Padholding I - Jab, Cross, Hooks, Straight Knees

Here’s how to hold Thai pads for some basic attacks.

• For straight punches (jab and cross), simply raise up the pads and face the striking surface of the pad toward your partner. You want them to be head-height, and you want the horizontal space between them to be small (i.e., don’t hold them wide apart, this isn’t how your partner will throw their punches when they’re throwing at a single opponent’s head)

• For hook punches (or horizontal elbows), turn the pad so its face is facing the direction the hook will come from — for the left hook, your left pad should be facing to your (padholder’s) right at head height. For the right hook, your right pad should be facing to your left.

• For straight knees, place one pad in front of your abdomen with the face of the pad toward your partner. Place the other pad underneath this one, with the face of the second pad facing the floor. You should now have an “L” if you look at your pads from the side. Keep both pads against your body for impact — if you leave the pads out in the air, when your partner strikes them they can come back and hit you and hurt you.

Always remember, the great pad holder at any gym is the one who everyone wants to work with. Getting better at holding Thai pads builds camaraderie with your teammates and also lets you look at what your opponent's attacks will look like and where they will hit. It may not be sparring and it may not be hitting pads yourself, but it's the next best thing.