Ukemi Gata - Body Drops & Breakfalls In The Ninja's Self Defense Art Of Ninjutsu
If you are serious about learning the secrets
, skills, strategies, and tactics of Ninjutsu - if you're serious about becoming a Master of the Ninja's self defense arts, then you must insure that your training includes more than just the practicing of physical skills.It is this "strategic thinking," and knowing "why" we train in the skills that we do - not just the fact that we're "supposed" to - that separates the true practitioner of the Ninja's arts from just about every other fighter, martial artist, or self defense student out there!
The Master Ninja knows that, regardless of how skilled and proficient you are with your other body movement skills, like walking and rolling, there are times when you will find yourself going straight to the ground. Regardless of whether you are tripped by an opponent, or you find yourself slipping on ice or a wet floor, you must be able to adapt your body so as to not be damaged on impact with the ground.
The focus of this article is to share some of the strategic thinking involving the use of breakfall and body-drop skills, as well as a basic outline to get you started with these important techniques.
To really attain to the level of Mastery, you must understand not only "how" to do these skills, but "when" and "why" they are right and appropriate in a given situation. You must understand "why" any given taihen movement - whether walking, rolling, leaping, or a body drop is the "right" answer to your opponent's technique.
And the key is to know and be able to respond to 2 things:
1) The force or pressure and direction of the attack or threat, and...
2) The space within which you must effectively operate
In the case of the Ninja's body dropping and breakfall techniques, you are falling or being taken "straight" down. In these situations, you are lacking the height to maneuver you feet and legs for effective stepping. And, you do not have the forward (or whatever direction) momentum to allow for the use of your rolling skills.
As I remind my personal students all the time, your breakfall skills require, above anything else, the fact that you are "falling." Most students who are afraid of falling down, try to cheat their training and control their body all the way to floor. But, without this important aspect - without the actual act of "falling" - your training will not prepare you for the moment when you are off-balance, and your body is crashing to the ground, out of your control!
The point is to regain control "during" a fall - not control yourself to the floor in the absence of falling. Why would you need to learn "breakfall techniques" if you weren't actually falling! That's why we make a distinction between breakfalls and "body drops." In one, you have control - in the other, you must regain it or at least control the way you make contact with the ground because you had none to begin with!
So, the following skills are designed to neutralize the force and amount of damage caused when you are forced to the ground in each of four directions.
So, as a minimum, your practice and training should include, as a minimum, the following 4 body dropping skills:
1) Zempo Ukemi - "Forward (slapping) breakfall"
2) Yoko Nagare - Side "flowing" body drop - left and right
3) Tachi Nagare - 'Sitting flow' - rear sitting breakfall
As a quick reminder, each of the above has several levels of proficiency to work through - just to have the "basic" skill! So, when training, work through the following three levels as an absolute minimum:
1) Basic breakfall - just get to the ground safely
2) Breakfall with recover - Immediately "flow" to a kamae after neutralizing the fall
3) Recover and counter - As soon as you can effectively and "efficiently" return to kamae - the next step is to be able to execute a punch or kick as a part of the recovery process. And, the attack should have AT LEAST the same level of damage potential as your regular striking skills from a standing position!
by: Jeffrey Miller Ninjutsu Self Defense Lesson - Kamae - "being Aware Of Your Condition" Learn Ninjutsu - The Ninja's Positions Of Safety & Self-defense Whiplash Injury Claims Important Guide Motor Trade Car Insurance Tips To Save Money Motor Trade Car Insurance Be Aware Of The Broad Guidelines When Shopping For A Quality Low Car Insurance Policy What Is Motor Trade Car Insurance And How To Get The Best Deal? How To Find The Best Auto Insurance Rates Online Defend Yourself Against Monetary Loss With Auto Insurance The Happo Kaiten Of Ninjutsu - Developing The 8 Directional Basic Rolling Escape Skills Of The Ninja Services Of The Chinese Automobile Market Trends Senior Car Insurance GMC Sierra Detroit Truck is MI Auto Times Competition Champion