Ukemi Gata - Body Drops & Breakfalls in the Ninja's Self Defense Art of Ninjutsu

If you are serious about learning the secrets,your breakfall skills require, above anything else,
skills, strategies, and tactics of Ninjutsu - if you'rethe fact that you are "falling." Most students who
serious about becoming a Master of the Ninja'sare afraid of falling down, try to cheat their
self defense arts, then you must insure that yourtraining and control their body all the way to floor.
training includes more than just the practicing ofBut, without this important aspect - without the
physical skills.actual act of "falling" - your training will not
It is this "strategic thinking," and knowing "why"prepare you for the moment when you are
we train in the skills that we do - not just theoff-balance, and your body is crashing to the
fact that we're "supposed" to - that separatesground, out of your control!
the true practitioner of the Ninja's arts from justThe point is to regain control "during" a fall - not
about every other fighter, martial artist, or selfcontrol yourself to the floor in the absence of
defense student out there!falling. Why would you need to learn "breakfall
The Master Ninja knows that, regardless of howtechniques" if you weren't actually falling! That's
skilled and proficient you are with your other bodywhy we make a distinction between breakfalls
movement skills, like walking and rolling, there areand "body drops." In one, you have control - in
times when you will find yourself going straight tothe other, you must regain it or at least control
the ground. Regardless of whether you arethe way you make contact with the ground
tripped by an opponent, or you find yourselfbecause you had none to begin with!
slipping on ice or a wet floor, you must be able toSo, the following skills are designed to neutralize
adapt your body so as to not be damaged onthe force and amount of damage caused when
impact with the ground.you are forced to the ground in each of four
The focus of this article is to share some of thedirections.
strategic thinking involving the use of breakfall andSo, as a minimum, your practice and training
body-drop skills, as well as a basic outline to getshould include, as a minimum, the following 4 body
you started with these important techniques.dropping skills:
To really attain to the level of Mastery, you must1) Zempo Ukemi - "Forward (slapping) breakfall"
understand not only "how" to do these skills, but2) Yoko Nagare - Side "flowing" body drop - left
"when" and "why" they are right and appropriateand right
in a given situation. You must understand "why"3) Tachi Nagare - 'Sitting flow' - rear sitting
any given taihen movement - whether walking,breakfall
rolling, leaping, or a body drop is the "right" answerAs a quick reminder, each of the above has
to your opponent's technique.several levels of proficiency to work through -
And the key is to know and be able to respondjust to have the "basic" skill! So, when training,
to 2 things:work through the following three levels as an
1) The force or pressure and direction of theabsolute minimum:
attack or threat, and...1) Basic breakfall - just get to the ground safely
2) The space within which you must effectively2) Breakfall with recover - Immediately "flow" to
operatea kamae after neutralizing the fall
In the case of the Ninja's body dropping and3) Recover and counter - As soon as you can
breakfall techniques, you are falling or being takeneffectively and "efficiently" return to kamae - the
"straight" down. In these situations, you arenext step is to be able to execute a punch or
lacking the height to maneuver you feet and legskick as a part of the recovery process. And, the
for effective stepping. And, you do not have theattack should have AT LEAST the same level of
forward (or whatever direction) momentum todamage potential as your regular striking skills
allow for the use of your rolling skills.from a standing position!
As I remind my personal students all the time,