The Russian hook or
mawashi uchi is superficially similar to a regular boxing hook, but unlike most boxing punches, it disregards hip and body movement and instead capitalizes on rotation of the shoulder and arm. While doing it, the puncher internally rotates his punching hand so the thumb points down to the floor and follows a trajectory around a vertical axis, hitting the opponent with the knuckles of an upside down hand. Some sources consider it less of a punch than a forward-facing
backfist, liable to be found illegal in orthodox boxing. In karate it is used often to travel around the opponent's head and strike its back. It is considered a complicated and situational technique, which becomes more useful in rulesets combining both striking and grappling. The technique also allows the user to extend his arm and range almost as much as a
straight, and simultaneously raises the shoulder of the punching arm up to cover the chin. However, improper contact increases the risk of hand injuries compared to other punches. ==History==