Here’s an older article I wrote on breakfalls. This has less self-defense application than it has self-preservation however it still exists as incentive for people to learn how to defend themselves.
A break fall also known as a roll is one of the most important skills I’ve learned. I learned in Judo how to do break falls and I learned how to throw myself, so if I trip I don’t fall. I actually just roll back to my feet.
They started us out by just sitting down and rocking back, then from kneeling, after that from standing. Then they’d teach you how to roll to your back from the ground and stop on your back and absorb the shock. After that I had to teach myself how to roll to my feet, and practice on harder surfaces. It took me probably 6 or 7 years to master it though, so its not easy to develop.
There are three basic kinds of break falls the forward, the diagonal, and the backwards roll, but if you get thrown in different directions, you might modify it without realizing it. The best fall is the diagonal or side roll because it keeps the shock away from your spine. You roll from shoulder to opposite hip. The backwards is also good, because you can roll backwards if you get pushed, loose your balance, or slip running on the walls. (Yes that actually happened once) It’s technically a backwards diagonal since going straight back will seriously injure your neck. The forward one is okay, but your rolling right on your spine and you have to basically jump over your head. It’s harder to get back to your feet and is by far the hardest on the body.
Break falls can actually be used to break the shock of a drop from elevated height. When you jump off of something, your knees lock up when you crash on the ground, but if you roll you don’t have that big of a shock. For the most part I’ve used it to keep myself from a. getting hurt or b. looking stupid when I trip. I would encourage you to practice your break falls on a nice padded surface. Taking a class on Judo is also recommended for safety.
Kenneth Zimmerman III, Zimmerman Academy Instructor
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