Week 3 — Hooks — The arm bends for the first time — hooks turn last week's straight lines into a full sentence, the 1-2-3.

The arm bends for the first time — hooks turn last week's straight lines into a full sentence, the 1-2-3.

Week 3 — Hooks

Boxing
Course week 3 · Beginner
60 min
Beginner course intake of 8–20
1 coach
Effort 3/5
Boxing gym floor
beginners
course
hooks
combinations
pads

The MatPlans curriculum teamBJJ black belts & coaches · 12+ yrs on the mat

Kit: Wraps and gloves for all, one pair of focus pads per pair, spot markers, timer or bell.

Warm-up10 min

Two Weeks in Ten Minutes

Setup: Wraps on, grid of spot markers out. The warm-up is the whole course so far, compressed.

How it works: One minute rebuilding the stance, one compass round with the guard glued on, then two shadow rounds of straight punches only: round one jabs on the move, round two 1-2s, half speed rising to honest speed. Walk the rows the whole time. The hips get extra prep tonight — add hip circles and slow trunk rotations between rounds, because hooks live in the hips.

Rounds: 2 × 2 min shadow, 30s rest, mobility between

What to say

“Every jab still travels its corridor twice — out and back on one line.”
“Rear heel lifts on every cross — I am watching feet tonight, not fists.”
“Loose shoulders through the rotations — hooks come from hips, and stiff hips steal them.”

Easier

One shadow round instead of two, all at half speed.

Harder

Second shadow round in front of the mirror, self-checking the guard after every 1-2.

Drill12 min

Technical — The Lead Hook

Setup: Semi-circle, gloves off for the build. Demo side-on and front-on — the hook is the first punch they cannot copy from the front alone, because the power is in the pivot they can only see from the side.

How it works: Build it dead slow on your count, arm shape first without any turn, then the pivot alone without any arm, then the two married together. Ten slow, ten half speed, ten sharp. The elbow comes up as the fist travels — arm like a gate swinging level. Circle and fix: the fault of the night will be arm-swinging without the foot pivot, and the fix is always the same words — turn the foot, the fist follows.

The technique, step by step

From stance: weight shifts slightly onto the lead foot.
Pivot the lead foot inward on the ball, heel swinging out — hip and shoulder turn with it.
The lead arm swings level, elbow bent near ninety degrees, elbow up behind the fist.
Fist travels palm-down or thumb-up — pick one for the room and keep it all course.
Snap back to guard as the foot pivots home to stance.

Key details

The hook is a turn, not a swing — the arm holds its shape and the body does the moving.
Everything stays short: short arc, short range, short recovery.

Common mistakes

Winding up behind the shoulder before throwing — everyone in the gym can see it coming, and the guard opens while it loads.
Straightening the arm mid-punch — that is a slap, and slaps hurt the slapper.

What to say

“Pivot the lead foot like squashing a bug — heel out, hip follows, fist arrives last.”
“Elbow up level with the fist — a dropping elbow turns the hook into a slap.”
“Short range punch — if your arm straightens, you were too far away to throw it.”
“Chin stays behind the rear glove while the hook works.”

Easier

Pivot drills without punching until the foot turn is automatic; hook only in the air, no pads yet.

Harder

Double up — two lead hooks on one pivot rhythm, head then body height.

Drill12 min

Technical — Rear Hook and the 1-2-3

Setup: Same shape, shorter build — the rear hook is the lead hook's mirror and they have the pivot idea now. Then the night's real prize: chaining all three punches.

How it works: Build the rear hook quickly on your count: rear foot pivots, hip fires through, elbow up, short arc. Then chain the course so far: jab measures, cross turns one way, lead hook turns back the other — the 1-2-3, the most natural rhythm in boxing because each punch loads the next. Ten dead slow feeling the weight shift side to side, ten half speed, ten honest. Finish with a minute of free shadow, 1-2-3 only.

The technique, step by step

Jab — snap out and back, weight easing forward.
Cross — rear heel lifts, hips turn to the lead side, hand straight down the middle.
Lead hook — hips whip back the other way, lead foot pivots, short level arc.
Guard home, feet home — read your stance like a report card.

Common mistakes

Pausing after the 2 to reset — the hook must borrow the cross's turn or it arrives cold.
All arms and no legs by punch three — if the hook is weak, the feet stopped working, not the arm.

What to say

“The cross loads the hook — the hips turn one way, then whip back the other.”
“One breath out through all three punches — bap-bap-bap, not bap, bap, bap.”
“Guard rebuilds after the 3 before your eyes go admiring — hooks leave you closest to the reply.”
“Keep all three at the same target height first — head-body mixing comes later in the course.”

Easier

Drill 2-3 alone — cross then lead hook — until the hip whip appears, then add the jab in front.

Harder

1-2-3 then a step-drag out at an angle — punch, then leave by the side door.

The rest of this lesson is free — along with 3 more this week.

MatPlans curriculum team

Free on MatPlans — new lessons weekly.