Thai pad alternatives

[Snake1725681530]

Hi guys and girls, hope you're well.

This question relates to viable alternatives to pads i.e. Thai pads for practicing techniques on.

Although I really want some, I can't afford to buy a decent set of pads so I'm being forced to look at substitutes. I was wondering how sandbags (the ones from your local DIY store) are for practicing punching and kicking techniques. One person would be holding the bag whilst the other attacks it.

Obviously I understand they're hard so hand wraps are a must, but I think this will prove beneficial for conditioning as well.

Does anyone have any experiences or thoughts? More importantly, am I bonkers for considering the use of sandbags for this?

[DWx]

How much is too expensive? You can get some decent forearm pads for around £25. I use these and they take a fair beating: http://www.bytomic.com/detail.asp?c_urn=8&show=pgno1&urn=35&pg=1

Can get similar circular type pads or forearm stuff from most places for around that price.

T sport do have a Thai pad for £20 but its just one and not the pair like you get with the focus pads above: http://www.black-eagle.co.uk/vinylthaipad-p-2672.html

I think you're a little bonkers with the sandbags. Aside from the injuring yourself you might end up splitting the bags open and having a whole lot of sand to clear up!

[isshinryu5toforever]

If you're going to go the sandbag route, it's pretty much only for conditioning. Don't have someone hold it, build a makiwara. You will get some power benefits, but your hands and shins will benefit more as far as being tougher. Here are people talking about it

http://www.kyokushin4life.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1269.html

They give a few links, some work, some don't, but they also give dimensions, which would be helpful if you're going to build one. You can fill it with marbles instead of sand. You'll get the same benefit, but they'll go nicely back into place instead of sand, which has a tendency to pool in places. One more note, if you have zero training in Makiwara practice DO NOT do this. I repeat, DO NOT do this, you will pay for it with bad joints in 30 or 40 years. Only do it if you have been trained properly to do makiwara. If you want some tips, I can give them to you on here, but it doesn't replace an experienced instructor.

Your style field says Kyokushin kaikan, they should have all this stuff at your dojo, why not go there?

[Snake1725681530]

If you're going to go the sandbag route, it's pretty much only for conditioning. Don't have someone hold it, build a makiwara. You will get some power benefits, but your hands and shins will benefit more as far as being tougher. Here are people talking about it

http://www.kyokushin4life.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1269.html

They give a few links, some work, some don't, but they also give dimensions, which would be helpful if you're going to build one. You can fill it with marbles instead of sand. You'll get the same benefit, but they'll go nicely back into place instead of sand, which has a tendency to pool in places. One more note, if you have zero training in Makiwara practice DO NOT do this. I repeat, DO NOT do this, you will pay for it with bad joints in 30 or 40 years. Only do it if you have been trained properly to do makiwara. If you want some tips, I can give them to you on here, but it doesn't replace an experienced instructor.

Your style field says Kyokushin kaikan, they should have all this stuff at your dojo, why not go there?

Hi Guys, thanks for the replies. DWx I do worry about using sandbags mainly because of the potential mess, so it looks like I'll have to forego that idea. I will look into those links that you posted. The cheapest pair of pads I've found start from £40!!! As I often train alone outside of class, I feel that spending that much money is too much (I may be wrong though)!

isshinryu5toforever, I've only recently started Kyokushin and so I don't have training using a Makiwara. I attend classes twice a week (which is all that's on offer at my Dojo at the moment- though I will be upping this to three times a week from October) and the sandbag training was really to practice conditioning and technique outside of class, on those rare occasions when I do have a partner available for training. Coming from a Muay Thai background, I'm no stranger to Shadow Boxing etc, but this gets a bit repetitive after a while

[Vayupak]

I recommend fairtex kicking pads for you. The pads is light weight and cure style for punching and kicking.

[Tintin]

Why not try ebay?

There are some real bargins on there. (I just bid on some focus pads for less than a tenner)

As long as you do your homework and check out the brand, quality and what they are actually worth - might get something for the same cost as trying to bodge something yourself.

[Kuma]

Since you're a Kyokushin guy, I have a good alternative for you for your hand techniques at least. Get a phonebook and a white belt, and as you put a layer of duct tape around the phone book adjust the belt so it makes a loop on top that you can wear around your neck. Now you have a good tool for punching as well as for conditioning your hands. If you're using kicks, I would double up the phone book at least.