Abstract: Disclosed is a grappling dummy is useful as a mock opponent for exercise or practice for athletes training for competitive martial art or wrestling purposes, as well as for practicing self-defense moves. The dummy is given a life size stature (for example, five foot ten inches or 178 cm), but a relatively diminutive weight:--e.g., about forty pounds or 18 kg for the given example. By giving the grappling dummy such a relatively diminutive weight, it happens to just "feel" right to the user who is practicing or exercising with the dummy. To preserve strength and toughness but conserve on weight, the dummy is produced substantially from soft materials including paper (as newspaper and computer paper, in some uses it is shredded, in others not), the plastic film of waste grocery sacks, burlap (in some uses in sack format, in others plain cloth), garden hose, braided nylon rope, poly strapping, cellophane tape, and duct tape. The sum total of hard elements can be limited to just eight pieces of pine 2.times.