Taking the Fall

(Black Belt Magazine Jan. 1990 V-28 No. 1)

Falling, diving and rolling are essential ingredients of the martial arts.  While most people associate falling with jujitsu, judo or aikido, Kenpo karate also encourages its study and practice.  The ground can be an enemy; knowledge of falling, diving and rolling can avert injury.

 

A person falls to avoid being hit (defense), or falls after being hit or thrown (offense).  Falling is an exaggerated method of “riding” an attack.  Although riding normally is done while remaining upright, it can be combined with a fall, roll or turn.

 

When learning to fall, students must contemplate methods of landing safely.  They must learn to: dissipate the force of the fall to reduce or limit injury; control breathing to limit loss of air upon impact; and make every effort to quickly regain a proper defensive posture.

 

Falling also requires proper use of the kiai (yell).  Employing the kiai reduces natural buoyancy, so exhaling on impact prevents hitting the ground with air still in the lungs.  If the lungs are even partially filled with air, there is the possibility of broken ribs, because tightening of the abdominal muscles is limited.  However, exhaling completely tightens the abdominal muscles during the fall and minimizes injury and damage by helping the body to absorb the shock.  It is also necessary to tuck the “hard corners” of the body (head, shoulders, elbows, knees, etc.) toward the more muscular areas of the torso.  This allows the body to support and brace its joints prior to impact with the ground.  This tuck posture not only decreases injury, but places the body in proper alignment to defend or attack with increased effectiveness.

 

The limbs also play an integral part in dissipating the shock of a fall.  The limbs are used to slap the ground upon impact, which disperses the body weight over a wider surface, like having a book fall flat rather than on its corner.  Your limbs can also be used aggressively; instead of breaking your fall, you may with to direct it toward an opponent already on the ground in the hope of hurting him.  With proper timing, the power of gravity can be added to the power of the fall.

 

Dives are unique moves that employ springs and flips.  These maneuvers are quite exaggerated and are used to avoid an attack, work in conjunction with an attack, or can be combined as a defense and offense.

 

The same procedures used to reduce injuries during a fall also relate to dives.  While a forward stomach dive may require use of your arms to help disperse the weight in your fall, most dives are followed by a roll.  It is the momentum of the dive and roll that disperses the weight throughout the body upon impact, thus reduces shock and injury.

 

Rolling consists of two types; a standing method employing a ride and turn to avoid an attack, and a revolving maneuver using the ground to travel from one point to another.  It is the continuous, revolving flow of action that helps to cushion the impact of the body when meeting the ground.  This revolving maneuver may be used to avoid an attack by increasing distance, or can be used strategically to close the distance between you and an opponent, as well to increase the force of your counterattack.  In either case, rolls revolve from a 180-degree radius to a 360-degree radius.  Rolls have the same flexibility as other falling methods and can be employed while simultaneously counterattacking.

 

Falls, dives and rolls come in several varieties.  There are back, front and side falls.  There are shoulder, head-and-shoulder, and back head and chest dives.  Rolls can go to the front, side, or back.  These may be combined with other foot and body maneuvers, such as step through, shuffles, crossovers, jumps, flips, turns and rides, to achieve maximum effectiveness.  These maneuvers may be used in any combination deemed necessary to serve the purpose.  The combinations you choose should be appropriate for the situation.