To summarize, we learn how to fall effectively by taking real falls. Real falls happen when we lose balance and when we don't see it coming which instills a sense of fear. The issue with taking real falls from real throws is that it can be dangerous, thus we remove the most dangerous factor which is adding mass onto the throw. The easiest way to do that is to remove the possibility for Tori to drive their weight down or landing on top of Uke (e.g. BJJ sweeps). From there we slowly scale up the intensity of the throws which should be correlated with scaling up the fear of falling that the student is exhibiting via how stiff they are, whether they are holding their breath and whether they reach for the ground. I also attempt to explain the physics of a fall and why ukemi works, and why some falls suck more than others.
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Torrin Maag8 months ago(edited)
Re-reading this series yet again. I was wondering what the oldest person you've taught ukemi to has been. How would you adapt to a population base at greater risk of hip fractures or osteoporosis? My instinct would be to add more low falls and slapping to build confidence first as well as some resistance training to hopefully get at the root problems, before progressing very slowly through the games.
There is a growing movement here in Canada to use judo to teach older adults how to fall properly, but it seems mostly taught within an IP-approach. I think there's a lot of good stuff there, but the unexpected and fear-elements you discuss are missing.
Anthony L8 months ago
The oldest person I've taught Judo to that has no prior judo experience is 61, and he is now a blue belt and participates in our advanced class randori sessions with every one else. For people with hip / bone problems I wouldn't advise them to do regular Judo and would tell them to consult with their doctor first. Our dojo doesn't have a veterans/masters program currently, but it is definitely something I'd like to add one day.
How I would adapt to that population is probably do the same thing I do in my beginners class but focus on foot sweeps / single legs / ankle picks more so than high amplitude throws. It really depends on the goal of the student. If the goal is to just teach them how to fall when they slip/ trip then the class would look very different from preparing them to fall for randori. This is why we need more Judo clubs and classes that cater to different types of students.