Muay Thai Cherng Mad 15 Cherng (the tricks of fists)
13/15 ONGKOT KUANG PRAKAN : Twirled fists
This trick is used when the opponent fights and steps back to escape at the same time, in the distance of the punches throw them both, left and right punches to the opponent's jaws.
To protect : guard both left and right hands to cover both sides of the jaws.
To counter : throw the right or left tip toes to opponent’s abdomen.
Lead Hand Hook
Usually boxers lead hand is his left hand, so use term “left hook” instead of “lead hand hook” if it’s closer to Western Boxing terminology and you are fond of it. If by any means your lead hand is your right hand (may be you are southpaw or may be you are ambidextrous), then reverse the descriptions from left to right and tread lead hand hook as right hook.
It's seen only from the peripheral vision. You see the body torque, then impact. If you don't have that right hand up by your chin, it's light's out. Cracking the jaw, the head is twisted; the brain becomes disconnected from the body, which falls like a load of potatoes.
It's a foundation knock out punch.
How is this punch thrown? With a lot of practice! As I was taught the punch, the rear hand is tight, hand against the rear side of the chin. It begins with the hips, solidified by the lead foot that bears 90% of the weight. The torso torques, the elbow lifts, the forearm makes a right angle with the lead arm, the palm is facing the mat, the chin is tucked by the lead shoulder, the rear hand against the rear chin. The power is generated from the hips and torso, connected tightly to the right-angled lead arm that confesses the whole body's power at the moment of impact.
You've got to work the body united with the punch 10,000 times under a trainer's watchful eye to get it right.
Throwing a lead hook the proper way is one of the hardest things for a beginning fighter to do. It is not a natural motion that we use in every day life. Unlike the jab and the cross, which are similar to grabbing something, the lead hook is unlike any motion we make in our everyday lives. For this reason, it is probably the hardest punch to throw. But be patient with it, because a properly thrown lead hook is one of the most lethal punches in a boxers arsenal.
Like with any other punch, you want to remember to use your entire body when throwing it, from your shoulders and hands down to your feet. I'm going to use a persons feet as the starting point of throwing a lead hook. Remember that all of the motions I am about to describe come simultaneously. Turn your lead foot inward, while throwing your hook. You don't have to turn it much, but that little inward movement of your feet adds to the power of your hook. I am now going to move up to your hips. Turn your lead hip inward in the same motion as you turn your foot. Using your hips when throwing a lead hook multiplies the power of a hook ten fold. I am now going to move to your shoulder. Again, turn this, the same way that you turned your hip and foot. Realize that you haven't used your hand in any of these motions yet. Practice turning your lead foot, hip and shoulder inward at the same moment.
Now, we are going to put the final piece on throwing a good lead hook into the puzzle. Your lead hand should come across your body, stopping at the middle of your opponent. Your elbow should not come up too much. I see a lot of people over exaggerating how much the lead elbow should come up. Your elbow and your fist should not be parallel. For one, it leaves your body open to crosses when you do this. The second reason is it makes you vulnerable to a simple push on your lead elbow that leaves you off balance. The reason you don't follow through with a lead hook is because if you follow through and miss, you're very off balance, and balance is the key to Muay Thai boxing. It keeps you from being hit, and it has you in a position to hit. It is nice to finish every combination that you can with a lead hook, because it brings your body back into position.
Lead Hook To The Head
Hands up. Elbows in. Chin down.
We'll work it from a forward bob position, immediately after a cross. There are many positions from which you can throw it, and many variations of the hook, but we'll look at a standard horizontal lead hook at chin level.
Shift your weight onto your back foot as you turn out your lead heel. This is where the power comes from.
Do not draw the hand back to throw your hook. This will telegraph the blow.
Lead shoulder and lead hip turn in virtual unison as your weight is shifting onto the rear leg.
Tight fist. THERE IS NO WRIST IN A HOOK. Lock the wrist, lining up your fist with your forearm.
Throw the hook in a tight arc. The range of your hook -- how far away the target is -- determines whether you use a horizontal or vertical fist. The rule is as follows: if the target is outside your elbow range, then use a vertical fist. Inside elbow range, then horizontal fist is all right. Don't confuse the two, though, for if you throw a hook with a horizontal fist outside your elbow range, you'll break your pinky and ring finger knuckles and/or the pinky carpal at the wrist.
Hide your chin inside your shoulder as you hook.
After your hook follows through the target, it converges in an ever tighter arc back to your guard position. Don't take wild swings with your hook. Once it has done its job, it comes back home.
Two simple rules for throwing the hook which I always tell my students are "crushing peanuts, and come here". The "crushing peanuts" is what your lead foot does as you shift your weight. The "come here" is like you're motioning with your arm for someone to come over to you.
There are other hook variations -- ascending, long range, shovel, slightly descending over the shoulder, etc. -- and they all follow the principles and mechanics outlined above.
Also, you will want to make sure your rear hand stays up and in -- "talking on the telephone" -- to cover the other side as you throw your hook. It’s very very important. Shadowboxing in front of a mirror will help you watch and develop your form, and show you where your openings are. You want to know the openings you're giving before getting out on the floor with a good banger and finding out the hard way.
The focus mitts and heavy bag will also give you valuable feedback about your hook. You will feel whether or not your power and snap are in the punch. When you get the hook right, it feels relatively effortless as you throw it, but the person wearing the focus mitt will feel like you just hit the mitt with a baseball bat. It is a very powerful punch.
Again, probably the most important single aspect of the hook is the shift of weight. You must shift your weight when you hit. The rule is to hit with what you weigh. The hook is a prime example of this.
This takes care of physical execution. But it says nothing of how you would apply it. There is a definite method to landing your hook. It has everything to do with the opponent's placement and motion, and your own momentary posture. I'll post some information on landing the hook later on, if anyone is interested in knowing.
Lead Hook To The Liver
There is nothing that slows down your opponent quicker than a well placed body punch. There are some fighters that you can hit in the head all day and no punch you throw will hurt them, but move your attack downward, and start working on their body, and your bound to start hurting even the toughest guy. A lead hook to the body is one of the easiest ways to stop and opponent in his tracks. You can take a slight step to your side and let it fly, or you can dip inward, and throwing a short half jab/hook to the inside. Either way is very effective. A lot of the great fighters like to throw the hook from the outside to the liver. This is a very, very devastating shot. But, you can also get to your opponent's liver from the inside. So remember that you have more than one option when you want to get that punch in. Sometimes when facing a good defensive fighter, you have very few options on where to hit him, so don't make it any harder than you have to, by ignoring areas that are legal to hit.
For the inside lead hook, dip forward, weight on the lead leg. Don't lift the elbow. Shoot the punch in with the same basic body mechanics and go for the liver.
If you take the time to add it to your arsenal, and do it with purpose and conviction, trained by someone who knows how to throw it, people will fear you and it.
An inside lead hook to the opponent’s body should be thrown with the palm as follows: 45% between vertical and palm up. Why? The optimal inside lead hook hits the liver. The liver is just under the right side of your rib cage. You should try to dig it under and up.
The hand positioning of the inside lead hook to the body should never be the same as the outside lead hook to the chin. The inside lead hook is a "digging up" motion, whereas the outside lead hook is a "crunching across" motion.
Note
Cherng Muay means methods of the usage of fists, feet, knees and elbows (in Muay Thai art) as the skills of attack defense. Cherng Muay are divided into four methods (4 Cherng);
- Cherng Mad 15 Cherng
- Cherng Sok 24 Cherng
- Cherng Khao 11 Cherng
- Cherng Thao 15 Cherng
