The Break Your Dummy DVD By Jeff Glover has got to be the weirdest DVD I’ve ever seen or reviewed in my life! Given that I had to rely on instructional a lot while going through the belts, I have seen almost everything in the realm of BJJ DVDs in the last 15 years.
Enter Jeff Glover, who already has a unique bunch of instruction on all subjects of BJJ, and his latest DVD dubbed ‘Break Your Dummy Not Your Frines’. And yes, it is exactly as it seems – an instructional on how to train, or better said, drill, using a grappling dummy. To be honest, while at first glance it is unusual, it is the first of its kind and covers a subject nobody else has so far.
The question that pops to mind is do you really need to invest in such an instructional? We were curious to see what was in this one and had to review it, so read on to discover exactly what lies inside Jeff Glover’s Break Your Dummy DVD!
Key Takeaways
- The only BJJ DVD instructional of its kind!
- Features demonstrations using both a live partner and a training dummy.
- Gi and No-Gi instructional with a running length of two hours.
- BJJ World Expert Rating: 10 out of 10!
BREAK YOUR DUMMY DVD AVAILABLE HERE!!!
Does Training with a Grappling Dummy Make Sense?
In wrestling, practicing with a grappling dummy is a staple of training, especially in the US. Grappling dummies are great for figuring out how to move dead weight while practicing throwing, tripping, or slamming techniques and combos. Even Judoka used them in some capacities.
As you’d expect, the use of grappling dummies carried over to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as people sought out ways to train without a live training partner. During the pandemic, grappling dummies became particularly popular, especially for those BJJ fanatics with no pet or compliant significant other at their disposal.
The main concern with using grappling dummies in BJJ is whether or not they are effective. While they are great tools to improve standing skills and offer a great workout, the lingering question is are they really helpful on the ground, where the majority of BJJ exchanges take place?
The opinions are divided in this regard, with mine leaning towards endorsing grappling dummies as a useful tool for practicing BJJ. There is no way to learn Jiu-Jitsu by ONLY using a dummy, even if you get your hands on one of the robot dummies that tap when choked. However, training with one is going to make you a better grappler, especially if you choose one that is with a challenging weight.
BJJ Monkey Man Jeff Glover
As I went through the belts of the sport, Jeff Glover was an iconic name, especially in competitive circles. Known for his uniquely unpredictable, but highly effective grappling style, Jeff was a true nuisance to anyone who faced him, both Gi and No-Gi. In fact, he is one of the No-Gi pioneers of the sport, bringing a lot of excitement to his matches.
Glover won the No-Gi World in 2007 and had some memorable performances in tournaments like Metamoris and the early EBIs. The Ricardo Miller black belt also has a host of super fights across all major promotions, capping off his competitive career with his High Rollerz performance a while ago.
The man who popularized the D’arce (was my main source of information on my best submission as a grappler) and came up with the Donkey Guard, contributed to the BJJ world not just by competing and teaching, but also by releasing a bunch of very interesting and useful instructional, the last of which has to be his craziest ever – the Break Your Dummy DVD!
Jeff Glover Break Your Dummy DVD: A Complete Review
The way Jeff Glover set this BJJ instructional up is very impressive. Over four volumes he addresses every aspect of training with a grappling dummy, from top position attacks to bottom position escapes.
While demonstrating he does not only use the dummy but also has a live partner helping him point out the challenges and differences in training with either of them:
Part 1 – Top Game Drills
As Glvoer opens up the Break Your Dummy DVD, he goes over a quick intro to what a grappling dummy is and the best ways to think about training with it. He shows the type of dummy he is using, a real-life person replica with bendable limbs to help provide realistic resistance (of sorts).
The first part is all about the grappling dummy drills you might already know, or can even figure out intuitively the first time you pick one up. Most of the chapters cover top positions, with a strong focus on passing drills for the open, half, and closed guard.
Glover also sprinkles a few staple BJJ submissions in there, starting with the Kimura and progressing towards triangles, armbars, and Omoplatas, complete with escape strategies.
Part 2 – Escapes
I started this part of the DVD skeptical, after witnessing the submission escapes Glvoer provided, but, to be honest, I kinda, maybe changed my mind. While the submission escapes are still out there, in my opinion, practicing escapes from pins is a realistic use of a grappling dummy.
Namely, the weight of the dummy mimicking a real-life person, and the fact that it has limbs you can position to make it pin you effectively, make it a viable tool in trying to figure out defenses and escapes. It is particularly useful to beginners and those that suck at getting out of bad spots.
Part 3 – Closed Guard & Back Mount
Another classic way of drilling with a grappling dummy in BJJ is to catch it in the guard or back mount and start throwing away submissions. This third volume of the Break Your Dummy DVD by Jeff Glover addresses exactly that but with a signature Glover twist.
Jeff goes over all the submissions you can think of, offering different leg lock drills from Ashi Garmi, a host of chokes from the guard and the back, and some sneaky armlocks that feature both the closed guard and the crucifix position.
Part 4 – Experimental Glover Moves
The final part of this unique Jeff Glover instructional is exactly what most people who know him expected him to show in this DVD. He goes off the deep end here with Berimbolos, his signature Donkey Guard, and deep half guard drills that you might not think of first when training with a grappling dummy.
The best part about this volume is that it all makes sense as Jeff offers a framework of how to approach training with a grappling dummy, by using the ‘copy drilling’ approach. He sets the stage here to allow you to further explore all kinds of experimental drills using the dummy without spending all those hours training without any practical grappling reference.
The Ideal Training Partner?
Let’s face it, a grappling dummy can be a real training asset if you use it efficiently. As Jeff Glover points out in his instructional when you want to drill at home, try to put private class information into order to even train in class when you’re left without a partner.
A grappling dummy is also a great way to work up a sweat in the most functional way for BJJ there is. You can use it to go back and forth through positions, using Jeff’s approach to also work on your defense as you drill your top and bottom attacks. In fact, it may just be the best way to develop sport-specific conditioning there is.
From a technical standpoint, connecting sequences and creating combinations without any resistance apart from the dead weight of the dummy is another great way to put in much-needed repetitions that will pay off when you roll or compete!
FULL ‘BREAK YOUR DUMMY’ JEFF GLOVER DVD HERE!!!
Dummy Up!
What is left to say except that you need to get a move on and order a BJJ-specific grappling dummy now, and don’t forget to pick up your copy of the Break Your Dummy DVD! That way, you have the power 1-2 combo of meaningful drilling for BJJ with a partner who will never be late, tired, or absent-minded as you make him go over the same drills again and again!
Why break your friends when you can break your training dummy instead?
