One of the problems with martial arts and combatives training is that truly effective techniques – vicious strikes to the head, face, and neck, for example – cannot be trained against a partner for fear of injuring that person.  Sure, your training partner can don padding or one of those suits that turns his head into a giant pumpkin of foam and plastic, but it's just not the same as striking a vulnerable human being.

Fortunately, there are alternatives on the market.  Modern technology has given us several choices.  One of them is BOB, the Body Opponent Bag.

My and my new friend BOB.  The Body Opponent Bag is adjusted to
its full height of 6'2'' here.  He's kind of an angry, quiet fellow.

The BOB is adjustable from 5'10" to 6'2" and is essentially a "torso on a stick."  It has no arms and no legs;  just a torso (whose development will shame those of us neglecting our workouts) and an angry head with integral molded "hair."  The base for the torso can be filled with water or sand, but sand makes a much more stable choice.  Filled, the BOB weighs about as much as a heavy person.

The BOB's torso is filled with urethane foam to give the torso a little give while retaining the solid feel you'd expect from a person..  The head is either partially or totally hollow, however, because a solid punch will cave it in.

If BOB had teeth he'd need a good dentist now.

Those who use heavy bags know that if you neglect your bag work for too long, your hands will get soft and you'll start tearing up your knuckles on the canvas.  I've found BOB's plastisol skin to be rough on the knuckles because, despite its smooth texture, it creates enough friction to grab at skin.

Once you've got BOB adjusted to suit you and properly weighted, the fun begins.  You can really go to town on this uncomplaining fellow.  Recently I practiced a variety of practical combatives strikes on poor BOB, who suffered mightily as the evening wore on.

Chin jab/palm heel to BOB's face.  The torso rocks back when struck.

Hammer fist to the side of BOB's head.  I ended up hitting his ear.

Light edge-of-hand blow to test the alignment of my body compared to BOB's...

...Followed by a more unrestrained chop at BOB's neck.

The BOB is a little pricey as equipment goes, but not compared to the cost of commercial martial arts lessons.  It is without a doubt one of the best means of practicing your strikes with a level of commitment and realism approaching real-life altercations.