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Falling/Rolling

The key is to relax and let the strength be your mind and soul.

Without a doubt learning to take Ukemi (Falling/Rolling) is one of the hardest things to do its not easy and just as hard to teach someone how to do it.  I am always looking for different ways to help someone learn this because everyone is different and so is his or her need to learn it.  I wish there was an easy way that would teach how to do this so it can be even more enjoyable starting out but reality is there is not and you need to learn not only to be safe but also in the long run keep you body health.

I am sure you can look back and remember how we are taught our young lives that falling down is not good and you will get hurt from it and I am sure as adults that patch of ice or trip over something how the alarm in our heads go off and just for that one second fear takes over and you know the rest.   Our minds and bodies sometimes responds differently and will fight against each other all the way down to the ground and only then does the mind and body agree by thinking that hurts but then it is too late.  Speaking for myself I have done all of that and more but the sad thing is most of the time resulting in more pain that could have been prevented if I had knew how to protect myself when I was falling.

Now the training you will need to take good Ukemi for your martial arts or events your doing is going to take a lot of practice and let me stress the word practice right now.  Being able to take Ukemi takes practice and if you don’t use it you will lose it and have to teach you body to be able to do it again.  It is not like the old saying once you learn how to ride a bike you never forget well that is not true with this.  Even for me with all the years I have taking Ukemi if I stop taking it for a while I find myself struggling to do it right and safe.  Takes a little while to be able an enjoy it.

When I was growing up and still at times I watch too much TV and I remember watching movies with fight scenes that were unbelievable and I wanted to be just like them.  Don’t for one second ever think the stuff you see in movies is how it works in the real world and if you do think the moves is how it is in the real world have someone slap you on the side of your head for a reality check please.  I can assure you if someone was to jump up in the air and kick me in the side of the head and I almost do a 360% in the air and hit the ground and then jump up and dust myself off and give you a dirty look and smile then say is that all you got then I need be doing the UFC or Pride and not writing this article.  But the reality check is if I allow you to kick me in the side of the head it is going to hurt and if I am able to talk I don’t think you want to know the words I would say.

So after saying that lets talk some about how it really works.  In a controlled environment in a school with mats and someone to teach you falling and rolling your opportunity to learn correctly will be greatly increased.  But I must say this at this time if you have someone that is teaching this and they are not able to do it then I would think twice about what I am doing there or if it has been a month and you are no better off then when you first started I would reconsider what is going on.  Now the key word is teach and you will know and feel the difference.  If you have someone that is abusing you and not teaching you how to protect yourself when falling and rolling then he or she is not a teacher.  If it is done right you will learn how to train your body to fall and roll but also your mind as well and that is a key part of learning this.  You will not be able to relax and fall or roll correctly if your mind is not where it should be.  The hardest part about training your mind is to strive to not think of anything at all when you are falling or rolling just let your body be relaxed and it will be much more enjoyable.  Now I am sure some of you are thinking right that is easier said than done and yes at times it is but the most important thing to remember is practice and then some more practice.  I have been falling and rolling for over 15 years and I can say if I don’t practice it then I will have trouble with it even now.  One day with your continued practice you will come to understand when your ready and you will find out there is no difference in falling or rolling even if it is 2 foot or 4 foot in the air, there is no difference at all but only the doubt in your mind and when you over come that you will enjoy your training even more.

I will leave this subject with following thoughts about falling and rolling.  When we train we are on mats that help us learn how not to hurt ourselves and if we do fall or roll incorrectly they are there to help us to keep from getting hurt and that is the goal of the mats.  If for any reason you are in a life-treating situation remember this you can still fall and roll on a hard or soft surface and yes it will hurt some but the important thing to remember is that the training you do will help you from receiving a injury that will keep you from protecting yourself and that is the goal.  I would much rather have bruises or even a chipped bone than a broken bone that would not allow me to keep protecting myself if need.  So if you train correctly and if that time comes you need it in your real life the Ukime training will be there for you but if you don’t train correctly then it stands to be a very lone day for you not to mention a painful one or even worse.

Train hard and safe.....