Best Kung Fu wooden dummy to own?

**yamayama** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 1:49pm

Can anyone recommend what is the best wooden dummy to buy?

In Wing Chun there seems to be a particular setting that has been promoted by Grandmaster Samuel Kwok. But in JKD the wooden dummy seems to be bigger and wider in some aspects.

So what should i be looking for in a wooden dummy if i decide to buy one?

And is there any company you would recommend for a quality wooden dummy?

Thanks.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 1:53pm

Truthfully? Get a heavy Bag.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 1:55pm

Different styles use different wooden dummies. The choy li fut dummy is different than the wing chun one. Use the one they use in your style. If they don't use one, don't get one. They're way expensive anyway.

**Applied Combat** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 2:51pm

Originally Posted by It is Fake

Truthfully? Get a heavy Bag.

As someone that has spent over ten years putting a lot of time into both, in my experience heavy bags and dummies (mostly) are not used for the same purpose, although there can be some overlap.

Dummy work as I learned it is for primarily for developing the bridges and forearms, and practicing some aspects of bridging and setting up techniques when a partner is not available or feasible (doing 30 minutes of a chopping or crashing forearm bridge with power on a partners arm is probably not an option most of us have).

If you want to develop your striking, get a heavy bag, or something equivalent. If you have a constant training partner then you likely wont get much use out of a dummy, but if you find yourself with time on your hands to practice and nobody to work with, a dummy can be used to develop some techniques and attributes to a pretty high level.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 4:40pm

Originally Posted by Applied Combat

As someone that has spent over ten years putting a lot of time into both, in my experience heavy bags and dummies (mostly) are not used for the same purpose, although there can be some overlap.

I know. As someone who has put in double that I'd still go for a Heavy bag.

Unless you know 100% you are going to train the chun, or other bridge heavy art, for life or longer than 5 years it is not worth the cost. Use your schools Dummy or a buddies and get a bag that can be used for any art that strikes.

Depending on the quality, the attachment is $105 and bags vary depending on weight and composition. So, on a tight budget, you could get an entire set up for $350 or less including a corner stand. Subtract a hundred dollars if you have an area to hang a bag.

A quality Dummy is anywhere from 600 on up.

Dummy work as I learned it is for primarily for developing the bridges and forearms, and practicing some aspects of bridging and setting up techniques when a partner is not available or feasible (doing 30 minutes of a chopping or crashing forearm bridge with power on a partners arm is probably not an option most of us have).

Yes, I know see above. I'll also add that there are things available and modified bags that are still cheaper than a dummy set.

Edit for pictures:

If you want to develop your striking, get a heavy bag, or something equivalent. If you have a constant training partner then you likely wont get much use out of a dummy,

Exactly.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 10/27/2011 5:08pm

Originally Posted by Applied Combat

Dummy work as I learned it is for primarily for developing the bridges and forearms, and practicing some aspects of bridging and setting up techniques when a partner is not available or feasible (doing 30 minutes of a chopping or crashing forearm bridge with power on a partners arm is probably not an option most of us have).

You can do all that bridge conditioning with a heavy bag, too, though.

I used to use a metal support strut as my da saam sing "dummy", now I just use my bag (and when available, training partners).

**OZZ** · Posted On: 10/28/2011 10:20am

I don't think you get the same level of conditioning , particularly on your forearms, ( and thus bridging) with a heavy bag as you do working either a wooden or iron dummy.
Nobody likes bag work more than I do, but there's also nothing like having a good hard session on a dummy, with lots of jow to slather on, ideally.
Having said that, they both serve different purposes and I personally wouldn't invest in one unless I was training students. But I own my own heavy bag.
As IIF pointed out, good dummies are costly - but I picked up my heavy bag, in near perfect condition, at a yard sale for $50.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/28/2011 10:26am

There are two schools of thought on that and they are both valid. One that the Dummy was made to help conditioning the other that it was not. I fall in the camp that says it wasn't and they were separate.

You do have a good point coming from the other camp. .

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 10/28/2011 10:50am

Originally Posted by OZZ

I don't think you get the same level of conditioning , particularly on your forearms, ( and thus bridging) with a heavy bag as you do working either a wooden or iron dummy.

Same level...so is it the type of thing where 10m of dummy conditioning = 20m of heavy bag conditioning, assuming you are striking the same point/"stars"/surface area?

The makiwara vs. heavy bag discussion for fist conditioning kind of parallels this...

The bone strengthening study there would suggest that both hitting the bad and hitting the dummy are pretty much the same process (from the bone's POV), but the hard dummy obviously delivers a lot more impact to the bone...So what's better, hitting something harder, or hitting something slightly less hard but longer? I'd love to know the answer to this question.

**OZZ** · Posted On: 10/28/2011 10:59am

I can't speak from a science perspective. I only know what I feel when I actually do the training.
Throwing a reverse hammer-style strike and connecting with your forearms on a heavy bag may work well for conditioning in the early stages of your training. But after a while, you almost have to progress to sand bags and dummies to increase the level of conditioning.
At least, that's how it feels to me.
Or banging your arms with a senior will do just fine.