Padwork Etiquette: How to Be the Partner Everyone Wants to Train With

The single biggest mistake made in any boxing class is the assumption that padwork is simply about throwing punches. Too many beginners and experienced boxers alike view it as just a quick burst of cardiovascular conditioning, a loud, brutal exercise in exhausting your partner, before you get exhausted yourself.

This is incorrect.

Padwork is not merely a physical activity; it is a dialogue. It is a technical, two-way conversation where every punch thrown (and caught) is a social cue. This conversation requires etiquette, in terms of safety, timing, and mutual respect. Without this etiquette, padwork quickly degrades into a circus act, except a dangerous one. If you want your boxing and padwork skills to be safe and effective, consider the following habits:

1. What Do They Want?

Before throwing or catching the first punch, the most polite thing you can do is set the terms of the drill.

Get clear on the purpose of the round. Is the goal technique, or fitness? If the goal is fitness, do not micromanage every technical detail; if it is technique, do not tire them out with haymakers. Adjust your padwork style and expectations to match the agreed-upon goal.

2. Protect Yourself At All Times

Safety, control, and good manners begin with the holder's stance and distance management.

Stand about an arm’s length from your partner in a matching stance to your partner (e.g. Orthodox to Orthodox). Do not show the targets until you want your partner to punch them. When you show the targets, hold one pad slightly in front to signal the first target. When you finish a combination, return to the “hidden targets” position.

3. No Opponent Has Two Heads

The pads must be held realistically to ensure the punches translate to genuine skill.

Ensure the pads are close together when the targets are shown, simulating a head. Avoid holding the pads too far apart, otherwise it looks like two heads!

4. Meet Their Punch Where It Ends

The pad holder's job is to support the striker's power at its natural point of completion, not shorten it.

Avoid reaching out too far with the pads or you’ll risk cutting their punches too short and kills the natural power transfer. The worst scenario is making your partner stand like a statue while you slap their gloves from all angles! Instead, ensure your pad meets the punch precisely at the point of full extension, providing the realistic feedback and resistance they need to develop true striking power.

5. Build Layers with Repetition

Effective training requires patient, structured practice that allows technique to become muscle memory. Patience is always the best etiquette in teaching.

Start with a single move, and practice it a few times before adding to it. Do not be afraid to repeat. There is no benefit in moving on before your partner develops a "feel" for good technique. As you establish the basics, add other techniques, including blocks, head movement, or footwork.

Crucially, whenever a new technique is introduced, do (at least) the first repetition slowly.

6. Test, Test, Test, Adjust.

The pad holder must actively observe and enter a "mechanic's" mindset to fix flaws effectively.

Observe your partner as they throw a punch. If you notice an error (e.g., their non-punching hand dropping), give them a verbal reminder ("guard up"). If that doesn't work after three tries, consider a physical tap on the specific glove as a more prominent reminder—a courtesy call to their defence. If that still fails, ask them to hold out the punch statically and make the needed physical adjustments.

Once the technique is mechanically sound, the pad holder must transition into the "opponent" mindset to test its consistency. Start thinking like an opponent. Was the technique consistent under pressure? Change the intensity. How does it look under varying conditions, speeds, or after some footwork? Use this testing phase to identify the weaknesses that need to be addressed.

7. Flow

Padwork is a real-time negotiation. The holder must manage the intensity while both partners commit to a fair session.

Adjust the intensity and complexity of the combinations to suit your partner’s skills and needs to find the "sweet spot" where they can get into the "zone." If the intensity is too high, lower it. If the complexity is too much, reduce it.

Furthermore, always reciprocate by committing to holding or striking quality rounds equally, ensuring your partner receives the same focused effort you expect for yourself.

Padwork is a two-way street. By adopting these seven habits, you move beyond merely hitting and holding, transforming your training into a safe, sophisticated, and effective partnership. Become the partner who elevates everyone's game, and your own skills will follow suit.