The Hook Debate: Palm in or Palm down? (17 threads mashed together, have fun)

[Higus]

My take:
Palm down: A faster, more powerful punch. Less range, but less travel motion as well. Good for "sitting down on your punches", but makes you less mobile. Mechanically, your shoulder, elbow, forearm, and wrist is more parallel to the floor and punching power generated at the core translates more directly into the target.

Palm in: a punch with greater range and a wider arc. Mechanically harder to keep parallel to the ground; your wrist will probably be above your elbow, so some of the impact is lost at an upward angle. It's easier to stay mobile while throwing this kind of punch, so it's good for angling off or mixing in combinations.

They should be both be part of your arsenal.

 

[cshireman4]

My gym teaches palm in. Their reasoning is that if you catch someone with it palm in, the force of the strike will be equally distributed across the knuckles. If you throw a hook that falls short with your palm down, that's usually how you break the knuckle of the pinky taking all of the force in such a small area.

 

[PivotPunch]

My gym teaches palm in. Their reasoning is that if you catch someone with it palm in, the force of the strike will be equally distributed across the knuckles. If you throw a hook that falls short with your palm down, that's usually how you break the knuckle of the pinky taking all of the force in such a small area.

But ideally you aren't supposed to hit with all knuckles but just the one of your index and middle finger

 

[BigBoyBato]

4 punch combos, Palm down. 3 punch combos (ending with the hook) Palm in

 

[kshert]

But ideally you aren't supposed to hit with all knuckles but just the one of your index and middle finger

or the last three knuckles

 

[MB5161]

Take it from somebody with years of shoulder injuries-palm down puts more stress on your shoulders, and is the weaker punch for most people. Palm in forces your biceps and forearm muscles to help support the motion=less stress on your shoulders.

 

[EasternWind]

I do both. My lead hook is usually a palm down, while my back hook is palm in. It feels natural to me.
Thanks to whoever talked about the Bicep feel on palm down vs in

 

[cshireman4]

But ideally you aren't supposed to hit with all knuckles but just the one of your index and middle finger

From what I understand, there is no advantage to one over the other in the instance that a perfect punch lands (the two knuckles). In the event that it wasn't quite perfect, the distance, timing etc...Palm in would more evenly distribute the blow.

 

[Discipulus]

I don't really consciously practice either one. I used to only thrown palm in hooks for a while, they I started sitting my butt back farther and sometimes palm down are just more comfortable. It really depends on my position. In combinations, up tight... always palm down. If I'm ever trying to reach around the guard, palm in. I'll even throw palm down hooks to the body if I'm sat down and really twisted out to the left... I was surprised to find out how sharply they land.

This is more or less how I feel, though I've come to different conclusions than you. I always want to land cleanly and with the knuckles, so I just adjust my hook according to the distance and angle in order to make that happen. At long range, I go palm down to connect with the first knuckle. In close I go palm in to get both of my punching knuckles home. But then there are times in close where a palm down hook feels more natural, like if you need to come down over a shoulder to land.

 

[WillW]

another interesting thing is where your are supposed to land. There seems to be disagreement. Some say you should land with your last 3 knuckles, while others say you should land with the first 2 knuckles. Iv heard a lot of cases for both sides.

 

[The Don]

Palm down

 

[PivotPunch]

Palm down

But Tyson was throwing more of a straight because he needed that extra range. tyson usually threw hooks palm in you can clearly see it in videos of his bag and padwork and in most fights tyson punched palm in.
Yeah Hunt punches palm down.

It seems most guys here are taking sides which is just wrong I think now should be established that there are all kinds of different fighters throwing palm in and palm down it depends on each fighter.

 

[cshireman4]

This is more or less how I feel, though I've come to different conclusions than you. I always want to land cleanly and with the knuckles, so I just adjust my hook according to the distance and angle in order to make that happen. At long range, I go palm down to connect with the first knuckle. In close I go palm in to get both of my punching knuckles home. But then there are times in close where a palm down hook feels more natural, like if you need to come down over a shoulder to land.

I like this method. I guess I do kind of use the palm down when I dip my lead shoulder and throw a lead hook over the opponents jab. (I'm a southpaw so I throw the lead right hook over an orthodox jab) In close, as you said, the tight, palm in feels a lot cleaner/stronger to me.

 

[AllKickboxing]

So, I've heard, and read arguments about this and I just wanted to ask your opinion guys. Freddie Roach prefers the lead left hook where the palm faces down on the ground. It also seems to offer more cover. The palm in (Where the palm is facing towards you) however, seems to generate more power. I try to practice both, but the palm in is, at least for me, more comfortable and significantly more powerful.

What's your thoughts about it guys? Do you throw hooks with your palms facing the ground, or do throw them with your palms facing towards you? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?

Great question Aikidokia! I feel that the palm in hook incorporates more of the inside forearm muscle, which is where more power is generated than that of a palm down hook. The palm in hook also feels like a more natural motion to land a powerful hook by pulling the weight of the punch in towards me. What do you think?

 

[The Don]

Great question Aikidokia! I feel that the palm in hook incorporates more of the inside forearm muscle, which is where more power is generated than that of a palm down hook. The palm in hook also feels like a more natural motion to land a powerful hook by pulling the weight of the punch in towards me. What do you think?

Palm in hooks definitely feel more natural to me. Also feels more "solid" for a lack of a better word. So, I agree.

 

[xilliun]

Palm in. More elbow and wrist support since the musculature is in a more advantageous position, providing stability against the forces from a punch.

 

[AllKickboxing]

Palm in. More elbow and wrist support since the musculature is in a more advantageous position, providing stability against the forces from a punch.

Agreed! The palm in hook does feel better supported. Also, this video by JT Van V where he breaks down both types of hooks is well worth the watch.

[YT]xfOOdM0hJv4[/YT]

 

[Gregolian]

Palm in feels more comfortable for me and I always worry about shorting the punch with the palm down as I broke the bones on that portion of my hand years ago in school

 

[a guy]

I think in the end the point is that neither way is wrong or right. There is a proper way to throw a hook with the fist held either way, so it just comes down to personal preference.

 

[j123]

I was taught palm in so that's what I use; I do try palm down every now and then and feel like I get can more force with it

Just wondering, for those who favor palm down, do you do the same for body shots, or do you folks switch to palm in for those?