Introducing the hook (diary entry)

30.04.14

The third part of our boxing cross-training lesson began with revision on footwork, coordinating hand and feet movement, the jab and the cross.  I paid attention to moving the body as a whole unit to the targets at different ranges. This included dropping the whole body to jab low and shifting forward when a struck target moved away. We then worked the bag with some speed exercises, and practised with a bicycle inner-tube (improvised resistance band). The inner-tube helps the striker move their body along the right planes of motion, strengthening the correct muscle groups in the correct direction.

I then introduced the hook. This technique is the stylized western boxing expression of the self-defence technique of the same name. Again, I looked at the correct waist distribution and torqueing of the oblique muscles. Torso rotations joined my client’s list of functional fitness exercises.

As mentioned in my report on this client’s previous lesson, I try to keep technical repetitions down to short bursts to prevent bad habits from becoming ingrained. A common problem with any technique is neglecting defence and we were able to address this a lot today.