Best boxing doll | Rated Top 7 for focused and challenging training

Are you a big fan of martial arts and an admirer of Bruce Lee? A boxing dummy can help develop your skills.

You would like to be able to practice at home with a sparring partner who is always available.

Whether it concerns (kick) boxing, MMA, teaching self-defense tactics, or Capoeira; these boxing dolls can help you practice and improve your techniques.

Below I discuss my best boxing doll choices with you. Mine overall best boxing doll is in any case the Century Bob XLDue to the shape and length of the upper body, this dummy is extremely suitable for punching hard and for practicing stairs. It offers more target area than its competitors and can be filled up to 140 kg.

Soon you will read more about this overall best boxing doll, now first continue with my top 7 best boxing dolls

best boxing doll	Image
Overall best boxing doll: Century Bob XL	(view more images)
Best Boxing Doll Martial Arts Sequences: Century BOB Original	(view more images)
Best Hang/Throw Boxing Doll: Elegant Leather Throwing Doll	(view more images)
Best Boxing Doll With Sensors: Slam Man Bruce Lee	(view more images)
Best boxing post: Decathlon Boxing Machine	(view more images)
Best Boxing Doll Sweat Resistant: Punch Line Pro Fighter	(view more images)
Best Durable Boxing Doll: Hammer Freestanding bag Perfect Punch	(view more images)

What is a boxing doll?

A boxing dummy – also known as a boxing dummy or BOB (Boxing Opponent Body) – is movable, which is great for home use.

The punching part of a boxing dummy or boxing dummy has the shape of a human upper body. They often have real details of a human body.

This makes training realistic and you can punch and kick in a targeted manner. It is best to fill the foot of a boxing dummy with sand, which makes the dummy the most stable.

Also read: Boxing clothes, shoes and rules: here's what you need to know

What do you pay attention to when purchasing a boxing doll?

If you are thinking about purchasing a boxing dummy, it is important that the boxing dummy meets a number of characteristics: you want a dummy that stays in place during punching and kicking and one that lasts a long time.

The filling weight of a good box dummy should be at least 120 kg, because a force of a few hundred kilos can easily occur with a big kick or punch.

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It is therefore very important that your boxing dummy has sufficient weight to be able to take kicks and blows without falling over.

Dummy tests on the Internet show that the surface of the foot must be at least 50 centimeters. If the foot has less than 50 cm of surface, this can have a negative influence on the training. An area of ​​55 centimeters is ideal.

You probably also want to be able to adjust the height, dummies are available in different adjustable heights.

Most boxing dolls are made of a material that exhibits properties similar to those of the human body under pressure.

In short, pay attention in any case:

• the filling weight
• the surface or diameter of the foot
• from how low to how high is the dummy adjustable?
• is the material comparable to the resistance of a human sparring partner?
• do you have a space of 1.50 meters on all sides?

Best boxing doll reviewed – my top 7

Now let's take a closer look at my favorites. What makes these boxing dolls so good for a focused and challenging workout?

Overall best boxing doll: Century BOB XL

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Century developed its first BOB – Body Opponent Bag in 1998.

With the Century BOB XL you can practice and perfect your punching and kicking techniques. BOB is very stable and will bounce after every kick or punch, so you can immediately continue with your combination.

You fill the base with sand (or water) after which BOB is ready to train with you. BOB XL is great for professional and home use.

BOB XL has a vinyl “skin” for a very realistic martial arts experience. Practice punching and stepping techniques even without boxing gloves, the hit zones are well padded from thigh to head.

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BOB XL has an adjustable height and is suitable for children from about ten to very tall adults.

It has high stability, even on hard kicks and punches, and offers more hitting area than Century's standard BOB.

The height of the footrest is 120 cm and the BOB XL upper body is approx. 100 cm high, approx. 50 cm wide and approx. 25 cm deep.

Here's what the doll looks like in proportion, on both the lowest and highest settings:

Just like its smaller brother, BOB XL has a detailed upper body with pecs, abs, plexus, collarbone and larynx.

Features

• fillable footrest up to 140 kg
• diameter footrest 60 cm
• height adjustable: 152 – 208 cm
• offers a realistic experience, like a human sparring partner

An adjustable boxing dummy with a large body also has a disadvantage. If the dummy is on the two highest positions, it becomes more unstable if you hit the dummy high.

Check prices and availability here

Best Boxing Doll Martial Arts Sequences: Century BOB Original

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The Century BOB original boxing doll is adjustable, but 4 cm shorter in maximum height than the BOB XL. This makes it suitable for children from the age of ten as well as for adults.

The thickly padded punch and punch zones allow training without boxing gloves and kicking from the hip to the head.

The base can be filled with water or sand to reach a weight of up to 122 kg, which is 18 kg less than its big brother.

It is slightly more suitable for martial arts sequences, but this regular BOB remains stable even with strong kicks and punches.

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Did you know that the film industry uses this BOB for various martial arts sequences? This BOB, but also his predecessors, can be seen in films and series such as 'Cobra Kai', 'John Wick' and 'Arrowverse'.

BOB has a detailed upper body and weighs 125 kg when filled: quite OK as a sparring partner. It is easy to assemble, here's how:

This original BOB version has no lower body. Do you want this? Then you better order the BOB XL above.

Features

• fillable footrest up to 125 kg
• diameter footrest 61 cm
• height adjustable: 152-198 cm
• offers a realistic experience, like a human sparring partner

This BOB gets 4,7 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with 1.480 reviews

Check the latest prices here

Best Hang/Throw Boxing Doll: Elegant Leather Throwing Doll

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This Hang Boxing Doll is suitable for MMA, for Jiu Jitsu, Grappling, Judo or Wrestling and other Martial Arts.

This doll has no stand like most of my top 7, it hangs or lies. But it really is a good all-round boxing dummy for a budget price.

This boxing dummy is delivered unfilled (2,5 kg), and once filled it has an optimal weight distribution.

It offers a variety of realistic training applications such as holding the dummy on the ground and throwing.

Its anatomical, human shape allows you to continuously improve your own throwing techniques. Its high-quality finish allows it to withstand even the hardest of throws.

It is ideal for training the upper body and for leg throws (this throwing technique performed with leg or foot, on an opponent's leg or foot, we often see in Judo and Jiu Jitsu.

Features

• length: 180 centimeters
• material: tear-resistant cotton canvas, double stitched

Check the latest prices here

Best Boxing Doll with Sensors: Slam Man Bruce Lee

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Boxing dummy Slam Man Bruce Lee is a completely different kind of dummy than the simple hang and throw boxing dummy, this one stands on one foot.

This black and yellow boxing doll is made of rubber and plastic. The Slam Man does not have the detailed features of a human body like the other boxing dolls on foot do.

The uniqueness of this boxing dummy is that the body and head contain sensors and lights that are in contact with a computer.

You can set your own training program and the trick here is to hit the flashing lights as quickly as possible by means of punches or kicks.

You can set it at various levels. Here's the doll in action:

Compared to the other foot boxing dolls, the Slam Man is slightly less stable, although the foot can be filled with sand or water up to 120 kg. It is height adjustable up to 190 cm.

Features

• fillable footrest up to 120 kg
• diameter footrest 47 cm
• height adjustable up to 190 cm
• Material: The boxing doll is made of plastic material with a soft rubber body and head. Sensors and lights are incorporated in the body and head. Provides a realistic experience, like a human sparring partner

Check prices and availability here

Best Boxing Pole: Decathlon Boxing Machine

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This Boxing Machine from Decathlon is ideal for training kicks and punches, and is not suitable for beginners: whether it is English boxing, Thai boxing, kickboxing or full contact.

The Boxing Machine is of course less realistic than the boxing dolls in this article. But its wider footrest – compared to many other footrests – of 80 cm in diameter makes up for it.

Decathlon advises to fill the footrest with water, so that the Boxing Machine is perfectly stable according to them.

The outer layer of the punching bag is made of high-quality polyurethane, which makes it durable. The surface is large and great for foot kicks and punches. It is recommended for hand strokes good boxing gloves to use.

Features

• fillable footrest up to 110 liters of water
• diameter footrest 80 cm
• total height 180 cm, the pad is 120 high with a diameter of 37 cm
• offers a slightly less realistic experience, unlike a human sparring partner

Check the latest prices here

For even more good boxing posts, check out my review of the Top 11 best standing punching bags here (incl video)

Best Boxing Doll Sweat Resistant: Punchline Pro Fighter

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The plastic torso of this Punchline Pro Fighter boxing doll is filled with sand, the base can be filled with both sand and water.

It has a patented FLEX system and the doll absorbs your punches, which reduces the strain on joints and muscles.

This Punchline Pro Fighter is the only one from this series of boxing dolls that is sweat-resistant. The plastic is very easy to keep clean.

For a child of 10 years, it is a bit on the high side, I estimate that it can be used from 12 years. The Punchline is less suitable for very tall people.

The doll can be adjusted in height to 160 or 170 or 180 cm. Its competitors on foot – such as BOB and BOB XL, but also the Bruce Lee – are a bit longer.

The Punchline is ideal for fitness boxing, boxing training and blocking techniques.

Features

• fillable footrest up to 130 kg
• diameter footrest cm unknown
• height adjustable: 160, 170 or 180 cm
• torso is filled with sand
• sweat repellent
• realistic boxing training by FLEX system

Check the latest prices here

Also read: Best boxing gloves for punching bag and punching post: the top 5

Best Durable Boxing Doll: Hammer Freestanding Bag Perfect Punch

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With the Hammer Freestanding bag Perfect Punch you have a training partner that can take a beating. This boxing dummy offers a fantastic workout for both beginners and you can work well on your combinations.

The resistant and durable polyurethane material of the boxing doll can absorb blows of up to 250 kilos.

This boxing doll is adjustable in height, with the lengths 162 cm, 177 cm and 192 cm.

The plastic foot of 55 cm in diameter is hollow and can be filled with the desired material, so that the doll has enough weight to stand.

Features

• fillable footrest up to 130 kg
• diameter footrest 55 cm
• adjustable in height to 162 cm, 177 cm or 192 cm
• Material: The boxing doll is made of polyurethane and offers a quite realistic experience due to its shape.

Check prices and availability here

Boxing dummy FAQs

Which punches and kicks can be trained on a boxing dummy?

• Jab: A punch with the leading hand that ends straight and abruptly.
• Uppercut: A punch aimed under the opponent's chin.
• Straight line: by rotating the shoulders, the fist turns towards the head of the opponent. The hind leg is pushed through and provides extra pressure.
• High kicks: kick to the neck

Should you wear boxing gloves during training?

Not only is the boxing doll shaped to the human body, but it usually also has the same hardness. So punches and kicks feel realistic.

I would recommend that you at least wear boxing gloves, as your fists, legs and feet are put under quite a lot of strain during training, but the choice is ultimately yours.

What is the best filling for a boxing doll?

Water or sand, all manufacturers recommend sand or water because both materials have a high density and therefore a high weight. For the highest possible fill weight, sand is best.

Sand has a density of 1.540 kg per cubic meter, water has a density of 1.000 kg per cubic meter.

What is a correct filling weight for a boxing dummy?

A cheap boxing dummy usually has a filling weight around 100 kg, with the best boxing dummies the filling weight is around 150 kg.

What are the disadvantages of a boxing doll?

Of course, some think a punching bag is better than a punching dummy or ball on one foot. The punching dummy moves much more than a punching bag, especially when training extreme, fast punches or kicks.

For this reason, the professional athlete always fills the base with sand, which means that better stability is achieved.

A good quality boxing dummy is a lot more expensive compared to a punching bag. The standing punching bag therefore always remains an interesting alternative. It's just a shame that the shapes aren't realistic.

Boxing doll for children?

Boxing is a popular sport among children and teenagers, but boxing dolls developed especially for children do not yet exist.

However, most foot boxing dolls are height adjustable and can be set to a fairly low height. In this way, children who measure a little over 155 cm can also work with the doll.

A good alternative for children is a wallbox dummy, which you can easily screw to the wall at the desired height, but the dimensions of the upper body correspond to those of an adult.

Closing comments

Training with boxing dummies is much more attractive to most than training with a punching bag. It increases your motivation and well-being and does something for your cardiovascular system.

You may be wondering if boxing dummies are worth the splurge? Sure is my answer!

If you really want to get the feeling of sparring with a human, then it's a great boxing partner. With sufficient filling weight, the dummy can also withstand hard kicks.

Provided you have a loyal sparring partner or a volunteer willing to take punches and punches from you, a boxing dummy is a great training partner.

He's never late and always present, he's not even vengeful, because he never hits or even kicks you back ;)

Ready to train? Then enjoy a boxing movie on the couch, these are the ultimate must-sees for any boxing enthusiast

Joost Nusselder, the founder of referees.eu is a content marketer, father and loves to write about all kinds of sports, and has also played a lot of sports himself for most of his life. Now since 2016, he and his team have been creating helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with their sports activities.