HELP! Problems with Judo breakfalls

Hi,

I am a beginner at Judo, and am still learning my breakfalls. I have real problems with the rolling breakfalls, and rolling in general. No matter how hard I try I simply cannot do them properly. I would describe myself as having poor coordination and balance (which I hope to improve with Judo).

What exercises would you recommend that I do to get better at these rolling breakfalls to the extent I get good enough at them. Or is this just due to a lack of coordination and balance?

Any help you could give me with this would be greatly apprectiated, so I can concentrate on learning the techniques.

Thanks

Mat time.

Hate to say it, but just keep practicing under the watchful tutelage of your instructor and you'll get better.

Peace favor your sword (FSG)

You don't say what stops you from doing them 'properly', which makes it harder to diagnose the problem. I've taught a few people breakfalls and rolling (albeit Russian, not Judo style); initial ability is not always strictly connected with co-ordination so much as confidence. It's not natural to enjoy falling over, it's something you have to work at.

Start from squatting on your haunches and rolling slowly and gently over. Work out which way the ground travels across your back/shoulders, whether you have a preference for one side or the other. Check that you're tucking your head and breathing out as you roll. Get someone to spot you, tell you where you're going wrong, then gradually work up into a high crouch, a standing roll, a walking roll. Get a partner to squat leapfrog style and roll of the top of them. First time you do, ask them to take a hold of your trouser and slow you down, then gradually work up the speed and the height.

Most of these are standard judo exercises, I'm sure. If you joined in and were never shown exactly what you should be doing, it can be confusing and disorientating so you start to tense up just a bit too much. Unless there's more info. to come on your problems, it's most likely that it's a matter of confidence and practice (hence patience).

Hope this helps, Rich

hard to say without seeing you do it, but this exercise may help; lie on your back. bring your knees to your chest and your head towards your knees. now, slowly rock back and forth, shoulders to butt. be careful not to roll back onto the neck. this may help you get the feeling of roundness through the back and lossen up the spine. and try, try, try, again and again in class. good luck. -jon g.

Quite often problems come as a result of tensing up in anticipation of hitting the mat. So start small. Practice rolling from a kneeling position, then move up to a low squat, then a high squat, then finally standing. You probably went through this progression when you learned the breakfall in the first place, but if you're not comfortable yet, then I suggest working back through it as many times as it takes to really drive it home.

Any trouble I had with rolling falls was cleared up quickly when I realized that you have to roll over the arm/shoulder that corresponds with which foot you're stepping forward on.

So, when you go in for the roll and step forward with your right foot, put out your right arm and roll along it until your left leg hits the mat and your left arm slaps down, and vice versa when you step forward with your left foot.