Hand traps in boxing have had a spotlight shone on them because of how well Vasyl Lomachenko combines them successfully with footwork in the sport of boxing. Instead of setting up your opponent with set ups and openings, hand traps force the opening, literally forcing the opponents hand away from protecting their face with one hand and then coming over the top with the other to punch into that opening. 

This technique can also be modified and used in MMA, Muay Thai and Kickboxing. It has in fact been used in kickboxing for years, as the main thing that is needed to set up a hand trap is for your opponent to have a high tight double block guard, which is a staple of the kickboxing style. 

In our example below, Aleksa uses his Gold Akala Gloves to hand trap with his lead hand to set up a solid right hand. Knowing that this right hand will push his opponents face to the opposite side, he takes a step forward and throws a head kick with the opposite foot. 

Remember that you need your opponent to have a double hand high guard for this technique to work. Therefore you should first focus on backing up your opponent and causing them to cover up, if used correctly this technique can easily be used to heavily hurt an opponent. 

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For more in depth analysis check out The Ultimate Guide to Striking for MMA, Muay Thai and Kickboxing.