Training with a Grappling Dummy?

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YourNewStepDad

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Does anyone have any experience using a grappling dummy (something like the BubbaDummy, for example) as a part of their training?

My situation is that i am a busy law student, as well as a judo and BJJ player, and have recently found it impossible to make it to formal classes in order to roll with live opponents.

Can anyone who has used grappling dummies in their training give me some indication of the general usefulness of such training in the abscence of live partners. Obviously, rolling with living human beings is preferable, but i just can't make it work in my schedule and am looking for a way to work techniques on my own. The dummies i have seen on the internet are tremendously expensive (relative to my meager income) and would like to hear some pro/con testimony before making the investment.

thank you in advance for any useful advice
 
I have a Grappling Man dummy from I&I Sports. It is very helpul for practicing or learning new things and then putting them into play with a real opponent. In particular, when I learn stuff from an instructional vid I'll work with the dummy first and then with a real person. In some cases it's particularly useful with techniques that can easily be harmful to a real person if you are not careful - e.g., leg locks and certain neck cranks. A dummy is also great for ground and pound because you can just wail away. It's not a perfect solution (the dummy does not fight back or resist), but then again, neither is a real opponent because you have to restrain yourself with some techniques when practicing. Now that I reflect on what I just wrote... I guess it would be better to have a dummy for MMA/vale tudo type practice than for a more sportive BJJ or Judo approach.

Some people also just use a 100lb. heavy bag for practicing some grappling skills (throwing/takedowns and positioning much more so than practicing locks/submissions because of the bag has no head and limbs). Mark Hatmaker put out an excellent DVD entitled "The Floor Bag Workout" that you might want to check into this concerning this option. Good luck to you.
 
Strike Force said:
I learn stuff from an instructional vid I'll work with the dummy first and then with a real person.

Some people also just use a 100lb. heavy bag for practicing some grappling skills (throwing/takedowns and positioning much more so than practicing locks/submissions because of the bag has no head and limbs). Mark Hatmaker put out an excellent DVD entitled "The Floor Bag Workout" that you might want to check into this concerning this option. Good luck to you.
Click to expand...

I made a dummy, not exactly the prettiest thing, but it does the job. I also use a heavy bag for throws, bridges, and lifts.

"The Floor Bag Workout" is a great DVD.
 
sir037 said:
I made a dummy, not exactly the prettiest thing, but it does the job. I also use a heavy bag for throws, bridges, and lifts.

"The Floor Bag Workout" is a great DVD.
Click to expand...


yes by matt hatmaker awesome- will really improve your conditioning and your 'top' game- by moving position to position
 
That Submission Master seems like a pretty good dummy.

I always say this, but the biggest thing with any dummy is your dedication. If you're lazy, you won't use it regardless how good it is. If you're dedicated, you'll find ways to make it work for you, even if it's not ideal.

I have a Grapple Man and a Bubba. I guess between the two, I like the Bubba the most. But in all honesty, I rarely use them. (what I mentioned about dedication).
 
ypu can make your own relatively easily and cheaply,try that and then maybe invest in somthing else?
 
It's a very poor substitute for hunman interaction, no feedback and very minimal resistance. There's a lot of nuances that you just can't replicate. But all that said it's better than nothing. I agree with Tone C that it may be better to build your own and invest in other equipment.
 
i made my own from the bubba patent and i can honestly say it's helped me improve.

nothing can replace a live training partner, but it is a good way to practice drills to develop muscle memory. it's also useful to practice adding strikes to your ground game.
 
use the money you would spend on a dummy to arrange for private lessons that fit your schedule?
if not, don't pay the ridiculous amount for a real dummy, just make your own
 
KettoRyu said:
use the money you would spend on a dummy to arrange for private lessons that fit your schedule?
Click to expand...

Then you could use the stuff you see in the lessons on the dummy....Good idea about spending the savings on private lessons as and when...
 
I was planning on getting a dummy, just to drill moves, but it is waay too expensive. $300 tops would be worth it and that would still be high.
 
Flounder said:
That Submission Master seems like a pretty good dummy.

I always say this, but the biggest thing with any dummy is your dedication. If you're lazy, you won't use it regardless how good it is. If you're dedicated, you'll find ways to make it work for you, even if it's not ideal.

I have a Grapple Man and a Bubba. I guess between the two, I like the Bubba the most. But in all honesty, I rarely use them. (what I mentioned about dedication).
Click to expand...

I was thinking of getting Bubba ... then I looked online and actually saw what he looks like. Of all the races they could have made Bubba they settled on Black!? How infuriating. Fucking outrageous.

That poor poor defensless black man/dummy.

All of you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Until they make bubba in a different color I must move forward with a boycott...
Who's with me?
 
I just bought a Submission Master Dummy. It is really stiff but it is getting better. I take private lessons and I use the dummy. The thing I like about the dummy is that I can really crank on knee bars, rnc and alot of other moves to improve my strength. Also you are able to punch it and the arms cross in front of the face so it is like the dummy is trying to defend. When i transition from mount to arm bar I can pull the arm into my chest and fall back with the arm and push my hips way in the air with no complaints from the dummy. The shoulders are wide so triangles are a bear to get on there, much harder than a person. I feel that it has improved my grappling.
 
Youre better off just teaching one of your friends some stuff and practicing with him. A dead dummy is not going to replicate a live human, its good for drilling techniques and getting them to become mechanical, but what happens when you go for a technique and the guy blocks it with his knee or something of that nature? You still wont know how to get past it.
 
My ultimate feeling is that anything is better than nothing. Better to become mechanical in your motions than to forget techniques that you have taken a long time to learn. It is like shadow boxing, while not as good as sparring with a live person, at least you can maintain the skills. If he absolutly cannot grapple with a live person than why not get a dummy? The dummy does not complain when you want to twist, punch and choke it at 2 am when you are frustrated from work, home work, wife\gf pissed you off, etc etc.
 
where can I find that bubba patent to make my own. That submission master looks great but it's almost 500 bucks.
 
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