Hello all, I'm a fairly experienced boxer, have a few fights under my belt, and I've been having some trouble lately and wanted to see if I could get some advice.

Lately during sparring, I've been having trouble throwing left hooks early in a combination. Whether it's leading with the left hook, throwing it off a jab or whatever, I've been feeling really hesitant about letting it go. I have been sparring with a fighter whose a really solid counter puncher and has caught me with a lot of straight rights, and I'm guessing that's been part of the problem. Usually when I lead with it, the following two punches I can land. How do you all set up a left hook early in the combination. I'll usually try and use head movements and feints, but I've just been so hesitant lately. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hello all, I'm a fairly experienced boxer, have a few fights under my belt, and I've been having some trouble lately and wanted to see if I could get some advice.

Lately during sparring, I've been having trouble throwing left hooks early in a combination. Whether it's leading with the left hook, throwing it off a jab or whatever, I've been feeling really hesitant about letting it go. I have been sparring with a fighter whose a really solid counter puncher and has caught me with a lot of straight rights, and I'm guessing that's been part of the problem. Usually when I lead with it, the following two punches I can land. How do you all set up a left hook early in the combination. I'll usually try and use head movements and feints, but I've just been so hesitant lately. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


This was a huge thing, hell, still is for me. I had to learn to let it go, and once I got hit, I altered it a bit, and changed a bit little by little. Learned when to do it, when to not, how to set it up, how to get him to react correctly. Just keep throwing it on the bag till you feel comfortable with it. Step in, back, feint, throw it on the bag, try to set it up like the bag is an opponent, you know how it goes.

This is what I learned, again, this is just me, I could be wrong.

When you do it and you get hit, you didn't do it wrong, you just learned a way that doesnt work for the situation, so you keep experimenting till you get it. Thomas Edison said he never failed, he just had 10,000 ways to not make a light bulb, you dig?

Yeah I feel it. I throw it on the bag all the time, and am comfortable with it. I don't mind getting hit a all, I guess I should just keep trying to work it out and throwing it at the right time. I'll never know unless I try. I jab a loooot and being able to throw it early more often would really help me be able to mix things up. Thanks for the insight.

try throwing a jab,then step to the left and boom throw a left hook:boxing:

I teach my young fighters NOT to lead with a left hook early on in their training because of this very reason.

While the left hook is a great punch (my fav) it also leaves you open naturally. I like to throw the left hook while inside, elbow up. That doesn't leave you open and tucks your chin behind your elbow.

Try jabbing in, or throwing the lead right hand before you throw your own left hook. A great way to throw it is after you slipped a punch, especially a right hand or left hook.

Like I said, a lead left hook isn't what I would teach as a trainer, it can leave you wide open even if you have a lot of speed.

if a lead left hook is thrown with accuracy it usually does a lot of damage:boxing:

if a lead left hook is thrown with accuracy it usually does a lot of damage:boxing:

Any punch can but it's not something you want someone who is having trouble with throw. Lead left hooks as well as lead right hands are traditionally punches that can leave you open.

That's not to say don't throw them, just you have to have confidence, speed, timing in order to do them.

I teach my young fighters NOT to lead with a left hook early on in their training because of this very reason.

While the left hook is a great punch (my fav) it also leaves you open naturally. I like to throw the left hook while inside, elbow up. That doesn't leave you open and tucks your chin behind your elbow.

Try jabbing in, or throwing the lead right hand before you throw your own left hook. A great way to throw it is after you slipped a punch, especially a right hand or left hook.

Like I said, a lead left hook isn't what I would teach as a trainer, it can leave you wide open even if you have a lot of speed. Good post Cuauhtemoc !!

But, if someone is hell bent on throwng lead power punches. I suggest that it's better to throw those lead power punches as a counter, rather than an offensive move !!

For example: It's difficult to execute lead power punches when an opponent is backing away.



What most folks don't realize when they're watching fighters who are successful with throwing lead power punches, such as RJJ, Frazier, PAC and ***** is that, the reason they have success with it, is because they have great timing, those lead punches work because they capitalized on a mistake their opponents made. And, some guys simply don't belong in the same ring with those guys.

I never lead with a hook but I have a few combos that set up left hooks that are pretty successful. BTW I'm short and very heavy for my height so these rely on mostly getting real close and taking advantage of a short range power advantage

1) jab, snappy lead hook: weak but turns the head so you can step in for a crushing bodyshot

2)jab high, right cross to body left hook to head: (KO/KD potential), and they rarely see it coming. if you land the right cross to the body you're pretty much gna hit with the hook too.

3) right hook to body left hook to head: great combo if you're in close or have them cornered (KO/KD potential).. also I think tyson once said in an interview it was his favourite combo lol

throw a jab or two and then bob and weave and boom explode with your left hook like tyson

practice and consistency is the key

i

its good to use when u catch a shot on ur gloves.
throw it after you land your right hand.
also after when ducking hooks counter with it and get a knockout.

Hello all, I'm a fairly experienced boxer, have a few fights under my belt, and I've been having some trouble lately and wanted to see if I could get some advice.

Lately during sparring, I've been having trouble throwing left hooks early in a combination. Whether it's leading with the left hook, throwing it off a jab or whatever, I've been feeling really hesitant about letting it go. I have been sparring with a fighter whose a really solid counter puncher and has caught me with a lot of straight rights, and I'm guessing that's been part of the problem. Usually when I lead with it, the following two punches I can land. How do you all set up a left hook early in the combination. I'll usually try and use head movements and feints, but I've just been so hesitant lately. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

can give you 2 tips.

1. Make him respect your right hand because you can slightly feint the right hand and quickly whip your left hook around his guard.

2. Setup off the jab. hit him with a few stiff jabs and when you know he will block the jab, you can either stop just before contact and turn it into a hook or you can tap him which can even cause him to bring up his guard out of reflect then hook around the guard.

ILike I said, a lead left hook isn't what I would teach as a trainer, it can leave you wide open even if you have a lot of speed.

i have to respectfully disagree it is way more about timing than speed. you dont need to be an exceptionally fast fisted fighter to use any punch as long as you let the punch go at the right time and do the right things after you throw it.

well, far too many "experts" on here for me to say much. some, though, isnt bad advice. you can tell guys who have experience from ones who don't by what they say.

well, i will just throw my 2 pennies in on a method to help your left hook's power.

treat it like lifting heavy furniture. keep it close, and if you are farther away, let it "grow" out from the torso. if not done that way, you lose power significantly. you also telegraph much more if you dont rotate it off of your body.

Lead left hooks can be devestating if executed properly. It is a move that I would reccomend works particularly well against southpaws. As already mentioned in this thread, leading with a hook can be a risky move and it can leave you open for a counter right hand. However it is also a great tool to catch your oppenent off guard as he is not likely to be expecting a lead left hook.

My advice would be to those considering using a lead hook is to keep it short and not wide because if it is wide it will be telegraphed and easily avoided or countered by a decent fighter. However if it isn't wide it may be wrongly seen as a jab and the fighter may try to catch/block it but instead be hit with your hook on the side of their head. This is why it is also a good idea to feint a jab then throw a hook. Another thing to consider when using lead power shots is to not do them to often. They are great for tricking your opponent and catching him off balance once or twice but overusing them can lead to being countered yourself.

Hope this helps
Stef.L

Go with cuaht's advice. Lead left is fairly dangerous until you're fluid with it. Work off the jab or try to counter with it and you will be successful. Also shadowbox as often as possible with some combo's with the left hook in it. Here's some of my favorites.

1-3-2 the hook in this one is thrown more to set up the 2 but still effective.
1-2-3-2
1-1-2(body)-3(head) this one is awesome if they're backing up or even coming forward.
2-3-2 this one can really punish them especially as a counter.

Lead left hooks can be devestating if executed properly. It is a move that I would reccomend works particularly well against southpaws. As already mentioned in this thread, leading with a hook can be a risky move and it can leave you open for a counter right hand.

you're not wrong there, the hardest I've ever been hit was a counter right to my wide lead hook

you're not wrong there, the hardest I've ever been hit was a counter right to my wide lead hook
Tell me about it man! Still, its the only way we learn, by paying for our mistakes!

usually, only boxers with good hand speed get away with a lead left hook

that's pretty much all i have to say

the only way I've made it work with any power is the jones jr jump-in tight hook. Still, its like a superman punch.. not something you should do alot

I teach my young fighters NOT to lead with a left hook early on in their training because of this very reason.

While the left hook is a great punch (my fav) it also leaves you open naturally. I like to throw the left hook while inside, elbow up. That doesn't leave you open and tucks your chin behind your elbow.

Try jabbing in, or throwing the lead right hand before you throw your own left hook. A great way to throw it is after you slipped a punch, especially a right hand or left hook.

Like I said, a lead left hook isn't what I would teach as a trainer, it can leave you wide open even if you have a lot of speed.

Ey cuauhtemoc, where do you train? I see you live in miami and I'm looking for a new gym....