Freestyle Wooden Dummy Training: A Guide For All Martial Artists 9798712860265

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Freestyle

Wooden Dummy Training A Guide for All Martial Artists By Chuck Callaway

Copyright © 2020 Chuck Callaway Cover and illustrations by Chuck Callaway Photographs by Bryan Callaway Technical assistance by Conner Callaway All rights reserved. ISBN: 9798712860265

Disclaimer and Warning The martial arts and self-defense involve the use of fighting skills and techniques designed to cause injury to an attacker. The practice and use of these skills can be dangerous and physically demanding. The improper use of any fighting technique could result in both criminal and civil action against the person responsible. The information provided in this book is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The author and publisher are not responsible and assume no liability for any injury that might result from the practice, use, or misuse, of the information contained in this book. One should always consult a physician before engaging in any physical activity.

Contents Introduction Postures The Preparatory Posture (Facing Posture) The Side Facing Posture (Left or Right) The Fighting Posture Footwork The Body Pivot (Left and Right) The Angle Step (Left and Right) The Circle Step (Right and Left) The Short Shuffle Step Training Concepts Parts of the Wooden Dummy The Type of Wooden Dummy You Have Striking the Wooden Dummy Flowing Movement Visualization Recognize the Spatial Relations and Reference Points Chain Techniques Together Practice Techniques on Both Sides Techniques Building Chains Freestyle Workout The Freestyle Wooden Dummy Training Workout Conclusion About the Author

Dedication This book is dedicated to the man who boxed in the Navy and taught me that nothing beats a good right hook. To the man who taught me to have respect for others and a good work ethic. To the man that accidently knocked me out while play sparring so many years ago when my brothers and I got boxing gloves for Christmas. To the man who told me when I was a mouthy teenager that whenever I thought I was tuff enough to take him on, he would give me a baseball bat and still whoop me. This book is dedicated to you dad! I wish you were here to see it. It’s hard to believe you have been gone almost twelve years now. I miss you!

Introduction As a kid learning martial arts in the late seventies, I was fascinated with the wooden dummy that was used for advanced kung-fu training. I read martial arts magazines and saw the articles and advertisements showing kung-fu masters executing flawless strikes and movements on the wooden arms and leg of the dummy. I also read stories about the deadly wooden dummies at the Shaolin Temple that were triggered by pressure plates on the floor. As a final test, the monks would have to navigate a long hallway lined with these wooden dummies. Some of the dummies were rigged with weapons such as knives or spears. When a monk stepped on a plate, the wooden dummy would be propelled forward with great force. If the monk failed to react properly, he could be killed. I also thought about how long-term training on a wooden dummy would make your punches extremely powerful and your limbs impervious to pain. I decided I needed a wooden dummy of my own, so I set out to make it happen. The ones in the magazines were shipped from China and were very expensive. As a twelve-year-old kid, I obviously couldn’t afford to buy one, so I decided to make a wooden dummy instead. My first attempt was to cut one of my mother’s broom handles and insert the pieces into holes on the support beam in our basement. This idea didn’t last very long. As soon as I started striking the arms, the floor would vibrate loudly and because the beam was metal, it was very unforgiving on my punches. My second attempt was to drill a few holes into a tree in our yard and insert the broom stick pieces. Eventually the broom sticks broke and I was searching for another method. My third wooden dummy was actually made out of PVC and worked pretty well for a while, but it just couldn’t stand up to heavy training every day. Finally, I inserted a wooden fence post into an old tire and filled the tire with concrete. The arms and leg were made from an old shovel handle and a curved tree limb I had cut. I trained relentlessly on that wooden dummy for years. Now, after more than forty years of martial arts training, I actually have a commercial wooden dummy of my own that was made in China. I currently train on this wooden dummy every day. There is no doubt that a wooden dummy is an amazing piece of training equipment that can greatly benefit any martial artist regardless of the style they practice. The problem that many martial artists face is that they believe the wooden dummy is designed only for kung-fu systems such as Wing Chun and they don’t see how it could compliment their training. Many people don’t want to learn a lengthy classical dummy form, or they can’t find instructors in their area who teach wooden dummy training techniques. Wooden dummy training was traditionally taught only at advanced levels which also makes it difficult to find someone who is knowledgeable. The purpose of this book is to provide a simple roadmap for wooden dummy training that will give you thirty techniques to study. These techniques can then be mixed together to create chains of movements. Eventually, the chains can be used as a springboard for freestyle training on the wooden dummy. Just like a musician uses the notes of a musical scale to make music, you will use the techniques in this book to create your own freestyle flow when you train. You can also adapt the techniques shown to fit your particular style or system of martial arts. There is no need to learn long prearranged forms, just let your own creativity guide you. As you progress in your training, your movements will become completely freestyle. I hope you enjoy the book! Chuck Callaway

Postures In martial arts and fighting you should always think in terms of postures rather than stances. Postures are transitional positions that your body will momentarily be in as you attack and defend during a fight. On the other hand, stances are more static in nature. A stance limits your mobility and reduces your options for attack and defense. For example, we have all seen the competitor at a karate tournament who assumes a deep horse stance, sideways to his opponent. We know immediately that he would have to change positions drastically to execute many techniques such as elbow strikes or boxing combinations. ​ When we stay light on our feet and protect our body with our chin tucked, elbows in, and groin protected, we can transition between attacks and defensive skills in a more fluid manner. There are three primary postures you will transition between when you execute your techniques on the wooden dummy. These postures are as follows. 1) The Preparatory Posture (Facing Posture) 2) The Side Facing Posture (Left or Right) 3) The fighting Posture

The Preparatory Posture (Facing Posture) In most cases, a violent encounter will occur when you least expect it. You will be minding your own business and a situation will start to escalate. When this happens, you will often be facing towards the threat or you will turn towards the threat once you recognize it. Your feet will be parallel or slightly bladed to angle your vital targets away from the potential threat. When you recognize the threat exists, your hands will come up above your waist in a non-threatening manner as you attempt to de-escalate and prepare for your response. This is called the preparatory posture. You will normally start your free flow training on the wooden dummy from this posture. The below photographs show the Preparatory Posture on the wooden dummy, and also with a potential opponent. When training on the wooden dummy, you should always imagine an actual opponent is standing in front of you. Keep this in mind as you practice the postures.



The Side Facing Posture (Left or Right)

When defending against an attack or launching an attack of your own from the preparatory posture, it is common to pivot your body to one side or the other. When this occurs, you will be in a side facing position in comparison to the wooden dummy. Depending on which direction you pivot, your posture will be either right or left facing. We will discuss the actual body pivot in more depth when we discuss footwork, but for now just focus on the position of your body in relation to the wooden dummy. The below photos show the side facing posture used while executing an inside parry, both on the wooden dummy, and against an actual opponent.



The Fighting Posture The fighting posture you use when you train on the wooden dummy should be exactly the same as your normal fighting posture. A good fighting posture protects your vital areas and provides you with the best mobility for attack and defense. To assume a fighting posture, bend your knees and keep your weight evenly distributed between your feet. Angle your body approximately forty-five-degrees to the opponent and turn your front knee in slightly to protect your groin from attack. Keep your chin tucked in and your hands held high to protect your head, with your elbows close to your body to cover your rib cage. In the following photographs, you can see the fighting posture being used to throw a hook punch to the wooden dummy during training and also when facing an actual opponent.

I suggest that you start your wooden dummy training from the preparatory posture and then you will naturally move to the other postures as you execute your techniques. As you train, you should experiment by using different postures for the various techniques. For example, you could practice a

high outside parry and punch from a fighting posture, or from a side facing posture. As your training progresses, you will notice that some techniques will feel more natural or flow better from certain postures. When combined with proper footwork, you will be able to generate additional power as you transition between each posture. Because the goal is freestyle training, you are free to experiment with any postures and techniques you wish in order to discover what works best for you. However, as you experiment in your training, don’t abandon the basic principles required to make your techniques effective, such as balance, mobility, and form.

Footwork Footwork is an essential component of fighting and it is just as essential when you train on the wooden dummy. You must stay mobile and execute your techniques in conjunction with proper footwork. If you simply stand in one position as you train, you will be wasting your time and developing bad habits. When analyzing the footwork, you will use for wooden dummy training, you must consider that the dummy is a tool to develop your close-range fighting skills. This will be reflected in the footwork patterns you use. For example, you probably won’t use the wooden dummy to practice lunging sidekicks. This type of training is more suited for the heavy bag or kicking shields. Therefore, you probably won’t use lunging footwork while training on the wooden dummy. The footwork used for wooden dummy training will consist of short shuffle steps, body pivots, and circling steps that work very well for close range combat. Even when kicking the wooden dummy, your kicking techniques will be done at close range and will be aimed at destroying the opponent’s legs and body structure. The following are the footwork techniques we will use for free style wooden dummy training. 1) The Body Pivot (Left and Right) 2) The Angle Step (Left and Right) 3) The Circle Step 4) The Short Shuffle Step

The Body Pivot (Left and Right) To perform the body pivot, face the wooden dummy straight on. You may execute the pivot to either the right or left side. To pivot to the right, turn your left foot in slightly as you transfer all of your body weight to your left leg. At the same time, your hips and torso shift so that you are facing to the right. Your head and your left shoulder are still facing the wooden dummy, but your chest and lower body face right. To body pivot to the left, just perform the same motions described above to the opposite side. The defensive purpose of the body pivot is to move your body out of the opponent’s line of attack. Imagine facing an attacker who thrusts a knife straight towards your chest. The body pivot would move your torso out of the way, causing the knife thrust to miss. You may also take a small step sideways as you turn your support leg inward to create more distance when the body pivot is performed. From an offensive perspective, the body pivot can be used to generate power for certain strikes such as a hook punch. As you perform the pivot, the quick rotation of the hips and shoulders add tremendous power to your strikes. In an ideal situation, the body pivot can be used for simultaneous attack and defense. As you pivot to avoid an opponent’s attack, you automatically generate power for your counter strike. In the below photos, the practitioner starts by facing the wooden dummy with his feet shoulder’s width apart and weight evenly distributed. He then pivots to the left side, placing the majority of his weight on his left leg. His body is now facing to the right side with his torso out of the line of attack. Be sure to practice the body pivot on both the left and right side.



The Angle Step (Left and Right) The angle step is used to zone in, and to the outside of your opponent. This places you in a position where an attack from the opponent has less power. The angle step also puts you in a position to the side of the opponent where the number of physical weapons he can use against you are significantly limited, unless he takes the time to turn his body back towards you. You can test this concept yourself by standing directly in front of a training partner. From this position, your partner can strike you with both arms, both legs, both knees, both elbows, and his head without turning. Next, step in at a forty-five-degree angle to the side of your training partner. You are now in a position where your partner can only strike you with one arm, one leg, one elbow, or one knee. Even these strikes are awkward because you are at an unnatural angle to him. When angle stepping is used, the attacker must turn to face you in your new position in order to effectively use all of his weapons. This takes time and energy that can be used to your advantage for an attack. The below photographs show this concept in action. In the first photo, the defender is facing his attacker straight on. From this position he could be hit with any of the attacker’s natural weapons. By contrast, in the second photo, the defender has angle stepped at a forty-five-degree angle to the left of the attacker. From this position the attacker is severely limited in his ability to strike. The defender further limits the attacker’s options by checking his lead arm and attacking his head.

As with the previous footwork technique, you can angle step to the left or to the right of your opponent. During your free style training, the angle step combined with other footwork patterns, will give you the mobility to move around the wooden dummy as you apply your techniques. In the below photos, the practitioner starts by facing the wooden dummy in the preparatory posture. He then steps in at a forty-five-degree angle to the left side of the wooden dummy.



The Circle Step (Right and Left) The circle step is used to move your leg behind the leg of the opponent to execute a sweep or throw. Because the wooden dummy leg is an obstacle in your path, the circle step allows you to move your foot around to a position behind the dummy leg. Although the circle step is primarily used offensively for sweeps and throws, it can also be used defensively to move your foot out of the path of an opponent’s foot sweep attempt. Once again, the circle step can be executed to both the left and right sides. In the below photographs the practitioner faces the wooden dummy in the preparatory posture. He then circles his right leg in and steps forward to a position behind the leg of the wooden dummy.



The below photos show the circle step performed without the wooden dummy.



The Short Shuffle Step Because wooden dummy training is being done at close range, most of your steps will be short shuffle steps. A shuffle step is executed by sliding your lead foot forward a short distance in the direction you wish to move. The rear foot then follows the same distance that your lead foot stepped so your feet end up the same distance apart as when you started. When performing the shuffle step, your feet should normally slide across the ground or be lifted only slightly. Avoid lifting your feet high unless the ground surface dictates. The short shuffle step is often used when training on the wooden dummy to add power to a strike or a defensive technique. In the below series of photos, the practitioner is in a side facing posture. He takes a short step forward with his right foot by sliding it along the surface of the ground. He then brings the rear foot forward the same distance. When he is finished, he is in the exact same posture he started from, about six inches from his original position.



The below photos show the short shuffle step without the wooden dummy.



Training Concepts Now that you have a good understanding of the postures and footwork, we will discuss some basic training concepts and general guidelines that should be considered before we move on to specific techniques for wooden dummy training.

Parts of the Wooden Dummy To better understand how techniques are applied when training on the dummy, you should be familiar with the various parts of the wooden dummy and how these parts represent a human target. The below photographs show the upper and lower parts of the wooden dummy that include, the arms, leg, head area, lower body, and base. We will refer to these areas later when describing the actual techniques on the wooden dummy.



The Type of Wooden Dummy You Have The first thing to consider is the type of wooden dummy that you have available to train on. Is it a home-made dummy like my first few were, or is it a professionally manufactured one that has been purchased from a retailer? Ideally, your wooden dummy should have arms and a leg that are inserted loosely into a cavity on the dummy’s body. Normally the dummy limbs are inserted into the body and held in place by a wooden pin. This is important because it allows the arms and leg to move slightly when you execute your techniques. The ability for the dummy’s limbs to move causes them to feel more realistic when you strike or defend and also helps you develop better sensitivity. Don’t worry if your wooden dummy has arms and a leg that are fixed, it can still be used for free style training. It is also good if the body of your wooden dummy can move when struck. Many wooden dummies attach to the wall on support rods that allow for slight movement and vibration when hit. Free standing dummies might also allow for movement depending on the type of base that supports them. Ideally you want the dummy to move a little bit but stay fairly solid. Obviously, you don’t want a wooden dummy that moves too much or falls over when struck. On the other side of the coin, a wooden dummy that doesn’t move at all will make it tougher to develop proper sensitivity. The top two arms of your dummy should extend forward towards you at about throat level. This

allows you to bend your knees and also practice defending at face level during your free style training. The lower arm should extend forward at about stomach level to provide for practice against mid-level strikes. The leg of the dummy should be bent to allow for sweeps, low line kicks, and throws. Again, these are just general guidelines. As long as your wooden dummy has three arms and a leg, you will be able to practice free style techniques with no problem. The below illustration shows the wooden dummy I made at home a number of years ago. It cost me less than thirty dollars in supplies from my local hardware store.

Striking the Wooden Dummy Many novice practitioners believe that the wooden dummy should be struck with full force. Although continued practice on the wooden dummy will build power and condition your arms and hands for striking, the primary purpose of training on the wooden dummy is not to develop sheer punching power. Do not strike the wooden dummy as hard as you can. I recommend striking the wooden dummy with mild force at first and then building up to moderate force. If your dummy has pads on it, you can strike harder, but I would save the training of full force strikes for other equipment such as the heavy bag. The primary goal of your training will be to hone your offensive and defensive skills against the limbs of the wooden dummy. This will strengthen your structure, condition your arms, and develop increased sensitivity. Continued repetition will also engrain the techniques into muscle memory and make them automatic when an attack occurs. Simply hitting the dummy with force is not taking advantage of the full benefits that the wooden dummy has to offer.

Flowing Movement Another goal of your free style wooden dummy training is to develop the ability to effortlessly flow

from one technique to another. You should try to connect every movement you perform with the next in a seamless manner. From the moment you start training until you stop, your techniques should flow together into one long string of movement. This does not mean that you can’t use broken rhythm or varied speed but try to always maintain the flow when you train. This type of practice will teach you to adapt to an opponent’s resistance without wasted motion.

Visualization To get the most bang for your buck with your wooden dummy training, it is important to visualize the arms and leg of the dummy as actual attacking limbs from a live opponent. Instead of simply going through the motions of blocking the dummy arms or striking the dummy body, visualize an actual attacking arm or a target on the human body when you execute your techniques. Through the use of visualization, you can take your wooden dummy training to another level and in essence, make the dummy come alive.

Recognize the Spatial Relations and Reference Points When you train on the wooden dummy, you must recognize the spatial relation between your techniques and the dummy limbs. For example, the tips of the wooden dummy’s arms represent the actual wrist of an opponent, not the hands. When you execute a parry or grab to the tip of the dummy arm, you must recognize that the technique is aimed at the wrist. Points of reference are also very important to understand. The primary point of reference to be aware of is the angle of the upper arms of the wooden dummy. They actually represent the opponent’s arms crossed. When this concept is understood, you realize that a technique executed to the inside of the dummy arm is actually executed on the outside of the arm of an actual opponent. This is a basic defensive strategy, because being on the inside of the opponent’s attacking arm leaves you open for counter strikes from the opposite hand. When considering points of reference, keep in mind that the anatomy of the wooden dummy does not always have to match the anatomy of a person when you perform a technique. For example, you might hook one of the dummy arms with both hands as you execute a knee strike. In this case, the arm represents the opponent’s neck, not his arm. It would not make sense to hook the opponent’s arm and throw a knee, and it would be difficult to grab the actual neck area of the dummy to execute a knee strike. As you use the dummy to develop your techniques, remember it is a tool and don’t get trapped into thinking of it in one dimension only.

Chain Techniques Together After you learn the techniques in the next chapter, start to chain two or three of them together. Practice that chain of techniques until it becomes natural, then change the order of the techniques in the chain. Gradually add more techniques to your chain and keep changing the order of the techniques. Eventually you will be executing random combinations of techniques with very little thought. You will begin to see that certain techniques flow together well and complement each other better than other techniques do. By using small chains of techniques in the beginning, you will commit them to memory faster and transition easier into free style training. We will study building specific chains in a later chapter.

Practice Techniques on Both Sides Any time you train on the wooden dummy, you should always practice your techniques on both sides of the body. In fact, in many cases you should do more repetitions of a move on your weak side. Your ultimate goal should be to have the ability to apply your techniques in a real encounter. When a real situation occurs, you don’t have the ability to choose which side you will respond from. You must react

to the attack regardless of the side of your body that is target by the attacker. In the initial stages of your training when you put together short chains of techniques, take the time to practice these chains on both sides of the wooden dummy.

Techniques We will now look at thirty techniques that can be used to build the foundation for free style wooden dummy training. These techniques are taken from a number of martial arts styles that focus on close range combat skills which translate well to wooden dummy training. The goal here is to provide you with an alphabet that you can then use to create words and phrases on the fly. Ultimately you will be improvising on the wooden dummy in much the same way Jazz players use the musical notes from their scales to improvise and create beautiful music on their instruments. I recommend learning these techniques thoroughly, and then adding your own techniques or adapting these movements to fit your style. As I stated above, the techniques presented here are typically for close range fighting and are conducive for wooden dummy training. Although you could theoretically practice Tae Kwon Do, or certain wrestling techniques on the wooden dummy, there are other training methods that would be much more productive for practicing those skills. For the purpose of this book, I will not get into the different styles that all of these techniques originate from. I believe that it is irrelevant for free style wooden dummy training. In addition, many techniques are found in multiple fighting systems. Instead, we will focus strictly on the techniques and their application. Let’s begin.

Technique #1- Grab and Punch The grab and punch is a very effective technique that allows you to double the impact power of your strike by pulling the opponent into the blow. Begin by facing the wooden dummy in the preparatory posture with your hands up. Execute a body pivot as you deflect and grab the wooden dummy’s arm with your rear hand and punch the dummy at head level with your lead hand. When grabbing the opponent’s arm, you should aim for the elbow area and slide down to the wrist. It is very difficult to grab the opponent’s wrist because of the speed in which the hand moves. The elbow by contrast, does not have the range of motion that the hand does. This makes it easier to grab. Keep this in mind as you train on the wooden dummy and visualize grabbing near the elbow when you execute the technique. Even if you were to miss the grab against a real opponent, you would continue with the punch. In the below photos, the practitioner deflects and grabs the wooden dummy arm. He then strikes with a straight punch as he pulls forward on the wooden dummy arm.



Technique #1- Application To execute technique #1 against an actual opponent, the defender initiates an attack which causes the

opponent to react. When their arms make contact, he uses the opponent’s forward energy to grab his arm and pull him forward into a straight punch. By grabbing and pulling the opponent forward by his arm, you significantly increases the power of the straight punch. This can also cause a wiplash effect to the opponent’s neck.



Technique #2- Wing Arm Deflection and Backfist Strike To execute the wing Arm deflection, angle step inward as you strike the wooden dummy arm with your forearm. Your elbow is up, and your wrist is down in a position similar to looking at your watch. Your rear hand is held up guarding your center line. When the forearm contacts the wooden dummy’s arm, your arm resembles a bird’s wing. At the moment the deflection occurs, your rear hand grabs the wooden dummy arm as you roll your lead fist around and execute a backfist strike. As you roll into the

backfist your forearm stays in contact with the dummy arm. As with the previous technique, the grabbing hand pulls the opponent into the strike which multiplies the damage inflicted by the blow.



Technique #2-Application When the opponent strikes with a lead punch, the defender deflects the incoming blow with a bent arm wing deflection. He flows into a backfist strike as he grabs the opponent’s arm and pulls him forward.

Just like in the previous technique, the grab increases the overall power of the back fist strike. If the defender were unable to grab the opponent’s arm, he would continue to attack with the backfist strike without interruption.



Technique #3- Intercepting Strikes Intercepting strikes normally travel to the target along the center line of your body and deflect any incoming attacks as they move. Finger strikes and straight punches are the most common techniques used to intercept an opponent’s attack. Typically, it is the forearm of your striking limb that moves the

opponent’s attack out of its path. Once mastered, intercepting strikes are highly effective because they combine offense and defense into one fluid motion. To execute intercepting strikes on the wooden dummy, shoot your attack straight to the head area of the dummy with your forearm making firm contact with the dummy’s arm as the strike extends. I recommend executing intercepting strikes in groups of three, using both the inside and outside of your forearm to contact the inside and outside of the dummy’s arms as you move. The most important part of executing this technique on the wooden dummy is to have the firm pressure against the dummy’s limbs which would drive the attacker’s strike out of the way.



Technique #3- Application As the opponent begins to punch, the defender strikes straight into his face on his centerline. His forearm disrupts the opponent’s strike and forces it out of the way. As the opponent counters with a rear punch, the defender intercepts with a finger thrust to the eyes. Again, the defender’s forearm moves the opponent’s attacking limb out of the way as he strikes.



Technique #4- Elbow Deflection and Arm Break The elbow deflection and arm break is an excellent close-range technique that can end a fight quickly. To execute it on the wooden dummy, angle step in and use an inside parry to deflect the outside wooden dummy arm. Your other arm comes up under the parrying hand and strikes the wooden dummy arm with your elbow. Both of these movements happen together in a fluid motion. The elbow striking arm then transitions into a grab as you drive your other forearm into the wooden dummy arm as if to break an opponent’s elbow joint. From this position it is very easy to parry the arm downward with the lead hand and execute as round elbow strike to finish the technique. The initial elbow deflection can also be used as a limb destruction to strike and damage the opponent’s attacking limb.





Technique #4- Application The defender angle steps in and deflects the opponent’s incoming punch with his upper forearm and elbow. His opposite hand is up and guarding his head. If the opponent’s punch is extremely strong, the opposite hand can assist with an inside parry as well. The defender then slides his arm down the opponent’s arm and grabs his wrist as he elbow strikes near his elbow joint to break it. He finishes the attack by parrying down the opponent’s arm and striking him with a round elbow attack to the head.





Technique #5- High and Low Deflection The high and low deflection is a defensive technique used to cover your upper and lower body simultaniously. It is basically a low wing arm deflection and a high palm up deflection executed together as one. This technique can be used to defend against kicks to the body and also as a method to gain entry on an opponent. It is normally executed with a short shuffle step to reenforce the technique. In the below photographs, the practitioner executes the high and low deflection against the dummy arms and immediately follows with a rear punch to the head of the wooden dummy.



Technique #5- Application As the attacker throws a left roundhouse kick to the defender’s body, he angle steps to his left and deflects the kick with the high and low deflection. As he deflects the kick, the defender drives his elbow into the attacker’s leg with his high palm up arm. He immediately follows with a strike to the attacker’s head.



Technique #6- Low Forearm Deflection, High Outside Parry and Strike The low forearm deflection, high outside parry and strike is a combination of moves that can be used to defend against a low attack that is immediately followed by a high strike. Both defensive techniques are executed in a fluid motion and then followed with a high line strike of your own. In the below series of photographs, the practitioner does a short suffle step to the side as he executes a low deflection on the lower dummy arm. He then shifts his body forward as he executes the high outside parry. Notice the wrist of the parrying hand is bent to hook and control the opponent’s limb. The practitioner then finishes the technique with a palm strike to the wooden dummy head area.



Technique #6- Application The defender uses a low forearm deflection to stop the opponent’s front kick. His rear hand is up to

guard his face and head. The opponent immediately follows with a lead punch which the defender stops with a high outside parry. The defender then drives a palm strike into the opponent’s head. The palm strike is executed straight from the position of the outside parry, with no retraction of the arm.



Technique #7- Jerking Hand and Strike to Body The jerking hand is a quick pulling technique on the opponent’s wrist which depending of his reaction, can open up the head or body for a strike. In the below photos, the practitioner makes contact with the outside wrist area of both upper arms on the wooden dummy. He then forcefully jerks the upper left arm of the dummy down with the edge of his right palm and fingers. Immediately following the jerk, he strikes through the body of the wooden dummy and finishes with a backfist strike to the head area. He maintains contact and control of the right upper arm with his left hand throughout the technique.



Technique #7- Application To execute the jerking hand technique against an opponent, the defender checks the outside of the opponent’s wrists and hands. With his right hand, he suddenly jerks down on the opponent’s left hand and wrist. When the opponent reacts by resisting the sudden jerking motion on his hand, the defender releases the check and strikes the body with a rear hook punch. Throughout this motion he continues to check and control the opponent’s right arm. The defender immediately follows with a backfist strike to the opponent’s head.



Technique #8- Rolling Hands The rolling hands technique is a series of hand movements from classical Kung-Fu that are commonly

found in traditional wooden dummy forms. It is designed to develop sensitivity, the ability to stick to the opponent and to redirect an attack. To perform the technique, face the wooden dummy and place your left arm palm up on the outside of the upper right wooden dummy arm. Place your right lower forearm on the upper left dummy arm with your wrist bent down over the wrist area of the dummy arm. From this starting position, you will roll your arms so that they end up in the opposite position with your right hand palm up and your left wrist hooked over the right dummy arm. To roll the arms, turn your left arm which is palm up, inward as you start to bend the wrist. At the same time, your hooked right arm rotates down and to the outside of the dummy arm, eventually turning palm up. Both arms maintain contact with the wooden dummy arms throughout the motion. Look closely at the below pictures to understand this rolling motion. It sounds very complicated in writing, but in actuality it is not that difficult to perform. It will take a bit of practice to develop your hand and eye coordination for both arms doing different motions simultaniously. Practice this technique slowly at first until it becomes very smooth and fluid.







Technique #8- Application The rolling hands movement can be used to redirect an incoming attack and set up your own counter strike. In the below photos, the attacker strikes with a lead punch. The defender hooks inward with his lower arm and wrist. He continues to rotate the wrist and arm and uses the momentum and turning of his wrist to redirect the attacker’s punch out to the side. The defender immediately executes a strike to the opponent’s body as the deflection occurs. The counter strike could just as easily be directed to the attacker’s head or face. Your counter will often depend on what targets are open at the time. It should also be noted that the defender steps in with an angle step as he hooks the opponent’s arm. He then body pivots as he deflects the strike. This moves his body out of the line of attack and adds weight to the redirection movement.



Technique #9- Downward Pressing Hands Pressing hands is a technique that allows you to knock both of the opponent’s arms downward or to control an opponent who is trying to enter to clinch or grapple with you. From the preparatory position, forcefully strike downward on the upper arms of the wooden dummy with both palms. You could immediately follow with any attacking technique to the dummy.



Technique #9- Application To apply the downward pressing hands against an opponent, the defender begins in the prepratory posture. As the attacker reaches forward with both hands to try and choke the defender, he sinks his body weight slightly, bends his knees, and brings both of his hands down sharply on top of his arms. The force of the pressing hands causes the attacker to bend his upper body forward. The defender then strikes the attacker with double thumb gouges to his eyes. From the pressing hands position, a number of possibilities exist for attacking your opponent. You could execute locking techniques, strike with either or both arms, or clinch. You could also execute low line kicking techniques as you control the attacker’s arms. It is important to use your imagination when you train on the wooden dummy. The applications provided here are only some of the possibilities, and not your only options. Be creative and experiment to get the most out of your training.



As was mentioned above, when you train on the wooden dummy, always think of alternate ways you could use each technique. The following photgraph illustrates this point. The defender uses the same arm movements from the pressing hand position in order to safetly make entry on his attacker without being hit. Be sure to think outside of the box. The whole goal of free style training is to give you freedom to express your own style and techniques through the wooden dummy.

Technique #10- Upward Pressing Hands The upward pressing hands technique is the exact opposite of the previous technique and is executed on the wooden dummy in the following manner. From a preparatory posture, circle both of your hands down and then up under the wooden dummy’s upper arms. The palms of your hands make contact under the dummy arms near the center. Think of the placement of the palms as being under the opponent’s elbow joints. The upward contact with the dummy arms is done in a forceful manner. You may follow with any attack.



Technique #10- Application As with the downward pressing hands, the upward pressing hands has multiple functions and applications. On a basic level it can be used to lift an opponent’s arms up off of you and create openings to the body. It can also be used to lock out or damage the opponent’s elbow joints. On a broader level, the motion could be used to guard the body against strikes, execute double palm up blocks, or to drive your fingers upward into the opponent’s eyes. Again, you are only limited by your own imagination. Experiment with all of these techniques to discover other applications that may exist. In the following series of photos, the attacker reaches in with both hands to grab the defender’s neck. The defender instinctively grabs the attacker’s wrists at first to try and stop a choke. He then brings both of his palms up underneath the attacker’s elbows and strikes his elbow joints. The force of the strike knocks the attacker’s arms upward which allows the defender to take advantage of the momentary opening and shoot into a position where he can fight from the clinch or apply a take down.





Technique #11- Low Side Kick The low side kick is a very versatile kicking technique for close range because it can be executed without leaning or shifting the upper body. This allows the kick to be thrown deceptively under an opponent’s guard or executed in conjunction with hand striking techniques. In the following photographs, the practitioner starts from a side facing posture. He executes an inside parry with his left hand to the upper right arm of the wooden dummy. He then flows directly into a low side kick to the knee area of the dummy leg. Throughout the technique, the practitioner’s upper body stays straight and does not lean backwards. He also covers his groin with the left hand and his upper body with the right hand as he executes the side kick. The side kick can be executed in a snapping manner off of the wooden dummy leg, or in a stomping manner where the foot does not recoil after impact. Both methods are highly efficient depending on the situation. The low side kick can also be used as a defensive tool to jam an opponent’s kick before it gets started. When you train the low side kick on the wooden dummy, consider both the offensive and defensive applications.



Technique #11- Application To use the low side kick against an opponent, the defender keeps his upper body erect and his hands up to protect his head and body. When the opponent steps into to attack, the defender launches a side kick

to his knee as he parries his punch. He can then follow up with other strikes as needed.

In the below photos, the defender uses the low side kick to stop a kicking attack from the opponent before it gets started. As soon as the opponent telegraphs his intent to kick by placing his weight on his rear leg and lifting his foot slightly, the defender shuffles in and uses his low side kick to jam the opponent’s leg. Notice that the defender keeps his body erect during the kick so that he can follow up quicker with his hands.



Technique #12- The Front Kick The front kick is another excellent attack for close range that can be easily incorporated in with hand techniques. When practicing on the wooden dummy, your primary target area for the front kick will be the lower body of the dummy. The front kick can be done using the ball of the foot, the heel, or the bottom of the foot as the striking surface. In the below photos, the practitioner executes a high outside parry with his left hand. He then strikes with the front kick while maintaining the parrying hand as a check. As with the side kick, you should keep your upper body erect throughout the execution of the kick. Notice how the rear hand remains up to guard the centerline from a possible counter strike.



Technique #12- Application The below photograph shows the application of the front kick against an opponent. As the opponent throws a lead punch towards the defender, he stops the punch with a high outside parry from his lead hand. At the same time, he front kicks the opponent’s lower body or groin area. From this position, the defender will immediately follow up with a strike to the opponent’s head, directly from the position of the parry. As the defender recovers from the kick, he could step on the opponent’s foot to limit his mobility as he strikes.



Technique #13- Slapping Hand Parries The inside parry is a fast and simple defensive tool that can be used to stop incoming punches. It is often referred to as the slapping hand in Kung-Fu systems. One of the goals when training on the wooden dummy is to practice techniques until they become second nature and are engrained in your subconscious. Often techniques are practiced in sets of three starting with your weak side. This results in the technique being practiced on the weak side twice as much as the strong side which ultimately develops a well-balanced fighter. To execute the slapping hand technique on the wooden dummy, shift your body weight as you use the palm of your hand to strike inward to the wooden dummy arms. Your slapping hand parries can contact the inside or outside of the dummy arms. You can also use the parries to the high arms of the wooden dummy, or in a downward motion to the lower arm. The following photographs show the practitioner using three slapping hand parries to the high inside arms of the wooden dummy. In addition to isolated practice, the slapping hand parry should be integrated with all of your offensive techniques as well.



Technique #13- Application When used against an opponent, the slapping hand will often be done in a rapid deflecting manner aimed at knocking an attack off target, giving you the opportunity to counter strike. In the below photos, the defender uses the slapping hand parry to stop a lead punch from the opponent. He immediately counters with a right cross to the head.



Technique #14- The Neck Grab The neck grab is a technique that can be used to control the opponent after a strike, and direct him into other strikes or a takedown. To execute the neck grab on the wooden dummy, strike the side of the wooden dummy head or neck area and then cup the side of the dummy neck as you control the upper outside dummy arm. The initial strike is intended to stun the opponent while the grab is designed to control. The below photographs show this technique being performed on the wooden dummy. The practitioner starts by deflecting the upper right arm of the wooden dummy with a high outside parry. He then drives a palm strike directly to the neck area of the wooden dummy. Keeping contact with the striking palm on the dummy, the practitioner grabs the left upper dummy arm and pulls forward as he controls the dummy’s neck. As you practice this technique, visualize pulling the opponent forward by the side of his neck, or executing a neck crank.



Technique #14- Application There are many possible applications for the neck grab technique. One very effective application for close range involves grabbing the opponent’s neck or head and smashing him with an elbow strike. The combined force of the elbow and the pulling in of the head or neck creates a tremendous amount of power in the strike. In the photos below, the defender has grabbed the opponent by the back of the head after a strike. He then pulls forward on his head as he slams a rear round elbow strike into his temple. When properly applied, this technique could be a fight stopper. It is important to remember when executing the neck grab, that the grab itself should be done as a strike. Your palm should impact the

opponent’s head or neck with force that stuns him as you grab and control him. A strike to the ear is also very effective to stun and disrupt the opponent’s balance. After the grab, grappling techniques, or striking combinations can be employed to finish the encounter.

In a second application of the neck grab shown below, the defender executes an outside parry against the attacker’s straight punch. From the point of contact with the attacker’s arm, he strikes directly to his neck. As the neck strike lands, he immediately transitions into a grab of the attacker’s neck. From this position he could pull him off balance, or into a strike or a takedown. If the attacker is wearing heavy clothing such as a jacket, you could grab the collar instead of the neck for more control.



Technique #15- Figure Four Arm Lock In order to get the most out of your wooden dummy training, it is important to think outside of the box. On the surface, you might not think that joint locks or throwing techniques could be practiced on the wooden dummy, but surprisingly, the dummy lends itself well to training on some of these techniques. One technique in particular that can easily be practiced on the wooden dummy is the figure four arm

lock. In the below photographs, the practitioner starts by grabbing the right upper arm of the dummy with his right hand. He then brings his left arm over the top of the dummy arm and reaches through to grab his own wrist. From this position, the figure four arm bar is applied. When training, the lock can be held for a moment and then released to follow up with strikes or to mimic an escape from the opponent.



Technique #15- Application To execute the figure four arm lock against an opponent, the defender seizes the opponent’s arm and strikes him in the head with a punch or elbow (not shown). He then wraps his lead arm over the opponent’s and secures his own wrist to apply the figure four arm lock. When applying the arm lock it is important to keep forward torque against the elbow joint to prevent the opponent from punching or striking you with his free hand. From the arm lock position, the defender could drop his body weight and take the opponent down, break the elbow joint, or transition to striking techniques. In this case, he attacks the opponent with an elbow strike to the head.





Technique #16- Outer Leg Sweep The outer leg sweep is a basic Judo technique that is highly effective for taking an opponent down quickly. The outer leg sweep is also a very dangerous technique because the opponent’s head can be forced into the ground as he is thrown. The leg of the wooden dummy makes it easy to practice the movements of this technique when training. To perform the technique on the wooden dummy, angle step in and grab the upper right dummy arm with your left hand. Your right hand drives straight into the head area of the dummy as if striking straight under the chin of your opponent. From this position, the rear leg comes in a circular motion and sweeps behind the wooden dummy leg. When using the technique against an opponent, your body weight goes forward into the chin strike and foot sweep in order to sweep the leg and throw him to the ground. Obviously you can’t throw the wooden dummy to the ground, so once you have reached the position with your leg behind the dummy leg, push into the dummy and then recover to a fighting posture. You may then continue with strikes, kicks or other techniques without pause.



Technique #16- Application When applying the outer sweep against an opponent, you will need to grab him by his clothing or arm with one hand while your second hand strikes up under his chin, driving his head backwards. At the moment his head starts to move back, you should pull with your grabbing arm which will cause the opponent’s upper body to spin. The sweep is then applied to the opponent’s leg to throw him down. As your leg sweeps behind the opponent’s, point your toes towards the ground and sweep as though you are trying to take out both of his legs. As stated above, if the situation dictates a high level of force, you can drive the opponent’s head into the ground as he is thrown.





Technique #17- Low Parry and Strike The slapping hand parry that we studied earlier can be applied downward to protect the lower body and groin area. It is normally executed in conjunction with a strike. Simultaneous attack and defense reduces response time and causes the opponent to be hit immediately as he attacks. This is very frustrating for him and will significantly disrupt an attack allowing you to gain the offense. The below photographs show the practitioner executing the low parry and strike on the wooden dummy. He begins from the preparatory position and immediately slaps down on the low dummy arm with his left hand as he strikes with a lead punch to the dummy head area. Keep in mind that the parry and strike can be executed with either hand. Notice how the strike moves straight to the target with no retraction of the striking arm.



Technique #17- Application To apply the low parry and strike in a fighting situation, the defender uses his left hand to parry a punch to the stomach from the attacker. At the same time, he strikes him in the head with a right vertical punch. Both movements happen simultaneously. Notice how the defender uses the angle step to move his body offline and close the distance as he executes the parry and strike.

Technique #18- Neck Grab and Pull into Knee Strikes A very effective technique to use when in close range or clinched with the opponent is the neck grab and pull into knee strikes. Years ago, I used to practice this technique by grabbing the base of the wooden dummy head and throwing knees to the lower body of the dummy, but after seeing Joseph Simonet’s Slam Set, I switched to the following method. The method Mr. Simonet uses involves grabbing the upper arm of the wooden dummy with both hands to simulate the opponent’s neck. Your knee attacks are thrown to the lower dummy arm rather than the body of the wooden dummy. This method is much more efficient, easier to perform, and closer to how the technique would be done against a real opponent. The below photos show the movement being performed on the wooden dummy. The practitioner grabs the upper right dummy arm with both of his hands cupped as if grabbing the back

of an opponent’s neck. He then pulls forward on the dummy arm as he throws knee strikes upward to the lower arm of the dummy. Caution should be used when performing this technique, because your knee can be injured by the dummy arm if too much force is used. Go slow and concentrate on proper form. You can gradually add power as your body becomes conditioned from the training.



Technique #18- Application From a neck clinch position, the defender pulls the opponent straight down into a knee strike to his head.

In a similar Application, the defender assumes a preparatory posture with his hands up when confronted by the attacker. He tries to de-escalate the situation, but as soon as the attacker places his hands on him, he quickly grabs him behind the neck with both hands cupped. The defender then pulls the attacker forward as he executes multiple knee strikes to his midsection. The defender squeezes his forearms together tightly for added control to the opponent’s head and neck.



Technique #19- Stomp Kick and Leg Rake The stomp kick and leg rake looks similar to the low side kick at first glance. However, a closer look will reveal that the leg does not retract after the kick, but rather stomps through the knee and then rakes

down the shin to the foot. Not only can this hyperextend and damage the knee joint, but it is extremely painful to the shin bone. At the end of the technique, you are in a position where you can land on the opponent’s foot to control his mobility. In the below photos, the practitioner executes an inside parry against the upper left arm of the wooden dummy as he stomp kicks the knee of the dummy leg. While maintaining contact with the parrying hand, the practitioner rakes down the dummy leg with the edge of his foot. The raking continues down the shin area of the dummy leg until his foot is on the ground.



Technique #19- Application From a fighting posture, the defender executes a low side kick to the attacker’s knee. He moves his body forward and allows the kick to rake down the attacker’s shin bone and to his foot. The defender then throws a lead punch to the attacker’s head while standing on his foot to control his mobility. This entire technique is done in one fluid motion.





Technique #20- Hammerfist Strike The wooden dummy is the perfect training tool to use to develop a powerful hammerfist strike. Because the hammerfist is executed with the meaty bottom portion of the fist, you have the ability to strike the wooden dummy with more force and less fear of injury. In the photos below, the practitioner executes an inside parry to the upper dummy arm. He then immediately flows into a low hammerfist to the groin area of the wooden dummy.



Technique #20- Application When faced with an actual opponent, the defender deflects a front kick with the inside of his arm and immediately counters with a hammerfist to the attacker’s groin. The defender keeps his other hand up to guard his head throughout the deflection and counter strike. The initial deflection with the forearm can also be done as a strike to damage the opponent’s leg.



Technique #21- Cross Arm Deflection This technique is very similar to the high and low deflection covered earlier, except the position of the arms are reversed. This technique tends to be stronger for stopping heavy kicks or strikes to the body. It also allows you to cover a larger area of your body when you are not sure where your opponent’s strike will land. The below photos show the movement performed on the wooden dummy. The practitioner strikes the upper right dummy arm with his left arm palm up. At the exact same time, he strikes the lower dummy arm with his right arm palm down. The elbow of the upper arm stays tucked in to cover the body and possibly damage the opponent’s incoming limb. The practitioner immediately follows with a low palm strike to the dummy’s groin area while covering with his upper arm.



Technique #21- Application In the below photos, the defender uses a cross arm deflection to stop a roundhouse kick to the midsection. He them immediately counters with a lead strike to the attacker’s head followed by a rear cross to his body. Notice the defender elbow strikes the attacker’s led during the deflection. He could also catch the attacker’s leg with his bottom hand and follow with a takedown.



Technique #22- Evade and Counter When training on the wooden dummy you might not think of using boxing techniques, but the structure of the dummy actually makes it quite useful for training certain boxing skills. The arms and leg of the wooden dummy provide a reference point that can help train ducking, slipping, bobbing, weaving, and evasive footwork. The evade and counter technique, provides a great example of using this concept while training on the wooden dummy. Below, the practitioner uses the upper arms of the wooden dummy as a reference and ducks to evade a simulated punch. He then slips to the outside of the dummy arms as if evading another strike. The practitioner then counters to the wooden dummy with a rear cross to the body and a lead hook to the head.





Technique #22- Application The defender ducks to avoid a lead punch from the attacker. As the attacker jabs again, the defender slips to the outside and executes a rear cross to his body followed by a lead hook to the head. Throughout the entire series of movements, the defender is light on his feet and covering his head and body.





Technique #23- Circling Hand and Strike The circling hand technique is another defensive technique commonly found in southern Kung-Fu systems. It can be very useful for absorbing an attack and redirecting it away as you launch a counter strike. To perform this technique on the wooden dummy, bend your wrist and keep your forearm tucked in along your center line. Place your hooked wrist on the upper arm of the dummy and then rotate your hand so that your fingers point towards the ground. This will automatically cause your elbow to lift into a wing deflection position. As your hand circles on the wooden dummy arm, launch a strike to the dummy with your rear hand.



Technique #23- Application To execute the circling hand against an opponent, the defender drops his hooked wrist and forearm to stop an uppercut strike from the attacker. He then circles the hand outward to deflect the attacker’s arm away as he strikes with a lead punch. The entire technique is executed in one fluid movement.



Technique #24- Elbow Deflection and Limb Destruction The elbow is an amazing weapon for fighting and self-defense. In addition to its effectiveness as an offensive weapon, it can be used as a defensive and counter offensive tool as well. You would be missing out if you didn’t incorporate elbow techniques into your wooden dummy training. The elbow deflection and limb destruction are two techniques that are simple to learn and can easily be added to your arsenal. The elbow deflection is simply keeping your arms in to cover your body and using your elbows to deflect and knock away the opponent’s strikes. The limb destruction is used more offensively to strike your opponent’s attacking limb with your elbows. After the opponent runs into your elbow a couple of times, he will be very reluctant to throw another strike. The below photos show these techniques applied together on the wooden dummy. The practitioner angle steps to the left and uses his lead elbow to strike the upper right arm of the dummy. Notice that his fist is facing in. This ensures that you will hit with the proper part of the elbow when you use the deflection. The practitioner then throws a rear elbow strike to the upper right arm of the dummy to simulate striking the opponent’s limb on an incoming attack.



Technique #24- Application The defender uses a lead elbow deflection to stop the attackers lead punch to his body. The deflection doesn’t just redirect the attacker’s strike, but also hits his limb to inflict pain. The defender is careful not to overextend his arm as he deflects the blow. He then uses a rear elbow strike to destroy the attacker’s hand as he throws a rear punch. With the limb destruction, the defender simply raises his elbow and allows the attacker’s fist to impact it. This should be practiced with a training partner using boxing gloves until it becomes second nature. I have seen this technique break an attacker’s hand with very little effort. The below examples are just a couple of the ways you can use your elbows to deflect and destroy an attacker’s limbs.



Technique # 25- Thai Elbow and Round Elbow To continue the discussion of how elbow techniques can be trained on the wooden dummy, we will now look at two very effective elbow strikes that work extremely well in combination with one another. These strikes are the Thai elbow strike and the round elbow strike. To execute the Thai elbow on the wooden dummy, angle step in and throw the rear elbow strike in a downward diagonal motion to the head area of the dummy. The lead hand is kept high to guard the head against any possible counterattack. Notice how the elbow strike comes in over the wooden dummy arms. The hand of the striking arm can be held open or clenched into a fist. To execute the round elbow strike, shift your weight and body pivot to the inside as you throw the lead elbow in a short circular path to the head area of the dummy. The round elbow follows the same trajectory that a hook punch would travel, only the range is shorter. Both the Thai elbow and the round elbow have the capability of knocking out an opponent when properly executed.



Technique #25- Application As the opponent throws a lead punch, the defender parries with his lead hand and delivers a Thai elbow strike to his head. He immediately follows with a round elbow strike to the opponent’s head from his lead arm. The defender checks the opponent’s lead hand with his rear hand as the elbow strike is delivered. When using your elbows in a fight, it is a good idea to throw elbow strikes in the same way a boxer throws punches. Never throw just one technique. Execute your strikes in combinations of at least three attacks to keep the opponent on the defense. Use this same concept when training on the wooden dummy. Always think in fluid combinations as you execute your techniques.



Technique #26- Leg Deflection and Thai Round Kick The leg deflection and Thai round kick are an excellent combination to practice on your wooden dummy. Often during an encounter, the opponent will kick towards your legs. When this happens, you don’t want to reach down below your legs to block the kick with your hands. This leaves your head open to additional strikes from the opponent. Instead, you can deflect low kicks with your outer shin and immediately counter with a Thai round kick to the attacker’s leg. The below photos show this combination being performed on the wooden dummy. First the practitioner uses his leg to deflect the

lower dummy arm. Without putting his foot down, he immediately executes a Thai round kick to the lower base of the dummy. In addition to the benefits for fighting, practicing this technique will also greatly improve your balance. Remember not to kick the wooden dummy hard. You can work on power training on the heavy bag or striking pads. Your goal here is precision and conditioning. Even a light kick on the wooden dummy will help condition your shins for striking and defending against an opponent’s kicks.



Technique #26- Application In the below photos, the defender uses an outside leg deflection to stop a low kick from the attacker. Without placing his leg down, he immediately transitions into a Thai round kick to the attacker’s support leg. The defender keeps his hands up to protect his head throughout the entire movement.



Technique #27- Palm Up Block, Redirect and Strike The palm up block and redirection is a defensive technique that can be used to protect your centerline from attack and flow seamlessly into a counter strike. This is a very versitle technique that can be adapted to numerous functions such a joint locking, defense against a takedown, and elbow strikes. In the below pictures, the practitioner angle steps and body pivots as he uses a palm up block to impact the upper right arm of the wooden dummy. Without loosing contact with the dummy arm, he rotates his arm downward to redirect and executes a strike to the body of the wooden dummy. As the strike is being executed, the practitioner body pivots back towards the dummy to increase the power of the blow. Notice that the redirecting arm ends up in a position similar to the wing deflection at the completion of the technique. Keep in mind that while training on the wooden dummy, visualization is essential to actually getting a feel for the proper application of the technique.





Technique # 27- Application We will now look at two applications for the palm up block and redirection. In the first example, the defender stops an incoming punch from the attacker with a palm up block. Without stopping his flow of motion, he redirects the punch downward and executes a palm strike to the attacker’s face.

In this second application, the defender again meets the opponent’s strike with a palm up block. He then redirects the strike downward and brings his arm up under the attacker’s arm to secure him in a shoulder lock. From the shoulder lock, he can knee strike the attacker or take him to ground to finish the encounter. These examples show the adaptability of this technique. It is important to continue the flow of motion as you execute the block and redirection.





Technique #28- Cross Kick, Throat Chop and Palm Strike The cross kick is a deceptive low line attack that can be used to damage the opponent’s legs. It can also be used in a defensive manner to stop an opponent’s kick before it gets started. In this technique sequence it is used in conjunction with a throat chop and a palm strike. To perform these techniques on the wooden dummy, the practitioner executes an inside parry to the upper right arm of the dummy. At the same time, he throws a cross kick to the knee area of the dummy leg. He follows the kick with an arm grab and a chop to the throat area of the dummy. The chopping hand drops down and checks the upper right dummy arm as the practitioner executes a rear palm strike to finish the sequence. It is important to note the practitioner’s body position in relation to the wooden dummy. In the first two techniques his body is angled to the side. For the final technique he turns his body towards the dummy to generate more power in the strike. As you train on the wooden dummy, pay close attention to your body position and how it effects the overall power and effectiveness of the technique.



Technique #28- Application At this point you should realize that the techniques we have studied can be easily combined and interchanged to create different combinations. The below photos illustrate this point in the following application. The defender seizes the attacker’s arm and executes a cross kick to his knee which offsets

his balance. The attacker is in a position with his chin down so his neck is not exposed to a chop. So instead, the defender attacks directly from the arm grab with a palm strike to his head. His lead hand is held low to protect his lower body against an attack. Because his lead hand is low, it is in a position to strike the attacker’s groin with a hammerfist blow. This sequence illustrates two important concepts. First, that techniques should be delivered based on the circumstances of the situation and the targets that are open on the opponent. Second, techniques are launched with limited motion in a direct path to the target as much as possible. You should avoid retracting a limb before striking, or winding up to try and generate power. These actions only slow down your attack and telegraph your intentions.



Technique #29- Wing Arm Deflection, Grab, Cross Kick For our final two techniques, we will look at two sequences taken directly from the traditional Wing Chun Kung-Fu wooden dummy form. In this first sequence, the practitioner uses a wing arm deflection

to the inside of the upper right dummy arm. From the wing arm, he rotates his hand upward to the outside of the dummy arm as he pivots his body inward. The practitioner then grabs the arm of the wooden dummy with both hands and pulls forward as he executes a cross kick to the knee area of the wooden dummy leg. The entire technique takes place in one smooth movement from start to finish. One of the reasons I chose to include this technique and the following technique in the book is because of how the movements flow smoothly together. They are excellent examples of how movements can be combined in a fluid and effective manner.





Technique #29 - Application To apply the above technique against an opponent, the defender uses a wing arm deflection to stop an incoming punch. He immediately rotates his arm upwards and body pivots towards the attacker. The defender then grabs the attacking limb with both hands and pulls the opponent into a cross kick to his knee.





Technique #30- Low Forearm Deflection, Parry and Chop, Low side Kick The final technique we will look at is the low forearm deflection followed by a parry, chop, and low side kick. Again, this technique comes straight out of the Wing Chun wooden dummy form. The below photographs show it being performed on the wooden dummy. First, the practitioner does a short shuffle step to the left as he uses his right forearm to strike the lower arm of the dummy. This strike represents a deflection of a low attack such as a kick. The practitioner immediately follows with a right hand chop to the body of the dummy as he parries inward to the upper dummy arm with his left hand. The parry and the chop both happen simultaniously. He finishes the technique with a low side kick to the lower body of the dummy while guarding his head and body with his arms. Just as with the previous technique, the entire sequence is executed in one fluid motion from start to finish.



Technique #30- Application The application of this technique is shown below. The defender uses a low inside forearm deflection to knock away the attacker’s front kick. The attacker then strikes with a lead punch which the defender parries inside with his rear hand as he strikes to his body. He finishes the opponent with a low side kick to his knee while keeping the opponent’s hand checked. The initial forearm deflection can also be used to pull the attacker’s kicking leg forward and knock him of balance. His forward momentum will add to the power of the follow up strikes.



Building Chains Now that you have thirty techniques at your disposal to practice on the wooden dummy, it is time to start building chains with them. Once again, I will use the analogy of music to describe this process. A new musician first learns a musical scale which contains the notes that eventually will be used to play songs. At an advanced stage, the musician will use those same notes to improvise. Think of the thirty techniques you learned in the previous chapter as the notes of the musical scale. In this chapter, we will combine those techniques to make short sequences of movements called chains. By practicing these chains, you will be doing the same thing a musician does when he plays short songs by combining the musical scale notes. This process will engrain the techniques into your subconscious and open the door to our next phase which is freestyle improvisation. As we look at building chains of techniques, it is important to remember that the ones provided here are simply examples of various possibilities. Feel free to build your own chains based on your personal preference and favorite techniques. If you do decide to build your own chains, you must make sure they are functional, and the movements flow well together. At this phase, the goal is to ingrain these combinations into your subconscious. This will allow the techniques to happen without conscious thought when you train freestyle or when you need them in a real encounter. Even though the ultimate goal is to be able to free flow and execute your techniques in a freestyle manner when you train on the wooden dummy, don’t skip ahead, or neglect this phase of practice. It would be a big mistake to skip this section and not put in the foundational work that is required. Now let’s build some chains.

Chain #1 -Preparatory Posture -Intercepting Finger Strike -Circling Hand Deflection and Palm Strike to Body -Inside Parry and Cross Kick To execute chain number one, start by facing the wooden dummy in the preparatory posture. Angle step to the right and execute an intercepting finger strike towards the area of the head and eyes on the dummy. Shuffle step to the left and body pivot as you execute a circling hand deflection on the upper right arm of the dummy. At the same time, execute a palm strike to the body of the dummy. Follow with a high inside parry to the upper right arm of the dummy as you execute a cross kick to the knee area of the dummy leg. Repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side.





Chain #2 -Elbow Deflection -Round Elbow Strike -Grabbing hand and Chop -Arm Trap and Palm Strike This chain starts with an inside elbow deflection to the upper right arm of the wooden dummy. Immediately follow with a round elbow strike to the head area of the dummy using the same arm you executed the deflection with. Grab the right upper arm of the dummy as you execute a chop to the dummy’s neck area. Finish by trapping both of the upper arms of the dummy with your hand and forearm and executing a palm strike to the head of the dummy. Repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side.





Chain #3 -Cross Arm Deflection -High and Low Deflection -High Outside Parry -Front Kick To perform chain number three, angle step to your left as you execute a cross arm deflection to the upper right and lower arms of the dummy. Shuffle step forward and execute a high and low deflection to the upper left and lower arms of the dummy. Notice that your hands switch positions between these two techniques. Next, shift your body back towards the dummy and execute a high outside parry to the upper right arm. Immediately follow with a front kick to the groin area of the dummy. Once again, you should repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side of the body. Later when you do freestyle training on the dummy, you will need to be able to flow into any technique from what ever position you are currently in. Develop these habits now during the chain building stage.





Chain #4 -Wing Arm Deflection -Arm Grab and Backfist Strike -Intercepting Punch -Downward Slapping Hand Parry and Punch Chain number four starts with a wing arm deflection to the upper right arm of the wooden dummy. You then grab the dummy arm and roll your arm around into a backfist strike to the head of the dummy. Your forearm should remain in contact with the arm of the wooden dummy throughout this technique. Immediately strike down the center line with an intercepting punch. It is important that during this punch your forearm contacts the arm of the dummy. Finish the chain with a downward slapping hand parry to the upper right arm of the dummy as you punch with your lead hand to the head area of the dummy. Be sure to repeat the entire chain on the opposite side.





Chain #5 -Palm Up Block -Wing Arm Deflection -Rolling Hands -Downward Slapping Hand Parry and Punch Start this chain with a body pivot to the right and a palm up block on the upper right arm of the wooden dummy. Next, shift your body back towards the wooden dummy as you contact the upper left dummy arm with a wing arm deflection. From this position begin the rolling hands movement. You may execute the rolling hands sequence as many times as you want. After several repititions, execute a downward

slapping hand parry to the upper right arm of the dummy as you throw a rear punch to the head. Repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side. As I mentioned earlier, the rolling hands technique is a great training drill on its own. It can also be integrated between any set of techniques. As you learn the chains and train on the wooden dummy, you will start to see random techniques come out. In some cases these techniques might not be part of the thirty basic movements. That’s ok. This is the start of being able to train in a completely freestyle manner.







Chain #6 -Jerking Hand -Downward Slapping Hand Parry and Punch -Double Hand Neck Grab/Clinch -Knee Strike -Leg Deflection -Thai Round Kick Chain number six combines several techniques into a smooth flow of movement. It starts with a jerking hand technique to pull down on the upper right arm of the dummy. Next, immediately execute a rear punch as you perform a downward slapping hand parry to the upper right dummy arm. Grab the upper right arm of the dummy with both hands to simulate a two hand neck grab and clinch. From this position, throw a knee strike to the lower arm of the dummy. After the knee strike, execute an outside leg deflection. Without dropping your leg, finish with a Thai round kick to the lower dummy body. Repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side.







Chain #7 -Hook Punch -Vertical Parry and Limb Destruction -Arm Grab and Elbow Break -Rear Round Elbow Strike -Lead Round Elbow Strike -Rear Round Elbow Strike to Body Chain number seven begins with a left hook punch to the dummy head area, followed by a right vertical parry and limb destruction against the upper right arm of the wooden dummy. Next, grab the upper right dummy arm as you execute an elbow break. You will now execute a series of elbow techniques to the dummy starting with a rear round elbow to the head area. Follow with a lead round elbow strike to the head area, and finish with a rear round elbow strike to the body of the dummy. Pay particular attention to the parrying and checking hand during the elbow strikes to ensure you are covering your head and body and controlling the dummy arms. As always, practice the chain on the opposite side as well.







Chain #8 -High Inside Parry -Arm Grab -Chop to the Throat -Figure Four Arm Bar -Reverse Elbow Strike -Palm Strike with Arm Check -Outer Sweep In chain number eight we will add a few more moves to create a slightly longer sequence. First, execute a high inside parry to the upper right arm of the wooden dummy. Flow into an arm grab as you execute a chop to the throat area of the dummy with your lead hand. After the chop, reach around the dummy arm and apply a figure four arm bar. Hold the arm bar for a second or two to simulate locking it in on a resisting opponent, then release the arm bar and execute a reverse elbow strike to the wooden dummy’s head. Drive your rear palm into the dummy’s face area as you check the upper right arm with your free hand. Finish the sequence by circle stepping behind the dummy leg to execute an outer sweep. Repeat the entire chain on the opposite side.









Chain #9 -Low Side Kick -Round Elbow Strike -Thai Diagonal Elbow Strike -Cross Kick -Downward Pressing Hands -Double Eye Gouge Chain number nine begins with a low side kick to the leg of the wooden dummy. Following the side kick, you immediately step in and execute a round elbow strike to the head area of the dummy. Flow into a Thai diagonal elbow strike to the dummy head area, followed by a cross kick to the knee area of the dummy leg. As you step down from the completion of the cross kick, execute a downward pressing hands with both hands to the upper arms of the dummy. Finish the chain with double eye gouges to the face area of the wooden dummy. Pay close attention to your footwork and leg positions during this chain. Chain number nine is excellent for getting your body used to moving in and then back out as you perform the various techniques. Keep your upper body erect during the kicking movements will make it easier to transition between kicks, elbow strikes, and hand techniques. Once again, practice the sequence on the opposite side.







CHAIN #10

- Hook Punch -Hand Trap and Back Fist -High Outside Parry -Double Arm Grab -Cross Kick -Neck Grab and Pull into Leg Sweep -High Inside Parry -Upward Pressing Hands -Cross to Body -Low Forearm Deflection -High Outside Parry -Lead Palm Strike -Reverse Palm Strike -Inside Parry and Cross Kick -Cross Arm Deflection -High and Low Deflection -Low Palm Strike to Groin -High Inside Parry and Raking Side Kick This final chain is very lengthy and contains eighteen techniques combined together. The purpose here is to create the mindset that the thirty basic techniques can be linked together in numerous combinations. Take your time with this chain and treat it like a mini form as you practice it. Once you are very familiar with the techniques, you can change up some of the movements. Remember that these chains are only examples and not set in stone. Chain number ten is executed as follows. Begin with a lead hook punch to the body of the dummy, followed by a hand trap and backfist strike to the dummy head area. Using an angle step, execute a high inside parry, followed by a double arm grab and cross kick. From the cross kick, grab the neck area of the dummy and pull forward on the upper right arm of the dummy as you sweep the dummy’s leg with your foot. Step down and perform a high inside parry to the upper left arm of the wooden dummy. Shift your body towards the dummy and execute upward pressing hands. From the pressing hands position, throw a rear cross to the dummy body, followed by a low inside forearm deflection. Next you will execute a high outside parry followed by a lead palm strike and reverse palm strike to the dummy head. Execute an inside parry and cross kick, a cross arm deflection, and a high low deflection. You will finish this chain by executing a high inside parry with a low palm strike to the groin followed by an inside parry to the upper left dummy arm and a raking side kick to the dummy leg. As stated, this is a lengthy chain and difficult to master. Pay close attention to the photographs and how the techniques flow from one to the next with little to no interuption.





















Mixing the Chains A t this stage, you have learned the thirty techniques and have practiced the ten chains enough for them to become very familiar to you. We are now only one step away from spontaneous free flow and freestyle practice. What you should do at this point is combine, vary, and mix up the ten chains. For example, you might start with chain number one and then perform chain number six without stopping. You might start with the first couple of movements from chain number six and then flow into the final two movements of chain number four. Experiment with mixing up the chains randomly but be sure at this stage to stick with the actual movements of the chains. The goal is to make these techniques second nature to you and develop the ability to smoothly transition between them. Once you become proficient at mixing up the ten chains, you will be ready for the final stage of our journey. Freestyle practice.

Freestyle Workout You are now ready to take all of the elements you have learned up to this point and use them as a springboard into freestyle practice on the wooden dummy. Think of this process like learning a foreign language. First you learn simple words. This equates to the thirty basic techniques you learned earlier in the book. Then you learn short phrases to help you accomplish basic tasks. This is the equivalent of the technique chains. Finally, you become fluent in the new language. You can then have an entire unscripted conversation using all of the words and phrases you have learned. Now let’s start to have conversation on the wooden dummy! As you engage in freestyle practice on the wooden dummy, you will want to follow some basic guidelines to ensure you are getting the most out of your training. These guidelines will help you to properly develop your skills without developing bad habits or wasting your time. Make sure you pay close attention to these areas every time you train on the wooden dummy. The guidelines are as follows.

Stay Relaxed Don’t tense up when you train on the wooden dummy. Be relaxed and keep your arms, hips, and shoulders loose. When freestyle training, you may want to practice for multiple rounds or longer time periods. If you are tense, you will tire quickly and not be able to train as long.

Maintain Proper Form It is easy when you train to become sloppy or get lazy. Avoid these bad habits and be sure to maintain proper form throughout your practice session. One good way to check your form is to record a video of yourself training on the wooden dummy. By watching a video of your practice session, you will immediately see where your movements are sloppy. The video doesn’t lie, so many of your mistakes will become glaringly obvious. After identifying where your form is faulty, you can then focus on correcting it when you train.

Be Creative Be creative when you practice. As long as you maintain the underlining principle of proper technique, you can explore different approaches to the various movement. For example, you might execute some of your techniques while holding a knife or a stick. You might incorporate techniques that are normally applied on the ground, while standing on the wooden dummy. One of my martial arts instructors once told me that every technique has four different applications. It could be a strike, a throw, a lock, or a defensive technique. Think of these possible applications for every technique you perform and incorporate various applications into your techniques as you practice. The sky is truly the limit when you train.

Breathe Proper breathing is critical for training to prepare you for a real encounter. Many people hold their breath or breathe erratically when they practice. Be sure to exhale when you strike or execute a defensive movement and inhale in between movements. When training on the wooden dummy develop a rhythm to your breathing in order to match it with your techniques. This will keep you from losing focus or getting tired.

Slow is Fast There is a common saying in the world of firearms and marksmanship that slow is fast. This means that if you hurry or rush, you will miss the target and lose precious time. By slowing down, you will have less chance of messing up and having to start over from scratch which ultimately costs you more time.

Practice on the wooden dummy is not a race. Take your time, practice slow at first, and develop good habits. Speed will then follow.

Use Visualization When training on the wooden dummy it is absolutely essential that you visualize an opponent standing in front of you. When you parry or block the arm of the wooden dummy, visualize the opponent’s arm coming at you. By incorporating visualization into your practice, it will make your training more relevant to a real encounter. Don’t overlook this extremely important tool.

Flow When you practice freestyle on the wooden dummy, make it a habit to flow from one technique into the next in a smooth and even transition. It is ok to vary your rhythm or experiment with different timing but maintain a constant flow. This will help you to adapt and change with an opponent who resists against your techniques or surprises you.

Sensitivity I believe that one of the hidden treasures of the wooden dummy is the fact that it can greatly improve your sensitivity. When working on the wooden dummy, maintain contact with the dummy limbs and feel the pressure against your arms or leg as you execute techniques and transition between techniques. Having a wooden dummy with moveable arms can greatly help the development of sensitivity, but even fixed arms will work for this purpose. Any time you are striking, defending, pulling, or pushing against the dummy, pay close attention to the feeling and natural resistance that you get. In a short time, you will notice your sensitivity drastically improve.

Have Fun Make your training enjoyable. If you don’t like what you are doing, the odds are you will quit. I personally look forward to spending some time working out on my wooden dummy daily. The joy of training with the wooden dummy is even greater when you practice freestyle. There is something very liberating about free flow practice with no set patterns. Having the ability to express yourself through the dummy is a very enjoyable experience.

Train to Music Turning on some music as you train can add a great deal to the overall benefit of your freestyle practice session. Music helps develop timing, rhythm, and footwork. It can also help set the atmosphere and mood for your training session. Rock songs or tunes with a fast tempo will energize you and get you moving. Classical music, Jazz, or songs with a slower tempo will relax you and help you to focus. Experiment with different types of music to get the most out of your training sessions.

The Freestyle Wooden Dummy Training Workout You now have all the tools available to you to do freestyle training on the wooden dummy. Obviously, the techniques you use, and the exact movements you perform while training will be entirely up to you. I do recommend that you have structure in your training by setting specific times to train and determining how long you will practice in advance. I use an egg timer when I train and set it for threeminute rounds. I will usually do three rounds of three minutes each on the wooden dummy. I also like to incorporate wooden dummy training into a circuit. This allows me to move from one piece of training equipment to another. Below are two examples of typical freestyle wooden dummy workouts that I use.

Workout #1- (Wooden Dummy Only)

Stretch out your body to warm up Rolling hands technique on the dummy to warm up Rolling hands-flow into a technique-rolling hands-repeat Work on a specific technique for a few minutes Work on a chain of techniques for a few minutes Freestyle training (three rounds of three minutes each/rest for one minute between rounds ) Breathing exercises

Workout #2- (Circuit Training) Stretch and warm up Shadow box for one minute The circuit (repeat each of the below three times) Heavy bag training (one round) Rest for one minute Freestyle wooden dummy training (one round) Rest for one minute Grappling Dummy training (one round) Rest for one minute Finish with breathing exercises to cool down



Freestyle Practice on the Wooden Dummy

Conclusion The Wooden Dummy has been my valued training partner for over forty years. It has allowed me to work endlessly towards perfecting my techniques and obtaining my martial arts goals. It always waits patiently for me to train and whenever I’m angry or frustrated, it helps me to unwind. In my opinion, the wooden dummy is a “must have” piece of training equipment for any martial artist regardless of their style. If you have taken the time to work through this book and have reached a stage where you are starting to train freestyle, then you understand the true value of the wooden dummy. But remember, at the end of the day, the wooden dummy is just a chunk of wood. What you ultimately get out of it equals what you put in. I hope this book has given you the tools you need to take your wooden dummy training to new levels. Good luck in your practice of the martial arts!

About the Author Chuck Callaway is a martial artist with over forty years of experience in the fighting arts. He holds black belts is several systems including, Tang Soo Do, Molum Combat Arts, and Filipino Arnis. He has trained extensively in Jiujitsu, Judo, Kung-Fu, Boxing, Kali, and Tai Chi. In 1987, he met Sifu Vic Butler who taught him the devastating art of elbow boxing, Goshin Budo Jiujitsu, and Molum Combat Arts. After years of intense training, Chuck earned his 3rd degree black belt from Sifu Butler. In addition to his study of traditional martial arts, Chuck received training in hand-to-hand combat and weapons skills while serving as a Security Police Specialist in the military. He was also a certified defensive tactics instructor for law enforcement and has taught martial arts to private students for decades. He continues his lifelong journey of learning and training in the martial arts.