Expert Guide, How To Hold Muay Thai Pads

Muay Thai is a beautiful martial art to watch.
The same can be said for Muay Thai pad work.
However, pad work is less comparable to a fight and more comparable to a dance routine as it requires an experienced partner.
Without a strong partner (Pad holder), the technique will look flat and neither partner gets to showcase their skills.
Holding Thai pads is a massive skill in itself and the team at Punch® is here to share our top 6 tips on how to hold Thai Pads for Muay Thai pad work.

1. Strong stance

Your first hurdle to overcome is your stance.
When holding Thai pads, a strong, balanced stance is key to catching every technique.
For a strong pad holding stance, keep your stance square with one foot in front, the other behind (Refer to the image below.)
Your feet should be at least, shoulder-width apart in both directions with your knees being at least slightly bent to ensure you're balanced and stable at every angle.
Your front foot should face forward & your rear foot should angle away at approx. 45 degrees angle.
When catching any strike, having a good stance and bending your knees will allow your legs to absorb and apply force against each strike, giving the striker great feedback and the ability to complete any combination.

2. Use a belly pad where possible

Always pair a set of Thai pads with a belly pad where possible.
Why?
A belly pad is not only designed to absorb all kinds of body shots, a belly pad can also assist with bracing and stabilizing your Thai pads against strong techniques such as round kicks, knees, and more.
If you're serious about your Thai pad holding, ensure to pair them with a belly pad!

3. When holding for round kicks, turn your upper body 45 degrees and form the letter A

When holding Thai pads for round kicks, keeping Thai pads against your body is key to your safety.
There is nothing worse than coping a Thai pad to the chin!
When catching a round kick, keep a strong stance as stated in tip 1, then turn your upper body 45 degrees towards the kicking side and bring your hands together.
Once the hands are touching, place your arms against your chest and wing your elbows outwards against the ribs, forming the letter A (Refer to the image below.)
With the addition of a belly pad, this provides a strong shield and fantastic target area for the kicker!

4. Always keep your elbows in front of your shoulders

If you have any experience in holding boxing focus pads, you should understand how important this tip really is!
In order to protect your joints, especially your shoulders, always keep your elbows in front of your shoulder line where possible.
Failure to do so can dramatically increase the risk of injury to your shoulders.
As the shoulder is a ball and socket joint, it can be easily dislocated or damaged if not held in a stable position, protecting this joint by being mindful of this technique is a must for your longevity.

5. The right tool for the job!

With the equipment and basic holding techniques sorted, next comes the Thai pads themselves.
Thai pads arent all built the same.
If you're holding Thai pads for a 55kg student or a 120kg student, for example, it should be considered ok to utilize smaller or lighter Thai pads for the lighter student.
Whereas you may require Thai pads with better absorbing padding materials for the heavier student as their power may be greater.
Doing this may lower the risk of injury to the pad holder.
Ensuring you have the right tools for the job is key to your longevity especially if you aim to hold pads for many hours.
Check out Punch Equipment®s entire range of Thai Pads here for more detailed information on every model!

6. Authentic Thai Pad Combinations - Vol 1 

The team at Punch Equipment® has just released an amazing educational manual.
The Authentic Thai Pad Combinations e-Book is full of Thai Pad knowledge and information.
If you want a jump start on your Thai Pad holding journey.
Check out this amazing manual below!

We hope the above tips have helped with improving your Thai pad holding skills.
If you have any questions regarding the above tips,
Contact us via our chat software below!