Simple and Innovative training techniques

We can't always spar full contact with a good training partner, and some techniques are such that we can NEVER use them in Dojo fighting anyway. I am not an advocate of the "go into the streets and get into fights to test yourself" mentaility, so what we need is a library of little gems that can help us train smart.

Here's one or two to start it off, please add your own for the benefit of all. Mine involve bagwork.

1. In real fighting people will grab hold of you, making it very difficult to get the required leverage and freedom of movement to hit them (though it's great if Judo is your thing!). To simulate this why not get your martial arts belt and loosely tie yourself to the bag? Either round the back of your neck or under the armpits. This will inhibit your movement quite a bit, but should help you learn how to generat power into the Head Knees and Elbows even when they are doing their damndest to nullify them.

2. I have a little bag on a string in which there is a soft ball. I tie this around the bracket for my bag so that it hangs at approximately head height. When hitting the bag this thing often whips round to smack me in the head and, with practice, I now quite natrually block/evade it.

There. it is important to simulate a live opponenet when there is none. Are there any more similar ideas (including equipment other than punchbags as well)?

[Ice Phoenix]

That soft ball tied to punching bag thing sounds cool, but I'm not quite sure what you mean? Please explain for the benefit of us all!

OK - you're bag hangs from the bracket. So does the ball on a string. When you hit the bag it makes the ball jump and spin around, occasionally towards you head/face. Use your hands and arms to block it. Get it?

[Roland]

A variation of that bag drill would be to tie the belt around your waist and have your training partner yank you this way and that (as he's standing either behind you, to the side, etc.) as you try to beat up the heavy bag.

[MrPoopy]

the soft ball that bri thai is talking about is the same as a headache bag. But i think his is a little bit smaller than a headache bag and probly moves faster when you get it going. There's a boxing gym around here that has several of them. It must be good boxing training.