Ukemi · breakfalls
Yoko Ukemi
横受身
The side breakfall: landing on one side rather than flat on your back. Most throws land you here, and the arm on the landing side does the work of spreading the impact.
Demonstrations
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Key points
- Land on the side of your body, not on your shoulder blade
- Slap with the whole arm on the landing side, palm down
- Top leg stays bent and lifted so your knees never collide
Step by step
Left-handed: these steps are written right-handed, as the syllabuses write them. Read every left as a right and every right as a left, and the throw is yours.
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold both arms out in front of you.
- Swing your right leg across the front of your body to the left, and let your weight follow it down.
- Tuck your chin to your chest and keep it tucked.
- Sit down onto your right hip and roll onto the whole right side of your body, from hip to shoulder.
- As your side reaches the mat, slap hard with your straight right arm, palm down, about forty-five degrees from your body.
- Finish on your right side with your left leg bent and lifted clear, right leg on the mat, chin still tucked. Repeat on the other side.
VI judo notes
Learn it lying on your side first, so the slap and the position are known before any falling happens. The reliable cue is the outside of your hip touching down: the arm slaps at the same instant, not after.