# To slap or not to slap?



## Andrew Green (Mar 23, 2006)

On a fall that is 

Breakfalls, slap the ground or no?  Any particular reason?

Judo seems to make a art out of slapping the ground, but I don't think I've seen a wrestler do it.  Both absorb some pretty good throws.

Which is correct? or is one correct? or maybe it depends on the way you are falling? 

What's everyones thoughts on the breakfall slap?


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## Fight with attitude (Mar 23, 2006)

I don't slap...but then again the first place I learnt how to break fall was in pro wrestling. I couldn't find to much of a differents from slapping and not slapping.

I could put my arms around myself, almost like me giving myself a hug, do a breakfall and still feel the same as if I put my hands out to slap. Most of the fall was taken on the muscles in the upper part of my back.

In my BJJ class I was told to take the fall as equally throu out my body as possable so thats when I started to slap my hands...I prefer the pro wrestling break fall, I'm much less sore afterware if I just take it on my back muscles then if I take it in my joints as well.


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## samurai69 (Mar 23, 2006)

I am the worst for slapping the ground.........IMO its best not too, if you land on hard ground it hurts, best to be nice and smooth and quiet


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## MartialIntent (Mar 23, 2006)

Interesting thread - Yeah, we practise the slap [certainly I think most _Aikido_ schools do to some extent]. I'd never looked into the whys and wherefores previous to this but found this part-scientific study carried out by the American Society for Biomechanics which suggests that the slap does decrease impact force on the body as compared to completely relaxed fall.

http://asb-biomech.org/onlineabs/abstracts97/33/index.html

So get slappin' 

Respects!


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## Eternal Beginner (Mar 23, 2006)

I'm also wondering if perhaps it isn't so much the slap but just getting people into the habit of actually extending their arms.  So many people just try to catch the fall on small areas of their arm (wrists or elbows) that reminding them to 'slap' the ground makes sure they have the most surface area in contact, thus helping dissipate the blow.


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