As readers of this blog will know, I have been working on building a variety of training tools that can be added to my home dojo (“hojo”) in addition the standard store-bought equipment. So far, this has included two different types of makiwara, a breaking board holder, small punching bags, and other items (see here).
One of my favourite pieces of equipment is “BOB”, the Body Opponent Bag manufactured by Century. If you don’t know BOB, you should. It’s a free-standing striking dummy made of foam that has a distinct torso and head and allows for much more realistic striking practice, both in terms of power (vs. a training partner) and accuracy (vs. a heavy bag). The only downsides to BOB are that it can’t be struck from the back or below the torso (or, if you have the XL model, below the shorts) and the fact that it is quite expensive. (The best price I found was at The Treadmill Factory). If you want to have a 360-degree free-standing striking target with a separate head for accuracy and/or you are on a budget, the options are pretty limited.
I already have a BOB and a hanging heavy bag in my hojo, so technically I don’t need any more striking equipment. However, for practising against multiple opponents and for the purposes of developing something inexpensive that might be useful for my fellow martial artists, I decided to see what I could make. All in all, I am quite pleased with the results.
Here is what the finished striking dummy looks like:
A 6 foot tall, 250-pound monster. Click for larger image.
Below, I provide some details on how I built this striking dummy.
Here is what you will need:
Supplies list
* Car tires (2). These can be obtained for free from an automotive repair shop.
* Concrete mix (4 x 30kg bags). These cost about $5.00 each.
* 2″ x 4″ x 8′ boards (3). These cost about $2.50 each.
* Large G.I.-style top-loading duffle bag (42″ x 24″). This can be obtained for $20 or less from an army surplus store. The strap should be cut off.
* Duct tape (2 x 45-yard rolls). These cost about $5 each.
* An old futon mattress. These can easily be found in classified ads for no more than $25, and sometimes they may even be free. Note that one mattress can make two striking dummies.
* Miscellaneous supplies: wood glue, screws, large nails, extra foam, pillow case, strong spring, small piece of plywood.
Some of the main supplies you will need.
The total cost varies according to whether a duffle bag shell is used (you could get by using only duct tape) and what one has to pay for a futon mattress. The deluxe model would cost about $70 in materials, whereas a cheaper version (no duffle bag) might be $50 or less. Much lower than even the cheapest free-standing punching bags I have seen. With the size, weight, and separate head on this one, it’s much closer in functionality to higher-end models costing a few hundred dollars.
The first thing to do is make the centre post and base. For this, I glued and screwed three 2″x4″ boards together (two together and perpendicular to the third).
To help keep the post in place during and after the base is made, I glued and screwed a small piece of plywood to the bottom of the post. In addition, I drove some large nails through the post so that they stuck out in different directions. The plywood and nails are there to anchor the post permanently in the concrete. The post was then left overnight so that the wood glue could set.
I then placed the post inside two old tires and filled them with concrete. The concrete needs to be pushed into the empty spaces of the tires, and it’s important to wear gloves for this as concrete can cause nasty chemical burns due to its alkalinity. Once the tires were full and the level of the post was double checked, the concrete was allowed to set (about 48 hours).
With four bags worth of concrete inside the tires, the base is now very heavy. It would take a pretty serious kick to knock this thing over. However, it is still portable if it is moved by tilting it low and rolling it along on the tires.
To make the striking surface, I used half an old futon mattress, which is basically just a canvas cover containing various types of foam and padding. I rolled this around the post and attached it with duct tape. Then the entire thing was covered in duct tape to keep it in place and to compress the mattress material to make it firm for striking.
If one were not offended by the site of duct tape, one could stop here and have a perfectly serviceable free-standing bag. However, I wanted something that looked a little more professional and I also wanted to have a separate head on the dummy.
In order to add a head, I trimmed the post down and attached a block of 4″x4″ wood to it using a spring/garden hose connector that I had available. I simply drilled a hole into both the post and the block of wood, set the spring inside, and fixed it using some screws through the wood and the hose.
I then filled in the top of the futon, taped it over, and then added a foam collar under the block of wood. This helps to keep the head from wobbling too much. This was taped in place as well.
I then placed the duffle bag upside down over the taped futon. A small slit had to be cut in the bottom of the bag in order to get it over the block of wood. I worked the duffle bag down as far as it would go, then cut off the metal rings that would normally be used to tie the bag, and I attached it with black duct tape at the bottom.
To make the head itself, I used a piece of 2″x6″ and glued and screwed another piece onto it as shown in the picture below.
This was attached on top of the block of wood and then foam was used to build a round head around it.
I covered the wood with foam padding using a staple gun in order to prevent any injury from hitting wood, and attached it to the wood block. I then build up the head using foam and padding, sealed it with duct tape, and put a pillow case over it. I also placed foam around the bottom part of the block of wood to make a neck. Then the pillow case was attached using duct tape around the neck area.
What striking dummy is complete without a fully punchable head?
As finishing touches, I spray-painted the visible parts of the concrete with black paint and I attached a foam mat to the bottom of the tire to make it quieter when the tire lifts off the ground slightly as the dummy is struck.
I have tested it out with some pretty hard strikes to the head and body, and I think it is quite solid. Between this one and BOB, my makiwara, and my heavy bag, I have lots of fun things to hit.
Penn and Teller are very entertaining illusionists, in part because their performances tend to be quite sophisticated and are often rather understated (Teller doesn’t even speak, for example).
Take, for example, the famous “Shadows” trick performed in silence by Teller.
Or this bit, in which they use a discussion of sleight of hand itself to showcase some very entertaining sleight of hand.
In addition to their live performances, Penn and Teller (well, mostly Penn, since as noted Teller doesn’t talk) host a program entitled “Penn and Teller: Bullshit!” on the Showtime network. As the name suggests, the show deals skeptically and critically with a range of topics with which the hosts take exception, including UFOs, psychics, alternative medicine, various political topics, and so on. The show ran for 8 seasons, so evidently they consider there to be quite a lot of the eponymous substance around.
The third episode of Season 8 was devoted to “Martial Arts”. To be sure, there is much about which to be critical in modern martial arts, so this had the potential to be quite informative. Sadly, the subtlety and sophistication that Penn and Teller bring to the stage was not transferred to the television screen. Moreover, Penn and Teller seem not to appreciate the irony of hosting a show about bullshit, and then presenting a totally biased, sensationalistic, and misinformed overview of the topic. Perhaps a large percentage of dojos in the world are phony, but the title of the episode was not “phony martial arts clubs”, it was “martial arts”.
(You can watch the episode on YouTube here and here).
There is a lot to dislike about this episode (and, perhaps, the entire series — this is the only episode I have seen, and is likely to remain so). Here’s a quick list of some things that I found particularly frustrating:
1. Penn and Teller seem to think that the only reason anyone trains in the martial arts is for self-defence. However, there are many other benefits, including regular exercise, flexibility, coordination, and confidence. The latter itself is likely to be the most effective self-defence aspect for most people because not appearing victim-like can be a strong deterrent to those who would seek to do harm. The self-defence aspect is bullshit, they argue, because martial arts are expensive (actually, they compare favourably with many other club/gym/sports costs) and because martial artists are much more likely to be hurt in class than to be assaulted in the street. The latter point is undoubtedly true, but misses the point. There is absolutely no benefit to being assaulted, but there are many benefits to training in a dojo. It reminds me of a joke by the great Dr. Twittenheimer: “Rather than investing time and energy building up my bench press strength, I’ll just try to avoid ever getting pinned beneath a barbell.”
2. Penn and Teller portray Tai Chi as the bailiwick of ageing California hippies who make dog noises and hold conversations with their internal organs. I have recently come to know an individual who studies and teaches Tai Chi in China, and it is obvious that the “internal” martial arts have some significant strengths both for personal development and for self-defence. By way of example, check out the applications of Tai Chi in this video:
3. Penn and Teller make a big deal of the fact that breaking boards does not involve anything beyond basic physics. Yes, we know.
However, they focus only on breaking pine boards. Sure, this is pretty easy when they’re broken along the grain and separated by spacers. But what about concrete or baseball bats or coconuts? Teller didn’t try any of those.
4. Penn and Teller seem shocked — shocked, I tell you! — to learn that students in a karate dojo are asked and willing to clean the dojo and even to teach occasional classes without being paid. All I can say is that my graduate students are also asked and willing to clean the lab and even to give occasional guest lectures without being paid. In both cases, there are very good reasons why this should not be controversial. One, students in both karate dojos and science labs take pride in their membership and are willing to do their part to keep the learning environment in good condition. Two, teaching is an excellent way to learn, and it is considered an honour and good experience to be asked/allowed to teach a class in both martial arts and science — it means the instructor has confidence in the student’s abilities. Three, money is not the only currency in martial arts or academia — respect and knowledge are probably more important. A Sensei or a Professor are established experts with knowledge that takes many years to acquire. Serious students respect this and seek to gain as much knowledge as they can from these experts. Sweeping floors or wiping lab benches is a small price to pay for access to this resource, and as a bonus it allows the student to express respect and gratitude. I don’t think Penn and Teller would be surprised if a carpenter’s apprentice cleaned up the workshop without expecting to be paid for it. I also imagine that Penn and Teller have at least some experience with unpaid interns, what with them being show biz celebrities.
All in all, the episode has little value for anyone who is interested in serious martial arts or serious skepticism. There isn’t even much in the way of entertainment, which is where Penn and Teller’s real talents normally lie.
Here is another interesting parallel between academia and the martial arts (both links courtesy of Sensei Kao Chao). These tell more or less the same story with the same moral. However, one attributes the lesson to a karate instructor and the other to a professor.
A philosopher and teacher of the ‘Way’ began addressing his students. He produced, from behind a screen, a large glass container and a box of fist-sized rocks. After a few moments of carefully placing the rocks into the glass container, he came to a point where no more would fit. He then turned to his students and asked: “Is it full?” “Yes,” came the reply.
He then produced a smaller box of pebbles and managed to fit a few more stones into the container.
“Is it full?” he asked again.
“Yes, it is now,” was the answer.
From a small bucket he began to pour gravel into the spaces between the rocks and pebbles, every now and then shaking the container until no more would go in.
“Is it full?”
“Probably not!” his students replied.
Out came a cup of the finest sand, and the teacher began to pour. With just a few gentle shakes, he was able to bring the contents of the container to the very brim.
“Is it full?”
“No!”
Next came a pitcher of water and with this he allowed the liquid to drip slowly into the container until, in time, the pitcher was empty.
“And now, is it full?” he said.
“Yes,” the students shouted. “It’s full! It’s full!”
“So,” asked the teacher, “what have you learned today?”
One eager young man jumped to his feet and said, “No matter how full your life is, there’s always room for more.”
“Thank you,” said his teacher, “but that is not the point I was making. What I was trying to show was that you have to get the important things in life, the ‘big rocks’, in place first; otherwise, you will never fit them in.”
Source: Big Rocks: The Hidden Values of Traditional Karate
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous “yes.”The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
“Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things–your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions–and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else–the small stuff. “If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first–the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”
There are several schools or branches of Goju-ryu that have diverged from each other in various ways since the death of Chojun Miyagi. Although they all retain the major elements of the style, they do differ in some notable ways. For example, they are distinct is in the ranking systems that they use in terms of the kata requirements for each belt. I have compiled a table that summarizes the belt requirements from the four major schools (three Okinawan: Meibukan, Jundokan, and Shorei-kan; plus Japanese). Some of the details undoubtedly vary within each school, either by organization or even by dojo, but this is still an informative comparison. Additional notes are provided after the table.
Shorei-kan uses a white-green-brown-black ranking system, which is more common in Okinawa than in the West, where some variation of the multi-colour system is most common.
Sanchin Ichi is a version of the kata developed by Chojun Miyagi that does not include turns. Sanchin Ni is the original version of the kata taught by Kanryo Higaonna which includes turns.
Meibukan, Shorei-kan, and Japanese Goju-ryu each include katas unique to their schools that are not part of the core Goju-ryu system.
Taikyoko 1,2,3 refers to the kata Taikyoko Gedan, Taikyoko Chudan, ans Taikyoko Jodan. Taikyoko 4,5 refers to Taikyoko Mawashi Uke and Taikyoko Kake Uke. These all follow the same pattern but use a different block. A similar pattern is found in the Meibukan exercise of kakomi kumite.
Sanchin-Tensho is also performed by Meibukan students but is not necessarily part of the main syllabus. Here is an example of the kata performed by Meitatsu Yagi.
There are several spellings for many of the kata names.
I wrote a brief overview of the different branches of Goju-ryu in one of my earlier posts. As I mentioned, the major schools of Okinawan Goju-ryu that were founded by Chojun Miyagi’s direct students are the Meibukan (Meitoku Yagi), the Jundokan (Eiichi Miyazato), and the Shorei-kan (Seikichi Toguchi).
Meitoku Yagi (1912-2003)
Meibukan
Eiichi Miyazato (1922-1999)
Jundokan
Seikichi Toguchi (1917-1998)
Shorei-kan
These schools differ in various ways, such as the order in which kata are learned and in some details of the techniques and stances in them. This highlights the dynamic nature of even traditional karate, as these were all students of the founder of the style and yet they did not perform their kata in an identical way.
Although all three masters have since passed away, we are fortunate to have examples of them performing several kata. I have put together some examples from what is available on YouTube:
I hope you enjoyed the various episodes of Enter The Dojo, which I collected in a previous post here. One of the scenes that I find especially funny is the one in which Master Ken describes a series of techniques in response to a guy “getting up in your face”:
What makes this clip funny is that it is so over the top and disproportionate to the offence. It also manages to work in a well-known martial arts cliche (“It’s better to be judged by twelve than carried by six”).
The best humour, especially satire, is built around an element of truth. It isn’t hard to find examples of that which is being parodied here. Indeed, I came across the following while searching for examples of defences against the haymaker, which apparently is the most common first attack in street fights.
Truth be told, that guy won’t be throwing any more haymakers for a while, what with the punches to his carotid artery and the head stomp.
Or, you could just break his neck and, just to be safe, also punch him in the spine.
In addition to learning basic techniques, kata, and drills, students of traditional karate need to learn many Japanese terms (such as the names for basic techniques, kata, and drills). This includes being able to count to 10 in Japanese. Now, sometimes people forget how to count in Japanese. That’s ok. But sometimes they forget while the rest of the class is stuck in a painful stance or a strenuous position. For those times, I say: PLEASE STUDY!
Here are the Japanese words you need to know for class:
One – Ichi
Two – Ni
Three – San
Four – Shi
Five – Go
Six – Roku
Seven – Shichi
Eight – Hachi
Nine – Ku
Ten – Ju
To be fair, some Japanese folks have trouble counting in English as well — but don’t laugh, OR ELSE!
In the particular martial art that I study (Meibukan Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate), the ranks are as follows: White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Brown, Brown with black stripe, Black. The coloured belts are known as “kyu” belts, and are ranked in reverse order (i.e., the 1st kyu is the highest). Black belts are “dan” ranks, of which there are 10 (Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, etc). Dan ranks are also referred to as “degrees”. Thus, a person who holds a “Sandan” is a “third dan” or a “third degree black belt”.
You may recall that many years ago, I held the rank of brown belt, which was considered “1st kyu” in my previous style (Jundokan Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate). I never achieved a dan rank because I stopped training at that point. The main reason, as I have discussed previously, was that I felt that I had to focus on my academic studies and that I would not be able to dedicate the kind of training necessary to live up to a dan rank. I don’t regret the decision, though I am certainly glad to be back in the dojo after all these years.
Some readers may be wondering what exactly is involved in pursuing an academic career.
Well…
Undergraduate — Bachelor’s degree (white to green belt)
The first step is to attend university as an undergraduate. I studied at McMaster University for four years to earn my Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree. At McMaster, everyone in science had the same basic set of courses in first year (chemistry, biology, physics, calculus, etc.) and then would choose a major for second year. I ultimately ended up in the Honours Biology program, where I focused on topics like physiology, animal behaviour, evolution, and ecology.
As part of the Honours Biology program, we had to complete a senior thesis in which we conducted an independent research project. I did mine under the supervision of Dr. Chris Wood, in which I investigated trade-offs between growth, dominance, and swimming performance in rainbow trout. (I’ve written about it in detail here). However, for the most part undergraduate training involves a lot of courses in the standard lecture format and focuses on learning basic concepts.
For this reason, I would say that having an undergraduate degree is roughly equivalent to earning the rank of green belt. You know some stuff, but you’ve really just gotten a basic introduction.
Master’s degree (blue to brown belt)
Graduate school is about as different from undergraduate as undergraduate is from high school. In Canada, students who continue in their studies generally complete a master’s degree (MSc) after their BSc. In this case, there are only a few courses and these tend to be very small (10 students or so) and are much more about discussing and debating topics rather than learning basic content. The main thrust of an MSc degree is conducting original research under the supervision of an advisor. The advisor-student relationship is a bit like an apprenticeship or perhaps what traditional karate training was like, with one Sensei and a handful of full-time students.
The typical time taken to complete a master’s degree is about two years. It culminates in writing a thesis and defending it in a public defence in which your advisor and several other professors attempt to pick it apart. I would say that getting your MSc is similar to earning a brown belt. Now you have some exposure to the “real deal” in science and you have shown that you can follow a (hopefully publishable) study through from idea to analysis. The analogy breaks down a bit, though, because sometimes a student will upgrade to a PhD program after a year without completing the MSc. This is what I did.
PhD student / PhD candidate (brown belt with black stripe)
Depending on the school, there may not be any course requirements at the PhD level. Instead almost all of the emphasis is on completing (publishable) research. It’s still done under the guidance of an advisor, but the expectations for PhD-level research are significantly higher than for an MSc and more independent thought is required.
After the first year, a PhD student begins studying for the dreaded “qualifying exam” or “comprehensive exam” or “comps”. Basically, you are given a reading list (which might include a couple of textbooks) and have several months to study before spending several hours being grilled by five professors. I have heard of many students who decided not to pursue a PhD because they did not want to go through this exam. That’s rather extreme, but let me tell you, comps are not fun.
The good news is that once you get through the qualifying exam, you become a “PhD Candidate” and your only major task for the rest of your program is to do your research. At this point, you have reached the level of a brown belt with a black stripe. The next major “grading” will be your PhD defence.
PhD (1st degree black belt)
As with the MSc, the PhD concludes with the writing of a thesis detailing the research that you did. Unlike a scientific paper, which is usually about 20-30 pages in manuscript form, a PhD thesis is often hundreds of pages. (Mine is here, if you’re curious). This shouldn’t be too surprising, given that it represents four or five years of work.
“PhD” stands for philosophiae doctor or Doctor of Philosophy; literally, “doctor” means “teacher” and “philosophy” means “love of wisdom”). A PhD is the first time that you get letters in front of your name (and not just after, as with BSc and MSc), when your title becomes “Doctor”. (You are not “a doctor” [noun], though, as that refers to medical doctors only).
Including undergraduate and a PhD program without an MSc, it took me 9 years to complete my PhD. I would say that graduating with a PhD is roughly the academic equivalent to earning a 1st degree black belt. You definitely know a lot and you have proven yourself to be capable, but really it’s just the beginning.
Postdoctoral Fellowship (2nd degree black belt)
Most people who complete a PhD with the intention of remaining in academia will complete a postdoctoral fellowship (“post-doc” or “PDF”) under the supervision of an advisor at a different institution from where they completed their degrees. At this stage, you have a PhD and the title “Dr.”, but you do not yet have your own lab or a permanent position. The PDF is a time to focus entirely on one’s research, to publish more papers, and to establish oneself in the hope of landing a faculty job. The post-doc stage can last for several years. In my case, I worked for a year at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and then for a year at the Natural History Museum in London, UK.
Following our karate analogy, completing a post-doc (which can last up to several years) would be akin to being promoted to 2nd degree black belt.
Assistant Professor (3rd degree black belt)
If you are fortunate enough to land a highly coveted faculty position at a university, you will begin as an “Assistant Professor”. The name is a bit misleading, though, because you are not actually anyone’s assistant. Rather, this is just the junior faculty rank and most of the basic duties are the same as for more senior colleagues.
Assistant Professors are not tenured, but they usually are “tenure-track”. The main objective at this level is to establish both an independent research program (i.e., obtaining grants, supervising graduate students, publishing papers) and a teaching portfolio (i.e., developing and delivering undergraduate and graduate courses).
The Assistant Professor stage is easily the most stressful of all the ones covered so far. For one thing, you are now expected to teach, supervise students, write grant applications, and serve on committees, and for the most part you have minimal experience with all of these. Moreover, the pressure to gain tenure can be pretty intense, especially with the need to balance teaching, research, and service. The first time I taught a course, I quite literally survived on 2 hours sleep per night for several months. I had a few all-nighters in my undergraduate and graduate days, but nothing even close to what it was like when I was a new faculty member.
Becoming an Assistant Professor is on par with receiving a 3rd degree black belt and opening one’s own dojo. There are many parallels between running a lab and running a small business, and the early years of both can be particularly challenging.
Associate Professor and tenure (4th degree black belt)
Eventually, you figure out how to develop courses, how to run a lab group, how to get grants, and how to keep on top of the dozens of commitments and responsibilities that you have at any given time as a faculty member. After a few years, you should have established a productive research program, have taught several courses, and have served on various administrative committees. The workload doesn’t get any lighter (quite the opposite), but you get better at managing it.
Junior faculty are evaluated by a committee of colleagues each year. After the 6th year at the latest, an Assistant Professor will be reviewed based on his or her performance to date and considered for tenure. If successful, he or she will receive tenure and a promotion to Associate Professor. If unsuccessful, his or her position will be terminated. Assistant Professors are allowed to apply once for early consideration and if they are not successful then, they will be considered again at the 6-year mark. Most people will apply in year 5, since there is nothing to lose by going for it at that point. I happened to apply in year 4 and was successful, and I have been an Associate Professor for about 2 years now.
Promotion to Associate Professor is a major step in one’s academic career, and is probably more than just receiving a 4th degree black belt because of the added component of being awarded tenure. Close enough for our imperfect analogy, though.
Full Professor (5th degree black belt)
There is one additional rank among faculty, namely “Professor” or “Full Professor”. In general, Associate Professors will apply to be promoted to Professor several years after their first promotion, once they have clearly established a very strong record in research, teaching, and service. Unlike the promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, this one is not necessary to remain in the job and there is no specific time line for when one applies for it nor any limit to the number of times one can apply.
The Professor rank is more like an acknowledgement of continued contributions and accomplishment rather than passing a specific test. For that reason, I would liken it to being awarded a 5th degree black belt.
So, there you have it. I started training in karate in the first year of my undergraduate program and stopped around the beginning of my fourth year. After that, I completed five years in a PhD, two years as a post-doc, four years as an Assistant Professor, and have been an Associate Professor for the past two years.
I have been acquiring and making a variety of training tools to include in my home dojo (“hojo”?), which I am nearly finished building in my garage. This includes modern training apparatus like a heavy bag (modified with grappling arms) and a Body Opponent Bag (“BOB“) as well as traditional implements for hojo undo like the makiwara.
I mentioned that the tire-type makiwara that I made is particularly neat because it can be quickly swapped out for other striking targets to hang from the same hook. I will be hanging my breaking board holder, for example, and today I made a smaller, lighter-weight punching bag that can also be hung there. The reason I want two punching bags in close proximity is that I want to practice combinations on multiple attackers from different directions. If I move BOB closer to the heavy bag, I will have targets on three sides.
To make the lighter punching bag, I picked up an army-style top-loading duffel bag from a surplus store. Then I simply stuffed it full of old clothes and rags, tied the top shut, cut off the strap and handle, and added chains to hang it.
Although it is comparatively small, it is surprisingly heavy and solid. It’s no substitute for a heavy bag, mind you, but it will be perfect as a supplemental target. Of course, if you happen to be constrained in terms of space and/or cost, this is also a great option.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Kodokan Judo
