Alternatives to Break Falling

In these situations you may be able to get away with a number of other techniques. These are not always as practical as break falls (they tend to become second nature), but they may just give you the advantage, and on occasion they do get asked for at gradings and courses.

• Cartwheels
• Flips

Cartwheels

1. Kata Garuma
   Please note that cart-wheeling out of kata garuma is only advised for a reasonably fast paced throw and not any version that involves the tori standing up at the end of the throw. In such a throw the drop into a cartwheel would put too much strain on the wrists and arms of anyone who isn't at least a semi-professional gymnast or climber. Instead this is executed against the low / minimum effort kata garuma.

   As the tori draws uki on, the uki spots the position for their cartwheel. The leading hand nearest the ground (typically the punching arm) is the one to touch down first (followed by the opposite arm, opposite-side leg and then same-side leg). In order that the cartwheel doesn't 'stall' mid-air, the uki should try and lend some momentum to the throw. This should be timed into the tip over to the other side - the uki should push off from the floor to give that extra energy to the rotation and in order to begin to take the control of the throw away from the uki.

2. Tomoe Nage
   Cart-wheeling out of tomoe nage is ideally attempted when the tori has a loose grip for the throw. This does not preclude its use from a throw when there is a strong grip - the uki simply has to add enough momentum into the wheeling motion to allow the grip to be broken enough to enable them to land on their feet. Again the uki should be attempting to place his or her hands on the floor early in the throw rather than dropping onto their hands.

   The uki enters the throw in the same manner as for performing a forwards jitsu roll out of the fall. i.e. the uki should step forwards with one leg into the throw to give them a stable point to fall from. The uki then places the same side hand down (e.g. left leg forward means left hand down first) and proceeds to throw themself into the cartwheel pacing it slightly faster than the follow through by the tori on the tomoe nage.

Flips

1. O Soto Garuma
   As this throw is performed, the uki must feel the motion coming to some extent and drop into a slightly more bent legged position as the tori moves in to perform the throw. Typically the tori has an arm across the uki's chest and is trying to drive the uki up over their leg with this arm and then down to the ground. The uki must use this arm as a point of rotation and jump backwards into the throw using the arm as a pivot point. With any luck the uki lands on their feet, and surprises the tori with an astounding feat of agility followed by another swift attack. The opportunity to perform this technique relies on the tori being able to support the uki during their execution of the 'back' flip. Hence this technique usually requires the tori to be quite strong/large, and the uki to be quite light and (for want of a better word) springy.
2. Tomoe Nage
   As well as being able to cartwheel out of this throw there is also the opportunity to flip to one's feet. This relies on the tori throwing with a great deal of power and letting go in order to project the uki. The uki must also possess a near cat like agility to pull this one off (without a LOT of practice). Essentially as the tori releases to project the uki, the uki crunches their torso bringing their head, arms and shoulders towards their stomach at the same time the uki straightens their legs (note they are not bending them at this point - else they may fall flat on their front when landing). The crunching and straightening should hopefully begin a rotation bringing the uki into a more vertical position facing the same direction as they were being thrown in. As the uki's feet touch the ground, he or she should aim to have one foot in front of the other and flex quickly at the knees. This will allow the uki to stop themself from falling forwards, and dropping too heavily onto their legs.