Pad Work, is it essential?

[Harkon72]

In Shukokai you must prove that your technique is effective in your gradings by showing it against a kick or punch shield. To pass, to reflect your grade you must move the person holding it. It is part of our training. One thing we don't do as a rule is test our technique against tiles and boards. How do styles differ on this? I went to a well respected Shotokan club once, there was no kick shield or focus mitt in sight. Does anyone use a traditional Makiwara? I have a Wing Chun wall bag full of black eyed beans at home, it's a good way of testing my close punching at speed. I wonder if I should get a Kick dummy. It's just having the space for it.

[tallgeese]

There's a lot in there, but let me just address your point of pad work. Lining up to smash a kick shield or punch a mitt may or may not be important to training. For me, if that's what a school is using them for it'd be easier to line up and smash a heavy bag.

Now, if you're maximizing their potential, then they are absolutely essential. I'm a huge believer in them if they are used correctly. Here's the link to an article I wrote on their use:

http://www.karateforums.com/focus-mitt-training-for-the-multi-disciplined-fighter-vt34351.html

It pretty much sums up my feelings on how important they are across disciplines.

[pers]

I think pad work is a good idea but not really for the karate class .avarage karate class is about 90 minutes and most of it should be devoted to actual karate practice .Pad work and other body conditioning should be done outside of the class in your own time .

I am by all means for a brief introduction of pad work by sensei to teach students how it should be done , perhaps after green belt level , then its up to you to do the padwork with a partner in your spare time .

[ShoriKid]

Pad work is important for several reasons. At least to me and mine. You can build impact power in cases where you can't get a heavy bag hung. They provide feed back from your partner. Are mobile and allow you to learn to gauge and control distance, cutting some off and gaining superior angles. They can work on developing combinations and give that feed back that tells you your stance is off or your balance is poor. All of these things can come from good pad work. There are a whole host of things that can be learned and developed through proper pad work.

Makiwara develop power and focused techniques in a different way. Some people like them, some don't. I like them, but haven't used them in a long time due to not being able to get a properly floor mounted makiwara.

Both are good tools that develop different skills and attributes. Both need to be worked properly if they are to do anything for your training.

[Kuma]

In my opinion padwork is an indispensible tool in developing fighting ability. Working the pads is far more realistic than hitting a heavy bag. It's a great tool to improve techniques, combinations, conditioning, distance, timing, reaction ability, coordination, and numerous other attributes related to fighting.

[Dobbersky]

I think its really important, especially if the schools using the pads its the only time the students get to "hit" something as one then knows how it actually feels. I tend not to use pads that much as I treat the strikes as body conditioning for the Uke, as well as strike practice for the Tori. Hitting a person is totally different to striking a heavy bag or a pad.

It's good for long combination sets especially if the Uke is being the Uke for more than just a few minutes

OSU

[DoctorQui]

I think its essential as part of a training regime and during class time.

Personally, I love pad work and for me, no matter how advanced a karateka you are, there is only so much gravity defying stuff you can do before your limbs start to give up.

For me, particularly in terms of kick work, the strike pads provide the shangri la that is a target you can beast without having to apologise afterward.

It is also essential for the person holding the pad as s/he is able to take note of how a person telegraphs a move or kick! lol

[Harkon72]

I love having pad work as part of the class. I like watching the senior grades do pad work, I can watch their technique and learn from them.

[Wastelander]

It is not essential--martial artists trained without pads for hundreds of years, after all--but padwork is very useful and valuable, and I think it should be included in training for anyone practicing an art that strikes. I cannot put it any better than Tallgeese did in that article, but essentially it allows you to practice a wide variety of strikes and trapping against moving targets, and the value of that is high.

[Harkon72]

I think that it's an important part of any grading or test. After 7th Kyu it's included in all Shukokai Gradings. I find kicking a shield easier than kicking the air, you have a target, a focus. Relaxing enough to let your technique flow gives you speed and power.