Grappling Dummy Joint Positioning: Setting Arms and Legs for More Realistic Drills

Control, guard and repetitive movement drills can be a very valuable training tool with the use of a grappling dummy. But just having the dummy on the mat isn't enough to make realistic practice! How natural a drill will feel can make a huge difference in the position of its arms, knees, hips and overall body.

If the limbs are held in awkward or uncoordinated positions, the movements can be unrealistic. Athletes can use sequences with a more structured purpose when the dummy is set up more like an opponent. This is why it's essential to have joint positioning as part of any grappling dummy training setup.

The Importance of Joint Position

So often in real grappling situations, one's opponent is not completely straight or motionless.

Arms can be used to frame, to protect space or defend against pressure. Knees can bend to create a ‘guard’ position. Hips can turn as an athlete attempts to recover, get position or create an angle.

A grappling dummy is not able to act independently, but the starting position may represent these situations.

When athletes alter the arms and legs prior to the commencement of a drill, it can help them to get a more useful drill rather than mimicking movements against a flat surface.

This may be useful for those just learning the foundation positions in BJJ, MMA and grappling.

Proper joint positioning helps make grappling dummy drills more realistic, structured and useful for technical practice.

Get the Purpose of the Drill

Prior to manipulating the dummy's limbs, determine the practice to be performed.

The different drills will call for various positions.

A guard passing drill could involve the dummy's knees being bent and between the athlete and the torso, for instance. One arm can be in front of them and the other by their side in a “framing” position in a side-control drill.

If the intention is to make the transitions, then the limbs could be arranged so that they look like a realistic starting point.

When an athlete is training with MMA training equipment, the dummy should be considered part of the drill, and not as a piece of gym equipment.

Establish the Arms for More Realistic Practice

The arms have the potential to affect many grappling positions.

It may be easier to have both arms straight to the sides if you leave them there, but it may not be the way an opponent would respond.

If more realistic training is desired, try putting the arms in the following positions:

• From the chest toward the front — defensive framing
• At the head, near the head to simulate protection
• A little extended to give an arm-control shot opportunity
• Bend elbows for transition/single-shot drills
• Pass in front of the athlete and between the athlete and torso during guard play

This will vary according to the technique practised.

The goal is NOT to push the dummy into extreme positions. Rather, position the limbs in natural positions which encompass the movement you wish to repeat.

How to Position Legs and Knees

The position of the legs is also crucial!

While many of the top-control drills require a completely flat dummy, many of the grappling drills require bent knees and active hips.

Knees can be up or slightly out when it comes to guard training. This allows the athlete to have somewhere to move around to when practising passing moves.

In order to practise mount/side-control, the legs may be placed in various positions, to simulate the body position of an opponent trying to get into the right position.

The ideal BJJ training gear is supposed to facilitate a training session where you can practise proper body positioning with your training partner, and even basic repetition drills can become more useful with proper positioning of your joints.

Don't position legs in an unnatural direction just for the sake of making a technique easier.

Use Hip Position for Enhanced Realism

One of the most crucial areas of grappling is the hips.

While numerous athletes simply aim for the arms and legs of a dummy, the direction of the dummy's torso and hips can make all the difference in the world.

When setting up the dummy, by turning it a little sideways one can achieve a more realistic position for:

• Side-control transitions
• Back-control entries
• Guard recovery drills
• Mount transitions
• Escape practice

The body angle can have a great impact on how a drill feels.

This is handy, since an opponent does not generally stay dead centre when grappling.

Do Not Push the Dummy into Unusual Postures

The biggest error in judgement that athletes can make is to bend a grappling dummy beyond its ability.

Each dummy has a different flexibility of the joints and internal structure.

Only use the natural range of movement of the product.

Do not force a joint that does not move easily into a position.

Use and care instructions for respective grappling training gear should be adhered to.

Joint positioning is not to harm the equipment; it is to make for better practice.

Use the Following Tips to Make Setup Between Drills Easier

Use one position for each technique.

When changing guard passing to side control, reset the dummy.

If you are changing to submission-entry practice, adjust the arms to accommodate this.

This is a small amount of time, but can have a positive impact on training quality.

Reconfiguration also stimulates players to consider the positioning of real opponents.

If they are made more meaningful, then it is a repetitive drill.

Positioning With Controlled Repetition

Slow, controlled repetition is the best response strategy to realistic joint positioning.

Start off practising the movement slowly and carefully.

Focus on:

• Correct body positioning
• Stable base
• Hand placement
• Hip movement
• Pressure control
• Smooth transitions

When this technique is consistent, slowly increase the speed.

This type of technical repetition can be set up in a more organised way by using a properly positioned dummy.

DAAN MMA training equipment can be used in conjunction with other grappling and combat sports equipment for use in structured training, for athletes constructing at home or for their team.

Final Thoughts

With the limbs in place with a clear purpose, a grappling dummy becomes much more useful.

Using realistic positioning for arms, guard positioning for knees and positioning for hips in training can help make things more realistic.

It's not about getting the dummy to play the way that a real opponent would. There is no training dummy that can be a perfect substitute for grappling in real life.

It is not to increase the number of repetitions, however, but to increase repetition.

Athletes only need to take a few seconds to get their arms, legs and body in the proper position for the drill and it becomes easier to organise and more related to actual grappling situations.

Changes can make a huge impact!

Work with intent, position correctly and develop better and more controlled form on each repetition.