The Right Way to Fall - "aim for the meat, not the bone"

Is there a right way to fall?

This New York Times article describes the value in learning how to fall and strategies for minimizing injury during a fall.

here are a few excerpts...

The key is to not fight the fall, but just to roll with it, as paratroopers do. “The idea is to orient your body to the ground so when you hit, there’s a multistep process of hitting and shifting your body weight to break up that impact,” said Sgt. First Class Chuck Davidson, master trainer at the Army’s Advanced Airborne School at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Accept that you’re falling and go with it, round your body, and don’t stiffen and distribute the energy so you take the fall in the widest area possible,” said Paul Schreiner, a black belt jiu jitsu instructor at Marcelo Garcia Academy in New York City.

...try to take the hit on the fleshiest parts of your body, like the side of your thigh, buttocks and shoulder. “Aim for the meat, not bone,” said Kevin Inouye, a stuntman and assistant professor of acting, movement and stage combat at the University of Wyoming. 

Full article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/well/move/the-right-way-to-fall.html?emc=eta1

or this short url link is "print friendly":

 https://nyti.ms/2jSQS1I

Improve your balance. Take the Balance Challenge January 9

The Balance Challenge! Circuit Training Course

Improve your balance, safely and enjoyably, by practicing the balance challenges in this indoor circuit training course. The exercises are varied and fun. Exercises are scalable so you can practice at the level of challenge appropriate for you. Regardless of your skill level, you can improve your balance and have fun doing it!

Click to see Balance Challenge activities 2015

Saturday January 9, 2016, Noon- 1pm: 

Initial orientation session, $20. Personal training and orientation to the course presented by Suzane Van Amburgh

DIY. Self-directed training for alumni of the orientation session for $10. Suzane Van Amburgh on site and available to offer help and clarification as needed.

Multnomah Aikikai members who attend the initial orientation session for $20, are eligible to return for self-directed training (DIY) at no charge.

"The balance class is relevant for all ages willing to try it. You don't realize how your balance changes as you get older, usually not for the better. However, improvements can be made almost immediately and there are balance exercises for people of all ages and abilities. And it's fun!" 

~ Kristin Mitchell, Balance Challenge Alumna

Your Instructor and balance coach:

Suzane Van Amburgh developed the balance challenge circuit training course and continually improves the stations of the course. Suzane is a martial arts instructor (aikido and iaido), a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacher and a balance trainer. She conducted balance testing and balance training protocols at a physician’s office. She is the founder of the balance lab. Suzane brings fun balance challenges, benchmarks to self-assess progress, and an array of resources to help you explore and improve your own sense of balance.

The exercises:

The training course includes a variety of challenges to improve coordination, proprioception, leg and core strength, how we use our eyes, eye/ hand coordination, somatosensory functioning, use of hip joints and spine.

Our balance is influenced and maintained by the eyes, inner ear, and brain working together. The brain receives signals from the somatosensory system and processes that information along with input from the structures of inner ear and the eyes. Proprioceptors in the ankles and ribs are key to one’s sense of balance and the ability to restore balance. Leg strength and joint functioning are essential factors in balance as well.

When you improve your balance you invest in an improved quality of life. What do you feel safe doing? Even a slight erosion of confidence in you balance over time, will subtly narrow the range of activities you choose to engage in. As confidence in your balance grows, you will broaden your options, move freely and enjoy a more active life.

Whether you are rehabilitating from an injury, training for top performance, or anywhere in between, you will find the right level of challenge for you. If are interested in graceful aging, neuroplasticity, fall prevention or improved decision-making, you will find the Balance Challenge Training Circuit Course fascinating and engaging.

Questions?

Contact Suzane Van Amburgh by email: spacetomoveinfo(at)gmail.com

Find your Space To Move at Multnomah Aikikai

6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239

Rolling sequence video for aikido practice and teaching

Beginning Aikido students are often introduced to rolling practice in their first week on the mat. The experience of getting down on the ground and coming up again is fundamental and yet also instinctive. New students have so much going on mentally, emotionally and physically as they begin a new movement practice.

Small rolls, sometimes called "Bucky Ball" rolls or "baby rolls" offer teachers a rich opportunity to orient the new student, practice learning skills, foster attention skills and give them something they can do successfully and improve upon quickly.

For more senior students, the practice serves as a mental and physical warm up, calming the nervous system and relaxing the body.

Bringing attention to what you do and how you do it, matching your breathing to your movement and varying your intention in movement are all excellent ways to prepare yourself for aikido practice.

In this quiet (no-talking) video, Suzane Van Amburgh Sensei demonstrates a rolling practice sequence useful for all levels, from beginner to senior student.  It begins with orientation to the relative position of body parts, rocking left and right. It progresses through use of weight shifts, finding the natural levers and counterbalances of the body, smooth transitions from sitting to side lying and up to sitting again. By the end of the video, the roll has evolved to advanced sequences requiring clear intention, core conditioning, good body control and awareness of the space around you.

Let this post serve as a reference tool and "cliff notes" for aikidoists in your regular rolling practice.

If rolling is new to you, don't try this alone. Come to the dojo or schedule a private lesson with a certified aikido teacher.

Suzane Van Amburgh, shidoin, Multnomah Aikikai

Rolling sequence 5:37 recorded 2015

Trouble viewing the video? Here's the link to the video shared on google:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B71m_xdJDqYvekVBdnVSR3lBYXM/view?usp=sharing

First Course in Aikido starts Tuesday May 5th

Ready to dig in to your First Course?

Tasty and nourishing to the body mind and spirit!

Aikido First Course is a beginners' series designed to orient you to the fundamentals of the art. Learn the basics of practice: situational awareness, whole body movement, rolling and falling without injury. Within just a few weeks you'll feel more centered and connected in yourself.

First Course begins Tuesday May 5, 2015. 

Registration includes a uniform and classes two days per week. Fee $90

First Course participants are eligible to take any and all of the following Aikido classes in the month of May:

Tuesdays 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm, Center Yourself

Tuesdays 6:15 pm - 7:15 pm; Fundamentals

Saturdays 10:00 am - 10:30 am, Learning Through Discovery

Saturdays 10:30 am - 11:30 am, Fundamentals

First Course participants will also be invited to participate in special events at the dojo in May e.g. The Lines of Engagement and Rolling class.

Contact us: dojo@multnomahaikikai.com

Aikido Multnomah Aikikai 6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239

Aikido Appetizer and First Course

Get a taste of what it's like to practice Aikido!

Aikido Appetizer
FREE AIKIDO INTRODUCTION
 
January 31st 10 AM 
IT’S FREE!
 
Step onto the mat and participate in fun, engaging partner exercises that awaken a sensory experience and ignite a spark. Wear comfortable clothing you
can move in.


  
Aikido First Course : Dig In!
SIX WEEK BEGINNER SERIES SPECIAL
 
Starts February 3rd 
Only $90
 
Learn the basics of falling, rolling, proper footwork, and introduction to basic fundamentals. This 6 week,12 class series will get you started on the right foot.



Aikido Multnomah Aikikai 6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239
MultnomahAikikai.com    dojo@multnomahaikikai.com

Aikido Without Falling Down?

Join us for a special Aikido practice...

Saturday May 17th, Noon - 1:00 pm

Aikido Without Falling Down;
The Lines of Engagement

You can practice the principles of aikido without fully losing your balance.

Forgo falling and rolling to explore the lines of engagement:

• Investigate the moment when you encounter your partner.
• Sense your center.
• Experiment with where and when you make initial contact. 
• Discover how you change the angle of encounter. 
• Sense your balance.
• Follow the trajectory of your partner's motion.
• Notice when you naturally take a step to restore balance.

Come and play Saturday at the dojo in a safe, light-hearted atmosphere of lively, sensory learning.

Free to Multnomah Aikikai Members.

Open to the public, no experience required, fee $10.

Send us a quick email to let us know you plan to attend.
Use the contact form in the right-hand column of this page.


Contact us: dojo@multnomahaikikai.com
Aikido Multnomah Aikikai  |  503-246-8120
6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239