Grappling Dummy for Striking?

[EmetShamash]

So, this dummy that I have seen a few places is kind of strange to me. Is this worth much in terms of training strikes? I can see the obvious advantages of using it like this guy in the first video below, but not much in striking, yet I have seen people use them for such like in the second video (38 secs in).

I feel silly asking, but I am confident that the good people of this noble land can enlighten me.

YouTube - Ivan Ivanov's Suples Throwing Dummy

YouTube - Working Thai Bag and Grappling Dummy

[Rask]

Seems to me like it would be good for practicing knees from the clinch like what that guy in the video was doing, since you have the 'arms' which a regular punching bag doesn't have... but I think that'd be about it in terms of usefulness for striking practice which a standard bag couldn't provide. Personally I wouldn't suggest buying one -just- for practicing knees from the clinch unless you have heaps of cash ... if you're going to use it to practice throws and stuff then sure... but not just for striking. Anyway this is the two cents of a very inexperienced fighter so take this with a grain of salt. :)

[Sang]

Practically useless.

There are two parts to throwing knees in the clinch, timing and and far less importantly; power.

* Power can be worked on several types of bags which also serve more useful purposes.

* Timing can only be learnt by sparring because this is how you get a feel for your opponents body movement and balance. You will notice good clinch fighters don't go throwing knees machine gun style, they wait for the precise moment that their opponent is offbalance and throw a knee into their solar plexus or liver.

This bag only serves the first function and does so with a lot more hastle than a hanging bag or someone holding thai pads. The only thing i'd use that dummy for is elbow practice since my gym doesn't have elbow pads or headgear for using them in sparring.