What makes a good forward roll?

Question

Ok so thanks to your help i can now do a roll of sorts but what makes a good roll? My head doesnt touch the ground but i do seem to roll more diagonally and "around" my head and my shoulder aches a little. Whats the point of this tapping the mat business as well?

Answer 1

Hitting the mat spreads some of the energy of your fall out thru your arm and into the mat. If your shoulder aches then you are falling on it instead of using it as part of your forward roll. A good forward breakfall should be a smooth continuous motion with no "thump" on your shoulder or back.

Curve your arm, pointing your fingers back toward your body and follow the curve of your arm thru the roll to finish on the hip/leg opposite the arm you started from. If you do it right you can finish the roll by standing right back up. If you use all your energy to maintain the roll and stand up then you don't need to slap the mat to dissipate the energy.

Answer 2

the reason that your shoulder is hurting may be because 1 you are rolling on a hard floor or 2 your are not getting enough momentum when you roll. The reason for 'tapping' the mat is that the reason for a forward roll would be to fall safetly and be able to get straight up again to defend/attack. When you say tap the mat what you should do is actually hit the mat hard with your outsrteched arm and palm. This absorbes alot of inpact and force of your roll and will protect your shoulder. using the techniques that I gave you adapt it so that you give yourself more foreword momentum. What this will do is stop you rolling to the side.

Answer 3

What makes a good forward ukemi?

Well.....first off, NOT tapping the mat. That's frankly, just silly and I've still not yet after over 20 years of MA training figured out why some teachers have their students do that.

Now, this is a big thing most instructors don't teach, and in turn....their students frankly do crap rolls.

When you're going into the roll, exhale and suck your legs and feet in.....it'll increase your speed dramatically.

When you're coming out of the roll...inhale, and expand your chest as you're getting back on your feet while letting your legs and weight/balance settle naturally.

All movement should be as natural as breathing.....forget all that extra fancy junk like the 'mat slapping syndrome.' Just roll.

Answer 4

There's not much more to add thanks to the very good advice offered you, but here is one thing not covered: Relax.
Your shoulder is probably aching for these reason:
1) You are too tense during the roll, relax you body. Don't go limp, but don't exert muscle while moving. Your own momentum is more than sufficient.
2) You are throwing yourself down onto the mat. Focus on crossing the distance covered in the roll, don't dive to the floor. It sends your momentum too down and not enough across. Focus on your destination, not your starting point.

Also, make sure that your body is even in its roll, don't be a noodle, that takes pressure off spots that can take it and puts it on places that cannot.

In summary: Keep a crisp, clean roll, relax, and focus on your destination.

Answer 5

When you slap the floor make sure your hand is cupped or you may damage your fingers. The slap absorbs the impact as long as your roll is smooth and fluent hence the name breakfalling.

Answer 6

if your shoulders are hurting, as well as your head, you may want to tuck your chin more to your chest to tighten the roll.

This is the shoulder roll and it will be a diagonal body roll, and you want to make sure you get your back more involved in the movement as you want to lessen the impact on your shoulder by moving your weight from your shoulder as you roll through to your back.

the roll should work in this order: shoulder, back, then hip, your head should make as little contact to the mat as possible.

A forward roll is a lot like a somersault in gymnastics. again, you want to tuck your head to your chest, aming your shoulders to impact the mat first, then follow through with your weight onto your back then through to your hips; avoid the feeling of throwing your arms and legs out to stop yourself. by keeping them tucked as close to your body as possible and trying to roll up to your feet you'll have a "forward roll"

tapping the mat is using your body to lessen the impact of a fall from a throw this is often called a "breakfall".

A back breakfall, or side break fall are the only times you should throw your legs and arms out to lessen the impact.

In a back breakfall you want squeeze your shoulders together to protect your spine from the fall (and you 'll want to again; keep your head tucked close to your chest to keep your head from hitting the mat and bouncing up, jarring your head from the fall) and keeping your knees bent so that the balls of your feet hit instead of your whole foot to avoid the shock to your feet. Also you should always remember to land palms down "slapping" the mat to also help lessen the impact.

a side breakfall works in the same way but depending on the side you land on is the side you want your arm to extend out. Example if you're going to land on your left side, throw your left arm out (palm down) straight out to your side like you would when making a snow angel, keep your left leg straight and throw your right leg over crossing your left leg, to help lessen th impact.

Answer 7

About £50,000 in boxing circles.