NinjaGym™ Martial Arts and Fitness

How to do a Diving Roll in the Martial Arts

This is Designed to take the impact of a fall or diving over or through objects

How to perform the Diving Roll:

✓ The same principles of a forward roll will be applied for the roll itself.

✓ Start off by having something in front of you, either a partner laying down or a bokken at waist height, so you get the feeling of falling over something in front of you.

✓ Next, simply fall forward and once your hands soften the impact slightly, your legs should have already come off the ground.

✓ Once the hands hit the ground you should have the natural reaction of that forward roll and just go into it after the hands touch. Curl up, tuck the head, tuck in the feet and come up with hands at head level.

Applications:

• Jumping and diving over objects or opponents
• Soften the impact of falling forward head first Read the rest of this entry →

How to do a Side Roll in the Martial Arts

If you haven’t done so already, please read Rick Tew’s Intro to Martial Art Rolls and Falls by following the link below:

Martial Art Rolls and Falls

To Perform the Ninjitsu Side Roll, you get into position as you would with a Forward Roll. The main difference is that (while rolling), you KEEP your eyes on a specific target or location the ENTIRE time, (this is performed slightly differently than the Table roll). When you begin to roll forward, lets say a right shoulder roll, you will turn your head and look to the left at something, fix those eyes on the target for the duration of the roll.

Applications:

• Roll across a doorway and look inside while passing
• You can see objects or opponent the entire time you roll
• Close distance to Opponent
• Roll over objects
• Roll Under objects
• Pick up objects Read the rest of this entry →

How to do a Flat Fall Back in the Martial Arts

If you haven’t done so already, please read Rick Tew’s Intro to Martial Art Rolls and Falls by following the link below:

Martial Art Rolls and Falls

FLAT FALL BACK

An exercise developed to teach the student to fall backward or against walls, landing or hitting with minimum injury.

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If you haven’t done so already, please read Rick Tew’s Intro to Martial Art Rolls and Falls by following the link below:

Martial Art Rolls and Falls

Flat Fall Forward is an exercise developed to teach students how to fall forward and land with minimum injury.

Read the rest of this entry →

How to do a Reverse Roll in the Martial Arts

If you haven’t done so already, please read Rick Tew’s Intro to Martial Art Rolls and Falls by following the link below:

Martial Art Rolls and Falls

Reverse Roll

Designed for falling backward and/or broadening the distance between oneself and an attacker. Read the rest of this entry →

Rolls have proven to be extremely practical in self-defense and self-protection. Here are the two most common reasons to develop your rolls and falls:

1. Self-Defense: Protection when someone is attacking you.
2. Self-Protection: Defense when the ground is attacking you.

These are the two most important reasons to learn your rolls and falls.  A better understanding of how the body works and an increased control of the body in all movements will enable the ninja to get the most out of their ninja training applications.  Once one has become familiar with the techniques, try performing them from each of the stances. For example: cat stance then reverse roll or horse stance then side roll etc. Read the rest of this entry →

If you haven’t done so already, please read Rick Tew’s Intro to Martial Art Rolls and Falls by following the link below:

Martial Art Rolls and Falls

FORWARD ROLL Designed for falling forward and/or broadening the distance between oneself and an attacker.

How to perform the Forward Roll:

• Step forward, place lead arm down with elbow near leading foot (arm may touch surface).

• Tuck the head (looking back) push off with the rear leg.

• Allow your body to rock forward into the roll across from shoulder to the hip.

• Keep the feet tucked during the roll.

• Come out of the roll hands up turning to face the direction the roll was begun.

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