, he punches, you move... it's also, you move first, he punches, but he misses, you counter.

[Brockton Bomber]

It all depends on what kind of fighter you are. But I wouldn't reccommend incorporating a whole lot of ducking into your defense. It leaves you kind of prone.

At 6'3" I always had a hard time ducking a hook, so if I was really concerned about getting hit with it, I'd step back a la Roy Jones. If you're going to do that though, you'd better be fast for your division. And unlike Roy, I would typically keep my hands up. LOL

Then there is leaning back to avoid the hook, but like hydroman said, you'll get an earful from your trainer. And unless you're Muhammed Ali, I really wouldn't reccomend that either.

[Scrap]

Never duck always sit, you duck when you havent an answer and finnish with bad posture out of balance without a clue what to do next remember if the world didnt suck wed all fall off, gravity dont fight it use it.

[Lords Gym]

Never duck always sit, you duck when you havent an answer and finnish with bad posture out of balance without a clue what to do next remember if the world didnt suck wed all fall off, gravity dont fight it use it.

very true.. you see lots of fighters even some good veterans make the mistake of losing eye contact as they duck only to pop up clueless and catch one right on the pus ..often the result is lights out..

I like to sit as you say excellent way to put it ! , the balance, the eye contact everything is still intact as you evade the incoming shot, and you are still in a ready position for offensive retaliation !

#300 really enjoy your reads !

[spanky-banky]

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[Pure]

what i do is when im warming up doing burpees i practice lots of rolls and slips
if some trys to right hook me i roll to the left and counter, etc.
juss practice rolling and stick to your goals. goodluck.