# Question about Thai pads holding



## Shimo (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi there. I'm new to Muay-Thai, although not to martial arts, and I was wondering if I'm doing it right on the Thai pads. I know you are not supposed to hold them together but rather touch the top parts and spread the bottom making an inverted V. But when the kicker kicks, does the holder have to feel the impact "equally" on both pads or is it normal for the impact to be much greater in only one of the pads? No matter how my training partner and I try we almost never hit both pads equally. Does that mean we are doing it wrong, maybe hitting too much with the instep or is this normal?

Also, while for a head kick you hold the pads basically 90 degrees in relation to the ground and higher up, for body kicks what should be the holding angle and height? 45 degrees and stomach height? Or somewhere in between 45 and 90 degrees? I feel like holding it 45 degrees feels almost like doing a front kick rather than a roundhouse kick because to hit the pads the motion has to be very upwards. 

Thanks in advance and sorry if the questions are too basic.


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## Shimo (Aug 13, 2010)

42 views and nobody replied? Come on folks.


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## Nibla (Aug 13, 2010)

Ok I'll give it a go. I've been told to hit the front pad more, and for me this involved pulling the hip on the other side rather than trying to push the hip in. 

Do you have a trainer? He would be best to correct your technique.

With the 45 kick, the leg comes up and hip turns over as it nears the body. Just kick it like you would a bag.


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## Tez3 (Aug 14, 2010)

Nibla said:


> Ok I'll give it a go. I've been told to hit the front pad more, and for me this involved pulling the hip on the other side rather than trying to push the hip in.
> 
> Do you have a trainer? He would be best to correct your technique.
> 
> *With the 45 kick, the leg comes up and hip turns over as it nears the body. Just kick it like you would a bag*.


 
I'll swear thought the Thai fighters don't have hips hinged the same way as Westerners though!


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## Shimo (Aug 15, 2010)

Thanks for the all comments so far.



Nibla said:


> Ok I'll give it a go. I've been told to hit the front pad more, and for me this involved pulling the hip on the other side rather than trying to push the hip in.
> 
> Do you have a trainer? He would be best to correct your technique.
> 
> With the 45 kick, the leg comes up and hip turns over as it nears the body. Just kick it like you would a bag.



Yeah, but a bag stands vertical to the floor and when you hold the pads for body kick they are not vertical. This is what makes it feel more like a front kick because you can't really turn your hip that much.

So you should hit the front pad more? Somebody was telling me t hit equally when I was hitting.


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## Danny T (Aug 15, 2010)

As in most arts every camp has a slightly different version and their reason for it. Also the basic training methods to build the attributes to present the kick and the actual kick will have some differences. The way I was taught and teach is to hold the pads in the V manner angled upward turning slightly into the kick so the kickers foot "does not" contact the pad; only the shin. Contact should be equal across both pads. Ajarn Chai would tease that if the pad holder only used one pad for your kick it was insulting. The sound should not be a loud slap noise but a thud. The kickers job is to present the kick at the person holding the pads in the manner he/she would actually kick a real opponent. The pad holder should hold the pads in manner to catch the kick so the kicker is able to present the kick properly. When the kicker is kicking heavy hold should press into the kick slightly to give some resistance and be able to control the force.


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## Shimo (Aug 15, 2010)

Danny T said:


> The way I was taught and teach is to hold the pads in the V manner angled upward turning slightly into the kick so the kickers foot "does not" contact the pad; only the shin.



Thanks for the reply, but could you elaborate a little here? I'm not sure I understand what you mean by _"turning slightly into the kick so the kickers foot does not contact the pad"_


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## Danny T (Aug 15, 2010)

Check this video. I don't agree with every aspect but is very close to what I am talking about. The fighters foot should not contact the pad. It happens but..., it is the "shin" we want to contact with.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4hgH3SLzlk&feature=player_embedded

Danny


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## Skpotamus (Aug 18, 2010)

When you're holding the pads, are you turning into the kick or keeping in your fighting stance?  A common beginner mistake is to turn into the kick so you're facing sideways to your kicker.  A lot of times this gets the impact almost all on one pad.  You want to stay in your fighting stance.  Think of blocking the kick  with your forearms.  

For head kicks, I'll usually step back and hold the pad up and out.  The impact surface is straight up and down, but my arm is extended 45 degrees up from my shoulder straight out in front of me.


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