Killing the hooks

Killing the hooks is a colloquial phrase for the butterfly hook break — gym vocabulary for shutting down the opponent’s butterfly hooks.

Etymology. “Killing” is informal emphasis on rendering the hooks inert; “the hooks” names the butterfly’s elevating tools. The phrase is spoken instruction more than written terminology, but maps directly onto the hook break.

Mechanics. The butterfly hooks lift and off-balance through the opponent’s hip mobility; flattening or pinning them removes the hip’s elevating power, after which the guard loses the engine that drives its sweeps.

Cross-reference. “Butterfly hook neutralisation” and “Butterfly pass setup” are sibling aliases. Full mechanical coverage on Butterfly Hook Break.