What Are Grappling Dummies Filled With? (2025 Guide)

Grappling dummy filling plays a major role in posture, stability, and training performance.

Quick Answer

Most grappling dummies are filled with polyfill, rags, foam scraps, or pool noodles — lightweight materials that shift over time and cause posture loss.
Higher-quality dummies use a professionally packed, stability-weighted core that keeps its shape, stays seated better, and provides consistent resistance for BJJ training.

grappling dummy filling comparison
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Grappling Dummy Filling — What Buyers Should Know

Most grappling dummies fall into one of three filling types, and the type of fill determines:

  • stability
  • posture
  • limb structure
  • long-term durability
  • how many usable reps you get before resetting

Here’s the breakdown.

1) Unfilled (DIY Shell Only)

These arrive empty and must be packed at home using whatever materials you have available.

  • towels
  • old clothes
  • rags
  • polyfill
  • pool noodles
  • foam scraps

Pros

  • cheapest upfront
  • fully customizable feel

Cons

  • shape collapses as filler shifts
  • limbs become soft or uneven
  • poor seated posture for upright guard drills
  • requires periodic re-stuffing
  • very inconsistent between sessions

Unfilled dummies work for light technique walkthroughs, but not for high-rep, posture-dependent training.

2) Consumer-Grade Filled (Lightweight Shop-Stuffed)

These dummies arrive pre-filled, but only with consumer-grade stuffing, usually:

  • polyfill
  • foam scraps
  • fabric scraps
  • pool noodles or similar foam tubes

This category also includes dummies filled overseas or filled by hand in small shops — the materials are the same, and so are the limitations.

Pros

  • no DIY work
  • consistent to the extent the filler allows

Cons

  • lightweight (often 35–55 lbs)
  • posture breaks easily
  • legs and torso compress over time
  • tipping is common, especially in upright guard drills

This is the category most “budget” dummies fall into, regardless of whether they ship filled or unfilled.

3) Professionally Filled — Pro Grade (Submission Master Category)

This category uses a professionally packed, stability-weighted core, not loose consumer-grade stuffing.

Characteristics:

  • 75~85 lbs total weight
  • wide, balanced base for seated stability
  • tightly packed internal core for consistent resistance
  • firmer leg structure (with break-in period)
  • reliable torso feel through mount, side control, and guard transitions
  • no periodic re-stuffing
  • designed for high-rep solo BJJ practice

For a real-world example of how filling and weight translate into performance, see our Submission Master vs Grappling SMARTY comparison.

This is the only filling type that supports:

  • upright reps
  • posture-breaking drills
  • open-guard pulls and pushes
  • consistent pressure application
  • predictable feel from session to session

If you want more reps with fewer resets, this category performs far better than consumer-grade filler.

How Filler Type Affects Training Performance

Upright Posture (Guard Work)

Unfilled and consumer-grade filled dummies tend to:

  • slump backward
  • fold at the waist
  • tip under light pulling force

Professionally packed dummies maintain posture longer because of:

  • higher weight
  • wide base
  • denser internal core

Ground Positions (Mount / Side Control)

All dummies can be used while lying down, but:

  • consumer-grade filler compresses under pressure
  • pro-grade packing gives a firmer, more repeatable feel

Limb Structure

  • Loose fillers → floppy legs, shifting density
  • Pro packing → predictable resistance, especially after break-in

Durability

  • Loose stuffing settles and must be re-adjusted.
  • Professional packing maintains shape for years.

Which Filler Type Should You Choose?

Choose unfilled only if:

  • you want the cheapest option
  • you’re okay with inconsistent posture
  • you don’t mind experimenting with different fillers
  • you won’t be doing upright guard reps

Choose consumer-grade filled if:

  • you want convenience
  • you’re doing mostly light technique walkthroughs
  • you don’t need stability during upright transitions

Choose professionally filled, pro-grade if:

  • you want real at-home BJJ progress
  • you care about stability and posture
  • you want reliable reps
  • you don’t want re-stuffing or filler maintenance

For 2025, the leading professionally filled option is:

Submission Master Dummy — Stability-Weighted Design™ for at-home BJJ training.

See Today’s Price ($597)

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