Is it fair to say for most people the left hook is something you just have or don't.

Dude I went to a foot doctor, and he was shocked at how flat my feet were

When he saw them his face kinda dropped and he was like “oh no.”

After concentrating on it for a year though, I did get a lot got better at working on my left foot. But still, there’s a certain amount of pressure i just can’t put on it.

 

Exactly.

And why didn't Morrison or Fraizer have every other punch nailed down like they're left hook? Tis a gift...

 

Actually Morrison had KO power in both hands. It's just that the left hook being closer and shorter is a higher percentage KO. Mike Tyson same thing.

 

Oh I agree, it's just that his left was VERY bloody good.

 

Might depend on what your standard is for a "good hook." "Good" as in something that would stand out next to other pro boxers? If so, I agree...but that’s true for any punch, really.

 

Most people can hit hard with the hook if they do everything right and they learn to transfer their weight. People who transfer their weight from the front foot to the back will probably have a good hook, people who leave their weight on the front foot probably won't. A lot of people don't transfer their weight to the rear, so their hook is little more than a jab.
I saw Deontay Wilder throw an exaggerated hook (maybe in his last fight?). His front foot was off the ground and ALL of his weight was on the rear foot. Of course that causes balance problems and if he misses he is wide open. But he got away with it, it landed, and, with all of his weight behind it. Wouldn't recommend that, but it worked that time.

 

In my experience, the hook is the punch least likely to be "natural".

 

agree, I've never seen anybody throw a good hook without being taught. Most people hear "hook" and assume it is a wide, looping, "movie" type punch. They are surprised to learn what it really is.

 

Well its a bit like a swinging gate that slams shut not a swinging type of arm. Mostly in the hips and shoulders, I think. They say turn your foot inward as you throw it, recommended but that's footwork that can screw with your balance and not for everyone.

I have seen guys with limited technique jolt a heavy with thud with their raw left hook, just by leaning into the blow.

The other left hook, with I'm not talking about is the Pivoting variety that move you out of range from the opponent. Mayweather did this well.

 

I like this analogy. I think it's the turning of the hip that really gets the force into it. I think of it as a whip cracking, and my knuckles are the part of the whip that strikes. I reckon the reason some people say to turn your foot is that not everyone can turn their hip effectively without turning their foot too (depends on your flexibility).

 

Everybody starts out like that

 

Took me 3 god damn years to learn how to hook properly and it still isn't where i'd like it to be but a lot better than everybody else's. I focused almost entirely on perfecting my jab and my right hand because those were the punches I would throw most especially at the amateur level

 

I don't know if this is an old wives tale or a fact but supposedly if you do something correctly 10,000 times you'll become an expert at it. If that's true then if you could throw 300 hooks correctly each day in less than 2 months you ought to have a very decent hook. That's a lot of work though, possible but you wouldn't have any time for anything else.
What I did was arrive at the boxing club as soon as the door opened and threw hooks on everything I could; heavy bag, hand pads, impact shield, body protector. After I went home, I'd shadow box focusing on the hook and sometimes hit a balloon with the hook.

 

Darkrobot, A simple way of understanding it. Think running tracks, they are all anti clockwise, to suite the majority of people Right Eyed dominant. Left eyed dominant people, cant run bends over a 200 metres race, sprint. Simply because the dominant leg is on the inside, which has a slightly longer Gait, so losing stability in movement. There are ways to overcome it, but not a very good way for Boxing.

 

Remember an old pro at the gym I started out at taught me that simple bit of advice...transferring my weight on to my rear foot.
Feels such a natural punch for me now after my early struggles with it