How to Use a Grappling Dummy for Transition Drills Without Building Bad Habits

A grappling dummy can be a valuable training partner if you desire to do transitions outside of class. It enables multiple repetitions through positions without having to have someone else available for each repetition. But only technically correct movement will help with repetition. If the posture, balance, placement of hands or position of hips are poor, repeating the same sequence can build up bad habits which will potentially not work well during live grappling.

Therefore, the focus for athletes training with grappling gear should be on quality repetition, rather than as many transitions as you can get done.

Why Transition Drills Are Important

Transitions link two positions together. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and MMA athletes do not stay in any position for an entire exchange. They change from guard to side control, mount to knee-on-belly, back control and other positions as they take into consideration how an opponent reacts.

A grappling dummy will allow you to repeat the movements slowly and repeatedly.

Helpful transition drills can help practise:

• Body positioning
• Hip movement
• Balance
• Hand placement
• Weight distribution
• Movement sequencing
• Familiarity between positions

The key thing to remember is to use the dummy as a technical training device and not a free-play instrument.

Controlled grappling dummy transition drills help athletes practise positioning, balance and movement without reinforcing poor habits.

Start With One Transition at a Time

A frequent error is attempting to perform more movements than one can in one repetition.

Instead, select one transition.

For example:

• Side control to mount
• Knee-on-belly to mount
• Guard pass to side control
• Side control to knee-on-belly
• Mount to technical transition practice

Slow the movement down so that it's noticeable where your knees, hips and hands are.

That's particularly handy when performing technical repetition on wrestling and grappling gear, when the gear should facilitate technical repetition and not allow for hurried movement.

Don't Allow the Dummy to Establish Unrealistic Routines

A grappling dummy is not going to respond the same as a training partner.

It won't circle around and against you, get back to its guard, move its hips or try to escape. This is convenient for solo practice, but is an important drawback.

If this is a regular habit of yours, without picturing realistic resistance, you might start taking shortcuts.

One could do such things as:

• Leave too much space between transitions
• Position hands where a live opponent could attack them
• Move hips without controlling the upper body
• Ignore balance because the dummy can't reverse you
• Move immediately to position #2

Practise the mechanics with the dummy, but remember that there is still live drilling to do to be able to feel the reaction, timing and resistance.

Think in Terms of Getting Into Position Rather Than Speeding Up

Make mistakes, and speed will cover them up.

A transition can be presented seamlessly when delivered quickly, even if the athlete is omitting critical information.

Reduce the speed of the drill.

Before going to the next position, check:

• What is the position of your knees?
• Is your base strong or not?
• Do your hips look realistic?
• Are useful areas being used for the control and use of hands?
• Will this position be effective if the opponent is changing direction?

This enables combat sports training equipment to be more useful, as each repetition is a technical check and not just physical movement.

After maintaining the movement in a slow manner, increase speed gradually when the movement is still clean.

Maintain Realistic Pressure

Dummy training can be problematic in other areas, such as pressure.

You shouldn't just be sitting on the dummy and all your weight shouldn't be on top, but neither should you be floating above the dummy without having any real contact.

When preparing to make a transition, like side control to mount, take a conscious step into the transition.

Consider areas in which pressure is required when the opponent is looking to create space.

The transition should involve the use of your chest, hips, knees and hands.

This assists in developing movement patterns that are likely to transfer to partner training.

Ensure the Proper Training Space Is Used

Quality of the drill is also influenced by the environment.

Ensure that you have sufficient space to use the dummy without modifying your technique to avoid walls, furniture or other equipment.

The following areas should be able to accommodate a good MMA training setup:

• Hip movement
• Technical stand-ups
• Rotations
• Mount transitions
• Guard movements
• Positional resets

It's also important to have stable flooring. Slippery or hard ground can alter your movement and/or lead to unnatural positioning when practising.

Wherever possible, suitable combat sports training mats could be used to facilitate solo transition drills to be more practical and organised.

Reset the Dummy Between Repetitions

Don't let each repetition dwindle down to less and less realism.

When movement is finished, reset the dummy to the correct starting position.

Check its:

• Arm position
• Leg position
• Hip alignment
• Torso angle

Then start again.

Using a consistent starting position will make it possible to compare the first rep to the second rep.

This is a lot better than constantly dragging the dummy from one position to another without verifying if it is still in a realistic grappling position.

Incorporate Dummy Work Into Live Training

A grappling dummy should be used in conjunction with live training, not instead of it.

Dummy drills are especially beneficial if the training partner is unavailable to help you with the movement sequences and to get extra repetitions of the movements to help you remember them.

The dummy cannot provide these elements during partner drilling:

• Resistance
• Timing
• Reactions
• Frames
• Escapes
• Changing pressure
• Unpredictable movement

Once you practise a transition on the dummy, try a similar transition during controlled partner drilling.

This provides a good comparison of the movement you rehearsed and what it looks like with a person.

Do Not Chase Repetition Numbers

100 bad reps will not necessarily be better than 20 good reps.

If your posture is beginning to break down or you start to skip steps, stop and reset.

The quality should be the first thing that comes to mind.

Once consistent, you can add more reps slowly.

Grappling/MMA athletes should consider the dummy as a method to enhance deliberate practice, rather than just a method to burn off workouts.

Final Thoughts

When used with solid technical objectives, a grappling dummy can be very beneficial for transition practice.

Select one of the transitions and practise it slowly; remember to check posture, keep the dummy positioned in a realistic way and reset the dummy between repetitions. Do not rush through movements without taking the time to ensure the dummy does not resist or make corrections.

Most important: perform solo exercises with a partner.

No amount of dummy practice can be a substitute for real grappling. Rather, it will enable you to move through the training more effortlessly, have improved positional awareness and gain confidence in the transition.