#breakfalls

[historicalfightingguide]

A look at one version of breakfalls to practice at home that can be helpful for folks looking into historical wrestling.

Ringen discussiongroup! is a good place to check out if you’re interested in historical wrestling variants, as are  HEMA Grapplers  and Scholars of Fiore dei Liberi.

The first group focuses on ringen, the second is about more general historical wrestling types,the third on armizare, the wrestling portion of which is called abrazare.

If you’re interested in learning about historical forms of boxing or as it was often called pugilism check out  HEMA pugilists

If you are interested in more modern forms of unarmed combat do check out  Southpaw’s Mixed Marxist Arts Club

Good luck.

And stay safe

[midamericamartialarts]

View this post on Instagram

Practicing our break falls. The art of falling...landing safely...is grossly underrated skill every martial artists should learn & know. . . . . #judo #throw #breakfalls #landinggracefully #crash #martialarts #martialartskids #omaha #nebraska (at Mid-America Martial Arts) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3adAizhErj/?igshid=tdpkwpst181

[penelopetalleur]

View this post on Instagram

To Keep on falling is a thing here at Dc Stunt Coalition. As you got to take crashes and falls doing stunts. Today we our falls on a tougher surface then spring floor or mat a lesser spring padded floor crash ! @dcstuntco #breakfalls #breakfallstunts #backfalls #groundandpound #stunts #stuntwoman #plusizeathlete (at DC Stunt Coalition) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnQNjjOnRuX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1abwrfozbi87a

[aikistig]

Was tagged in several comments on this by my students on Facebook, couldn't not share it on here haha. #martialartist #breakfalls #ukemi #stuntfalls #fallguy

[aikistig]

How I spend most of my "freetime". Always practising and trying out new/different #ukemi #breakfalls #falls #stuntfalls handy having your own #crashmats :)

[martial--arts]

Full mat!

The mat's looking pretty full nowadays. With a large class it's starting to get cramped during warm-ups:

Warming up with some breakfalls

And it's really full when everyone stretches out:

The class at rest

[martial--arts]

FOOSH!

The acronym of the day is FOOSH.  It stands for Falling On OutStretched Hand.  John Coles has written an informative post on FOOSH injuries. I just like the sound of the word.  Say it out loud: "FOOSH".  But I bet that's not what you would say if you sustained a FOOSH injury! This is what a FOOSH injury looks like:

Ouch!!  Search YouTube for "skateboard wrist break" for more disasters.  Link. This old post explains how the judo alternative, trained breakfalls, can lower the risk of FOOSH in day-to-day life.

[martial--arts]

Don't drop people on their heads

As a postscript to my theme for March, beautiful breakfalls, I want to point out that although learning to breakfall greatly reduces the chances of injury, it is also up to the thrower (tori) to help perform safe throws, safely.

For instance: Many jiu-jitsu and judo throws have been developed from battlefield techniques that culminate by dropping the opponent on his head or neck.  In the modern times these techniques are modified for safety: We do not drop them on their heads (or necks).  Either we modify the technique so that our partner is not killed or crippled, or -- when demonstrating -- stop before the completion of the technique.

An example: Here is the rice bale throw, executed in a safe, controlled form:

And here is a related -- but incredibly dangerous throw -- that occurred when a Capoeira demonstration degenerated into a disgraceful brawl (throw begins at the 35 second mark):

Fortunately the recipient appears to have evaded spinal injury.  Thanks to Dojo Rat for spotting the Capoeira incident (click the link for his discussion).

It often takes more skill to execute a safe throw than a dangerous one.  Let's save the deadly techniques for the battlefield.