3 COMMON FAULTS NOVICES SHOW IN PAD WORK

By Daniel Nguyen

Hitting pads and putting in mitt work is one of the foundations of learning Muay Thai.

There is going to be a lot of both, and it won’t always be easy. It’s simple to see red and lose sight of the big picture when it comes to someone holding up a target (that’s literally red oftentimes).

Everyone can learn how to smash pads and finish up a combo sequence, but it’s smart delivery and good striking habits that separate novice from vet.

Here are the three common pitfalls beginners may be developing as they smash pads:

Fault: Poor Footwork & Crossed Feet

Most novices are all too eager to immediately throw a strike at any opening when an opportunity presents themselves.

Pad work drills can be like a quick game of rapid target acquisition for trigger-happy fighters (think pop-up targets at a shooting range). Unfortunately, this concept becomes the main concentration for many beginners during a session.

Herein lies the p...