The Padwork Coach | Atlas Coach Development
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Atlas Coach Development

Hold Better Pads.
Build Better Coaches.

Learn the technical, practical and business skills needed to deliver exceptional padwork sessions your clients want to come back for.

Live Training·Practical·Hands-On·Limited Places
The Problem

Anyone can hold pads.Very few people hold them well.

There's a real difference between presenting a target and actually coaching someone. Most padwork is built around the person holding the pads — their combinations, their rhythm, their routine. Very little of it is built around the person doing the work.

Bad Targets
Poor Distance
No Progression
Unrealistic Combinations
Poor Communication

Great padwork should develop the person hitting the pads — not showcase the person holding them.

01

Better Pad Holder

Learn correct positioning, distance, timing and movement.

02

Better Coach

Learn to identify mistakes and communicate meaningful corrections.

03

Better Programmer

Understand how to create drills and progressions instead of memorising endless combinations.

04

Better Business

Turn your coaching ability into a service clients value and want to buy.

Course Pathway

Choose Your Path

Level 1

Padwork Foundations

One Day

The technical and coaching foundations of pad holding — equipment, boxing fundamentals, pad-holder mechanics and building your first sessions.

Explore Level 1
Level 2

Advanced Padwork & Coach Development

One Day

Reactive padwork, advanced drill design, and the business skills to turn your coaching into a service people book.

Explore Level 2
Level 1 — Padwork Foundations

The Foundations, Done Properly

Seven modules covering the equipment, the technique and the coaching skills every pad holder needs before they hold a pad for a paying client.

01Hand Wrapping & Client Interaction+
Correct hand wrapping and wrist protection, and how the wrapping process can be used naturally to build rapport with a client before a session begins.
02Understanding Your Equipment+
Focus mitts, paddles, Thai pads, boxing gloves, body shields and other useful equipment — what each tool is for, how to hold and use it, and when to reach for it.
03Boxing Fundamentals+
Stance, guard, jab, cross, hooks, uppercuts, basic movement and common technical mistakes. The goal isn't to turn attendees into competitive boxers — it's to make sure they understand the movements they're coaching.
04Pad Holding Fundamentals+
The most important module on the day. Pad-holder stance, correct target positioning, distance, timing, meeting punches correctly, shoulder/wrist/elbow protection, communication, rhythm, positioning for different punches, working with clients of different heights and sizes, and the common pad-holding mistakes to avoid.
05Combination Building+
How combinations actually work, rather than memorising a fixed list. Building from single techniques, into simple combinations, into movement, into longer sequences.
06Pad Holder Drills+
A framework attendees can use to build their own drills, rather than relying on a set list of routines.
07Building a Padwork Session+
How to structure an effective one-to-one or small-group padwork session from start to finish.
Key Philosophy

This Isn't About Memorising 50 Combinations.

Learn the principles behind great padwork so you can build sessions around the person standing in front of you.

Understand Coach Adapt Progress
Level 2 — Advanced Padwork & Coach Development

Take Your Coaching Further.

Eight modules covering advanced technical padwork alongside the drill design and business skills to build a real padwork service.

01Advanced Padwork+
Advanced combinations, transitions and sequencing for clients who've outgrown the basics.
02Defence & Counters+
Slips, rolls, parries, pulls, defensive responses and counter-attacks — and how to hold pads for them safely.
03Movement & Angles+
Moving padwork, changing distance, creating angles and building realistic movement into a session.
04Reactive Padwork+
Moving away from completely pre-scripted padwork: visual cues, decision making, reactive combinations, call-and-response and controlled unpredictability.
05Advanced Drill Development+
The Objective → Skill → Constraint → Progression → Pressure framework, and how to turn one concept into multiple, progressively harder drills.
06Developing Your Coaching Business+
How padwork can become a commercially valuable coaching service, not just a session format.
07Facebook & Instagram Advertising+
An introduction to offers, Meta advertising, creative, lead generation, landing pages, follow-up, and converting leads into bookings.
08AI for Coaches+
Practical ways AI can enhance your coaching and your business — from session planning to marketing.
Reactive Coaching

From Scripted Padwork To Reactive Coaching.

Advanced coaching develops decision-making and reactions — not just the ability to memorise a longer sequence.

From

Pre-Determined Combination

The pad holder calls a fixed sequence. The client executes it from memory. Same pattern, every round.

VS
To

See → Decide → Respond

The pad holder presents a cue. The client has to see it, decide on the right response, and execute — under realistic pressure.

Drill Creation Framework

Stop Memorising Drills. Start Building Them.

Attendees learn a system for creating their own drills, so they're never dependent on memorising a library of combinations.

1
Objective
What is this drill actually trying to develop?
2
Skill
The specific technical or tactical skill in focus.
3
Constraint
A limitation that forces the skill to be used correctly.
4
Progression
How the drill gets harder as the client improves.
5
Pressure
Adding realistic speed, decision-making or fatigue.
Business

Being A Great Coach Is Only Half The Job.

We'll also show you how to get people through the door.

Offer Meta Ad Landing Page Lead Follow-Up Booking Client

Level 2 introduces the commercial systems used to promote a coaching service — from the initial offer through to a booked client.

AI For Coaches

Use AI Like A Tool — Not A Toy.

Attendees are shown practical AI workflows for coaching and business — no technical background required.

"Create five progressions for this padwork drill..."
"Build a six-week beginner boxing fitness programme..."
"Turn this coaching offer into three Meta ad concepts..."
"Create the structure for a landing page promoting my PT programme..."
AI Prompt Library Included
Who It's For

Built For Working Coaches.

Whatever background you're coming from, if you put pads on a client's hands, this course is built for you.

Personal Trainers
Martial Arts Coaches
Boxing Coaches
Fitness Instructors
Gym Owners
S&C Coaches
Group Fitness Coaches
What You Leave With

Built To Use On Monday Morning.

Practical, live, hands-on training
Course manual
Padwork drill library [to be confirmed]
Combination reference
Session-planning framework
AI prompt library
Marketing & landing-page templates [to be confirmed]
Meta advertising framework
Certificate of completion
Post-course resources [to be confirmed]
[ Placeholder — Instructor Photograph ]
Dean Hardwick
Your Instructor

30+ Years of Martial Arts & Coaching Experience

[Placeholder — martial arts background: disciplines trained, years of experience, and coaching journey to be added here.]

[Placeholder — coaching background: styles of coaching delivered, populations worked with, and coaching philosophy to be added here.]

[Placeholder — running Atlas Martial Arts Academy: founding story, facility, and current programmes to be added here.]

[Placeholder — real-world experience coaching students and running and marketing a martial arts facility to be added here.]

Course Options

Book Your Place

Level 1 Padwork Foundations £XXX
Date: [Date TBC] Location: [Location TBC] Spaces: [Spaces remaining TBC]
Book Your Place
Level 2 Advanced Padwork & Coach Development £XXX
Date: [Date TBC] Location: [Location TBC] Spaces: [Spaces remaining TBC]
Book Your Place
FAQ

Questions, Answered.

Do I need boxing experience?+

No. The course is built for coaches from any background. Boxing fundamentals are covered from the ground up in Level 1.

Who is the course designed for?+

Personal trainers, martial arts instructors, boxing coaches, fitness instructors, gym owners, S&C coaches and group exercise instructors.

Do I need to complete Level 1 before Level 2?+

[Placeholder — prerequisite policy to be confirmed.]

What equipment do I need?+

[Placeholder — required/provided equipment list to be confirmed.]

Is the course practical?+

Yes. The course is live and hands-on, with practical pad holding and coaching practice throughout.

Will I receive a certificate?+

Yes, a certificate of completion is included.

Is this an accredited qualification?+

[Placeholder — accreditation status to be confirmed. This course is not currently described as an accredited qualification.]

Can I use these skills with my PT clients?+

Yes — the course is designed so you can apply what you learn directly with your existing clients.

What should I bring?+

[Placeholder — kit list to be confirmed.]

Is lunch provided?+

[Placeholder — catering details to be confirmed.]

Where is the course held?+

[Placeholder — venue and location details to be confirmed.]

What is the cancellation policy?+

[Placeholder — cancellation policy to be confirmed.]

Stop Just Holding Pads.
Start Coaching.

Places are limited on every course date. Book now to secure your spot on the Padwork Coach programme.

Level 1 · Level 2 · Complete Weekend