Originally Posted by
rpenmanparker
Speaking of parachutists: isn't touching first with your feet and the impact transmitted to the pelvis analogous to breaking a bike fall with your hands and the impact transmitted to the clavicle. Bending the elbows would seem to be as important in a bike fall as bending the knees is in a parachute landing.
This of course depends on what caused the crash. What you do when going over the bars, washing out with the front or rear, or whatever is not going to be the same.
Being fluid is important for avoiding injury when falling. People who've had a lot of practice falling will have an easier time getting their bodies to do what they need to do.
One thing that skeptics of the idea that knowing how to fall is a skill might not appreciate is that this ability is typically learned in other contexts. Many of us are multisport. If you do martial arts, getting thrown hundreds of times is normal. People who ski or paddle in gnarly stuff go over a lot (particularly if there are large jumps/drops/waves), and there are plenty of other sports where being able to manage your body in motion before impact is relevant.
Experience in other areas most definitely transfers over.