The Lead Hook

Why it lands

Straight punches come down the middle, which is where everyone is looking. The hook arrives from the side, outside the field of vision that a guard is set up to protect. It is thrown with the lead hand, so it can follow a jab without a wind-up — which is exactly why the 1-3 is one of the oldest combinations in the sport.

The mechanics

1. Set the arm at roughly ninety degrees at the elbow. This shape is fixed before the punch starts and does not change while it travels.
2. Pivot the lead foot — heel turns outward, knee follows.
3. The hip and torso rotate. The arm comes round with the body, not by itself.
4. Elbow stays level with the fist. Dropping the elbow turns the hook into a swing; lifting it turns it into a shoulder press.
5. Land on the two big knuckles, palm facing you or facing down — either is fine, but pick one and be consistent.

DemonstrationA lead hook at the moment of impact, arm locked at ninety degrees with the elbow level with the fist and the lead foot pivoted outward

Head and body

The body hook uses the identical mechanic with one change: you bend at the knees first, then turn. The arm shape, the pivot and the rotation are the same. Bending at the waist instead of the knees is the single most common error, and it puts your head directly on the centre line while you are committed.

A hook that starts by pulling the hand backwards has told the other person everything. The fist should travel less than the distance from your ear to your chin before it starts moving toward the target.

Common mistakes

• Swinging. If the elbow straightens, it is not a hook.
• Reaching. The hook is a short punch. If you have to reach, you are out of hook range and should be jabbing.
• Turning the head away. Eyes stay on the target through the turn.
• Forgetting the rear hand. During a lead hook your rear hand is the only thing between your chin and their cross.

DemonstrationBody hook variation showing the knees bent, spine upright and the same ninety-degree arm shape landing to the ribs

Drill it

Hold the arm shape and pivot only, thirty reps each side, hands at head height. Then thirty at body height. Then two rounds of 1-3, focusing entirely on how quickly the hand gets back to the cheek afterwards. The hook is a fast punch to throw and a slow punch to recover from — the recovery is what you are training.