Submission Grappling Drills: Best Drills for Solo Training & Grappling Practice

What submission grappling drills can you practise?

These are the drill categories a suitable dummy can help you rehearse. Each one below is calibrated to what the equipment can realistically support.

• Positional drills — establishing and holding dominant positions
• Guard drills — retention, structure and movement
• Mount drills — control and posture
• Side-control drills — pressure and switches
• Back-control drills — seat-belt and hooks
• Transition drills — flowing between positions
• Submission-entry drills — rehearsing submission positioning
• Solo grappling drills — movement, flows and repetition

What is submission grappling?

Submission grappling is a family of grappling sports — including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), no-gi grappling and the grappling side of MMA — where the goal is to control an opponent and reach a submission. It's built on positional hierarchy: establish a dominant position, keep control, then hunt the submission.

Because so much of it is about position and movement, a lot of it can be drilled solo. A suitable dummy lets you rehearse the shapes and sequences until they're automatic — then you bring sharper movement to live rounds. If you're choosing equipment, see how to choose a grappling dummy.

What are submission grappling drills?

Submission grappling drills are structured exercises used to practise positions, transitions, control and submission-related movements. They isolate one pattern — holding mount, passing to side control, setting an armbar position — so you can repeat it cleanly and build consistency.

On a dummy, the value is in the positional and technical repetition. A dummy can't reproduce resistance, movement, defensive reactions, timing or tactical decisions, so these drills develop your mechanics and flow rather than your reactions — which is exactly why they complement, rather than replace, live training.

Can you practise submission grappling alone?

Yes — a large part of it. Positional holds, guard structure, transitions between positions, and the positioning of submissions all drill well solo on a suitable dummy. What you can't train alone is the live, reactive half of the sport: resistance, scrambles, timing and the problem-solving that come from a training partner.

Treat solo work as the repetition layer that makes your mat time more productive. For BJJ-specific drilling alongside this guide, see our BJJ dummy drills.

Can you practise submissions with a grappling dummy?

You can rehearse the positioning and movement of submissions — armbars, triangles, kimuras, americanas and chokes — provided the dummy's limbs and flexibility allow the position. A dummy can't tap, resist or defend, so this is practice of mechanics in a sport context, not a finish.

Not every dummy suits every submission: shape, flexibility and limb positioning decide what's possible, so check the manufacturer's guidance. Many general grappling dummies handle positional and submission-positioning work well.

How to start submission grappling training

Set yourself up for clean, repeatable reps.

• Set up the dummy per the manufacturer's instructions and confirm its intended use.
• Train on mats with enough clear space to move around the dummy.
• Learn positions before submissions — control comes first.
• Drill slowly; a submission position on a dummy is practice of the shape, never a forced finish.

For handling and set-up basics, see how to use a grappling dummy.

Beginner submission grappling drills

Start here. Positional understanding comes before combinations — if you can't hold and move between positions, submissions won't hold up against a live partner. Don't rush into too many techniques at once.

Image · Beginner setup

Image · Guard drill

Image · Mount drill

Image · Side control

Image · Back control

Submission grappling positional drills

Position is the foundation of the submission game. These build the control that makes every submission possible — the dummy is a fixed target, so focus on pressure and connection.

Submission grappling transition drills

Transitions link your positions into a game. Keep constant contact and deny space — these sequences are examples to groove, not the only correct paths.

Image · Guard to mount

Image · Side to back

Submission-position drills

These are sport-training drills: you rehearse the positioning, movement and transitions of each submission for BJJ and submission grappling — not a finishing force. A dummy can't tap, so pressure and timing still need supervised partner training. Each needs limbs flexible enough for the position.

Image · Submission position

Solo submission grappling drills

These string the positions and submissions together into continuous solo work — the reps that build fluency between classes.

Submission grappling training at home

Home training mainly needs mats, clear space and a suitable dummy. A simple session flows: warm-up, movement, positioning, transition drilling, submission-position drilling, then a review. Run the positions and transitions as continuous rounds, or set a timer and repeat one flow for reps.

Image · Solo workout

A grappling dummy pairs naturally with the rest of your home gym equipment for conditioning between technical rounds. Keep it honest, though: solo work complements live grappling, partner drilling, rolling and coaching — it doesn't replace them.

Submission grappling workouts

An example 30-minute session, plus a beginner template and an intermediate variation. Examples to adapt — not universal prescriptions.

Example training session — 30 minutes

Beginner workout (structure)

• Warm-up — light movement and mobility.
• Positions — guard, mount, side, back (drills 1–5).
• Movement — one or two transitions (drills 10, 11).
• Submission positioning — one position, slow (drill 15).
• Cool-down — easy movement and review.

Intermediate workout

Scale the rounds and rest to your experience, goals and overall training schedule — no single routine is optimal for everyone.

How to progress your submission grappling training

Move up a level only when the current one feels clean and automatic.

1. Learn positionsRecognise and hold the core positions.
2. Learn individual movementsDrill each control and entry on its own.
3. Build consistent repetitionsRepeat until the movements are clean.
4. Connect transitionsFlow smoothly between positions.
5. Practise submission positionsRehearse entries from control.
6. Create combinationsChain positions, transitions and entries.
7. Test in live trainingBring your reps to drilling, rolling and coaching.

Solo work is the repetition layer — the resistance, timing and problem-solving that win rounds come from live grappling.

Common submission grappling training mistakes

• Going too fast — speed hides sloppy detail.
• Poor positioning — weak base or alignment ingrains bad habits.
• Practising too many techniques — depth beats breadth early on.
• Ignoring transitions — positions matter most in how you link them.
• Repeating poor technique — reps only help when the movement is correct.
• Treating the dummy like a live opponent — it's a fixed target, not a training partner.
• Ignoring equipment limitations — match the drill to the dummy's design.
• Never getting coaching feedback — get your technique checked.
• Focusing only on submissions — control comes before the finish.
• Ignoring positional control — no position, no submission.

Submission grappling dummy safety

• Follow the manufacturer's instructions and confirm the dummy's intended use.
• Inspect the dummy before each session for wear or damage.
• Use appropriate flooring or mats and keep enough clear space.
• Train at a suitable, controlled intensity — a submission position on a dummy is never a forced finish.
• Only perform movements the equipment supports.
• Stop if you feel pain and rest before continuing.
• Seek qualified coaching for technical instruction.

No equipment is injury-proof and no training is risk-free. Build up gradually and train within your ability and your equipment's limits.

Can a grappling dummy replace a training partner?

No. A dummy doesn't resist, react, escape, defend or apply counters, so it can't reproduce the timing and problem-solving of live grappling — and it can't coach you. What it does well is give you unlimited reps of positions, transitions and submission positioning on your own schedule.

Treat it as a supplement that makes your mat time more productive: you arrive with sharper positions and cleaner movement, and you spend rolling and coaching time on the reactive skills only a live partner can build. Used that way, a suitable grappling dummy is a valuable part of a home setup.

Shop grappling & BJJ training equipment

When you're ready to put these drills into practice, start here — check the design against the submissions you want to drill.