Parody site, just for fun. Robots doing martial arts for entertainment only. This is not a martial arts course, so please don't try the moves. Read the disclaimer

MartialArtsRobots.com

Punch lesson 3 of 6 Lead hand

Hook

A short, curved punch that comes in from the side. The arm stays bent like a hook and the whole body turns to swing it, which makes it hard to see coming. Tori throws the lead hook, the most common one.

Slow it down How it works

For entertainment only. A robot demo that explains how the punch works. It isn’t training or advice, so don’t try it on anyone. Disclaimer

Drawing: a sensei robot lands a hook on a sparring robot, and microchips fly from the impact.
Fist speed
—
Impact, est.
—
0.00 s

Now demonstrating

Hook

Slow motion

Frame by frame

Camera
Auto-pause after

    Keyboard, with the 3D view focused: Space pause and play, , and . step one frame back or forward, arrow keys turn the camera.

    Robot demo for entertainment only. Please don't try it on people, pets or yourself.

    At a glance

    What the hook is

    A curved punch from the side. Tori stands orthodox, with its left foot and left hand in front. A left-handed (southpaw) fighter mirrors everything on this page.

    Hand
    Lead hand here (Tori’s left); either hand can hook
    Target
    Side of the jaw and head
    Range
    Short to medium: close
    Path
    A level arc in from the side
    Arm
    Bent about 90°, elbow at shoulder height
    Power from
    The lead-foot pivot and the hips turning
    Fist at impact
    Thumb up (some coaches prefer palm down)
    Pad call
    “3”

    The arm itself hardly moves: it’s locked in its hook shape and the body turns it, like a gate swinging on its hinge.

    Step by step

    What Tori does, frame by frame

    These are the same steps as the buttons under the 3D view. Freeze Tori on any of them, then turn the camera to look from every side.

    1. Guard. Hands up, weight centred.

    2. Load. A small shift of weight onto the lead leg and a slight turn the other way, as the lead elbow starts to lift. It’s tiny: a big wind-up tells the opponent what’s coming.

    3. Swing. The lead heel lifts and the foot pivots, the hips and shoulders turn hard, and the bent arm travels round with the body.

    4. Land. The forearm is roughly level, the elbow at shoulder height, and the knuckles land on the side of the jaw. The rear hand is still at the chin.

    5. Return. The body turns back and the fist returns to the guard by the shortest route.

    6. Reset. The lead heel goes down and Tori is back in its stance.

    Diagram seen from above: the path of Tori’s fist in the hook, from Tori on the left to Uke on the right. TORI UKE lead fist: a level arc from the side body turns
    Seen from above: the fist travels along a flat arc from the outside in, round to the side of the target. The arc comes from the body turning, not from the arm swinging open.

    Watch it like a coach

    • Camera Top at ¼×: the arc, and how little the elbow angle changes.
    • Step frame by frame through Swing: the lead heel pivots before the fist lands.
    • Camera Close-up: the elbow at shoulder height and the thumb-up fist at impact.

    Where the power comes from

    From the floor to the fist

    A punch isn’t thrown by the arm alone. Each link passes the movement on to the next, from the feet up to the fist.

    1. Lead foot

      Pivots on the ball: the heel turns out.

    2. Hips

      Turn sharply and carry the upper body with them.

    3. Shoulders and arm

      Locked together: the arm doesn’t swing on its own, the body turns it.

    4. Fist

      Tight at impact; the elbow angle stays at about 90°.

    Checkpoints

    What to look for in the demo

    Freeze Tori on Land and check each of these.

    • Elbow at shoulder height At impact the forearm is level with the floor.
    • Fixed arm angle About 90°; it doesn’t open into a wide swing.
    • Rear hand at the chin A hook invites a hook back.
    • Short The hook is thrown close; it isn’t a reach.
    • Pivot on the lead foot Without it the hips can’t turn.
    • Chin down Eyes on the target, chin tucked.

    Common mistakes

    How the hook goes wrong

    Robots make these mistakes too, until someone updates their firmware.

    The haymaker

    A huge wind-up and a wide arc: slow, easy to see, and it pulls the body off balance.

    What Tori does instead: Tight and short. The arc comes from the body turning.

    All arm

    No pivot and no hip turn, so there’s little power and a lot of strain on the shoulder.

    What Tori does instead: The lead foot and hips turn the arm.

    Dropping the rear hand

    It leaves the chin open for a counter hook.

    What Tori does instead: The rear glove stays at the cheek.

    Throwing from too far

    The fist falls short or the arm straightens into a swing.

    What Tori does instead: Get close first, usually behind a jab or cross.

    The fist

    What a proper fist looks like

    Tori’s hands have real robot fingers. Watch them in the Close-up camera: the grip is loose in the guard and clenches at the moment of impact.

    A closed fist seen from the front: four curled fingers, the thumb folded across the index and middle fingers, and the first two knuckles marked as the striking surface. first two knuckles thumb outside, across the fingers

    Four things Tori’s hand gets right

    1. Fingers curled tight into the palm. No gaps between them.
    2. Thumb outside, folded across the middle of the index and middle fingers. Never tucked inside the fingers.
    3. Wrist straight, so the back of the hand lines up with the forearm.
    4. First two knuckles lead: the index and middle knuckles are the ones that land.

    In a fight (between robots)

    How it’s used, and how it’s stopped

    Punches are called by number on the pads in many gyms: 1 jab, 2 cross, 3 lead hook, and the uppercuts 5 and 6.

    Combinations

    • 1-2-3

      Jab, cross, hook: the cross turns the hips one way and loads the hook back the other way.

    • 2-3

      Cross, then hook.

    • 3-3

      Double hook: to the body, then to the head.

    • Slip-3

      Slip a punch to the lead side and come back with the hook.

    How Uke could stop it

    • Cover

      The rear glove sits on the ear, elbow tight.

    • Roll

      Bend the knees and roll under the arc (bob and weave).

    • Step back

      The hook is short, so a small step takes you out of range.

    • Duck

      Drop under it, then come back up.

    A robot demo, not a class

    This page explains how the hook works so the animation makes sense. It isn’t a martial arts course, and it isn’t self-defense, fitness, medical or safety advice. Tori’s version is simplified and exaggerated for the camera. Don’t hit anyone. If you want to learn to box for real, learn in person from a qualified coach and check with a doctor first.

    Read the full disclaimer Terms of Use