Muay Thai and Body Hooks

[disgruntled]

so at class last night my partner was throwing body hooks to me for a drill, but i found that he left his head really exposed.... i have noticed this a lot with students when they throw the body hook. i ask one of the senior members that was helping class how you can prevent being so exposed and his answer is that you cannot, so you just have to be fast.......... well i am sorry, but i do not accept that answer. i think that if you have good technique you should not be putting yourself in a vulnerable position. i think that it is more likely that he either does not know how (although he was pretty gaurded when he threw body hooks, so i think he just can't explain it) or he did not understand my question...... suggestions for how to throw a good body hook?

[sirdarksol]

Body hook?
Unsure of what that is, though it could just be a difference in naming. Please describe.

[jackg]

Originally Posted by sirdarksol

Body hook?
Unsure of what that is, though it could just be a difference in naming. Please describe.

I hook like you would do to someone jaw but into their ribs/side.
Disgruntled I by be quick he might mean changing your distance I.e hook then step out ? or as you duck and weave do a hook? - you can still keep one hand to your face so I don't see why you would be any less guarded than you would when doing a haymaker for example.

[disgruntled]

yeah i see your point, but my partner was not ducking much and had one hand to one side of his face and the other to the ribs, leaving the side that he was punching with open. i think my partner has been studying MT longer than me, and i have always had questions about the technique in a body hook..... so i was not sure if he is doing it really wrong, or whether this is right and i just have to make a mental note that this is a weekness in the style (but i find that hard to believe).

personally i think that one hand should be up in front of the face (but not blocking vision) so that should you get hit at your hand can move a bit more to block. and when you duck, the body should be more "compacted" (?) or like a ball to be more defensive..... with out some sort of good defense i cannot see how a person does not get hit with a cross every time they body hook (unless they are really close range).

[sirdarksol]

Ok. I get it. We don't use many hooking punches in karate, so I was thinking of hook kicks, which are really easy to continue to protect your head, as long as you can keep your guard up.

Anyway, I think that this is a matter of setup. Leave your opponent in a position where he/she can't deliver a blow to your head fast enough.

Of course, getting to that point is the hard part.

[Shirindo]

Agrred. I would normally throw this kind of shot when my opponent has thrown a punch on the corresponding side. Make them overshoot or slip the puch, this not only means that hand is not there to punch but also tightens up the muscles down that side to give you more effect to your hook punch.

If I have got your meaning correct that is.

[Rageng]

It sounds like your partners was lowering his fist, wrist and elbow to find his target... leaving the left side of his face exposed.

What I was taught and how I fight is that when throwing a hook to the body, the position of my upper body is the same as if I’m punching to the head. To actually hit my opponent’s body, I bend my legs, doing a squatting motion, staying low while pivoting my feet & rotating my hips.
My right hand is protecting the right side of my face & chin. The left side of my chin is protected by tucking against my left shoulder and my forearm is directly in front of my face.

Seeing / using a boxing style hook to the body is quite rare in Muay Thai, I believe, because knees and body kicks score points and tend to do more damage.

[disgruntled]

yeah i think you are right, my partner was just not bendng the knees enough.... something i know i need to work on as well!

yeah using hooks to the body is a little more rare in sparring because there are so many easier options.... i think that is why we practice that combo a lot, so we will be comfortable using it when we can.

in martial arts there are two sayings:

1) where the head goes the body will follow

and the one that applies to the body hooks:

2) kill the body and the head will follow

[chokdee]

throw the body hooks when he shells.
while you are throwing any punch you are exposed it is all a game of risk and percentage, watch a video of thai's it one throws jab cross they parry it and kick to the ribs, it is all a game of speed and thinking.
Like chess but faster and in your mind with your body.

[disgruntled]

Originally Posted by chokdee

throw the body hooks when he shells.
while you are throwing any punch you are exposed it is all a game of risk and percentage, watch a video of thai's it one throws jab cross they parry it and kick to the ribs, it is all a game of speed and thinking.
Like chess but faster and in your mind with your body.

from a shell can't they just lift an elbow and get you in the face as you go into do the body hook? granted, the elbow would not have much power that way, but it is still an elbow to the face which i imagine is unpleasant.

personally i am tempted to keep the non punching hand just infront of my face (not blocking my vision) to keep me safe.