| |
On many if not most occasions you will be required to work with a pad holder whilst completing your fitness training in boxing conditioning. It is vital that the pad holder has an understanding of the requirements to enable the boxer to gain the full benefits of their training. Generally pad holding can be broken down into two areas of the stance and catching of boxer’s punches, with the additional constant focus of working on your pad holding.
Stance
The boxing pad holder should attain a stance virtually identical to the boxer itself. If the boxer is in the mode of working the jab, cross or 1-2 then the pad holder should be left foot forward, weight on toes and pads held high – level with head. Quite often you will see many pad holders, including many fitness trainers, holding the pads at chest height for straight punches, making it far too simple for the boxer. The stance will change depending on the strike being delivered, but quite often will be the same as the boxer. Pad holding should be used as an opportunity to engrain the correct stance and movement of the boxer.
Catching the Boxers Punch
It is important for the pad to meet the striking glove, therefore applying resistance for the boxer to work against, and allowing the fluent coordination of training. You should allow enough room between you and the boxer to be able to bring the pad slightly forwards in the punch with the boxer striving for – but not quite gaining – full extension of the elbow joint. This is vital for the boxer to gain power building benefits. If the flex at the elbow is too great then it’s likely that the pad holder is standing too close. Additionally do not over exaggerate the catching of the strike; just a slight and stable movement towards the punch is required.
There must also be a focus on catching the hook and uppercut punches. On the hook the pad must be held at head height (not chest or waist) with the wrist heavily cocked, and the pad wide as if you were about to give someone a hug. With keeping the wrist cocked by the time you bring the pad towards the glove it will be in the perfect striking position. Common mistake in pad holding for hooks is having the pad start too close together making it too tight for the boxer. Uppercuts should have the pads start around chin height, and being around chest at point of impact – trying not to have the pads to low.
Work on Your Pad Holding
Pad holding is not simply a rest after completing your work as the boxer. Pad holding is an opportunity to work on elements such as stance, weight transference and sequencing of combinations. If you can improve in these areas then you will gain much more out of your boxing conditioning. Additionally pad holding can be seen as a strength and endurance exercise. When the boxer is firing out solid punches and combinations it will require you to have strong shoulder stability (primarily isometric contraction of the rotator cuff muscles), as well as a stable core and lower body. Likewise if the boxer is working through a conditioning based exercise which requires a large volume of striking you will need to effectively hold the pads for extended periods of time in certain positions, requiring endurance through the shoulders and arms.
Pad holding in boxing fitness and conditioning is a vital key component. Do not see it as a break; see it as an opportunity to take your training to the next level.
|
|
