Breakfall Chronicles

[Grissim Connery]

One of the things BJJ has helped me with in everyday life is actually slipping and falling. I live in Cleveland and it's pretty icy right now. Several times i have naturally done a breakfall when a foot has slipped out. it feels cool to know that that is ingrained in my brain. today though was rough. i was coming down some steps in one building, and i completely wiped out down them. although i did a pretty good breakfall, the fact that i was on steps really made it wonky. my right hip took a huge blow and now my whole right glut is locking up. i'm curious though as to what would have happened had i not taken some of the impact with my arms and what not.

[Derek Simonds]

I did the same sort of thing the other morning. Except it was inside and I just spaced out coming down the stairs. It is nice when your body does something automatically to protect yourself.

I imagine if you hadn't broke the fall the way you did you would be in much more pain.

I will admit to having wondered why we breakfall SOOO much in the fundamental class.