Lead left hooks,how do you stop from telegraphing it

[purecyse]

I've always figured that if you keep your hands moving, jab pumping and throw in feints, you can hit most gym fighters with just about anything.

Once someone has to start guessing what you're going to throw, they start having to deal with avoiding/ blocking your punch AND throwing the proper counter.

If you're worried about being countered, stop throwing in singles.

Some solid jabs should lead to your jab feints being respected. The jab feints will allow you to shift your weight more onto you front foot to put some weight behind that hook.

I try to throw the lead hook off feints after stepping around a bit so, unless I totally whiff it somehow, I can wrap them up if they block or slip it and I can hit them with a straight if it lands solidly.

The forward weight shift and how far down people drop their hand before throwing the punch are the easiest signs to pick up on. The fact that everything about your stance now looks like you're about to try something new is another.

The first two signs will have you leaping onto a right hand, the last one puts people completely on guard so you have no real chance to land it.

[cameronpaul]

wait...wait...wait...wait...bam! thats how you throw a lead left hook

[Layzie Kidd]

You practice it first by absolutely in no way ****ing it back. Try throwing it with absolutely none of that.

What youll notice is that after a while youll be throwing it, then your body will naturally adjust itself to move the body first and then your arm will lock into position without moving and it will line up with the side of your body to deliver to the target. Its almost like just rotating your shoulder then everything falls into place. Once you learn to do it that way you'll also will be able to throw it out of sight so good that when you lead with ti they wont be able to tell whats coming at them. The natural alignment of your body will also allow a harder hook.

After you learn that then just do what you normally do. Step in>Bob/Slip>Hook Itll be out of sight since youre close theyll have trouble seeing it.

[sammiza567]

i love a lead hook but only once ive timed the guy. first few rounds i will only lead with the hook if i catch him in a feint or if i can time his right hand.

[NearHypnos]

Basically establish a jab to the point that you could feint with them and hope your hook is good enough and your leg speed good enough to close the distance with it. You could also feint with the right shoulder to make it look like it's going to be a lead right, which actually puts your left shoulder a little more forward and closer to land without having to leap towards. Floyd and Martinez (whos a southpaw, but still same type of thing) do this.

Overall there's a lot of good tips here, but a lot also depends on how competent you are.

[deejd]

Originally Posted by Bushbaby

IMO, if you're gonna throw lead left hooks, you should already be on the inside. Throwing it from distance is dangerous. A hook by definition is a short punch.

Okay, Bush....

Originally Posted by #1Assassin

its so quick they often flinch at the feints. so i bend my legs like im stepping in with a jab to the body but come up with a lead hook to the head instead.

Originally Posted by IdNod4u2

A-lAH Floyd.......Throw a feint half a jab and loop it into a hook.

Seeing a pattern here? If not, think back to the last time two in-fighters jab it out in close quarters; shouldn't be that hard, right?

Originally Posted by Larry.X.

Well when i think of lead punches i think of fighting at a distance

Originally Posted by purecyse

Some solid jabs should lead to your jab feints being respected. The jab feints will allow you to shift your weight more onto you front foot to put some weight behind that hook.

I try to throw the lead hook off feints after stepping around a bit so, unless I totally whiff it somehow, I can wrap them up if they block or slip it and I can hit them with a straight if it lands solidly.

Originally Posted by sammiza567

i love a lead hook but only once ive timed the guy. first few rounds i will only lead with the hook if i catch him in a feint or if i can time his right hand.

Wait, Bush... you said right hands were distance punches, correct? Apparently, this guy needs distance via feinting with the jab or timing his opponents right hand in order to throw his lead left hook? Go figure, he needs space to pull off that particular punch... that can't be right, he needs to be under his opponents nose to throw a lead hook.

Originally Posted by NearHypnos

Basically establish a jab to the point that you could feint with them and hope your hook is good enough and your leg speed good enough to close the distance with it. Floyd and Martinez do this.

Bush, this guy, who actually gets in a boxing ring, clearly doesn't know what he's doing. He's using leg speed to justify closing the distance to throw a lead hook; this can't be right! I mean, he even goes on to name two of the top three p4p fighters who just so happen to have zero clue how to throw lead punches. Bush, school these kids on how to throw a lead hook.

[jim9097]

As many others have already pointed out; use a feint. Then I like to move inside at a 45 to get close enough to make it effective. Keep in mind this is a pretty aggressive move. You have to know how your opponent will react to the feint. If they don't back out you don't have to move to much on the 45. If the are jumpy you will have to compensate and move just as much plus more.

[deejd]

Bump......

[deejd]

bump again...

[PED Salesman]

I'm not knocking fainting jabs or right hands to initiate a left hook, as most have mentioned already. All good solid techniques.

But you could also simply take a quick step with your left foot, transferring some weight onto it. Once you have some weight on the front foot, you have several options to finish the motion. If the opponent stays in front of you, you can throw the lead left hook (it'll be crisper because you took the step to make the angle tighter) or a short/mid-range right hand. If he tries to step back, you can throw a long right hand to follow him. If you don't see any opportunities you like, you can push back off of that left foot and get back to a longer distance. So from that little step, you have so many options, and your opponent doesn't know which one is coming.

Look at videos of Roy Jones. That's how he got away with leading power punches without feinting. But you have to practice pulling the trigger on whatever opportunity your opponent gives you at that particular time, and doing it in milliseconds. Sometimes it'll be a lead left hook, and sometimes it won't.

The best way to throw a lead hook without telegraphing it is to not "plan" to throw it beforehand. Just wait for the opening to present itself.