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Holding Thai pads

Muay Thai

Hold pads for punches, kicks, knees and elbows.

What coaches agree on

  • Hold the target at the exact height and angle it would be on a real, moving opponent, matching your own fighting stance and your partner's height.
  • Signal what's coming next, either with a word or with the pad itself (raising it or turning it a certain way), so your partner always knows the strike or combo to throw without you stopping to explain.
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Common mistakes

  • Holding the pads too loosely or too far away from your body lets a strike's force snap them back into your own face or shoulder instead of your body absorbing the impact.
  • Holding the pad flat, straight-up, or clamped fully closed instead of angled open (roughly 45 degrees) keeps kicks from landing the way they actually would: they get stopped short, glance off, or miss the pad entirely.