Uke Dummy

[hizaguchi]

First, an introduction: http://www.geocities.com/fightraining/grappled2

Now, I just started Judo and am appropriately fanatical about it, but I can't convince any of my friends to join. This leaves me with only 2 classes per week and nobody to toss around in the back yard. Also, my Judo class has taught me the value of fast, repetitive uchikome (sp?) as a cardio and strength workout.

So, I've decided that I must have a dummy. My challenge to all of you is to throw me ideas to improve on the design I linked to above, while still keeping things affordable (cheap... dirt cheap... cold ramen noodles cheap).

Ideal features:
1- Fairly heavy (like 200lb or so) for realism and building strength.
2- Legs can support it (because its too heavy for me to hold it up).
3- Bends properly so it feels like throwing a real person.
4- Strong enough to prop it up and use it as a heavy bag.
5- Realistc proportions.

I've got alot of ideas running through my head right now, but I'm trying to stay realistic. Anybody have experience with doing this before? Or have any ideas to add?

[evvad]

I think a far better way to spend your time would be to arrange extra sessions with other Judo students rather then trying to build somewthing like that.
I don't think even a modern crash test dummy would make a good Uke, nothing beats throwing people...

edit: BUT if you are going ahead with this monstrosity, try to give it joints rather than those coathanger-type arms. Somehow.

[hizaguchi]

I have a chaotic schedule, so its hard for me to plan extra training sessions. Plus, I am very new to Judo, so I don't know enough to make working out with me fun, and I'm a dangerous thrower because I drop people off the side of my hip occasionally. It would be good for me to have a way to practice the few throws I do know so I can throw my classmates more safely. Later on I would love to put together extra workouts, but right now doing that is just asking people to spend time with me drilling the same throw over and over. I'd rather toss a dummy around the yard to work the kinks out of my technique and then practice it on people with a decreased chance of dropping them directly onto their heads. :)

Besides, I'm an engineering student. When I'm not doing homework, my mind starts to wander. Building a dummy for Judo practice is a much better waste of time than some of my other, more extravagant ideas. :up:

And finally, Halloween is comming. Dummys are fun for Halloween.

I will definately come up with some kind of hinges for the joints though. I'm kinda going over how I'll get them to be flexible enough for realistic motion, yet stiff enough to stand up. I may go the PVC route, fill it with sand for weight, and figure a way to make the joints move realisticaly. Hips will be lots of fun. :)

[hizaguchi]

Anyhow, can you really look at this picture and not think having one of these would be fun?
http://www.geocities.com/fightraining/dum9.jpg