Liver Shot (Body Hook)
- Striking
- Punches
- intermediate
- Orthodox stance
- 3 steps
A lead hook dug into the body below the ribs: a fight-ending shot that drains the gas tank. Also known as the Body hook, the Shovel hook or the Body rip. Here is the exact breakdown from the DARCE app: 3 steps, the details that make it work, and the mistakes to avoid.
When to use it
Go to the liver when the opponent keeps a high, tight guard against your head punches. Feint high with a jab or cross so their elbows lift, then drop your level and dig the hook in. It also lands as an orthodox opponent throws their rear hand, which lifts the elbow off the liver.
Step by step
- 01
Set your stance
Read the opening to the body.
- 02
Bend the knees and dig
Drop your level by bending the knees and dig the lead hook in under the ribs, turning the hip behind it.
- 03
Recover to guard
Snap the hand straight back to your chin and reset your stance. Never leave it out.
Key details
- Change levels with the legs. Do not just reach down.
- Angle the punch slightly upward under the ribcage.
- Keep the rear hand up; the body shot is thrown from close range.
Common mistakes
- Bending at the waist instead of the knees.
- Slapping with the arm and no hip rotation.
- Dropping both hands and exposing the head.
Common counters
Opponents defend by dropping the near elbow onto the ribs and turning the hips away. A good counter-puncher meets your level change with a hook or an uppercut to the head. Keep the rear hand at your jaw while you dig.
How to drill it
Head, body, head on the mitts or a body pad: jab to the head, lead hook to the liver, lead hook to the head. Do five sets of ten, checking that you bend at the knees, not the waist, on every body shot.
Related techniques
- JabStrikingThe lead-hand straight punch: your range-finder, rhythm-setter and the setup for everything else.
- CrossStrikingThe rear-hand straight punch: your primary power shot, driven by rotating the hip and pivoting the rear foot.
- Lead UppercutStrikingA short rising lead-hand punch up the centre, ideal inside the pocket against a high guard.
- Rear UppercutStrikingA rising rear-hand punch up the centre, driven by a small dip and a powerful leg drive.
- OverhandStrikingA looping rear-hand power punch that arcs over the opponent’s guard and crashes down on the head.
- Spinning BackfistStrikingA spinning strike that lands the back of the fist, generating power from the rotation of the body.
Train it with the AI coach