Wing Chun Wooden Dummy Measurements and Dimensions: Sizing Guide

A traditional Wing Chun wooden dummy usually has a body 60 to 63 inches tall and 8.5 to 9 inches wide, with three arms and one bent leg.

Buy the wrong size and the dummy fights you back: the arms sit above your shoulders, the leg opening lands outside your thigh, and every drill forces you to reach. The numbers below come from published construction references and current commercial listings, so you can measure once and order confidently.

One thing to settle before any tape measure comes out: the body is not the whole unit. A free-standing model adds a frame and base, and some makers quote the installed height instead of the wood. Keep asking whether a given figure describes the body alone or the complete stand-mounted piece.

What Are The Standard Wooden Dummy Dimensions?

Traditional references land close together on the body but drift on the fine details. A common construction guide gives a body roughly 60 inches long and 8.5 to 9 inches in diameter, finished in solid hardwood at about 80 to 90 pounds.

Arm and leg placement is where makers genuinely differ:

• Upper-arm hole: about 26 cm from the top in one reference; about 25 cm in a Wong Shun Leung-based plan.
• Center-arm hole: 57 cm from the top in the first reference; 55.5 cm in the second.
• Leg hole: roughly 104 cm down the body, angled downward about 15 to 20 degrees.
• Arm length: 57 cm total in the detailed reference, split into a 30 cm tapered outer section and a 27 cm square inner section.
• Arm holes: 5 cm square in one plan, 4 cm in another, with a 2.5 cm vertical and horizontal offset between the two upper openings.

That spread is why a replacement arm bought for one dummy often will not seat in another. Square hole size, taper, and base diameter all vary by maker.

How Do You Size A Dummy To Fit Your Body?

Fit the dummy to the practitioner, not to a universal number. The cited installation guidance recommends aligning each opening to a specific body landmark rather than installing every dummy at the same height.

1. Measure yourself standing upright. Use that height to set the approximate top of the dummy body.
2. Align the two upper arm openings with shoulder height.
3. Align the middle arm opening with elbow height.
4. Position the leg opening around the middle of the femur, using the knee crease as a secondary check.
5. Confirm the mounting system matches the dummy’s slat holes, crossbeams, or wall bracket before you order.

One construction source adds a durability point for hard training: keep the body at least about 8 inches in diameter and nearly 5 feet tall. Undersized bodies crack faster under forceful work.

What To Check Before Buying A Dummy

Two current listings show how far apart real products sit. Its wall bracket is sold separately.

Height, diameter, arm geometry, mounting holes, included stand, and shipping weight all differ by model, so none of these are interchangeable parts. If you are comparing finished units rather than building one, the wooden man dummy roundup for Wing Chun walks through tested options side by side.

For reference specs, the Hayashi wooden dummy product listing publishes its dimensions openly.

Common Questions

Is 60 inches the same as 63 inches for a dummy body?

The two figures describe different sources, not a standard. A construction guide may call out 60 inches while a commercial listing quotes 63 inches or 140 cm. Treat each number as belonging to one product or one build plan, and confirm which part of the unit it measures before you compare.

Does a free-standing dummy measure taller than a wall-mounted one?

Usually, yes. A wall-mounted dummy’s height is just the body. A free-standing model adds a frame and base beneath it, so the installed total can run well above the body length. Ask the seller whether a quoted height covers the wood alone or the complete assembled unit.

Can I swap arms between different dummy brands?

Rarely without checking. Arm holes run 4 to 5 cm square across published plans, with differing taper, base diameter, and hole spacing. Measure your dummy’s openings and arm base before ordering a replacement, or send the maker those numbers and let them confirm the fit.