I was looking to get some focus muts and a kicking shield and was wondering what the difference was between the Thai pads and the regular pads?
Where are you looking? I don't think I've heard of "regular" pads. Thai pads are the name for a style of pad. Any pad fashioned like this... Fairtex Standard Thai Pad from Combatsports.com ...with a strap across the upper forearm, a handle for the holder to grip and a large rectangular striking surface is considered a "thai" pad.
Top Contender Conventional Punch Mitts from Combatsports.com Just something like that for focus and something I could wail on to work on the standup game when Im gassed. Curved Kicking Pads from Combatsports.com is the style of what I normally kick.
Thai pads are just the more traditional design. I think they're more popular over the curved ones, but they both function for the same purpose.
I think that Thai pads are mor versitile. You can use the as focus punch mitts and for kicking and kneeing. Combat sports makes a lot of different styles of thai pads that range in size and weight so that they can be used as focus mitts and kicking pads
