Breakfalling chinese way

[Zaveesha]

Hi guys,

During fighting training close contacts at high velocities with the ground are unavoidable, hence the need to learn how to meet the ground gently. I was wondering if you train during your kungfu practise breakfalls ? If yes are they similar to the breakfalling technique from judo/jujitsu ?Are the breakfalls more sport oriented or with combat intent which means kicks after the fall? I would be really thankful if anyone with shuai chiao/ sanda background took time to explain differences if those exist.

Next thing is the crazy form some wushu guys do during demonstrations - if I am not mistaken it's called ditang quan - could anyone write something about it ? Is it just some acrobatic moves form or is it a way of teaching different breakfalls in continious manner ?O maybe something else? Anyone willing top explain this?

thanx in advance

[red5angel]

Breakfalls should be one of the things you learn right away in any art in my opinion. It's just handy to know since I've used them beyond combat applications.

the breakfalls I've learned in the chinese martial arts are pretty much the same I learnedin Karate back in high school. A few subtle differences here and there but I chalk that up to personal taste of the instructor then any sort of discrepency between style or culture.

[Ming Yue]

Breakfalls are taught early in our curriculum and trained regularly. Students start falls close to the ground and progress to evenutally falling from elevated places and handling the big throws.

The falls I use now in kung fu are almost identical to those I used in Jiujitsu and are very similar to those from Hapkido as well.

[Radhnoti]

I was under the impression that a lot of kungfu schools try to tuck into a ball (protecting the head) and roll when thrown...the theory being that a breakfall on concrete (possibly glass shards or any other debris as well) could be too damaging.
I'll be interested in what the San Shou guys say.

[Starchaser107]

Rolling is just one aspect of learning to deal with the ground. But if you were led to believe that it's what cma stylists use to break thier falls the majority of the time then that's just silly.
Learning how to fall properly should definately be a part of your training regimen.
Outside your kwoon there are many dangerous objects that can complicate a bad fall to an even worse situation. Be careful.

[Zaveesha]

thanks for the replies guys but what about Ditang quan - anyone to write a few words about it ?

And how the case with breakfalls looks like in shuai chiao - any special training in the beginning of the learning process?

[Radhnoti]

Starchaser - "But if you were led to believe that it's what cma stylists use to break thier falls the majority of the time then that's just silly."

What!?! Something I read online isn't 100% accurate. :D

I could've sworn I followed a thread where san shou guys were saying they didn't train primarily to breakfall...but to roll. Oh well. Thanks for straightening me out on that.

[SevenStar]

Breakfalls are taught early in our curriculum and trained regularly. Students start falls close to the ground and progress to evenutally falling from elevated places and handling the big throws.

The falls I use now in kung fu are almost identical to those I used in Jiujitsu and are very similar to those from Hapkido as well.


the shuai chiao breakfalls I've seen are like what radhnoti described - tucking into a ball.

[MasterKiller]

If you get thrown head-first, you tuck and roll.

If your feet get swept and you're going back-first, you splay your arms and break the fall with your hands and shoulders. Then, you do a kip up, pose, and throw a butterfly twist. Just because you can.

[omarthefish]

I was under the impression that a lot of kungfu schools try to tuck into a ball (protecting the head) and roll when thrown...the theory being that a breakfall on concrete (possibly glass shards or any other debris as well) could be too damaging.
I'll be interested in what the San Shou guys say.

Not because of glass/debris/lava flows.

Because if it's "for real" or just a little meaner than some, a throw can include the thrower landing on you in a mean way. In SC for instance they train to NOT go down with you but IF you should hold on to them when you get throw pulling them down then they may do something like land on you with their elbow. I got some personal experience of this in a Judo class even. I did a picture perfect breakfall and regretted it for nearly a month. The guy went down with me and drove his shoulder into my picture perfectly outstretched ribs and I think he crakced one or two but lack of health insurance means I'll never know. Just extreme pain with breathing for about 3 weeks.

I'm far less enthusiastic about breakfalls now than I used to be. I think the fetal tuck looks a lot better than it once did. Kind of depends how your being thrown I guess.

[CaptinPickAxe]

In Shuai Chiao it is, as described, curling up into the fetal postion, putting one hand behind your head, and exhaling. Falling forward, you put out your hands out in front of you, bent at the elbow and they act like a spring.

Most of Shuai Chiaos throws aren't followed all the way through in practice, as falling on your training partner could make for serious injury. Especially if thier breakfall technique isn't up to standards.

Shuai Chiao is rough in general. There's nothing soft or pleasant about being spiked off the ground no matter how you fall. This technique just teaches you to take the brunt of the impact in an even fashion all along your side. It works...

Slapping the mat in Shuai Chiao will make for some grizzly injuries. I've heard stories of broken arms and the likes. I personally suffered from some seperated ribs after a drop on "wet mat training". I was dropped halfway through Pulling and fell while upside down. I rotated just enough to land on my ribs... not my neck

[lkfmdc]

I started off a long time ago, in a galxy far away doing Hapkido. Break falls were basicly Judo (don't tell the Koreans that :D by the way). I thought them fine and dandy until I started doing Shuai Jiao, on a WOOD FLOOR.... I now teach teh SC way.... tuck into a ball... which also works best for MMA and tranistion to floor work as well, who'd of thunk it :cool: