This article is a combination of a thread I wrote on the Geoff Thompson messageboard, a presentation I gave at the 2005 Camp Get-Tough and various people's input over the years.  So thanks to you all!

Pads and the pad-man (or women, but for ease I'll refer to "pad-man" throughout the article) are an interesting subject, and one that is covered very well by some and very poorly by others.  There is more to this than simply buying a kick shield from your local martial arts store and standing there whilst your buddy performs 150 roundhouse kicks.

Let's start with the pads themselves.  These days there are a plethora of different styles out there to choose from; focus mitts, Thai pads, kick shields, chest guards, mannequin dummies, hanging punch bags, wall bags, speed balls etc.  But who says you need to stick to shop bought equipment?  A good friend of mine here in the UK, Dennis Martin, has improvised a number of different pads to suit the needs of himself and his trainees.  One example can be seen below in Fig1, a pad designed for chin jabs, whilst another can be seen in Fig2, a pad changed for use with weapons (still not live blades though!).  Look also at Geoff Todd's use of the tyre for stomps.  As long as they are safe then improvisation can be a great thing.

Fig1. Chin-Jab Pad

Fig2. Weapons Pad

How you use these pieces of equipment does not have to be as "out of the box" as some people think either.  The way you hold the pads, the configuration of pads being held, where you are when you are holding the pad.  All of these things (and more) can, do, and should make a difference.  Let us look at a few examples of what I am talking about.

Holding the pads:-

Fig3a. Focus mitts held with one on the chest, receiving the hammer fist strike.

Fig3b. Second focus mitt receives the axe hand blow.

Pad Configuration:-

Fig4a. Extra large chest guard and focus mitts used. Covers and receives strikes from the focus mitts.	Fig4b. Multiple tiger claws / face smashes.
Fig4c. Clinch and knee.

Fig5. Using a tyre, focus mitts, strike shield and a Spar Pro.

Fig6. Using the heavy strike shield to put the pressure on.

 Location of Pad-Man:-

Fig7. Using local staircase and kicking down onto a large striking shield.	Fig8. Striking up the stairs with a face smash on a large striking shield.
Fig9. Pad man on the floor, underneath the striker.	Fig10. Pad man on the floor, with the striker underneath.

 

Now let us think about some of the aspects that go to make up a good pad-man.  These are some points that I would like to emphasise, and I am positive that you can think of many more.  To get the old grey matter fired up let us think about…

• Feedback – now this I think is the big one. The pad-man needs to give you feedback as you perform strikes etc. "That was the best so far, do it like that again", "Try putting in a drop step", "That was good but you can hit harder than that, I know it", "Come on, only 5 more to go….you can do it Joe". They need to be positive even if you're really saying something negative because you need to boost their confidence. A bit of humour can work I think if you know your training partner but giving feedback like "My Grandmother hit's harder than that you tart," to someone you've never met might not go down to well.
• Variance – the pad-man needs to move about a bit, don't stay static all the time and let them line up the perfect elbow. Get in their face, move back and make them chase, vary the height and configuration of the pads  If possible, move from one side to the other.  Generally do what you can to make them work.  A fight in the real world is not going to be an easy thing, so don't make the pads session a walk in the park.  I am not saying you should run around like a Benny Hill sketch but put in some movement and make them work.
• Energy – the pad-man needs to give some energy to the training.  This can be in the form of movement of the pad and / or the pad-man, using only one of the focus mitts and changing that around, verbalisation in the form of feedback or the 'woofs' given by the Bulletmen in their training sessions.
• Multiples – if you have got the opportunity then use multiple pad-men. Maybe start with one and have the other come in when the hitter seems to have “settled", or use the extra man to bring out their movement, or their left handed strikes more.  Or just plain and simple work on multiple attackers.
• Bodies – if there are a few people training within your club then you should always swap training partners.  There will be differences in striking the focus mitt with an axe hand when the pad-man is 6ft4 tall, as opposed to 4ft9 tall.  This also works in reverse, with the person hitting the pad.  Another reason for not training 100% with the same partner, variation once again.
• The Hitter – the pad man should always take into account the person hitting the pad.  Does the hitter have an injury, do they have a technique they hate that needs more work.  What is the experience of the hitter?  Asking someone on their first lesson to perform like a 10-year veteran practitioner is an unfair and ridiculous request.
• Safety – be mindful of how you are holding the pad, watch for any movements that will stress your joints etc. If you are moving around then keep an eye on where the hitter is moving, ensure they are not going to trip over a cable or bag.

You, as the person hitting the pads, also need to show a high degree of respect for the pad-man.  You need this person and they need you to get the best from your training, and the vast majority of people have to go to work the next day so don't go being too heavy handed with them.  You want them to return for the following session, and bottom line – it's their turn next!  That is not to say go soft, just be sensible and show respect.

A few last options for the use of pads that can add a little extra to your training, and are all very simple.  Why not conduct a drill and have some pads / equipment strewn across the floor as obstacles, to either get around or over.  You can have a 'third person' throw pads at the hitter to put them off, distract them, or make them put up a guard / cover.  We use an old tyre in training and often have fun trying to roll it into the mix and trip one another up.  Then of course we cannot forget that pads are not just for being hit, as can be seen in Fig4a above, you can also hit with them.

So there is a lot more you can do with a good set of pads and a good group of pad-men than meets the eye, it's not all jab-cross / 1-2!  Be inventive and creative but remember to stick to the core objective of what you are trying to achieve.  I hope this article has sparked a few ideas, and please feel free to let me know as I am always open for something new.

James Farthing