Aikido Breakfalls Description

Backward Aikido breakfalls description: A way to fall onto your back without cracking open your head, busting your coccyx or breaking your collar bones (which happens when you fall hard after instinctively having thrown two straightened arms behind you, hands down).

The main thing here is to curl your spine so the impact turns into a rolling motion.

You also need to keep your chin tight onto your chest, which protects your head from getting cracked open. (Look closely at the leftmost drawing in this picture series above.)

And lastly, you have to learn how not to place your hands. If you follow your natural inclination of bracing your arms and hands behind you, the shock just travels straight up the arms and breaks your collar bones (your two clavicles).

Side Aikido breakfalls description: These are almost the same as back breakfalls, except you lean on one side as you fall - usually because someone else is still hanging on to your arm.

Forward Aikido breakfalls description: These are called rolling breakfalls or forward rolls. With these you extend an arm in front of you, bowed slightly, and you throw your body after it as you roll like a hoop.

You touch the ground first with your hand, then take the weight along the arm, shoulder, spine, and finally your buttocks (one side only) and then your legs.

Aikido Competition - What split Tomiki from the other styles.