How To Throw a Hook - Weiran Liu

Boxing has managed to find a way to my heart so I will be writing about how to throw my favorite punch: a rear hook. Why a hook? It’s powerful, quick, and like a bullet. First you have to get in the right stance. If you are right-handed, your left leg is out front and your left arm is your lead arm; if you are left-handed, your right leg is out front and your right arm is your lead arm. Now get comfortable standing like that – bend your knees (you don’t want them locked) and stay on the balls of your feet. Oftentimes it is overlooked, but many boxers and fighters are light and quick on their feet. You want to be able to move around and react quickly. Next is something that I cannot stress enough – keep your hands up and by your face at ALL times. You really don’t want to leave yourself exposed for an open shot. Taking your rear arm, bend it at 90 degrees so that your forearm is parallel to the ground. Begin with bending your knees slightly and rotating your body simultaneously as you land your hit. Your core plays an essential role in maximizing the power of your punch. Since we are using our rear arm, you want to make sure you pivot your rear foot (here is where staying light/on the ball of your feet comes in) with the swing so that the momentum carries throughout the whole body, to the bag (or person) you are hitting. While all of this is happening, make sure that the arm you are not using to punch stays in front of your face for protection. Something to keep in mind: make sure to not swing your arm too far out from your body because your control over arm will weaken, as well as the power of your hit. When you get comfortable throwing a rear hook, you can switch your stance, apply the same method to a lead hook, work on strength or speed of the hit.