Most people never learn how to fall throughout their lives.
Everyone falls at some point.
Whether it’s a patch of ice, a rut, a misstep off the curb, or just an unfortunate moment, falls happen to all of us. And for many people, especially as they get older, a single fall can be truly life-changing. Hip fractures alone result in a shocking mortality rate in older adults. Approximately 20-30% do not survive the following year, not because of the fall itself, but because of the cascade of complications that ensue.
So today I want to introduce you to something that I think belongs in everyone’s physical toolbox: learn how to fall safely. Or at least learn to fall in a way that is “less bad.” 😅
Let’s bring out your inner ninja.
The skill progressions
The goal of these advancements is simple: teach your body to round, absorb, and redirect force.
Start on a soft surface. Carpet is fine, but if you have access to exercise mats or even a soft patch of grass outside (with no hidden rocks or sticks) that’s great.
First rule of thumb: Always start low to the ground. The closer you are to the ground when you start rolling, the lower the forces that occur.
They gradually gain height. Just like you first learn to bench the bar before putting on a ton of pounds, you want to learn the technique before adding height and intensity to your rolls!
PROGRESS #1: The spring roll
Credit points
- Keep your knees close to your chest to create a gentle curve in your lower back
- Rock back and forth slowly
- Walk across your back as gently as possible (it’s okay to leave your leg open to guide the way so you don’t get stuck!)
The goal here is simply to get you comfortable on the floor in the safest way possible and to feel what “smooth power transfer” feels like.
PROGRESS #2: The rocking horse roll
Credit points
- Keep your knees tight to your chest to ensure a gentle arch in your lower back
- Start sitting
- Lean back and gently rock your lower back. Avoid “jumping” or “jerking” during movement.
- The stones DO NOT HAVE TO BE BIG. (If you feel like part of your tailbone or back is “sagging,” you are too big right now!)
Here we learn to transfer impulses up and down the spine (and not across it). This is our final step before learning to transfer force diagonally, which is actually the safest option in real-world situations!
PROGRESS #3: Half the role
Credit points
- Start sitting
- Lean to one side, then roll from that hip to the opposite shoulder (contact should stop just below the shoulder blade).
- Reach your hands over that shoulder in a triangle
- Gently roll back to the starting position
This is where we really start to see the parkour role come into shape. You can go from sitting to standing, but take your time! There is no rush and it is through quality repetition that we truly learn this skill.
PROGRESS #4: The forward roll
Credit points
- Start in a kneeling position on a soft surface. Be sure to check the area so you don’t get caught in it and leave enough space.
- With the “Triangle backwards“ In this method, you reach your hands forward and to the side to guide the back of your shoulder to the floor, while keeping your chin and head tilted down and to the side.
- Step over the top to complete the roll, exiting on the opposite hip.
It may take some time to get used to this movement. If you feel stuck, go back and practice previous progress again. Going back to our bench press analogy, once you learn to sit on the bench with heavier weight, you won’t miss out on doing lighter warm-up sets!
Let’s be honest about the limits:
Although learning and practicing these techniques will make you more confident and resilient, they are not a panacea.
As you get older, it becomes more difficult to react in a timely manner. The most dangerous falls are surprises, and your window to execute the technique can be a fraction of a second or less. Sometimes you fail to make a perfect forward throw. With increasing age, the speed of reaction decreases; flexibility also plays a role here.
That’s also the reason Bone density and muscle mass are so important and why we praise strength training for people of all ages. Rolling technique and physical resilience are not an either/or. They stack up.
Finally, we can start practicing rolling from different angles and different entry points so that the skill can be applied more widely.
You won’t always have the perfect situation for curling, but it’s still very helpful to learn to better distribute the force to the ground and protect your head and neck.
When to practice?
Rolling exercises fit naturally into a dynamic warm-up, or they can be a short session on their own. One thing is worth mentioning: Learn this when you’re fresh, not at the end of a workout. They acquire motor skills and fatigued nervous systems do not learn well. Give it the attention it deserves. ❤️ This is one of those things that may take a few weeks or months of practice, but once you get it down, it doesn’t take much to maintain.
You got that. 💪
– Matt
PS: Looking for practical, practical advice without all the nonsense? That is exactly our concern Coaching program is built on it. 🔥
