Become Fighter
Falling safely: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guide
The backward breakfall: chin tucked, arm slap, and learning to land without injury.
At some point you will get thrown, swept or tripped. A breakfall spreads the impact across your back and arms so that nothing hits the floor in one place. It is the first safety skill in jiu-jitsu.
Practise on a mat or thick carpet, never on tile or concrete. Start from lying down and sitting. Do not drop from standing until a coach has watched you do it.
Key points
- Tuck your chin to your chest so your head never touches the floor.
- Slap the floor with both arms at about 45 degrees from your body, palms down, as your back lands.
- Never reach back with a straight arm to catch yourself. That is how wrists and elbows get hurt.
- Keep your legs bent and your feet off the floor at the moment of landing.
- Breathe out on the slap. Holding your breath tenses everything.
Step by step
- Lie on your back. Lie down with your knees bent, chin tucked and arms by your sides. Look at your belt, not the ceiling.
- Practise the slap. Raise your arms a few inches and slap the floor with the whole arm and an open palm. Make a loud, flat sound. Your arms should be straight and at about 45 degrees.
- Add the roll back. Sit with your knees up and your arms out in front. Roll back slowly onto your shoulders, tuck your chin, and slap as your upper back lands. Come back up to sitting.
- Build the rhythm. Link the rolls. Keep your chin on your chest and breathe out each time. Only add height once it feels easy.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Head bouncing off the floor. Tuck your chin harder. Look at your belt the whole way down.
- Landing on straight arms or hands. Slap with the whole arm, flat. Never put a hand down to catch yourself.
- Slapping too early or late. Slap as your upper back touches. Slow the roll down until the timing is clear.
- Practising from standing too soon. Stay in sitting and lying positions until a coach has checked your form.
Drill: Breakfall rolls
3 rounds of 45 seconds, with 45 seconds of rest. Safe to practise alone.
- Lie on your back and slap alternate arms, slowly. Chin on chest, loud flat slaps.
- From sitting, roll back and slap on the call. Come back up between reps and reset your chin.
- Same, a little faster. Keep the roll small and controlled. Stop if your neck or wrists hurt.
Combinations that use it
- bjj-breakfall-stand: Breakfall, Technical stand-up
Related techniques
Train it in the app
In Become Fighter this lesson comes with a short video, a timed drill with the coach calling the shots, and a quick quiz to check you've got it.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
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Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.