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

[Steakeater**]

im not trying to say the punch remains vertical the whole time. Just from beginning until impact, through impact the punch turns over facing the palm horizontal. See pics, maybe that helps. De la Hoya, Tyson, and Frasier all could be argued as having the best left hooks. (Floyd, Malignaggi, Holyfield, were pretty damn good as well.)

At Impact:

Through impact to follow through:

[

exactly

the reason people feel uncomfortable doing it is because they are not twisting their head and shoulders in enough

 

[ssullivan80]

I agree with everything you said except the "Arlovski" part...lol...I don't think Freddie taught him the flying knee so you can't blame him for that.

Good Point! Andre's boxing looked excellent. I am sure Freddie didnt take into account Andre flying in the air and throwing a knee while he had Fedor backed into the corner, after being caught with a couple good punches

 

[1Strike]

I was taught , which ever way felt more natural and comfortable to the individual was the way for them to throw it.

I throw my hooks vertical (with my palm facing in , not down).

 

[sethk]

the technique shown by ssullivan80 with the picture sequences is exactly the "proper" way to throw a left hook. verticle fist through impact then turned over during the follow- through phase.

 

[ssullivan80]

Left hook I punch vertical (thumb up top). Overhand right and right hooks my fist is horizontal. I think its just a matter of preference and what you feel comfortable with. I've been taught to do it differently by different people.

overhand right would be a punch that the fist may be more horizontal, giving the punch arcs over the top and snaps or pushes through like a cross. But a right hook, in terms of technique with the fist placement is identical to the left. Your just pivoting off your rear leg more vs your front. If your fist is getting horizontal on a right hook, my guess would be that your reaching for the hook with your arm vs. moving your body into your opponent and throwing it.

All right hooks. The last photo with Klitchko is an overhand right, you can see that the punch came over the top of Samuels gloves and is more horizontal.

 

[memanuel**]

I have had 2 striking coaches since I started training when I was 18. One taught us to throw a hook with your thumb toward your face with your palm down. The other taught us to throw it with your thumb up and your palm facing your face.

I see a lot of both in MMA. Off the top of my head, Gouviea KO'd Lambert with a hook like the first I mentioned and Diego dropped Riggs with a hook thrown the same way. On the other hand, Lambert KO'd Babalu with a hook thrown with the thumb up.

I asked my Thai coach why he teaches us to throw with the thumb up because this was unusual to me at the time. He explained that if you throw it with your palm down and just clip your opponent's chin, you are hitting with the smaller bones of your third and fourth fingers. If you throw it with your thumb up and clip the chin, you are hitting him with the larger bones of your first and second fingers.

Does this seem accurate to you? It makes perfect sense to me but to see a very refined striker like Wilson throwing a hook with his palm down brings me to ask all of you with striking training how you were taught to throw a hook.

 

[vjvj]

You can do either. My previous boxing coach used both; one for short hooks and the other for long hooks.

 

[Steakeater**]

Fist parallel to the ground, especially if you shift your upperbody towards it. I was taught not to hook from the outside

 

[skey91***]

I was always told to pretend like you are holding s coffee mug if that helps.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

search on google, how to throw a right hook punch.

 

[fightscience19]

thumb up for in close, short hooks. this activates your bicep and allows you to snap with more power. palm down for long, elusive hooks

 

[zombiejitsu***]

Attach to fishing line. Cast.

 

[thirteen]

I've changed from horizontal to vertical fist with my left hook.
Feels better for me.

 

[memanuel**]

I was always told to pretend like you are holding s coffee mug if that helps.

My Thai coach always says "Don't spill your beer." So this makes sense.

 

[ghost scribble]

You can do either. My previous boxing coach used both; one for short hooks and the other for long hooks.

i learned like that too.

with my left (ortho) short hooks I go palm down, longer hooks i go thumb up

with my right i pretty much always go palm down

 

[DrunkMonkMeth]

i was taught to throw it with my thumb up.. and then twist it at the last moment to ahve my thumb pointing towards me... i do it liek this wheni hit the pads.. or shadow box.. but when i hit a heavy bag.. i do it the coffee mug way, just feels right on a bag lol

 

[dpg1988]

My old coach said that your palm parallel to the ground wrecks your shoulder and I find this to be somewhat true, the coffee mug seems far more sturdy on the shoulder and can get more hip into it. Guys throwing punches parallel to the ground look more fluid I think too.

 

[osiris431]

palm down generates more power, but you can use your reach with thumb up. see rampage chuck 2 for the thumb up long reach hook. as for the right, i just throw an overhand lol

 

[mschatz]

I turn my hook over (palm down), but there are great coaches and fighters who use both styles.

 

[ktrp]

Both are used lots, neither is 'wrong'.

I believe the palm facing you is marginally more 'orthodox'.

My boxing coach likes that vertical fist, he said he likes it because you can land it without your elbow being as high without screwing your wrist up. I think with a horizontal fist, you might hit a little harder but you really have to get the elbow up and in line or you'll hurt yourself, and of course you're a little more open to body shots that way.