lklawson
Grandmaster
OK, here's the thing. I have found nearly squat-all instruction in standard WMA texts from the 18th C through the end of the 19th which include instruction on safe falling techniques. The two exceptions being first Edwards "Art of Boxing" (1888) in which he says:
"If ever you are caught in any of these traps, look rather to your tumble than struggle to prevent it, for, the more desperate your efforts, so much the more severe will be your fall, because of the great strain and tension on all muscles at the moment of impact with the hard ground; but if you let yourself go limp, and rather assist than retard your fall, you are not liable to sustain half so much injury as when you fall while struggling to prevent it."
Secondly is Walker's "Defensive Exercises" (1840) section entitled "The Art of Falling Down" which I am convinced would lead to shoulder or wrist injury if followed. Of course, Walker says to do his falling methods in order to avoid head injury, so I guess it's preferable to break your wrist instead of your head, but still...
Following the introduction of Japanese JiuJitsu at the turn of the 20th Century we begin to see the introduction of ukemi into texts but even then it begins sparsely and limited to books on JiuJitsu or JJ influenced self defense. Wrestling manuals continue to largely ignore the subject.
This fact surprises me. Pugilism and Wrestling in the 18th-19th C. had a strong focus on throwing and tripping so "falling down" happened a lot in these arts. But I see no documentation of safe falling techniques.
I am, therefore, left with one of three conclusions.
First is the possibility that these falls just didn't create that many injuries because they were wrestled or boxed on comparatively "soft" and "giving" material and/or the throws/trips performed weren't all that likely to result in injury. I reject this because I've seen the throws documented and read too many accounts of boxing & wrestling on hard-packed dirt, wooden floors with straw covering, etc.
Second, is the possibility that during this time part of the Western mind set was that a man just sucked it up. If you were injured, keep a stiff upper lip and don't complain. Keep going. There is some merit to this argument. For instance, in Boxing the term "Bottom" (and later "sand") was used to refer to a boxer's ability to withstand the blows of his opponent and keep on. Further, many wrestling styles concentrated on "strength" based contests. So an argument could be made that the Western concept of safe falling during this time period was simply "Man up and grow a pair."
Third, is the possibility that safe falling techniques *were* in fact known but were simply not recorded in the manuals because it was something that "everyone knows" so why bother recording it? To that end I am looking for period material which, though not specifically "martial," would indicate a more sophisticated understanding of safe falling than "just go limp" or "don't cry like a little girl." The most logical texts which come to mind are those intended as introductory instruction for Tumbling, Gymnastics, and Acrobatics.
So, with in this 200 year range, does anyone know of any Tumbling, Gymnastics, and Acrobatics manuals which discuss safe falling?
(yes, I'm currently working library angles too)
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
"If ever you are caught in any of these traps, look rather to your tumble than struggle to prevent it, for, the more desperate your efforts, so much the more severe will be your fall, because of the great strain and tension on all muscles at the moment of impact with the hard ground; but if you let yourself go limp, and rather assist than retard your fall, you are not liable to sustain half so much injury as when you fall while struggling to prevent it."
Secondly is Walker's "Defensive Exercises" (1840) section entitled "The Art of Falling Down" which I am convinced would lead to shoulder or wrist injury if followed. Of course, Walker says to do his falling methods in order to avoid head injury, so I guess it's preferable to break your wrist instead of your head, but still...
Following the introduction of Japanese JiuJitsu at the turn of the 20th Century we begin to see the introduction of ukemi into texts but even then it begins sparsely and limited to books on JiuJitsu or JJ influenced self defense. Wrestling manuals continue to largely ignore the subject.
This fact surprises me. Pugilism and Wrestling in the 18th-19th C. had a strong focus on throwing and tripping so "falling down" happened a lot in these arts. But I see no documentation of safe falling techniques.
I am, therefore, left with one of three conclusions.
First is the possibility that these falls just didn't create that many injuries because they were wrestled or boxed on comparatively "soft" and "giving" material and/or the throws/trips performed weren't all that likely to result in injury. I reject this because I've seen the throws documented and read too many accounts of boxing & wrestling on hard-packed dirt, wooden floors with straw covering, etc.
Second, is the possibility that during this time part of the Western mind set was that a man just sucked it up. If you were injured, keep a stiff upper lip and don't complain. Keep going. There is some merit to this argument. For instance, in Boxing the term "Bottom" (and later "sand") was used to refer to a boxer's ability to withstand the blows of his opponent and keep on. Further, many wrestling styles concentrated on "strength" based contests. So an argument could be made that the Western concept of safe falling during this time period was simply "Man up and grow a pair."
Third, is the possibility that safe falling techniques *were* in fact known but were simply not recorded in the manuals because it was something that "everyone knows" so why bother recording it? To that end I am looking for period material which, though not specifically "martial," would indicate a more sophisticated understanding of safe falling than "just go limp" or "don't cry like a little girl." The most logical texts which come to mind are those intended as introductory instruction for Tumbling, Gymnastics, and Acrobatics.
So, with in this 200 year range, does anyone know of any Tumbling, Gymnastics, and Acrobatics manuals which discuss safe falling?
(yes, I'm currently working library angles too)
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
