When to Use
Use when inside the pocket, after head shots make the opponent raise their guard, or when trapped on the ropes. The liver shot is a fight-ender at any level.
Execution Steps
- Drop your level by bending your knees 4-6 inches while keeping your back straight — the level change should come entirely from the legs, not from bowing forward at the waist.
- Keep your lead elbow bent at 90 degrees and tight to your body — at body level, a wide elbow exposes your head above and adds unnecessary arc to a punch that must be compact to land cleanly.
- Rotate your lead hip forward and pivot your lead foot inward, generating the same full-body rotation as a head hook — the only difference is the lowered target, not the mechanics.
- Drive the hook upward and inward into the opponent's ribcage or liver area, digging the knuckles under their elbow — the upward angle prevents the opponent's arm from blocking cleanly.
- Return to guard immediately and reset your level to upright stance — staying low at body level after throwing leaves you vulnerable to hooks and uppercuts from above.
Coaching Cues
"Dig it up and under the elbow."
"Stay low — commit to the level change."
"Exhale on impact."
Pro Tips
- The liver sits on the opponent's RIGHT side just below the ribcage — aim your lead hook there with a slightly upward trajectory that digs under their elbow for maximum organ compression.
- Dig the punch slightly upward and inward under the opponent's elbow rather than hooking straight across — this angle bypasses their arm defense and concentrates force on the floating ribs and liver.
- Set up the body hook with a jab or cross to the head first — when the opponent raises their guard to protect their face, their elbows lift and expose the ribs for a clean body hook.
- Double up on body hooks when the opponent is trapped on the ropes — the ropes prevent them from retreating, and two rapid body hooks overwhelm the limited defensive options at close range.
Conditioning Drills
- Side Planks with Rotation: 3 sets of 12 rotations per side — builds the oblique endurance and rotational stability needed to generate power from the lowered body hook position without losing balance.
- Heavy Bag Ripping: 5 rounds alternating head hooks and body hooks in rapid pairs — trains the level-change transition speed and builds the shoulder endurance to sustain inside fighting in late rounds.
- Landmine Rotations from Squat: 3 sets of 10 per side — combines the deep knee bend level change with explosive rotation, mimicking the exact biomechanical demands of the body hook at fight speed.
Gym Workout: Liver Shot & Body Ripping
5 exercises · 25 min · Hit the gym and sharpen this technique
🥊 PRACTICE MODE
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Q1 of 3
Which of these is a common mistake when performing the Body Hook?