Use full power and full force anytime without risking serious injury to your training partner.

Image“Bubba is the closest thing to a human I’ve ever worked with.”

INSIDE KUNG-FU: Caique, what is your jiu-jitsu background?
CAIQUE: I have trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for more than 30 years, started at the famous Gracie Academy in Brazil under the instruction of Helio Gracie and his sons, Relson and Rickson Gracie. I moved to the United States in 1996 and continued to teach and train at the Gracie Academy in Torrance, Calif. I opened the Caique Academy (19751 S. Figueroa St., Carson, CA 90745; (310) 618-8149  in 2001. Currently, I have a Youth Academy at 1951 W. Carson St., Torrance,  90501 and an academy at 24825 Narbonne Ave., Lomita, 90717, as well as affiliate schools in the U.S. and Canada.

IKF: How did you learn about Bubba?
CAIQUE: My Academy is located next to I&I Sports (www.iiSports.com) and we get to see all the latest equipment for MMA training. They came to me for my opinions about Bubba and its value for jiu-jitsu training. I was very impressed with how realistic it was. It is superior to any other training dummy on the market. Most of the other dummies I’ve seen are only good for some techniques. Bubba is the closest thing to a human I’ve ever worked with. I like the fact that it’s handmade in the USA too.

IKF: What kind of techniques do you like to practice with Bubba?
CAIQUE: Bubba is very versatile. You can do almost everything with it that you’d do with a live training partner. I particularly like to practice takedowns, armbars, chokes and footlocks. Many techniques that you have to be careful doing at full speed or full force on a human can be done on Bubba with no risk of injury. I can’t impress enough how life-like he is. This is essential for effective jiu-jitsu training.

ImageIKF: Are drills without resistance an important part of jiu-jitsu training?
CAIQUE: Very important. Your techniques will improve by making them more efficient and also more powerful.

IKF: Why should a student use Bubba instead of coming to class more often or training with a partner?
CAIQUE: Bubba isn’t a replacement for class time or training with others, but it will definitely improve your techniques. You can improve different aspects of a technique by using a dummy, which you can use full power and speed without worrying about injury. Full power and speed are usually only applied in actual contests, so this type of training is very valuable.

IKF: Have you tried other training dummies?
CAIQUE: I tried some before, but in my opinion none match Bubba. Most are just modified stuffed punching bags with arms and legs. As I understand it, Bubba was created from scratch to perform like a human partner in all jiu-jitsu techniques. The internal skeleton and joints are very realistic.

IKF: What sets Bubba apart from the other dummies you’ve tried?
CAIQUE: I am constantly amazed at how realistic Bubba is. I can work with it from many positions. It improves techniques and gives more power to apply submission holds. Many of the other dummies on the market are much too heavy. They are unrealistic in training so it’s a waste of time.

IKF: What about the cost? Bubba is more expensive than many of the other dummies on the market today?
CAIQUE: I believe this is such an important training tool that you cannot cut corners. If you buy an inferior unit, you will not improve your techniques. Then you are not only wasting your money, but also your effort! I think the saying is true that, “You get what you paid for.”

IKF: Would you recommend Bubba for people who love to train?
CAIQUE: Definitely. It will improve every technique and make you a better fighter. I also recommend this for my private students who do not have access to a qualified training partner. Bubba is a safe way to train.

Up Close
Who: Bubba
What: MMA/Jiu-jitsu training dummy
Cost: $499. 95
Where: I&I Sports (www.iiSports.com)

Caps
lead shot – M3
tech caps
m0, m2
Bubba improves techniques and allows more power to be applied to submission techniques.
m1, m5
Takedowns, armbars, chokes and footlocks can be practiced with full force on Bubba.