General Information

There is no sport in which a method of how to fall is taught. For example when playing soccer both the voluntary or non voluntary fall is not studied, it just happens; while skying falling is not foreseen as being part of the teaching method and so on.

While practising judo, falling techniques are taught in order to reduce to a minimum athlete's impact, both when he falls spontaneously and after a throw.

While working on it, it is basically important to study theorically and practically the best way to absorb with ones body the impact on the ground, in order to avoid physical damages. Being scared to fall creates athlete's psychological and physical stiffness, which often do not allow him to reach set goals.

Without having a good knowledge of falls, the athlete will always be afraid of throws; therefore his body movements will lack of natural flexibility; he will move around heavily and will always be unconsciously in a defensive position. On the other hand, the one who really handles these techniques will move with decision, with physical and articulation flexibility, allowing fast technical progresses.

It is very important for the visually impaired person to fall the right way, since his insecurities due to his blindness cause him even more difficulties. Learning the right and secure position will help him not to have any more or less dangerous accident and from which he could suffer under a psychological point of view, inhibiting him so during judo practice and so during everyday's life.

Some say that the blind athlete might add anxiety to his life due to falls, since he does not see where he falls. But if we analyse the principle, it is the same for a seeing athlete, who when he falls backwards does not see where he falls. Therefore it may be affirmed, that the fall itself is blind. At the time being athletes specialize in falling techniques, both sideways or in front, in order to avoid during competitions to be classicaly thrown on the back, which would determine opponent's victory.

Falls are a very good exercise for physical agility, but also to reinforce ones body and especially childneys, both to defend oneself from opponent's attacks and to throw him.