In today’s article, we’ll be reviewing Century’s Body Opponent Bag, also known as BOB.
Century’s Body Opponent Bag, or more simply: Bob, is probably the most famous training dummy in the world. Everyone’s seen this dummy at least once, as it’s used primarily with self-defense courses. Century Martial Arts were founded in 1976, in a garage, like a lot of businesses. Bob is yet another quality dummy made by this manufacturer, and it’s considered to be ideal for self-defense practice by most tutors.
Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at Bob, what people like and dislike about it, and what are the most beneficial features of this dummy. Let’s get started!
Century Body Opponent Bag Overview
The Build
Bob’s aesthetic and figure is well known among all practitioners of martial arts. Bob was made to look menacing, and the creators definitely achieved this look, which made him a great fit at self-defense courses.
Bob can be anything from 60 inches to 78 inches tall, as the dummy itself can be made taller or shorter. The base itself is 24 inches wide in diameter and 19.5 inches tall. When the base is filled with water to stop movement, it weighs around 270 pounds, making it so heavy it’s basically immovable.
This realistic vinyl is a great sparring partner if you’re practicing self-defense, as you can hit him where it hurts and he definitely won’t complain. The soft yet stable vinyl skin on a complete male head and torso makes the perfect striking surface for everything from the uppercut to the reverse jab the sidekick.
The weight of the dummy gives you the realistic impact sensation that you need not hold back. It’s also great that you can empty the base and the dummy itself (which is filled with sand) if you need to move it at any point, so you won’t be needing to hire a moving team to move Bob.
Bob was made out of greatly hardened vinyl, meaning that he can take punches for a long time. You don’t have to worry about breaking the dummy or in any way damaging it, as most users document that the dummy lasts for six to eight years before having to purchase a replacement.
The Realistic Feel
It’d be dangerous to practice self-defense maneuvers on an actual person, as you could really hurt someone. However, you definitely won’t hear Bob complaining. The realistic feel of punching and fighting an actual opponent helps you get more out of your practice, and it will absorb shock and move with you, just like an actual opponent.
The dummy will also tip once you hit it, mimicking the movement of a human being. Some people tend to find this disruptive – but this actually makes the dummy more realistic. Even though it’s almost impossible to knock Bob over, if you manage to do that, you’re going to have a tough time picking him up from the floor.
Also, it’s more fun to kick a dummy that actually looks like a human being. This way, you’re more prepared for a real-life encounter, and you won’t be facing any lawsuits.
Usefulness
Practicing on Bob is a great way for improving your form, as it’s often more important than just force. This way, you can practice your combos and make more measured movements to subdue an opponent. Proper form will always matter in a real-life situation.
You can also do things you can’t do with your real-life sparring partner, but you would do to a real-life attacker. Gouging eyes and kneeing Bob in the groin is something you won’t have a problem with if you use this dummy. These skills are vital in real life, but they aren’t something you can practice with a real sparring partner.
When you’re using Bob, you’ll want to adjust Bob so that he’s as close to your height as possible. Instinctively, we’re always striking at eyesight-level. At first, start striking slowly to learn how Bob moves. You’ll quickly learn that he’s going to move as you strike him, so it’s very similar to shadow boxing.
Bob is not a dummy you want to use to practice brute force, rather a dummy for precision. It’s perfect for targeted training, and you definitely shouldn’t shy away from it. It’s great to perfect your form, accuracy, and stamina while providing the realistic feedback a good dummy provides.
What’s also great is that you can adjust the height whenever you need it adjusting, meaning that you can make it as realistic as possible.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| sturdiness – Bob is a dummy that’s going to put up with your strikes for a long time | in the odd case that you do manage to tip it, you’re going to have a hard time picking it back up |
| adjustability – you can easily adjust Bob’s height with a few simple fixes | it may be hard on your hands and feet – consider wearing sparring covers |
| realistic feel – Bob allows you to fight an opponent that looks real and feels real | pricing – Bob is more expensive than a weight bag |
| stability – Bob is very stable and it’s unlikely that you’ll be tipping the dummy over |
Our Verdict
If you’re practicing self-defense, Bob can be a great substitution for a real-life sparring partner, as the dummy offers a very realistic feel. However, it’s a bit pricey and it’s not made to practice brute force on it, rather precision and accuracy.
