If a real person were to jump from heights like the Mario character does in the popular Nintendo video game, he would be in for quite a painful surprise! When moving a high velocity, be it linearly on the ground or flying through the air, proper landings are key to mitigating serious damage on the spine, hips and knees. These landings, depending on type, can vary from simply bending your knees to executing a roll. Learning these techniques may aid you in averting your next crash landing.
Feet Placement
Step 1
Land first on the balls of your feet. Do not land flat on your heels.
Step 2
Shift your momentum from the balls of your feet back toward your heels, producing a rolling motion.
Step 3
Bend your knees into anywhere from a 20- to 75-degree angle while rolling back to your heels. This spreads much of the downward force throughout your knees and legs rather than placing it directly on your spine.
Rolling
Step 1
Roll if you have significant forward velocity. To initiate the roll, place your hands down on the point of impact.
Step 2
Lean into your right shoulder while tilting your head to left. Roll across your back diagonally from your right arm to your right shoulder, along your back across to your left hip. Your right elbow and shoulder direct where you go during your roll.
Step 3
Tuck your body into a ball by bringing in your knees and keeping your arms close to your body as you are rolling. Ensure that your elbows are close to your center of mass and between your knees while rolling.
Step 4
End the roll by putting your knee or foot on the ground, and stand up.
Tips and Warnings
- Practice makes perfect; mitigate falls by practicing the movements in your knees and rolling enough to make the movements more instinctive. This is especially true of rolling. Start off on softer surfaces before harder ones so you can learn the motions before feeling too much pain for your mistakes.
- When landing, never bend your knees more than 90 degrees, or you risk damaging them. Be sure to keep your head tucked to the side when executing the roll. The objective is to mitigate impact and pressure on your neck and spine by rolling from your knees across your shoulder, back and hips. Do not attempt the roll without practicing it safely first from low heights onto soft surfaces.
