Originally Posted by
Belazriel
What I've never understood is when I remember doing diving forward rolls in high school gym class (the closest I have to learning how to fall, kickboxing classes didn't cover going down) we'd always put our arms out but bring them in as we connected with the ground and go into a roll. I can't quite gasp falling forward and trying to roll without your hands.
The difference is, when you're in gym class, it's a pretty well-controlled environment -- you know the surface you're on, and you know the speed you'll be moving. What they teach in martial arts about falling helps you survive a fall in a fight, which is a
very uncertain situation. You don't want to be on the ground with a jacked-up arm or wrist, you want to be healthy and ready to defend yourself.
The forward-rolling falls I've learned have me going over, tucking my chin and arms to my chest and landing on the
back side of my shoulder. If I do it merely OK, I end up right back on my feet (if I do it really smoothly and quickly, I almost get flung forward again
). Sideways falls work just about as well.
So, when you lose a fight with a mud-slicked corner, tucking & rolling is the better way to go.
Side note/armchair analysis: Anyone else think that keeping a tight grip on the bars can actually help to fall correctly? Imagine "saving the bike" and what kind of body position you'd use, then compare it to what we're saying about taekwondo-type falls.