How Do You Properly Maintain and Clean Your Grappling Dummy

Grappling dummies are an essential piece of equipment for martial arts enthusiasts to practise at home without a partner. But if you’re going to invest in the equipment, you should also invest your time into cleaning it and extending its longevity.

Let’s look at the basics of owning a grappling dummy, including its benefits, how to train with one and how to maintain and clean your grappling dummy.

Why Get a Grappling Dummy?

Grappling is an integral part of many martial arts disciplines from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Wrestling and Sambo, and of course, MMA. Grappling focuses on controlling your opponent through submission holds and takedowns rather than strikes to gain dominance and force your opponent into submission.

Naturally, for these kinds of moves, you would normally need an opponent to practise with, however, grappling dummies are there to allow you to practise certain grappling moves at home or in the gym without needing a training partner.

A grappling dummy is an invaluable tool for anyone serious about improving their grappling skills, whether for BJJ, judo, mixed martial arts or self-defence when there is no partner available to train with. This consistency helps reinforce muscle memory and improve technique precision. Grappling dummies also enable you to work on solo drills, such as positional escapes, submissions, transitions, and ground-and-pound techniques. This flexibility is essential for mastering movements and understanding how to control an opponent.

Another benefit of training with a grappling dummy is that it reduces the risk of injuring yourself or a training partner during practice. You can perform intense drills and try new techniques without the fear of causing harm.

As well as all of these aspects that make grappling dummies worth the investment, they’re also versatile, their weight and shape mimicking that of a real person, and they’re convenient to store and train as and when you have time.

Using Your Grappling Dummy

Using a grappling dummy effectively requires understanding the right way to incorporate it into your training regimen. Your first consideration should always be choosing the right dummy for you. When choosing a grappling dummy, you need to think about the weight; although you would usually train with a person approximately the same height and weight as you, your grappling dummy should be lighter than you are (and even lighter for beginners) as the deadweight of the dummy can make it feel heavier when practising manoeuvres.

Grappling dummies can also be filled with materials like shredded cloth, foam, or sand, depending on the manufacturer and the needs of the trainer. Shredded cloth offers a good balance of weight and flexibility, while foam provides a lighter, more forgiving option. Sand-filled dummies are the heaviest and most rigid, ideal for more advanced practitioners.

You should also consider the type of training you do, as some dummies have arms and legs, ideal for BJJ and submissions, while simple torso dummies are best for practising throws.

Once you have the right dummy, you’ll need to warm up, just as you would before any physical activity to prevent injuries. Engage in light cardio exercises such as jogging or jumping jacks, followed by dynamic stretches focusing on the muscles you’ll use during your session to ensure your body is prepared for the upcoming physical demands.

After warming up, you should have a plan in mind for your session. Consider:

• What aspects of your performance need improving?
• What haven’t you practised in a while?
• What mixture of training exercises will fulfil a complete and balanced training session?

Here are some of the best grappling techniques to practise in your session with a grappling dummy.

Best Solo Grappling Drills

5 of the best grappling drills to incorporate into your training sessions include:

• Takedowns
• Ground transitions
• Submissions
• Guard passing
• Escape techniques

With a full-size grappling dummy, you can practise various takedown techniques, focusing on proper grips, footwork, and driving through the dummy without risking injury to a training partner. Using either kind of grappling dummy, you can also practise transitioning between different ground positions, ensuring control and fluid movement to enforce muscle memory.

Grappling dummies are useful for practising submissions like armbars, chokes, and joint locks from various positions, allowing you to work on angles, grips, and leverage without risking injury to a real partner.

You can practise guard passing on a full-size grappling dummy, working on techniques such as the knee cut pass, stack pass, and toreando pass to improve your skills.

Practising escape techniques like shrimping, bridging, and hip escapes is possible with a heavier grappling dummy, allowing you to work on regaining favourable positions from side control, mount, and back control.

You don’t need to include every one in each session, but focus on a few that need some work, or pick some that exercise different muscle groups for a satisfying workout.

Maintaining Your Grappling Dummy

Owning a grappling dummy is a great idea, but you need to know how to properly maintain and clean your dummy to keep it usable for as long as possible and get the most out of your investment. Maintaining a grappling dummy effectively can significantly extend its average shelf life, which typically ranges from 3 to 5 years.

The first step of looking after your grappling dummy is regularly checking it for wear and tear. Try to do this at the beginning or end of every training session so you can quickly address any minor damage before it becomes worse. If you notice any rips, you can quickly sew them back up with strong thread or use a strong adhesive patch to prevent them from opening further

When inspecting your dummy, you may also notice that the filling has shifted or is beginning to lose its shape or firmness. Consider refilling it with appropriate materials such as shredded cloth or foam, ensuring the filling is evenly distributed to maintain the dummy’s original shape and functionality. You should also clean your dummy at the end of every session to remove sweat and grime before it eats away at the material.

Make sure to store the dummy in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture, which can degrade the materials over time as proper storage helps maintain the integrity of the materials. Avoid using it or leaving it on rough surfaces to prevent abrasions.

Another thing to bear in mind when devising a training routine is mixing up your grappling drills to avoid excessive strain on specific areas of the dummy.

Best Ways to Clean Your Grappling Dummy

Cleaning a grappling dummy is essential to maintain hygiene and prolong its lifespan. Here are the three best ways to clean a grappling dummy effectively:

Surface Cleaning with Mild Soap and Water:

• After each training session, wipe down the dummy with a damp cloth or sponge using mild soap and water, focusing on areas that come into direct contact with your body. Let the dummy air dry completely before storing it to prevent mould.

Disinfecting with a Mild Disinfectant Spray:

• Wipe the dummy with a mild disinfectant spray such as diluted alcohol or diluted white vinegar (50:50 ratio) after particularly intensive training sessions or when the dummy has been used by multiple people. Wipe down with a clean cloth to remove excess fluid and allow it to air dry before storage.

Machine-Washing Removable Covers:

• Some grappling dummies come with removable fabric covers that can be machine-washed. This is one of the most thorough ways to clean and freshen up your dummy, but should only be performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Allow to air dry before putting the cover back on the dummy.

By cleaning your grappling dummy thoroughly after each use, you can keep it free from sweat and dirt, and in good condition for longer.

Buy the Best Equipment – Maxx Pro Boxing

Whether you’re boxing, wrestling, kickboxing or doing mixed martial arts, you need the right equipment to support you in your home training. At Maxx Pro Boxing, we create high-quality low-cost training equipment from punching bags and related equipment, like our speedball platform, to grappling dummies and weighted vests for strength training to support your overall performance. Check out our online shop today!