What a good fall school makes possible

[AikidoRostock]

A clip from one of our demonstrations on concrete last year. The training also saved my health in a wild bike crash.

 

[drop bear]

Yeah. Falling has saved me a few times.

 

[Buka]

One real cold winter morning I was headed to my car to go to work. I was carrying a Pyrex container filled with spaghetti and meatballs. We lived on a hill. I was walking down to the driveway. The sidewalk was black ice that I didn’t see. Both feet went out from under me, high in the air. The container went up in the air, too.

I successfully broke my fall without hurting myself, bruised my hand a bit from slapping the cold sidewalk, but not badly.

Broke the container and had to clean up the mess. But that was the day that I knew break-fall training was well worth the time.

And learned how much I really like spaghetti and meatballs. I almost cried.

 

[Dirty Dog]

One real cold winter morning I was headed to my car to go to work. I was carrying a Pyrex container filled with spaghetti and meatballs. We lived on a hill. I was walking down to the driveway. The sidewalk was black ice that I didn’t see. Both feet went out from under me, high in the air. The container went up in the air, too.

I successfully broke my fall without hurting myself, bruised my hand a bit from slapping the cold sidewalk, but not badly.

Broke the container and had to clean up the mess. But that was the day that I knew break-fall training was well worth the time.

And learned how much I really like spaghetti and meatballs. I almost cried.

The very first time I jumped out of an airplane, my chute was twisted and only opened about 75% of the way. It was a windless day, as well, so turning into the wind and flaring wasn't happening. I learned just how effective breakfalls can be that day.

 

[Buka]

The very first time I jumped out of an airplane, my chute was twisted and only opened about 75% of the way. It was a windless day, as well, so turning into the wind and flaring wasn't happening. I learned just how effective breakfalls can be that day.

Oh, God, that’s so nuts. I don’t know anything about parachuting. What’s “flaring”
and how hard did you hit the ground?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

To protect your head is more important than to be able to land comfortably. When your body is rotating in the air, you truly don't know which part of your body will land first. Not to let the back of your head to hit on the hard ground should be your highest priority.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Oh, God, that’s so nuts. I don’t know anything about parachuting. What’s “flaring”
and how hard did you hit the ground?

When you're about 15 feet from the ground, you turn into the wind and pull down both steering toggles. This flattens the rear of the chute and slows you down right before contact. No wind, no real slowing.

I went home sore. I'm pretty sure I'd have broken something if I hadn't known how to breakfall. In the basic class you have to take before your first jump, they actually give a very abbreviated lesson on breakfalls. They had us jump off a wooden box about 2' high.

Just to clarify. I am not an expert. I'm certified, and I've done a few jumps. I got certified because I have a thing about heights. I don't even want to stand on a chair to change a lightbulb. (All our lights are LED, so I'll burn out before they do.) But I don't believe in letting fear control me. So... skydiving.

My first jump was a matter of weeks after I'd finished surgery/chemo/radiation for throat cancer. In hindsight, a bit of a delay to get stronger might have been wise.