Fighters Only

Issue 020

June 2023

Learning how to fall properly is extremely important for training in mixed martial arts. Certain takedowns and throws in a fight are designed to cause as much injury to your opponent as possible, but when you’re drilling them on your training partners (or they’re drilling them on you) you need to make sure you can land without incurring any damage.

Common injuries from landing incorrectly are jarred, dislocated or broken limbs, broken ribs and so on. Even the best athletes in the sport have gotten injured from falling incorrectly; Jens Pulver broke both of his wrists in a college wrestling practice, Hidehiko Yoshida broke an arm in the Sydney 2000 Olympics from being thrown, and Shogun Rua dislocated his elbow by falling incorrectly earlier this year.

If you follow the progression shown over these pages, you will be on your way to learning how to fall properly and without injury. These exercises can be performed as part of a warm up and can be incorporated into almost any session. Those new to mixed martial arts in particular should be coached in the correct way to fall, as it is a learned skill and one that must be taught to all who practise the sport.

Beginner’s back breakfall

1. Start by sitting up with legs straight and arms out in front

2. Start falling backwards, lifting your legs with you

3. As you touch the mat, slap it forcefully with both hands. Tuck your chin to your chest to avoid banging your head.

Back breakfall progression

1. Start by crouching down and balancing on your toes, arms out in front

2. Fall backwards, tucking your chin to your chest

3. As you touch the mat, again slap it forcefully with both hands. Keep your knees tucked.

Forward breakfall

1. Start on your knees with hands up in front of you

2. Fall forward – keep your core engaged, do not sag your hips forward or back

3. Land on your forearms, keeping your hips off the mat.

Standing forward breakfall

1. Start from standing as in the previous breakfall

2. Fall forward – keep your core engaged, do not sag your hips forward or back.

3. Land on your forearms, keeping your hips off the mat.

Spinning breakfall

When defending takedowns, you sometimes are spun around. Though you should avoid giving your back to your opponent, you must still land properly and not injure yourself.

1. Stand with hands on front of you.

2. Rotate to your left and begin to fall.

3. Keep your core engaged, do not sag your hips forward or back

4. Land on your forearms, with hips off the mat.

Rolling breakfall

1. Start with one leg forward. Whichever leg is forward, you will roll over that shoulder.

2. As you begin to drop, reach one arm out but keep it bent.

3. When your hand touches the mat, make sure your fingers are pointing back to your feet. This will turn your arm in and stop you injuring your elbow. Push off your back leg.

4. Tuck your chin in as your roll over your shoulder.

5. Slap the mat with your free arm, landing partially on your side.

Flip to wrestler’s bridge

Sometimes you want to avoid being thrown flat on your back, so this move will put you in a position where you can scramble back out before you get stuck on bottom. Before trying this move make sure you can perform the standard wrestler’s bridge.