How useful is a throwing dummy

[zzj]

I'm considering purchasing one, but it is going to be a big investment in terms of cost (including shipping) and will take up space in my small apartment.

Of course I do not expect a throwing dummy to be as good as practicing with a partner, however, I expect that there are advantages such as being able to repeatedly execute throws and take downs that would be asking too much from any partner.

So my question to anyone who owns, or has extensively practiced with a dummy for throwing/take down (not so much for grappling/submission):

1) Is it worthwhile to devote training time using such a dummy.

2) Does it approximate the feel of throwing a real person (I weigh about 170lbs, the dummy I am looking at is about 130lbs).

3) Are there any possible drawbacks, like developing bad habits specific to using a dummy....

I am posting this in the General Forum so as to gather feedback from anyone regardless of style, as long as they practice throws/take downs.

 

[zzj]

This is the dummy I am considering....

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

1) Is it worthwhile to devote training time using such a dummy.

You can use it to train some throws such as firemen's carry, shoulder throw, foot sweep, ... But it's hard to use it to train single leg, double legs, ... (it's too easy because the dummy will fall by itself.)

2) Does it approximate the feel of throwing a real person (I weigh about 170lbs, the dummy I am looking at is about 130lbs).

It doesn't feel like to throw a real person unless you want to spend about $500 to get a leather one (not the plastic one which cost only about $175). Don't use 130 lb dummy. It's too heavy. Use the 90 lb dummy instead.

3) Are there any possible drawbacks, like developing bad habits specific to using a dummy....

The throwing dummy doesn't last very long. the arms and waist will start to break. After you have thrown it on the ground, when you lift it back up, you may hurt your elbow joint by doing so.

Here are some throwing dummy training clips. The nice thing about it is, your dummy will never complain no matter how hard and how often that you may throw it on the ground.

 

[zzj]

1) Is it worthwhile to devote training time using such a dummy.

You can use it to train some throws such as firemen's carry, shoulder throw, foot sweep, ... But it's hard to use it to train single leg, double legs, ... (it's too easy because the dummy will fall by itself.)

2) Does it approximate the feel of throwing a real person (I weigh about 170lbs, the dummy I am looking at is about 130lbs).

It doesn't feel like to throw a real person unless you want to spend about $500 to get a leather one (not the plastic one which cost only about $175). Don't use 130 lb dummy. It's too heavy. Use the 90 lb dummy instead.

3) Are there any possible drawbacks, like developing bad habits specific to using a dummy....

The throwing dummy doesn't last very long. the arms and waist will start to break. After you have thrown it on the ground, when you lift it back up, you may hurt your elbow joint by doing so.

Here are some throwing dummy training clips. The nice thing about it is, your dummy will never complain no matter how hard and how often that you may throw it on the ground.

Thanks for the reply.

The one I am looking at is artificial leather, and I can get it for 200+ from taobao (there are even cheaper ones, but I am only looking at the reputable sellers with good reviews).

Is a 90lb dummy really sufficient? I have read that the dummies are all dead weight so it would not be advisable to get one that is your own weight, but a 80lb difference seems a bit too much.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I weigh about 183 lbs.

One of my students uses a 130 lb dummy. He told me he felt it's too heavy and he wished he could have a 90 lb instead. IMO, the 90 lb is heavy enough. If you do your throw 100 times daily, the 90 lb will give you enough work out.

I believe in "you should dominate the weight. You should not let the weight to dominate you." After you have thrown your dummy 100 times, next day if you still fell like to do it again, you are using the right amount weight. If you don't feel like to work out next day, you may use too much weight.

If you want to

- lift up a throwing dummy over your head, even a 150 lb throwing dummy is not too heavy.
- use your throwing dummy to train certain throwing skill, you don't need that much weight.

 

[zzj]

I weigh about 183 lbs.

One of my students uses a 130 lb dummy. He told me he felt it's too heavy and he wished he could have a 90 lb instead. IMO, the 90 lb is heavy enough. If you do your throw 100 times daily, the 90 lb will give you enough work out.

I believe in "you should dominate the weight. You should not let the weight to dominate you." After you have thrown your dummy 100 times, next day if you still fell like to do it again, you are using the right amount weight. If you don't feel like to work out next day, you may use too much weight.

If you want to

- lift up a throwing dummy over your head, even a 150 lb throwing dummy is not too heavy.
- use your throwing dummy to train certain throwing skill, you don't need that much weight.

As you might know, I am currently a TJQ student, while I would use the dummy to practice some throws, I would also be using it to practice stuff like direct pluck/grab and throws and fajing pushes for which overcoming weight/mass itself using proper body mechanics is an important aspect. This is in contrast to what we normally emphasize in arts like Judo (the technicality of the throw execution itself) for which I also have some experience in....

Of course your points are very valid, and the practicality of having to constantly re-position a dummy that is heavier than my wife would be daunting and might put me off more practice... there is the option of the 110lb dummy though...maybe I should consider that.

 

[talktalk]

If I were you I would invest in submission dummy . For throwing if can a punching bag also can be used unless it becomes so advance that it will not fall easily and there's flexibility on their legs and arms which enable one to manipulate .

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

If I were you I would invest in submission dummy . For throwing if can a punching bag also can be used unless it becomes so advance that it will not fall easily and there's flexibility on their legs and arms which enable one to manipulate .

Using a punching bag to practice throws repetitively wouldn't really work to well..you can easily learn bad form by practicing throwing essentially a straight log.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I'm not a fan of the throwing dummy in general. I don't think you can practice proper technique with it to any useful extent.

The exception would be for practicing suplexes. It's a pretty good shape for practicing suplexes over and over.

 

[zzj]

I'm not a fan of the throwing dummy in general. I don't think you can practice proper technique with it to any useful extent.

The exception would be for practicing suplexes. It's a pretty good shape for practicing suplexes over and over.

Well, I have already put in an order for a dummy, so I'm the owner of a dummy what ever the case.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Here is another no legs throwing dummy training clip.

The stand up dummy can be used to train throwing skill too. At least you don't have to lift up your dummy from the ground every-time.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Here is another no legs throwing dummy training clip.

The stand up dummy can be used to train throwing skill too. At least you don't have to lift up your dummy from the ground every-time.

In that first clip I like how he's attached a belt to the dummy and uses that as a handle for picking up the dummy and throwing it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

In that first clip I like how he's attached a belt to the dummy and uses that as a handle for picking up the dummy and throwing it.

If you put on a Shuai-Chiao jacket or Judo Gi on a throwing dummy, you can train many different throws. The only concern is your training starts to depend on the jacket (Gi) environment. You may have harder time to transfer your training into the no-jacket (no-Gi) environment later on.

Both Shuai-Chiao and Judo have the same issue. Many throws that require "pulling" may work well with jacket (Gi). It doesn't work well in the no-jacket (no-Gi) environment. This is why I prefer to train "under hook", "over hook", "head lock", "shoulder pulling", "single leg", "double legs", ... that don't depend on jacket (Gi) than the "upper lapel" grip that only work on jacket (Gi) environment.

When you are young, you don't mind to start your throwing art training from the jacket (Gi) environment. Later on in your MA training path, when you start to integrate your kick, punch, lock, throw, and ground game, you may want to move away from that jacket (Gi) environment.