Grappling dummy

[deadshot138]

Thinking of investing in a grappling dummy as work has been hectic and I can only make it to jits once or twice a week. I figure it'd be nice at least for armbar drills and whatever. Anyone have one they'd recommend?

 

[Kforcer]

The best dummy I've had was one I made. My students used it as a throwing dummy or generally beat-up dummy and basically destroyed it. Ironically, after destroying it, a number of them realized its utility and complained when I had to get rid of it (I essentially gave it "joints" and the constant slamming destroyed those joints, and also, tears opened up which allowed bugs to infest it).

Part of me would say look up some of the websites and videos about making a grappling dummy and incorporate those ideas and your needs into your own version that you make, because if I could make one, anyone can.

However, not wanting to go throw all that labor again, I ordered a fairly cheap one that has worked out pretty well; it has a target shape on its "head," but so do a lot of them, so I'm not sure exactly what brand it is. I would just look at Youtube videos of people using the various models so you can get a sense of what you're buying. Personally, I'd go with one of the cheaper 30-some dollar unfilled dummies first, just to get a sense of what you might want or need. And also because they might end up working out just fine. If they don't then, you'll have a better sense of what was missing and what you want and be able to seek that out from the more expensive ones or incorporate that into one you build more effectively. If you do end up building one, an unfilled 30-dollar dummy could make a great starting base for it anyways.

 

[Peteyandjia]

A heavy grappling dummy, with stiffer arms, is good for armbar, passing, pin transition drills. The soft smushy dummy, with the bent arms that can flop around, is good for practicing strangulations, & attacking the back, shoulders, & legs.

Of course, neither is a remote substitute for a live human being, but if used correctly & with purpose they can still be great, useful tools.

 

[Sweeptheleg7]

Thinking of investing in a grappling dummy as work has been hectic and I can only make it to jits once or twice a week. I figure it'd be nice at least for armbar drills and whatever. Anyone have one they'd recommend?

You can probably get a used one on Craigslist or Ofer up for a decent price. They’re definitely not great but can be useful working on top position submissions from mount, side control or knee on belly. They’re not so great for working on closed guard but you can do some open guard stuff but it feels super different. You can also work in some leg lock stuff but it’s also really different than an actual person. It takes some time getting used to but it is a decent supplement

 

[xMTDx]

Buy an unfilled one off ebay then buy 30 bucks worth of rags to fill it with. Great investment for drilling and muscle memory.

 

[JacJeanFinger]

Beside using as a drilling aid, grappling dummy works best when you're learning or inventing a new technique or variation and completing and mastering its entire maneuver in your head is too much of a stretch.

Filling ithe dummy with fabrics alone would be too light to handle. I'd use iron pieces wrapped good in clothes.

 

[mattemate]

Please, take my wife!

 

[Jagcorps_esq]

During COVID, we were all locked down pretty hard here. We bought a few dummies for use in our house, as my son also trains. I got two different types.

One was the more traditional stuffed leather, with some flexibility. The other was a rigid dummy with no flexibility at all, called a BJJ 9000. It allowed some different options that a flexible dummy did not. Between the two, I could drill almost anything.

When we went back to live classes, at first we still had to distance by training with a dummy rather than a person.

As noted by others though, there is nothing better than training with a live person.