Shui Chaio breakfalls

[FatherDog]

I seem to recall it being mentioned on a previous thread that Shui Chaio breakfalls are done differently than judo/aikido/jiujitsu style breakfalls. Could someone experienced shed some light on the differences and/or similarities? I'm curious.

[Water Dragon]

Since no one else has replied, here's a few key points that I'm aware of. Tuck the chin tightly, both arms cover the head (shock absorbers), tuck the body into a ball (fetal position), ankles not together (or they'll bang each other.

Learn to twist the spine in the air so you land on your side. If you fall on a hard surface, you can injure your spine if you land on your back. If you're used to slapping the mat, you can break your arm if you're thrown in an un-orthodox manner.

[CrippledAvenger]

Water dragon,

Forgive my asking, but how do you guys train this? (I'm pretty uninformed on grappling.)

Are there any specific drills you do to teach beginners how to fall properly, or do you just pick it up as you go along?

[Water Dragon]

Well, you have the standard falling training like in Judo, except you tuck instead of slap.

There's also an exercise on the mat where you get into the landing position, turn over and kick your feet out and land on the other side. It's hard to describe, but it teaches you how to torque your spine in the air.

There's also a few falls that don't hurt that much and can be done low velocity to get you up to pair. Hip toss, neck surround, head mopping, etc.

Or you can be like me and ignore your teacher. Until the day he decides to teach you a lesson and you get thrown, hard, until you quit.

I still remember his words to this day.

Damn larry, you lasted longer than I thought you would!

[SevenStar]

Ah well, he beat me to it. Since he did, I'll move on -

Crippled Avenger, I love your avatar. River City Ransom is one my favorite NES games

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by Water Dragon
Learn to twist the spine in the air so you land on your side. If you fall on a hard surface, you can injure your spine if you land on your back.

Do you land on your side and then roll with the force of your fall, to wind up on your other side? (Dunno, if I explained that well) Or do you just land on your side and absorb all the impact on your hip/shoulder/thigh/ribs? I certainly agree that landing on your back on a hard surface can injure your spine, but I've broken my collarbone landing on my side.

[Water Dragon]

It really depends on the throw, specificaly how much velocity (power) was put into the throw. Most of the time, I can hit at between my side and back and roll a little.

There's a few time I've been thrown when it's just straight into the mat. You know when Coyote falls of the cliff in the Roadrunner cartoons? It kinda feels like that.

The fall is designed to absorb the fall with the big muscles of the body, (Shoulder, thigh, butt) so it does hurt like he!! when you get landed hard, but I've never been injured from it. Bruised once or twice, yes. But never injured.

[TaoBoy]

WD, do you ever find that you get winded with this falling technique? Is there any special breathing involved?

[CrippledAvenger]

Sevenstar,

River City Ransom is the cat's meow, ain't it? Nothing better than Japanese greasers beating up on badly named gangs of ethnic stereotypes.

now, if I could only throw a bike chain like that and if eating sushi really did improve my punching power, I'd be the mack.

[TaoBoy]

Originally posted by CrippledAvenger
and if eating sushi really did improve my punching power, I'd be the mack.

Sushi doesn't improve your punching power. I have been deceived!

[GGL]

I'll try to build upon what has been said....

There are 3 basic falls (kinda of)
1: WD described it all.. have the arms around the head.. but not interlocking the fingers to absorb impact in the head region.. a "backfall" will include this and falling to the side in a fetal position as to not #1 break the tailbone.. that sucks and #2 not knock the wind out of you.. you land in the fetal position as to protect your internals from follow up attacks.. and then fight you way up from the ground... don't just pop back up .. you will open yourself up for getting kicked in the head
2: Front shoulder fall.. kinda like a front roll but you start with again arms up and not interlocking fingers and start with one shoulder and roll diagonal to the opposite cheek.. this energy should resemble a rock skipping on the water.. again don't roll up fight your way up from the groung..
3: front fall- you remeber the worm in break dancing.. sorry this is the best I can describe.. imagine if you were tripped and falling forward... have your arms bent in a triangle base with the meat of the forearm down.. bone does not take impact very well.. bent triangle arms hit first then disperse the energy to the chest then to the theighs and down the legs.. handgun weapons trainer teach this fall to still have the handgun ready as you hit the ground..

Oh yeah.. if you were ever a paratrooper they teach the backfall so not to blow out the knees.. kinda the same

Then main message as with any falls is to not put your arms out to "break" the fall and so with your arms too.

I have done this falls on all surfaces.. I have only come out with a few scrapes..

Training them you should always start low on a mat and then work your way up to other surfaces.. your body will adapt to the "abuse"

This is just one philosophy on falls.. there are numerous others.. and this is a long drawn out post so let me think what else can I say.... hhhhmmmmmm


I LIKE CHEESE

[CrippledAvenger]

This conversation makes me wish I'd taken up some sort of grappling training prior to playing rugby. Interestingly enough, the fall into a fetal position is exactly what I was taught to do when tackled during a match (fall to the side, hands over cajones and ears to protect them from cleats, don't pop straigh up, etc...). Odd, the similarities.

So, as a personal question, how much force do your legs absorb?



Taoboy-- You should have eaten the spicy pork at Mao's!

[GGL]

Depending on the technique.. the legs talk a lot of impact but is absorbed through out... so no real damage is withstanded

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by CrippledAvenger
Sevenstar,

River City Ransom is the cat's meow, ain't it? Nothing better than Japanese greasers beating up on badly named gangs of ethnic stereotypes.

now, if I could only throw a bike chain like that and if eating sushi really did improve my punching power, I'd be the mack.

no doubt! I wish donuts really could increase my defense! My favorite groups to beat up on were the internationals and the cowboys - the frat boys chickened out too much and the others didn't put up a fight. I take that back - the mob would maul you if you gave them the chance

[CrippledAvenger]

Originally posted by SevenStar


no doubt! I wish donuts really could increase my defense! My favorite groups to beat up on were the internationals and the cowboys - the frat boys chickened out too much and the others didn't put up a fight. I take that back - the mob would maul you if you gave them the chance

yeah. and that tire was a freakin' killer. who would have thought a rubber circle would be such an impossing weapon?

Ah, memories.