george stando

I always enjoy watching different trainers hold the pads for their fighters:

YouTube - Keatkhamorn Gym: Rungniran doing padwork with Bang

YouTube - Keatkhamtorn Gym: Nopparat on pads with Kai

YouTube - Keatkhamtorn gym: Leampet doing padwork with Mam

YouTube - Keatkhamtorn gym

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JAB

Nice! Thanks again George!

Since we are on the topic:
Are their different approaches or methods to holding pads/mitts in MT? This is something I have been striving to improve upon in my own coaching, and my boxing coach has helped out tremondesly, but my Thai pad training is minimal.

Any good resources out there for tips and pointers/ strategy?
Thanks
Jake

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george stando

Different trainers have different energies they bring to it. I guess because many were fighters previously. The pad routines are for the most part close but some like to really press, counter, stick on you, others lay back and work in intervals, some are more laid back all the way but push the numbers. There is no sort of one locked way it seems but the bottom line is the work gets done!

Holding pads is timing and leading the person through the routine. Its like second nature to these guys. They can feel the pressure and know whats missing and fill the gaps.

I think you have to get used to holding by holding and probably videotaping yourself, because you really need to see what you are doing> when you have a top notch trainer, he can pick you apart in what you are doing wrong and instantly correct.

One of the problem with many of the classes i was doing back home in the states is they let just the students hold and they dont really know how to hold, so its a bit of a mess.

Its almost like you need to do a certain amount of work with the kicks, knees, punches then the trainer is senseing what you are missing and what needs to be sprinkled in. Maybe more aggression, stepping, countering......

To me, pad holding is an art.

I am sure firecobra and the others can add to this discussion as they have alot more experience than I do but those are right now my insights on it.

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JAB

Absolutely agree, and it is a shame more people do not approach it that way in all arts! That is why it surprises me when you see dozens of DVD's on techniques, and spinning this' and jumping thats'...but nothing on building routines, combos, interval training, timing etc. etc.

The more I learn about holding the more I am amazed at how little I really do know! Life is good when you can learn all the time!
Thanks,
Jake

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www.threeharmonies.blogspot.com
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george stando

hey Jake,

I feel its a process that takes time and you really have to live here to absorb it in a full process then you have to be able to pass it on, almost like you have to translate it. Also you have to have trainers and camp owners who really like you and want to really teach you.

I wish I had an answer to your question of why. I dont know. But theres much here i am still learning about.

I hope in time more people will do more writing and dvds on this as its something I like you would like to see.

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the tick

I hear you. It realy sucks if you have to work with someone who doesn't know how to hold the pads. Instead of getting a good workout you are more likely to cool down completely cause the padholder doesn't know how to continue or gets tired from holding the pads up. And if you are realy 'lucky' you might even injure yourself.

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george stando

I agree, tick. But its almost an accepted format in alot of schools especially in the US. I have seen some people who were beginners hold for a more experience people and have his forearms bruised and one time i saw it the back of the pads smack someone right in the mouth when they flew up and he just started to pour blood.

It serves no purpose to the holder or the person hitting the pads, they are both not getting anything out of it, other than some aerobic activity.

The pad holder in the thai camp has an excellent set of skills that might look easy to duplicate but it takes time to get there. I respect those guys, twice a day they are in the ring, working with fighter after fighter, and them damn rounds are long sometimes way over 5-6minutes. My trainer even clinches with us afterwards. Insane dedication and skill development.

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the tick

Indeed. Those are fun things.
It's usually just with the beginners with us. There are exceptions of course. Unfortunatly we have many of those. Beginners that is. And sometimes you just get stuck with one of them. I then usually spend more time explaining to them how to hold those things then I do working out. Often I have to explain it again after every combination. It's also fun when they try to hold the pads up for the entire duration of the round. Eventhough I tell them not to. They nod that they got it and then do it anyway. Which means the pads get heavy quikly and they get tired. More time wasted waiting for them to recover.
*sigh*

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george stando

Thanks, Tick. I was interested in hearing how people like yourself and others handle this situation. One part is that obviously in the west or outside of thailand, it is more conducted in a class like structure even if its in a gym enviornment like a boxing gym. Thanks for your insights by the way.

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the tick

Well, I honestly don't see how anyone could handle it differently. If the person holding the pads doesn't know how to you can either pound away and maybe injure yourself and them in the process. And no one benefits from that. So thats not an option. Or you can bite your tongue and try to explain it to them and hope that next time they will be better at it. Eventhough you don't get the work out you were hoping for.
So whats so different in Thailand? Aside from the weather.

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george stando

Nothings really different here. Just hard work, busting it out day after day. I was at my friends camp two weeks ago, and there were like 20 or so fighters and two trainers handled them all so well, one after the other. I guess everyone knows the order and just keeps moving along. I mean we all sandbag at times on the bags and such because we know sometimes we are going to get blasted on the pads and in the clinch. But the work gets done. I like when the thai guys sandbag, they look at you and laugh and shit, knowing we are full well going to get murdered on the pads.

I am taking a break shortly to do some traveling. I would like to go to maybe cambodia to check it out and see some of the training there.

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the tick

Yeah. Film it.
*nods*

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kyuss

George hit me with an email if you go!

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WildWest.

Pad holding is a skill in itself.

Thanks for posting the vids. The guy in the first vid was sharp with his feet but his boxing sucked. But that's pure MT for you! Not alwasy the rule however.

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"Only one of us knows illegal ninja moves from the government"

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fire cobra

Recently I asked a former top fighter(250 fights) how the top trainers in the good camps can see all of the things the Boxer is doing on the pads,ie all the tricks and feints etc,he smiled and said " because they are the trainers tricks!" for example in a camp that has existed say 40 years the founder trainers had a certain style and set of tricks that was taught to the first lot of boxers in the camp,some of those boxers became trainers there themselves after retiring and so the process began again with perhaps some extras added that the new trainer had learnt along the way from boxers he had fought.

Its a lengthy process to learn Muay Thai and no where near as easy as it looks!.

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