Left Hook- palms down or facing inward?

[Mohak]

Originally Posted by Kieran

I throw them thumb up and elbow down. Originally I used the more traditional elbow right up and palm down but found this slow and painfull on the shoulder. Once I switched I started landing hooks far more regularly, I think you don't see it coming as much.

The hooks in this video of Ike Quartey training are a good example of what I mean:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Edit: forgot to add the reason for my post. I wanted to get coaches opinions of hooking like this. Is it technically wrong? My coach prefers the more traditional way but I figure if it feels natural and is more effective then it can't be bad. I just wanted some more input.

Love this clip.

[Jerry]

I find that the type of hook I throw is in relation to how high my target is. If they are tall and leaning back I like palms in. I feel that extends the power away from me a bit better if I have to reach. If they are my size and up close I put the palms down because it pulls the power back to my chest better. I wasn't trained to do this either way, it just happens naturally, and I'm only a low-level tough-man style fighter. I'm just chiming in with what I feel works.

[Jerry]

I tried palm down on the bag tonight because Achilles said it was a good idea and the dude's pretty smart. I was able to generate a lot more pressure on the inside knuckle, while I may still use palm in on some head shots I think for a painful body shot palm down is the way to go. I've quit throwing body shots except for flare in my past few fights because they just didn't seem to be doing any damage, and my fights are too short to use the shots to wear them down. I think turning my palm down on the hooks may have been the trick I needed. I actually walked away from the bag with sore knuckles..I don't pack a lot of power so normally that doesn't happen.

Keep in mind I was throwing these shots short and very close, both right and left.

[boxon123]

I have a couple of question .Why is the hook to the body not thrown with the thumb down? This is more a challenge than a question Hold your left hand about 18inches in front of your face Then try which is the the strongest when someone pushes it in a few different directions .Thumb up or thumb down.

[achillesthegreat]

Hook to the body is thrown with palm up by about 45 degrees. Body shots you turn under, head shots you turn over.

[scrap]

Thumb up keeps the elbow in line with the knee when throwing Body shots, good Biomechanics.

[norfolkinchance]

no one has really mentioned what the greats do. watch any video of famous left hookers.

frazier, trinidad, jopnes, tua, tyson etc etc none of them hook palm down , it is all palm in. so therefore you have your answer i think.

[wayneflint]

Originally Posted by boxon123

Interesting! Evander Holyfield employed Weldon as his Balance Coach. And I think Holyfield may have used one of Weldon's moves to ko Buster Douglas(bounce forward bounce out and throw the right hand). Holyfield used the hook far more often that most fighters he uses the thumb up method.

Well there are flaws in the mans theorys then, anybody that knows anything about the human body and balance knows we are top heavy our heads is what tips us over, so to be leaning forward is going to make you off balance as your centre of gravity isnt big enough to maintain balance which most commonly is compensated for with a wider stance which means movement from this stance will be slow and awkward rather than controlled movement, now your using a series of controlled falls rather than a more controlled movement using your legs to drive off in a certain direction. wasted energy using muscles to stabilize in back and legs hams/glutes to compensate for the poor posture when you have a skeletal structure you can use properly to bear a lot of the weight instead thus saving energy, dont fight against your joints work with them, i could go on but you get the idea, leaning is counter productive in terms of balance which will effect striking and movement, to sum it all up you just cant drive off a foot as easy from the stance leaning will leave you with thus effecting your explosiveness, potential range, speed etc, etc. not to mention leaving you open to being spoon fed a nice uppercut.

[Ricky42791]

I consider myself a good left hooker, its my sunday punch anyway so I practice it the most and I've pondered myself which way is better palm up or palm down. If its a lunging hook from mid or long range i'd say palm in if its really close I throw it with my palm down very short and tight using my first two knuckles. The palm in is more of a clubbing hook IMO and the palm down is more of a sharp tight hook. the latter is more of a knockout punch because its hard to see coming and the knuckles hit the chin pretty flush. It takes longer to develop power from such a short distance. Jack Dempsey had two hooks one from mid-long range kind of a leaping left hook See 7th round vs Tunney the first shot he hit him with in the combo before dropping him and for the short hook see Dempsey vs Sharkey the hook he hit him with was short traveled 4-6 inches but lifted Sharkey off his feet before he crashed down hard on his knees

[wordisbond]

Wow you bumped a 3 year old thread to answer my question.

[dempsey1234]

Originally Posted by Ricky42791

I consider myself a good left hooker, its my sunday punch anyway so I practice it the most and I've pondered myself which way is better palm up or palm down. If its a lunging hook from mid or long range i'd say palm in if its really close I throw it with my palm down very short and tight using my first two knuckles. The palm in is more of a clubbing hook IMO and the palm down is more of a sharp tight hook. the latter is more of a knockout punch because its hard to see coming and the knuckles hit the chin pretty flush. It takes longer to develop power from such a short distance. Jack Dempsey had two hooks one from mid-long range kind of a leaping left hook See 7th round vs Tunney the first shot he hit him with in the combo before dropping him and for the short hook see Dempsey vs Sharkey the hook he hit him with was short traveled 4-6 inches but lifted Sharkey off his feet before he crashed down hard on his knees

Ricky42791 This clip [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
which I sent you on your previous thread demonstrates that thumbs up palm facing chest hook. See how he stops and shows the kid the correct mechanic's of throwing that power hook. The trainers name is Flaco Castrejon, probably one of the most respected trainers in Mexico. That hook using the same mechanic's but whipping it up is a deadly left upper-cut
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

I dont know if you seen the last two vid's, but I send them so that other Left hook fan's can enjoy and maybe motivate someone to work harder in the gym.

[Ricky42791]

Originally Posted by dempsey1234

Ricky42791 This clip [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
which I sent you on your previous thread demonstrates that thumbs up palm facing chest hook. See how he stops and shows the kid the correct mechanic's of throwing that power hook. The trainers name is Flaco Castrejon, probably one of the most respected trainers in Mexico. That hook using the same mechanic's but whipping it up is a deadly left upper-cut
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

I dont know if you seen the last two vid's, but I send them so that other Left hook fan's can enjoy and maybe motivate someone to work harder in the gym.

Thanks! your the man! gotta love Ricardo Lopez so you believe that palm facing inwards is the way to go?

[dempsey1234]

Originally Posted by Ricky42791

Thanks! your the man! gotta love Ricardo Lopez so you believe that palm facing inwards is the way to go?

Well, this the way all of Nacho Beristian, trains all his fighters, to throw the hook. I dont know if you know of Nacho Beristian, probably the best trainer in Mexico, has made or worked with 15 world champions and a bunch of them are ATG's, and HOF's.
That first vid shows you the mechanic's and how to throw it, the best to see if it fits you is to try it the way Flaco is showing the kid. That vid shows the first time he has worked with the kid. The kid's name is Adam Lopez, a top rated amateur.
Are you pro or amateur?

[Ricky42791]

Originally Posted by dempsey1234

Well, this the way all of Nacho Beristian, trains all his fighters, to throw the hook. I dont know if you know of Nacho Beristian, probably the best trainer in Mexico, has made or worked with 15 world champions and a bunch of them are ATG's, and HOF's.
That first vid shows you the mechanic's and how to throw it, the best to see if it fits you is to try it the way Flaco is showing the kid. That vid shows the first time he has worked with the kid. The kid's name is Adam Lopez, a top rated amateur.
Are you pro or amateur?

Amateur, and yes I know of Nacho. He's a legend!

[Ricky42791]

Originally Posted by wordisbond

Wow you bumped a 3 year old thread to answer my question.

I was wondering what other people thought myself. Instead of making a new thread I searched and found this one and put in my two cents