Best Grappling Dummies in 2023 (for BJJ and MMA)

Our Top Choices:

Best Grappling Dummy Overall: Ring to Cage Deluxe Ground & Pound Dummy 3.0

Level up your training with this versatile, heavy-duty grappling dummy, featuring hands and feet for realistic drills across multiple martial arts disciplines.

Best Grappling Dummy for the price: Hawk Sports Grappling Dummy

Get the ultimate training experience at an unbeatable price with this durable, all-purpose dummy, perfect for mastering various MMA, Boxing, BJJ, and more techniques.

Best Grappling Dummy for kids: Jendila Grappling Dummy

Safely let your little ones practice their martial arts skills with this kid-friendly, premium canvas grappling dummy designed for long-lasting use and realistic training.

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If you want to level up your grappling game, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re diving deep into the world of grappling dummies – your new best friend for perfecting those submissions and techniques.

Let us explore the top grappling dummies available, discuss their purpose and benefits, and provide useful tips on when and how to use them effectively. And since we know how overwhelming it can be to choose the right dummy, we’ve got your back with a comprehensive buying guide that’ll walk you through everything you need to know when making that all-important purchase.

So, strap in and get ready to find the ultimate grappling partner as we help you take your training sessions to the next level. Let’s get started!

The 5 best Grappling Dummies in 2023

Ring to Cage Deluxe Ground & Pound Dummy 3.0

Ring to Cage Deluxe Ground & Pound Dummy 3.0 is your ultimate training partner for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, grappling, wrestling, and MMA ground and pound practice. The 3.0 version comes with hands and feet, making it even more realistic and versatile for training sessions. Available in both youth and adult sizes, this dummy is designed to cater to all ages and skill levels.

Constructed from heavy-duty 22oz polyester-coated vinyl and tightly filled, this dummy can withstand the toughest training regimens. It features a durable shoulder system, allowing you to practice various techniques, from triangle chokes to arm bars, and various controls and positions. With its sturdy base, the dummy can sit and stay on its legs, stretching out for leg locks, knee bars, and ankle hooks.

The adult dummy is available in Black/Red, Marine Green, Red, and Blue colors, stands at the height of a 6-foot-tall person, and weighs approximately 65-70 pounds. The kids’ version comes in Blue/Red, is about the height of a 4.6-foot-tall child, and weighs approximately 30-35 pounds.

Take your grappling skills to the next level with the Ring to Cage Deluxe Ground & Pound Dummy 3.0 – a versatile, durable, and lifelike training partner that’ll have you mastering your techniques in no time.

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DAAN MMA Grappling Dummy

This versatile dummy allows you to practice various positions, such as supine, turtle, guard, pin escapes, and even wrestling, replicating a realistic grappling opponent feel for a more effective training experience.

Made with durable vinyl material, this grappling dummy features reinforced, heavy-duty construction, using four-ply polyester-nylon thread and double-reinforced stitching. The fabric is also completely waterproof, making it easy to clean and share.

The DAAN MMA Grappling Dummy comes unfilled, allowing you to customize its weight and resistance. It can be filled with used clothes, blankets, or textiles shredded into smaller pieces. The recommended fillers are poly or cotton for the best look and feel.

With a LIFETIME WARRANTY, this grappling wrestling dummy covers any issues you may encounter during its use. Elevate your training experience and build muscle memory with the DAAN MMA Grappling Dummy – your perfect partner for mastering MMA techniques and drills.

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Jendila Grappling Dummy

The Jendila Grappling Dummy is a perfect training companion for kids between 3.5 to 4 feet tall. This durable grappling dummy is crafted with a premium canvas material that is thicker than traditional dummies, ensuring it withstands the test of time and rigorous training sessions.

With reinforced stitching, 75% of all sides feature welt seam stitching, while the remaining sides are simple seam stitched with silk thread. This meticulous construction guarantees a long-lasting and reliable product for all your grappling needs.

The Jendila Grappling Dummy is highly serviceable, designed to sit and stay on its legs while allowing you to reposition its arms after every practice. Its limbs can be straightened and moved around, allowing you to practice various grappling techniques, including submissions, leg locks, knee bars, ankle hooks, and ground-pound training.

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Combat Sports Grappling Dummy

Combat Sports Grappling Dummy is great for perfecting takedowns, throws, submissions, and strikes without the risk of injuring a training buddy. This durable dummy is designed for full-on training sessions, offering a safe and effective way to hone your martial arts skills.

Constructed with heavy-duty nylon material, this grappling dummy is built to withstand the most intense training regimens. Weighing approximately 90 lbs. and standing at 5′ 6″ tall, it provides a realistic training experience for martial artists of various disciplines.

The Combat Sports Grappling Dummy allows you to train at your maximum potential, letting you focus on mastering techniques and improving your skills without worrying about your partner’s safety.

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Hawk Sports Grappling Dummy

This all-purpose dummy is designed to provide a true-to-life experience, helping you master grappling, throwing, and punching techniques with confidence.

The Hawk grappling dummy is designed for grappling practice, offering a soft landing while maintaining the feel of a real training buddy. With a 3-year replacement warranty, this top-quality dummy guarantees long-lasting durability and functionality, thanks to its premium canvas construction and excellent double stitching.

Unfilled and customizable, the 5ft Hawk wrestling dummy can be filled with materials like old clothes, towels, blankets, raw cotton, or poly-fil. It features movable limbs and strike-able areas, making it ideal for precision throws, strikes, jabs, hooks, straight punches, upper cuts, knee-strikes, kicks, takedowns, submission holds, and chokes.

The Hawk Sports Grappling Dummy is not only perfect for intense, realistic, and professional workouts. Still, it is also soft enough for kids and adults to practice ground fighting techniques without fearing injury. Invest in this incredible, life-like training dummy and elevate your martial arts skills today.

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The purpose of grappling dummies

Let’s dive right into the main question: What’s the purpose of grappling dummies, anyway?

Grappling dummies are a fantastic training tool for MMA and martial arts practitioners who want to hone their skills without needing a live training partner. Here’s a quick rundown of the key benefits these dummies offer:

1. Technique Practice: Grappling dummies are perfect for drilling techniques like submissions, transitions, and positioning. They allow you to focus on perfecting your form and getting that muscle memory locked in.
2. Solo Training: We all know that finding a reliable training partner can be a challenge. With a grappling dummy, you can practice anytime, anywhere – no need to rely on someone else’s schedule!
3. Injury Prevention: Training with a dummy reduces the risk of injury for you and your training partner, as you can go all-out without worrying about hurting someone or getting hurt yourself.
4. Building Strength and Conditioning: Grappling dummies add an element of resistance to your workouts, helping you build strength and improve your overall conditioning.
5. Customization: Different dummies come in various shapes, sizes, and weights, allowing you to tailor your training experience to your specific needs and goals.

In short, grappling dummies are a versatile and essential tool for any serious MMA or martial arts practitioner looking to improve their grappling game. They provide the perfect opportunity for focused, efficient, and injury-free training sessions.

Related: See our recommended grappling shorts

What to consider when buying a Grappling Dummy

In this guide, we’ll break down the essential aspects you need to consider when picking out your new grappling partner: mobility, size and weight, durability, filling, material, and shape. By the end of this guide, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to make an informed decision and find the ideal grappling dummy to help you reach your training goals.

Mobility

Striking the right balance between stiffness and flexibility is crucial when choosing a grappling dummy. You want a dummy that’s stiff enough to provide resistance and maintain its form during practice but also flexible enough to simulate real-life joint movements and allow for accurate submission holds.

Some dummies are designed to be more flexible in certain areas, like the arms or legs, while others offer a more even balance. It’s essential to consider your primary training goals and techniques when evaluating a dummy’s flexibility.

The ability to lock your dummy into realistic submissions is also important. Look for a dummy that allows you to practice various techniques and can be manipulated into various submission holds, such as armbars, kimuras, and chokes. This feature will help you better understand how to execute these moves effectively and safely on a live opponent.

The perfect grappling dummy should balance stiffness and flexibility well, ensuring a versatile and effective training experience.

Size and Weight

Moving on to size and weight, these factors significantly determine how closely your grappling dummy will mimic a real-life training partner and how comfortable your training sessions will be.

Size

Grappling dummies come in various sizes, ranging from youth models to full-sized adult versions. Choose a size that closely resembles your training partners or opponents to ensure the most realistic training experience. A larger dummy might be harder to store and maneuver, while a smaller one may not provide the same resistance level.

Weight

The weight of your grappling dummy affects how easy it is to move around and practice techniques. Lighter dummies are more portable and generally easier to handle, making them great for beginners or those who want to focus on speed and fluidity. Heavier dummies provide more resistance and can help build strength, but they can also be more challenging to work with, especially for extended periods.

When choosing the right size and weight for your grappling dummy, consider your skill level, training goals, and personal preferences. It’s essential to strike a balance that allows you to practice your techniques effectively while providing the right amount of resistance to help you grow and improve as a martial artist.

Durability

Now, let’s talk about durability – an essential factor to consider, as your grappling dummy will be put through its paces during countless training sessions.

Stitching

Pay attention to the quality of stitching on the dummy, as this can be a significant indicator of its overall durability. Look for dummies with reinforced seams and double or triple stitching, which can better withstand the wear and tear of regular use.

Construction

The way a grappling dummy is constructed can also impact its longevity. High-quality dummies should be built with durability in mind, featuring well-attached limbs and solid, reliable joints (if applicable). A durable dummy should maintain its shape and integrity even after extended use.

Material

Dummies made from high-quality materials, such as synthetic leather or heavy-duty canvas, tend to last longer and resist damage more effectively. These materials are tough and easy to clean and maintain, ensuring your dummy stays in tip-top shape for as long as possible.

Investing in a durable grappling dummy might cost more upfront, but avoiding frequent replacements can save you money in the long run. Plus, a long-lasting dummy means you can focus on perfecting your techniques without worrying about your training partner falling apart on you.

Filling

Choosing the right filling is crucial for getting the most out of your training sessions.

There are several filling options, each with its own unique characteristics:

Filling Type	Pros	Cons
Foam	Lightweight, easy to move, low impact	Less resistance, may compress over time
Textiles	Soft, provides moderate resistance	Can be uneven, may require occasional refilling
Sand	High resistance, adjustable weight	Heavy, may shift during use, difficult to clean
Pre-filled	Convenient, no need to add filling	Limited customization, may be expensive
Unfilled	Customizable weight and resistance	Requires additional time and effort to fill

Foam

Lightweight and low-impact, foam-filled dummies are easy to move and provide a softer training experience. However, they offer less resistance and may compress over time, affecting their overall performance.

Shredded Textiles

Often made from a mix of fabric scraps, shredded textile-filled dummies provide a soft, cushioned feel and moderate resistance. Note that the filling can become uneven over time, and you may need to refill the dummy occasionally.

Sand

Sand-filled dummies offer high resistance and adjustable weight, allowing for more intense training. The downside is that they can be heavy, difficult to clean, and the sand may shift during use.

Pre-filled

These dummies come ready to use, with filling already in place. While they offer convenience, you’ll have limited options for customization and may end up paying more.

Unfilled

Buying an unfilled dummy lets you customize the weight and resistance to your liking. However, you’ll need to spend additional time and effort filling it out yourself.

Consider resistance, weight, and maintenance requirements when choosing a filling for your grappling dummy. Pick a filling that best aligns with your training goals and personal preferences for the most enjoyable and effective training experience.

Shape

Finally, let’s discuss the shape of your grappling dummy, which can significantly impact the types of techniques you can practice and the overall training experience.

There are several common shapes for grappling dummies, including:

• Humanoid: Designed to resemble a human body closely, these dummies have a head, torso, arms, and legs. This shape is ideal for practicing a wide range of techniques and positions, as it mimics a real-life opponent more accurately. A humanoid dummy is likely your best bet if your training mainly focuses on BJJ, judo, or other grappling disciplines.
• Torso-only: These dummies consist of just a torso and sometimes include arms. They’re great for drilling upper body techniques like chokes and armlocks. However, their limited shape means you’ll miss out on practicing leg-related techniques and full-body transitions.
• Leg-focused: Some dummies are specifically designed for practicing leg techniques, like leg locks and lower body submissions. These dummies typically have a more flexible lower body, allowing for more precise leg manipulation. However, they might need to be more suitable for practicing upper body techniques.

When choosing the shape of your grappling dummy, think about the techniques and positions you want to focus on during your training sessions. The right shape will enable you to practice the full range of moves relevant to your discipline, ensuring a well-rounded and effective training experience.

Related read: How to find the best BBJ Gi’s

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