Something to discuss... Pole students check this out!

[LFJ]

Ron & LFJ that goes without saying but the same thing can be said for any training aid including the Muk Yan Jong. A training partner is also first choice.

For me, solo pole training and MYJ have their place in development. They aren't just second choices.

In my first post I linked to a video of what I find to be more useful solo training for the pole. For solo training, I think power and accuracy should be the focus.

What they try to reproduce with this pole dummy just doesn't do it. It's best to leave that type of thing for when you have a partner who can actually hold their pole firmly and move it and/or themselves around.

Also, for the time, material, and space it would take to build this thing, or the money it would cost to buy and ship one, it's value is far less than just hanging some 2x4's from a tree.

I see it would have its uses and the poles do give a certain amount of limited feed back being flexible and at different angle.

I don't know what definition of "angle" you guys are using, but they aren't at different angles. They're at different heights. And the response is nothing like whacking a pole held firmly by a human, which makes it a useless response, imo.

[LoneTiger108]

For me, solo pole training and MYJ have their place in development. They aren't just second choices.

In my first post I linked to a video of what I find to be more useful solo training for the pole. For solo training, I think power and accuracy should be the focus.

What they try to reproduce with this pole dummy just doesn't do it. It's best to leave that type of thing for when you have a partner who can actually hold their pole firmly and move it and/or themselves around.

Good points.

Just in addition you mention power and accuracy being the focus? What part of learning how to hit a stationary object does not help build your power and accuracy? Like using the wooden man as an example here, we were probably all taught ideas like "remember, this is a dummy! It's dead and doesn't move!! So you must put in extra work" and I see this Pole Dummy no differently. It can be used to build your confidence slowly before moving onto live interactive drills with a partner/s simply because it doesn't move. The more skilled drills you shared are all part of this progression too.

A boxers heavy bag doesn't move like a person either, nor does their speed ball, but should we discount the benefits it has on the overall development of the boxer?

Ultimately I think all the solo training with apparatus like this is designed to prepare the student for 'impact' and to build your level of applying and receiving such impact. A key to developing your Art prior to any attempt to use it all for real...

[LFJ]

Just in addition you mention power and accuracy being the focus? What part of learning how to hit a stationary object does not help build your power and accuracy?

Whacking one of those flimsy sticks won't build power, and if you ever miss one of them you're hopeless.

I didn't watch all the clips through, but I never see them doing thrusting or striking with it. They just whack the sticks as if deflecting, and I think there are better exercises/apparatuses to use for that.

Like using the wooden man as an example here, we were probably all taught ideas like "remember, this is a dummy! It's dead and doesn't move!! So you must put in extra work" and I see this Pole Dummy no differently.

For me, with the MYJ the main idea is the training of certain attributes, not imagining an opponent. That's what solo pole training should be as well, imo. Attribute training. Power and accuracy in the case of the pole. That's not achieved with this pole dummy, and I personally don't see much benefit in dancing around in front of this thing whacking its flimsy sticks.

It can be used to build your confidence slowly before moving onto live interactive drills with a partner/s simply because it doesn't move. The more skilled drills you shared are all part of this progression too.

Partner work with the pole doesn't have to be sparring or anything that requires more advanced skill. A partner can hold their pole and allow you to develop your deflections on it as a sort of solo practice but with a more live response. Being that a human is holding the pole, the effect will be the same as in real application when you hit their pole. It'll therefore be better for power training too, as you can really whack 'em against live resistance.

[LoneTiger108]

Whacking one of those flimsy sticks won't build power, and if you ever miss one of them you're hopeless.

All in good time! The sticks that go into these frames can be whatever type you ant them to be, so you can build your power bit by bit.

For me, with the MYJ the main idea is the training of certain attributes, not imagining an opponent. That's what solo pole training should be as well, imo. Attribute training. Power and accuracy in the case of the pole. That's not achieved with this pole dummy, and I personally don't see much benefit in dancing around in front of this thing whacking its flimsy sticks.

This is where I disagree. The attributes you describe are exactly what is gained from both weaponry and empty hand wooden dummies?

Partner work with the pole doesn't have to be sparring or anything that requires more advanced skill. A partner can hold their pole and allow you to develop your deflections on it as a sort of solo practice but with a more live response. Being that a human is holding the pole, the effect will be the same as in real application when you hit their pole. It'll therefore be better for power training too, as you can really whack 'em against live resistance.

Again, what you are describing here is what the dummies provide, all except a follow up advance or live partner?? Is it me or am I seeing things?

It would be good to hear from others too who have used weaponry dummies. I have used similar apparatus and of course it doesn't replace a live person, but they do provide excellent things to hit and practice set drills, advancing and retreating stepping work, stances and every single part of the six point and half pole can be trained safely (without hurting a partner) and if you have a mind for weaponry, your knives too can be trained in this exact same manner.

[LFJ]

Again, what you are describing here is what the dummies provide, all except a follow up advance or live partner??

The dummy provides live resistance and response when you hit its poles, like a pole held by an actual human?

[LoneTiger108]

The dummy provides live resistance and response when you hit its poles, like a pole held by an actual human?

No I was trying to suggest that the other attributes like power and angling can be beneficial before moving onto live partner training. If a partner is standing there and allowing you to develop, I see it as no different than using a dummy. It's only when they then begin possible advances or reactive movements that it becomes alive, and yes that training is required too!

As an example, I hadn't trained with a person in a while and when I did my power had increased so much they simply couldn't even hold onto the pole when I started to move into them. This was because of my solo power drills on apparatus like this pole dummy. That 'Wing Chun pole only makes one sound' really does exist.

[LFJ]

If a partner is standing there and allowing you to develop, I see it as no different than using a dummy. It's only when they then begin possible advances or reactive movements that it becomes alive,

What I meant by "live response" was not that it's an alive drill, but that hitting the flimsy sticks on this pole dummy will not give you a human response, and if you put really thick, solid poles on it, you aren't going to get much of a response at all. If all that's being trained on this dummy are deflections, I can't find it that useful without a more realistic response from the pole.

I like Gary Lam's cross wok dummy, because it can have some weight to it, but it actually moves when you hit the arms or thrust to the body. I find that more useful than a static apparatus that you can only work deflections on and the poles don't even get deflected.