The hook is a curved punch thrown with the lead or rear hand, with the elbow bent at roughly a right angle and the body rotating behind it. The power comes from the pivot of the feet, hips and torso, not from swinging the arm. It trains the shoulders, arms and especially the obliques and core.
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4
Sets
20
Reps
Bodyweight
Equipment
8.00
Cal/min
🎯 Muscles Worked
🎯
Primary
Arms, Core
📋 How To Perform Kickboxing — Hook
1
Stand in your fighting stance, guard up.
2
Rotate your lead hip and shoulder as you swing your lead arm in a horizontal arc.
3
Keep your elbow bent at roughly 90° throughout the punch.
4
Return to guard immediately after the strike.
5
Generate power from hip rotation, not just your arm.
💡 Benefits of Kickboxing — Hook
Builds rotational core strength, shoulder endurance and punching power, and improves the coordination between the feet and the upper body. It is a key close-range punch and is often combined with the jab and cross to form longer combinations.
📈 Sets, Reps & Programming
Do 3 to 4 rounds of 2 minutes, throwing lead hooks and rear hooks at half speed first. Practise slow turns of the hips and feet, then build speed. Rest 60 seconds between rounds, and add a bag only once the form is stable.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Swinging the arm wide without turning the body
Dropping the elbow below the fist
Leaning the head to the side and losing balance
Leaving the other hand away from the chin
✅ Pro Tips
Keep the elbow level with the fist and rotate through the hips and torso
Pivot the front foot as the hook lands
Bring the hand back to the guard immediately
🛡️ Safety Notes
Keep the wrist firm and straight on contact and wrap the hands before hitting a bag. Avoid forcing a wide arc if the shoulder feels tight, and stop if you feel pain in the shoulder or elbow.
🔁 Progressions & Regressions
Make it harderuse a heavy bag, or combine jab-cross-hook with a slip.
Make it easierslow shadow hooks with focus on hip rotation.
Mostly the obliques, shoulders and chest, along with the core and legs, which supply the rotation and balance behind the punch.
Why does my hook feel weak?
It is usually because the arm swings without the body rotating, so focus on turning the feet, hips and torso together and keep the elbow bent and level.
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