Body-to-Head Ladder

A 4-punch combination that climbs the ladder: rear body hook, lead body hook, rear uppercut, lead hook to the head. The investment punches drop the opponent's guard; the final two punches arrive in the now-open chin zone. Gennady Golovkin's signature pressure ladder.

Key points

• ▸Drop level for the body punches with the knees, not the back.
• ▸Rise level for the head punches with the legs.
• ▸Each punch lands within 0.3 seconds of the previous.
• ▸Step at a slight angle on the third punch to set up the lead hook.

Common mistakes

• ✗Hunching over for the body shots — opens to a knee/uppercut.
• ✗Pausing between body and head — gives the opponent time to reset their guard.
• ✗Standing tall before the final hook — telegraphs.

Drills

1. Heavy-bag: 5 rounds of body-to-head ladder, focusing on level changes.
2. Mitts: catcher positions mitts at body height for first two, head height for last two.

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