Break falls and MMA

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 2/09/2013 9:12am

It's going to be a bit of a trip, but you should head to the Boxing Clinic or Pedro Bessa and take a few MMA classes there to get an idea of what to compare your training with.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 2/09/2013 10:51am

Originally Posted by Syphilis

In my opinion, it is kind of the problem with straight up 'MMA' classes -they try to encompass so much, that they leave key ingredients out. (such as breakfalls, guardpassing etc)

Sometimes when you train a hybrid (most MMA), you get a good mix and sometimes not. I left Judo training after 7 or 8 weeks, merely because at my amoeba-level, we spent 90% of our time stretching and working breakfalls. I was young & dumb and it was all foreign to me.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have stuck it out. I am also able to see now that it was a key ingredient and IMHO, should be trained at some level in MMA.

Several years ago, I started learning at the closest place I could find with legitimate instructors. http://www.jiujitsuconcepts.com/Site_3/Home.html It was an hour drive each way, but at that time, they also had Judo classes (I had flashbacks) and the BJJ side of the house did breakfalls after warm-ups.

I've never done any formal MMA, and as a novice level (not even a stripe) in BJJ, my opinion means little, but as always, I will share it LOL.

**888** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 8:04am

I train at two places. Both teaching break falls.

One teaches to slap your arm(s) at the same time your back hits the ground (I find this painful)

The other, to hit the ground slightly before your body does so your forearm takes most of the impact (this makes more sense to me).

I have a question "Which type of break fall is the best type for protecting yourself from damage?" Just wondering if anyone could give me some advice. Thank you!

**Vieux Normand** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 1:27pm

Originally Posted by 888

I train at two places. Both teaching break falls.

One teaches to slap your arm(s) at the same time your back hits the ground (I find this painful)

The other, to hit the ground slightly before your body does so your forearm takes most of the impact (this makes more sense to me).

I have a question "Which type of break fall is the best type for protecting yourself from damage?" Just wondering if anyone could give me some advice. Thank you!

Basic physics: the fall which distributes the impact over the widest area of the body is less likely to cause damage than the fall which distributes the impact over a smaller area, the mass, velocity, surface and angle of descent involved in the two falls being equal.

Of course, there are some exceptions dictated by common-sense. My face may be a larger area than my elbow, but if--for some weird reason--I can't fall properly, I'd likely decide to land on the latter rather than the former, given the choice.

**dwkfym** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 1:42pm

Originally Posted by 888

I train at two places. Both teaching break falls.

One teaches to slap your arm(s) at the same time your back hits the ground (I find this painful)

The other, to hit the ground slightly before your body does so your forearm takes most of the impact (this makes more sense to me).

I have a question "Which type of break fall is the best type for protecting yourself from damage?" Just wondering if anyone could give me some advice. Thank you!

The second way is a good way to break your forearm or possibly dislocate your shoulder, when you'd have been fine if you spread the impact.

**02-6611-0142-1** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 4:49pm

Is there, perhaps, a reason that breakfalling in an MMA fight is a bad idea?

Maybe it's ideal to minimize injury while repeating throws in training but a bad habit once you've got strikes to contend with, or something.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 4:53pm

Originally Posted by 02-6611-0142-1

Is there, perhaps, a reason that breakfalling in an MMA fight is a bad idea?

Maybe it's ideal to minimize injury while repeating throws in training but a bad habit once you've got strikes to contend with, or something.

I'd say no- you might have a momentary opening for a strike as your limbs extend, but you'd also probably have an opening if you were momentarily phased or hurt from a bad fall, in addition to the bad fall itself.

**BKR** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 5:07pm

It's possible to take a hard fall without slapping the mat, especially on a matted surface of some sort. We do it in Judo a lot. It's a matter of landing in the correct position and controlling your breath and state of body tension. In MMA, where you are (probably) not being thrown over and over again (as in Judo practice or randori), I would think that most well conditioned athletes can take a reasonable fall (not on head, LOL) and be OK with minimal training in ukemi waza. If you are training "takedowns" in MMA a LOT then maybe more ukemi training would be necessary. Othewise, not so much. That would also depend on how cushy your mat surface/system is as well.

Judo guys get thrown a LOT (if practicing properly at least), so the huge emphasis on ukemi is a necessity, even with a good tatami/sprung floor system.

The basics are tuck chin and don't reach out with your arms, breath out hard when you hit the mat...

**blackmonk** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 8:03pm

The way ukemi is taught in sambo is sometimes a little different, although I see a lot of sambo guys do it the same as in judo... Given the fact that most sambo guys got their start in judo.

At the last sambo summit, for instance, we were doing ukemi like a lot of Russian and Eastern Bloc players used to and still do, falling in a succession of body parts, rather than one collision with the mat. An example would be getting thrown with a seoi. Rather than fall with one impact, extending the arm to spread the force out over a larger area, we were instructed to fall in a succession of one foot, the other foot, butt, hips, then upper body, then arms. It makes for a softer fall, often times.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 6/06/2013 8:25pm

Originally Posted by BKR

It's possible to take a hard fall without slapping the mat, especially on a matted surface of some sort. We do it in Judo a lot. It's a matter of landing in the correct position and controlling your breath and state of body tension. In MMA, where you are (probably) not being thrown over and over again (as in Judo practice or randori), I would think that most well conditioned athletes can take a reasonable fall (not on head, LOL) and be OK with minimal training in ukemi waza.

I hear a good percent of sanshou fighters don't breakfall practice very often at all.