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Re: Left Hook Punch
Yes right on Tiger, there are two main ranges for punching we typically talk about: clinch and mid-range.. and pretty much everywhere in between. But we really try to get the striking at those to places. When we close the range we have to change the punches slightly to accommodate for the loss of distance which in turn can mean a loss in power unless we can learn to maximize this range.
I don’t mean a haymaker at all. But instead reaching out slightly like your “churning the butter” but not the dance.. well this may work to keep them away from you, but back to punching. You want to extend enough that there is still a bend in the elbow but you are not so close you are using only your shoulders to generate power.
Think about stirring a huge pot on the ground with mud in it (yum). How would you most likely stir that pot? Standing almost directly over it, far away, or slightly back from it? If you stand almost over it you really have to use your arms and would likely tire quickly, but if that’s what the space you have dictates you do, then you can do it with a modification in your normal body mechanics.
Now take a half step back, stir the mud and think about how your body mechanics change slightly as you reach out slightly when the stick is furthest away, you need to drive with your legs, core, arms, etc. to mix it. Using your whole body you get won’t fatigue your arms so fast, driving with your legs you generate more power. This would be the ideal range for the hook. Slightly out. But you can do it stand over the bucket “in the clinch”. The stirring motion is the same from the shoulder out.
Now back to the hook/haymaker. A haymaker is a very wild overhand, elbow up type of punch. Our hook has to start tight, elbow down and sort of “coiled” and not over-extended like a haymaker. Elbow comes up as we start it, slightly under the wrist height or equal but never over it. We start it at point A (chin for example) and finish it at point B (the target) then return that same path back. But reach for the hook a bit when you start to learn, don’t jam the target and take your power away. The body will rotate on the hook as you mention. That motion from the core helps to give us power. Just bring it right back to help prevent the over rotation. It is similar to reaching out and slapping someone I suppose, but you have to not fully extend the arm and use a hook… I wish I could explain it better over the internet… I am sorry.
Re: Left Hook Punch
In the Krav Maga curriculum books, the palm heel strike is shown for the straight punches. Is the left hook with the palm heel part of the Krav Maga curriculum? I saw this technique in Bas Rutten’s Big Book of Combat and I was able to hit the heavy bag with left hook palm heel strike as hard as I could with absolutely no pain.
Thanks,
Marc
Re: Left Hook Punch
Distance may increase speed, which in turn will increase force, but distance itself does not equal power.
Hope the discussion was beneficial. Happy training, all.
Re: Left Hook Punch
You could get taken down doing anything pivot or not. So should we not pivot when we throw a straight right :OhMy: cause it slows you down. Oh I thought we were all about power no set up punches :dunno:. I have done different types of fighting styles for aahhh about 22 years the more tools you have in your tool box the better.
Learn punches in different ways and use accordingly….thumbsup
Re: Left Hook Punch
Hello once again.
Nice perspectives about the Hook 🙂
So i¥ve been training more the Hook(left), and giving it special attencion.
Some problems:
* When my hand hit¥s the bag, the first thing that touches the bag are the Knuckles on the middle of the fingers(pain!) not the Knuckles on the top of the fingers, like it should be. Remember i am doing the Hook.Pinky down, not forward.
* i¥ve noticed that beside the punch, my right hand, is much more stronger, and
tolerable to pain(obvious reasons, more training, my strong hand, etc..)I know that some people, can clinch better the fist, and the fingers, so they can easily, touch with the top knuckles.
So i am a bit confused about what to do with my left Hook.
On the pivot: I¥ve always been taught to pivot, i will try to deliver the punch without it, to see the diferences..
Another question, why doing the pivot, increases the risk of a Takedown?
Thank u all
Re: Left Hook Punch
Hi,
You turn your body sideways when you pivot and in wrestling you need to keep your hips square to defend/complete takedowns efficiently.
When WE teach takedowns, we “hide” them. We see so many problems with high level MMA athlete’s (I won’t burn Bas and give names, but you would all recognize them) when they try to do a takedown from too far away, or they fail to set it up properly and get hit. From a self-defense perspective, we feel that this is too great a risk. Secondly, it is difficult to defend the leg kick because you now have to bring your leg all the way back around to defend, lastly because you are presenting the back of the knee- you risk being swept. Its a trifecta for me- too many negatives. But that is just my opinion.
You hit like me, pinky down. 😀 It sounds like you are not getting your elbow behind your wrist/knuckles before you make contact and are hitting with your fingers “middle” knuckles. Take a second and look at where your elbow is when you make contact. Slow it way, way down and prior to contact, push your elbow forward to get it behind your fist to make sure its correct allignment.
When you slap something your arm is more extended, the hook has a roughly 90 degree bend in the elbow when you make contact.
You know what the problem is, just need to adjust your body mechanics on the punch. You could be too far from the bag as well. Its a fine line your ideal range and a fraction of an inch can make a difference in how you hit.
Hope that helps, if not- hit me back up and we will keep tweaking it as needed. Get that elbow behind your first before you make contact.
Re: Left Hook Punch
Sitting at my computer reading these posts and visualizing – going through the motions of a left hook punch. I found that I did not throw it with pinky down (vertical), nor totally horizontal (pinky outward). My fist is more angled somewhare in between, which I find more comfortable for me. My fist, wrist, and forearm are aligned and straight, my elbow bent downward slightly. With my pinky down, it seems to stress my shoulder a little more (I have a type 2 AC seperation in my left shoulder). Just my 2 cents.
Re: Left Hook Punch
I worked Left Hooks for a while this afternoon.
I noticed that the closer I was to the bag, the more I could land the punch with the little finger down.
The further I was away from the bag, the more my forearm rotated and my little finger “lifted”.
Re: Left Hook Punch
I have a question about hooks. When I throw a hook it seems more natural for my hand to be horizontal. Is this a problem?
Thanks!Re: Left Hook Punch
That’s how I throw mine. And it is a problem. For whoever I hit with it! (heh, heh – I crack myself up!)
A lot of people teach that this punch is to be thrown with the pinkie down. That never worked for me. As long as your wrist is strong and straight and you transfer your weight through the punch, you’re on the right path!
Re: Left Hook Punch
One thing I have not read here is to relax…The more tense you make your muscles the less likely you’ll be able to get everything out of them from strength to coordination. One thing Kristen said was to take it slow at first, that can help with relaxing your muscles (especially think your shoulder/traps/etc they can easily get in the way of moving your weapon (fist) at optimal speed).
It’s very easy to forget how tense you make yourself when the adrenaline is rushing, try to consciously think about it when you are practicing all of your punches.Re: Left Hook Punch
quote Ryan:I agree with Jrodf4. If you’re being kicked while throwing a hook, there are more pressing things in your game to address than whether to pivot or not. The pivot, done correctly, is very fast and not a big movement.All of that said, pivot or don’t…do what feels best to you.
This. When you’re throwing a hook at the correct distance, your opponent should not be able to kick you because youíre too close. In fact, punching people who are trying to kick me is one of my favorites since youíre hitting someone balancing on one foot. Also, youíre vulnerable to someone shooting in whenever youíre throwing a punch that makes your elbow move away from your body, whether or not your foot pivots (and the foot pivot will only last as long as your punch does).
Re: Left Hook Punch
quote stevem174:I have a question about hooks. When I throw a hook it seems more natural for my hand to be horizontal. Is this a problem?
Thanks!The issue Iíve heard is that when you do it that way, you lead with the pinky knuckle on the outermost part, so if you punch at someone and they manage to start to lean away from it but not quite fast enough, you might clip them with your pinky knuckle and damage it. The palm in hook leads with a much more solid geometry and seems less likely to clip things with the smallest knuckle.
Thereís an old school (bareknuckle era) boxing punch called a rounding blow that was sometimes thrown with the thumb down, with a more extended arm. The idea was that it helps to get the elbow up, which I think is only really an issue if youíre punching above your own shoulder height. The greater extension ensures that you hit with the knuckles and not the finger bones.Re: Left Hook Punch
I used to have difficulties with the left hook. What I did was train on a right straight and left hook combo. It creates a good flow and it helps a lot. Now I can do the left hook without any problems.
I know it won’t work with everyone, but it worked for me.
Re: Left Hook Punch
A.J. Draven throws one hell of a hook punch. I remember most about his instruction at my phase was weight transference in the direction of the punch. Once I understood that my partners focus mitt went across the room.
He did not accentuate the pivot/or no pivot but emphasized driving your body behind the punch.
I also remember very recently at a Darren seminar, Darren teaching driving the body forward behind the straight punch and not accentuating the pivot.
I try and emphasize that power is generated in the body and not just from one specific part, ie: arm, feet, etc.
Just my 2 cents…
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