best way of forward rolling?

hey all,

i sometimes have trouble with my forward rolls (depends on the night i go training really). sometimes they are ok, sometimes they are dynamite! but most of the time i feel as if something is wrong. i land heavily or hurt my shoulder or back slightly.

just wondering would the expert minds in here be able to give me some tips?

thanks in advance!

Hi

There's some ideas in this article you might find useful:
http://www.systemauk.com/art6.htm

Cheers
Rob

Don't worry, everyone has good and bad training nights!

From what you say about hurting your shoulder, it sounds like your arm is collapsing during the roll. If you imagine you're carrying a huge urn or vase this should help you keep your arms extended and round enough to enable you to roll smoothly. Try and retain the posture with your arms throughout the roll. I'd also recommend asking your instructor/sensei for advice as they'll be able to see where you might be going wrong.

It worked for me! Although I don't know how judo/jujistsu rolls differ from aikido. In which case if it's different, ignore my advice!

jujutsu rolls usually go over the shoulder, judo rolls generally go right over the centre of the spine, I've never actually seen my judo group teach shoulder rolls. I think aikido does mostly shoulder rolls.

Make sure you are getting low to the ground before you do your roll. Stop pressuring yourself to drop from standing height right into a roll, it's not even necessary to do them like that once you're good at rolling, let alone when you're still having trouble.

Get as low to the ground as you can before your roll. Try rolls out of seiza, just sit in seiza then place one of your shoulders on the ground and push off with your toes so you roll over the grounded shoulder. When you can do that and you find your hip isn't bruising up anymore and you feel no pain, do it from a squatting position. Instead of putting your shoulder on the ground, just swing one of your arms through between your legs and brushing the ground and roll over the same shoulder.

Then start walking, drop into a squat and roll just as above but all in one fluid, realistic motion. Once you can do that then you are ready to do diving rolls and all that jazz.

If you are -really- wanting to get good at rolls you can be doing good, clean dive rolls in about 2 weeks without fear of injury.

Make absolutely sure your arms aren't collapsing during the roll. You will injure your shoulder badly if you continue that habit. I speak from first hand experience.

whatever type of roll you do, always remember to tuck your chin in!!

*bows respectfully*

Quote:

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whatever type of roll you do, always remember to tuck your chin in!!

*bows respectfully*

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i dont have a chin anymore....:(

thanks for all the responses! time to go practice rolling!