Why I Started Messing with Tackling Dummies
Okay, honestly? I got tired of getting burned. Like, really burned. Last pickup game, that speedy kid kept zipping past me like I wasn’t even standing there. Embarrassing stuff. I knew I needed better tackling practice, but just running drills against air felt useless. So yeah, I figured tackling dummies were probably the next step.
Finding Stuff & My First Epic Fail
First thing, I needed a tackling dummy. My budget’s tighter than an old pair of cleats, so buying one of those fancy spring-loaded pro things? Nah. Went digging in the garage instead.
- Old Army Duffel Bag: Found it behind the lawnmower. Smelled kinda funky, but whatever. I stuffed it full. Old clothes, towels, an old pillow… you name it. Used like three rolls of duct tape trying to make it hold its shape. Felt solid enough?
- Sticks & Rope Setup: Saw some YouTube guy hanging a bag between poles in his backyard. Genius! Except my setup looked more like a disaster waiting to happen. Used some scrap wood and rope, tied the bag up. Looked seriously wobbly.
Day one out back. Fired up, tackled that bag full force… annnnd it exploded. Like a dusty, towel-y firework. Clothes and junk flying everywhere. Duct tape wasn’t holding anything.
Round Two: Still Not Working
Felt pretty stupid. Okay, fine. Bought a cheapo inflatable tackling dummy from the sports store. Looked like a giant upright marshmallow. Got it pumped up.
This time I actually thought, “Maybe watch a video first?” Saw something about low tackles needing to wrap the legs. Tried it. Approached the marshmallow man, lunged low to grab where the “legs” should be… WHOOSH. Yeah. Slipped right off that smooth plastic crap. Fell face-first onto the grass. Not my finest moment. Dummy just wobbled there, mocking me.
Okay, Okay… Getting Serious Now
Starting to think the dummy wasn’t the only dummy out here. Swallowed my pride, asked my buddy Mike who used to coach kids.
Mike laughed (thanks, bud) but then actually gave good advice:
- Form Before Fury: Stop trying to smash the thing into orbit. Slow down. Way down.
- Hit With Your Shoulder & Wrap: Forget trying to just slam it. Plant my feet near it, drive through with my shoulder INTO the side of the dummy, and hug that sucker tight like I mean it.
- Leg Drive Matters: Can’t just hit and stop. Got to keep those legs pumping even after contact.
Plus, he told me to lean that cheap inflatable against a fence so it didn’t just bounce away.
How I Practice Now (And Still Screw Up Sometimes)
Alright, so here’s what finally started working for me with that cheap dummy:
- Just Getting Close: I don’t run full speed from miles away anymore. Start maybe 3 steps back. Focus on the last few steps planting my feet right.
- The “Hug Of Doom” Drill: Seriously, this changed things. Walk up, shoulder thump solidly into its side low-ish, and squeeze hard like I’m trying to lift it. Drive my legs forward. Feels awkward at first? You bet. But you actually feel connected.
- Keeping My Head Up: Major bad habit I had? Dropping my head on contact like I’m scared. Practiced driving with my shoulder while looking at where the dummy’s “head” would be. Helps balance and keeps you safe.
- Falling Together: Instead of just stopping, I drive through the dummy so we both kinda “finish” the tackle falling forward a bit. More realistic, feels stronger.
Is it perfect? Heck no. I still mess up my footwork, catch the dummy weird, or occasionally slip and faceplant again. That inflatable dummy still slides sometimes even against the fence. But man, hitting it properly feels SO much different than just running at it. Like I’m actually stopping something with power, not just bumping it. Had my first real game since starting these drills last weekend. Felt way more confident going in for a tackle. Still got burned once, but nailed a solid one on that speedy kid! Worth the bruised ego (and maybe a bit of bruised shoulder). Now if only my tackling dummy smelled better…
