Cheap Training Dummy Ideas

[ShinKenshi]

Like others have said, there's no need for you to be chasing a moving target. If the opponent is moving his shinai away from center, then he's giving you an opportunity for you to take control of center and gain the advantage. You should just focus on being able to execute a good men and hit the target you're aiming at and with correct kikentaiichi. By the time you can do that, it won't matter whether he's moving around like a little bee or standing still.

Couldn't agree more. Every single point that's been scored on me both in keiko and in taikai have been made by opponents who held center stronger than I did at the time. My Sensei tells us to not get distracted by what our opponent is doing with their shinai and to pay more attention to their body. People do all sorts of tricks with their shinai to throw you off and it's their body language that gives away when they're actually going to strike. If you follow their shinai and their timing, you've given them an opening. If you instead focus on looking for an opening when it presents itself and in creating one through seme, holding center, and inviting your opponent to follow your timing, you'll land more strikes more often than not. This is something that I'm working on during every single practice so everything I've said is what's been told to me.

[kurisu]

I was wounding, does anyone have any ideas to make a cheap training dummy, or any ideas on something to use (that wont beat up my shinai?) I have seen a lot of different ideas on the web, but a lot of them still take a lot of stuff to make.
Thanks

You can get this for $100:

http://knoxville.craigslist.org/for/1888044116.html

I've been using one for about 6 years now, pretty good. Duc-taped extra padding on the head/back of head and the back so I can hit it from front and back. Found mine on CL for $50.00.

[hl1978]

you can probably use some PVC pipe and some imagination.

[daks]

I made my own kendo dummy using
-small saucepan (men)
-one of those fold away ironing racks
-some metal poles (you can find from the dump or anything you have laying around the house)

it looks pretty groovy and works really well. If you have your own bogu, you can attach it to the dummy so its like having someone right in front of you.
I also added a homemade shinai holder at the front.


Its probably a good idea if you have access to a welder, or someone who can weld for you, but all in all this cost me around about 20$ (I had some of the stuff already, but like I said, see what you can get at your local dump.)
Let me know if you want more pictures

[prings]

^_^ more pictures please

[ShinKenshi]

Here's an older video of my dojo using one of two that one of our members built for us. All it needed was a couple of wood posts, a bucket with wheels, a few nuts and bolts, some cement, some plywood, and bogu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y41ClEO67rM

[prings]

ShinKenshi is there any way you could post any other videos or pictures? Maybe how it all looks together without the bogu on?

[ender84567]

could always get yourself a PhD and build one of these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGzHpZVCEko

[ShinKenshi]

ShinKenshi is there any way you could post any other videos or pictures? Maybe how it all looks together without the bogu on?

PM Sent.

[daks]

^_^ more pictures please

more photos:

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...m91/dummy5.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...m91/dummy3.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...m91/dummy2.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...m91/dummy1.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...m91/dummy6.jpg

sorry, they are a bit dark (my camera is really bad at night...) but hopefully you can get the idea

[prings]

thank you for the pictures

[ShinKenshi]

Prings, my inbox is now cleared so you can go ahead and re-send that message.

[prings]

Ok here might be an interesting question, is there anyway to make some kind of home made bogu to put on these hitting dummy (not to wear on oneself, more to make it look cooler) or would rubber from an old tire be just as good?

[ShinKenshi]

An old tire would be fine, especially considering some kendo shops sell training aids using them.