Breakfalls - whats the safe way?
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From: "Cynthia Williams, DC" <DRCINDYW@AOL.COM>
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Hello.  I joined the list a couple of weeks ago and have been enjoying the
"conversations" since.  Including the ones about wasting bandwidth and
spelling errors..  ;-)

I trained with (Ron) Granville Shihan and (Ken) Qualls Sensei in Riverside,
Calif. of the Riverside Aikikai and am a 1st dan.

I took particular notice of the thread regarding taking fall- hard, soft,
whatever.  I was looking for responses to some of the comments and decided
now was the time as it directly relates to my profession and I have quite a
bit of experience treating Aikido enthusiasts (myself included!)   Some of
the comments:

<<We also have someone who makes her living as a masseuse who practices at my
dojo.  Is this a common thing, preying on the battered bodies of aikidoists?
 :) :)>>

I am a doctor of chiropractic.  My dojo was so pleased to have me around that
one of the sensei built and installed an adjusting table in a changing room
so I didn't have to use the mat.  I also kept a supply of instant ice,
band-aids and bandages there.  I really needed an xray machine too!  I took
care of some mean injuries!

<<By a figure '4' you mean it looks like a '4' when viewed from above?  Like
one leg is over another?... However at the dojo I've been at for about 6
months they teach that one leg doesn't go under another, instead it is sole
downwards. So one leg is out and the other bent vertically.  Thing is that
I'm so used to the figure four one that I can't get out of it (they seem
quite happy about that though).  I don't know what the pros and cons are
 though - any opinions?>>

<<He says that he thinks the "figure 4" type breakfall protects your knee
better than keeping the landing leg straight a la judo in case your breakfall
isn't perfect.>>

Taking fall is always risky from a biomechanical point of view.  Landing with
any rotation in the lower back, ie: the upper body facing north and the lower
body facing south greatly increases the risk of lower back (lumbar spine)
joint injury and subjects the joints to forces that they were not designed to
withstand.  We are more designed for jumping out of trees than taking a fall
from three feet.  Now this activity may not bother you at the time, however,
over time, with repetition, it will get you.  Guaranteed.

The figure '4' helps to stabilize the lower spine and spreads some of the
forces along the leg and hip.  Also it keeps you from taking the impact just
on the side of the hip joint.  Another area NOT designed for this.

At our dojo, I am the wet blanket.  I encourage all to practice their falls,
but not to overdo it.  One dear friend LOVES to take fall, the higher, the
harder, the better.  over and over and over.....  you get it.  I just cringed
and knew he would be in *again*  for treatment.  The advice is moderation.
 Allow time for the body to "heal" and recover before subjecting it to forces
it was not designed to.

<<I wonder if anatomical differences make any differences to this? (RE: no
pain with taking fall flat on the back)  Is the female pelvis a different
shape to the male? And does this make for different kinds of break falls?>>

There is no appreciable difference in the female / male pelvis.  It takes an
expert to differenciate between the two (in the raw skeletal form, of
course).  Females usually have more padding across the small of the back and
the sacrum (the large wedge shaped bone at the end of the spine just above
the tail bone).  If the fall is taken on the back and the first contact is
the upper body, ie: across the shoulders with the arms extended, a small
amount of force will be distributed to the lower back.

Again, keep in mind, our bodies are not designed to take fall anywhere except
on our feet.  Training is wonderful, wise and risky.  And moderation is the
key.  Moderation of force, repetitions, and landing style.  So whether you
land with the leg out, bent, on your side or your back, as long as the force
is dissipated out with a preremptory slap and over as much of your body
surface area as possible, you are more likely to be able to get up and do it
again!

From: dtavares <dtavares@ICI.NET>
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> "J.W.H." <aiki-san@EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:
> > Also, how many out there like to land with
> > their legs in a figure "4" position (with the bottom leg closer and tighter
> > to the body) and how many like to land with one leg on top of the other with
> > the legs/feet in a more open position (kind of looks like a dead insect with
> > legs up and on laying on its side) and the legs and body aligned
 accordingly?


The Judo style (figure four) makes for a safer fall, the other way (dead
insect) is a Jiu-jitsu type of fall and its intent is to protect the groin.

From: "Timothy C. Gion" <gion@UDel.Edu>
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Tricia,

I'll assume you're currently doing the judo style fall when I _try_ to 
describe Bookman sensei's style :).  With the judo style fall (assuming 
your landing on your right side), you're landing with your right leg 
basically straight and your left leg bent so the ball of your left foot 
hits the mat.  With Bookman sensei's fall, you're right leg is bent also, 
but it still hits the mat so that the side of the thigh and the side of 
the calf hit at the same time.  The left leg still lands the same way, 
but this time the right leg is underneath the left leg.  Hence, some 
people call it the "figure 4" breakfall.  I probably just made it even 
more confusing, but poor ASCII art as viewed from above follows!


      |
      |
  ___ |____
      |   /
      |  /
      |/
      |   /
      | /
      |/
     ###
     ###
     ###

I guess a better way to describe it would be to lie on the floor in the 
judo style breakfall position landing on your right side.  Now just bend 
your right leg so that is under your left leg.  Of course I just read 
that message Roger Plomish wrote, so I guess YMMV.

From: Cady Goldfield <cadyg@ELDERHOSTEL.ORG>
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"Cynthia Williams, DC" wrote:

<snip>
> There is no appreciable difference in the female / male pelvis.  It takes an
> expert to differenciate between the two (in the raw skeletal form, of
> course).

Actually, there's a big difference, and it doesn't take an expert to see
it's effects a woman's external carriage.. Just watch the way women walk,
even when not wearing high heels. (I'm sure that Andy Francis will enjoy
doing the "research.")

The typical woman's pelvis is much larger than that of a male, to allow for
a wide passage (birth canal) for childbirth. Having this wider "bowl"
requires the bone around the pelvis to flare outward more, giving women more
visible "hip bone."

The wider hip causes a woman's femurs (upper legbones) to have to angle
inward in a "v", which makes us knock-kneed to some extent, while men's
knees don't brush together when they are standing with their feet and ankles
together.

All because women have a wider pelvic bowl! Don't need to compare skeletons
to see the consequences of a few hormones.

From: Dave Raftery <draftery@GENIE.COM>
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While we are on the subject of ukemi, here is a fine point which
Kanai teaches for breakfalls. Assuming your leg, arm and torso hit
the mat simultaneously, the instant before you make contact, raise
your hips so they don't hit the mat. This motion is supposed to
protect the internal organs from damage; especially the kidney from
getting pinched by your ribs. In the beginning the hip motion can
be exagerated, but as you get the hang of it the 'hip lift' is almost
imperceptable. (You can start by lying on your side in the breakfall
position and then practice lifting your hip slightly off the mat)
I didn't pay too much attention to this motion in years gone by,
but now that I'm over 40 I find it helps me survive breakfalls
Anyone else out there do this version of a breakfall?