Kicking the Thai pads

[IronFist]

Ok, so those Amber Thai pads I got are pretty awesome. They feel good to punch and good to kick.

When someone is holding them for you and you're kicking them, is it normal for your feet to hit the pads, too? Like I know you're kicking them with your shins, but today when I was done the tops of my feet were all red, too. Or should your foot be totally past them at the point of impact? See, the problem is if I do it that way then my knee will hit the front pad, and that's no good.

[yenhoi]

You should hit with only your shin for as little time as possible. Its normal at first to smash your foot up some or even miss and hit with your toes. I cant imagine the thai pads are so thick and your legs so short that you cant just hit with your shin, but if its a choice between knee and foot, the extra should be on the knee. Probably your technique is just off and will be fixed by many thousands of repetitions on your new pads.

:eek:

[Khun Kao Charuad]

This isn't necessarily a bad thing because often when you are fighting, you will hit with the top of your foot rather than your shin. Face it... no ones going to just stand there and let you kick them. Just make sure you're pointing your toes as you kick so that you do not injure your instep, toes, or ankle. If you kick with a "flipper foot", or "lazy ankle", you are going to get hurt.

Depending on the size of the pads, though, you may end up hitting with the top of your foot no matter how well you aim. Thai pads come in all kinds of sizes. I have some that are thin and narrow, others that are thick and wide. If you are using a wider pair of pads, it may not be very easy to connect with just your shin.

It may also depend on the pad holder. How are they holding the pads? What kind of angle are they presenting for you? I have noticed that some people hold the pads at odd angles, which makes it hard to kick flush with the shin, and you end up whacking the top of your foot.

[IronFist]

I always point my toes when I kick, and when I do shin blocks.

What's the best way to hold the pads?