In boxing, proper form is very important for throwing strong punches while staying mobile. When you’re in the correct stance, the toes of your back foot align with the heel of your front foot. For example, if you’re right-handed, step back with your right foot. Turn your foot a little more than halfway to your right. Plant your left foot ahead of you.
Your posture is your stability. You might feel tempted to bend forward and stick your head out if you’re unused to throwing hooks. When you do that, you can’t see what’s ahead of you and give your opponent more of a target.
If you lean on your front foot, throwing a hook pulls your body forward. If you lean back, your punch loses power. You only need the slightest of bends in your knees, enough to prevent them from locking. Bending too much brings your head down closer to your opponent’s hands. If your legs feel stiff, bend your knees a little more.
This stance is very important for protecting yourself. Get your hands into position before and after you punch, or else your opponent may try throwing a hook of their own.
If you try to throw a hook from too far away, you lean forward when you punch. It also gives your opponent a big opportunity to see the hook coming, block it, and hit back. Practice your punches and footwork through sparring. Frequent practice leads to a better understanding of where you need to stand before you’re ready to throw a hook.
If you’re boxing, focus on the chin and the body. These spots are the easiest ones to aim for, depending on where your opponent places their own fists. Hooks to these areas are very effective.
If you want to hit an opponent with a hook, you have to be quick. Snap your arm back and go for it. If you wind back to prepare a powerful punch, your opponent has a chance to see it and dodge. You could throw a hook with your dominant hand using the same technique. However, since hooks have such a short range, be cautious. Throw the hook as a part of a combo or get closer to your opponent first to ensure you have enough range.
For example, if you are throwing a hook with your left hand, rotate to the left, bringing your right hip forward. Doing this adds more force to your punch, but you have to be quick to prevent your opponent from recognizing the hook.
Maintain your arm position throughout the punch to avoid hurting yourself. Keep your elbow up and your wrist straight with your arm parallel to the floor. Remember that a hook is a whole-body punch. You will need to incorporate your lower body as well to give it plenty of speed and power. The arm motion is only part of the punch.
Keep your hand close to your face in case you need to use it to defend. Tucking in your arm blocks part of your body so your opponent can’t suddenly hit you there. If you throw a hook with your dominant hand, bring your non-dominant hand down close to your body instead.
Rotate while standing on the ball of your back foot, the part right below your toes. When you begin the rotation, drop the heel of your front foot to maintain your balance. Keep your weight balanced as much as possible between your feet. Many people lean forward when throwing a hook, but this is dangerous. You lose power and leave yourself exposed when you’re not well-balanced.
Stopping your fist too soon is also a problem. It weakens your punch, so don’t halt your momentum until you reach your target.
Hook punches often come after other punches, such as jabs. You could also use a good hook to launch into a combo, such as by throwing a hook with your dominant hand or an uppercut.
When your opponent stays on defense so you can’t throw a normal hook, try a shovel hook. The unique angle often surprises opponents.
Think of a back step hook as a way to stop something coming straight toward you. You won’t have an opportunity to get out of the way, so commit to the punch. Make sure you’re set in your stance and prepared to defend with your other hand.
A check hook is like a matador getting out of the way of a charging bull. The hook stops aggressive opponents, but the movement takes a lot of speed. Practice your footwork to master it.
It’s a risky move, since if you miss, you might get hit with a counterattack. Plan on using it only when your opponent least expects it.
