Instant
Kungfu Lesson
Why is "Instant Kungfu" an oxymoron?
Because "Kungfu" means a skill developed with much
time and effort.
This is an "instant" lesson -- but to have it be
useful will require practice, practice, practice.
General Hints:
Keep breathing: don't hold your breath! Exhale
on impact!
The Art of Falling
One of the most important skills that a student
of the martial arts learns is how to fall safely. While
the throwing arts (Aikido, Jujutsu, Shuai Chiao, etc.) take special care in
teaching falling skills, all martial arts teach basic falling methods for
survival.
All martial artists tend to visualize how
they would defend themselves against one, or a group, of attackers but it
is a relatively rare event outside the practice hall. However,
it is a certainty that you will have accidental falls in real life. Practice falling properly, and it could save your life,
or at least a trip to the hospital.
The basics:
1. TUCK YOUR CHIN
Clamp your chin to your chest and bring your
arms up to protect your face and head. Most falling fatalities are due to
head injuries.
2. SIT DOWN
Sit down as quickly as possible to get your body
closer to the ground. The natural reaction is to try
and stay upright, often by flailing the arms wildly. You
must train yourself to curl up and drop down.
3. CURL YOUR BODY INTO A BALL
Curl up into a natural fetal position. If falling forward at speed, on a bike, skis, or while
skating, curl and roll forward.
4. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
The instinct to reach out and stay up is very
strong. You MUST practice your falling on a soft surface
or mat to learn the techniques and make them comfortable and natural to do.
Come to any OSU Shuai Chiao Kungfu Club workout
for a quick (15 minute) lesson in proper falling technique, with no obligation
or cost. This single lesson, if practiced several times, could save your
life!
The Shuai Chiao Kungfu Club at The Ohio State University
(return)
