Quote Originally Posted by guy b. View Post
A Thai pad is better I think because you are mostly chasing centre in wing chun, not cracking off shots in all directions like a boxer. You can hit the thai pad with both hands and it can be moved around like a shifting opponent. A body shield on a moving opponent with attacking arms is even better.
Makes no sense.

First, no mitt session is "cracking off shots in all directions", even by a boxer. Focus mitts are held near pertinent targets, and at the same range as pertinent targets.

Second, here's a novel concept - you can actually hold EITHER focus mitts or thai pads at or near your centerline. WOW!!!!! And the benefit of focus mitts near your centerline is to train a more specific and smaller target near your centerline, say closer to COG.

Third, "You can hit the thai pad with both hands and it can be moved around like a shifting opponent". Do I really need to point out that you also can hit focus mitts with both hands and move them around faster like a shifting opponent as they weigh a lot less than thai pads??? OK I didn't think so.

The body shields do work well, and I see many boxing and MT / MMA coaches using body shields in combo with focus mitts. Not so much body shield + thai pad as it's a little redundant.