Help with Gong Joong Hweh Juhn Nak Bub

[coc716]

I'm looking for advice in improving my gong joong hweh juhn nak bub, the high rolling fall, the one typically done in response to techniques such as Joo Muhk Maga Ki Bohn Soo.

When I do this with a partner (that I feel comfortable with), in response to some throwing technique, I don't seem to have a problem doing it. But it's when I have to just do one "free" that I can't do it quite right. It's weird, and not the first time I've had this problem. I started out being able to do it, then for some reason I seemed to have forgotten how to do it right. I got some help, then I was able to do it again, but then some months ago it happened again and I just couldn't do it right. I'd try but not get over all the way (e.g. land on my upper back), and each successive fall got worse. Then I started to get a notion in my head that I wouldn't get all the way over or wouldn't get high enough and would end up getting half way over, my forehead makes contact with the mat, scrapes along, break my neck, and that's that. :bang: Perhaps my imagination is getting carried away, but still it happens and that blows my confidence, and the cycle continues downward. :mad:

I'm actually having a private lesson today with my SBN to try to figure this out. But while it's on my mind, I thought I'd post here and ask if anyone had any tips on performing this fall. Perhaps, how do you teach it? What sorts of tips and advice do you give to students? Any personal experiences?

Thanx.

[KSW_123]

Are you talking about the one where you remain on the ground after the fall? If so, then a trick I use is to Soo dDo in the air with the opposite hand that slaps. I know this sounds a little weird, so I'll explain a bit more. Say you are going to slap with the left hand, therefore your right shoulder and foot will be forward. Most people lean forward, kick with left leg and pop up with the right leg. All you need to do to add the Soo Do is to lean forward, Soo Do, kick, then pop up. The benifit of the Soo Do is to provide a point in space for you to focus on. This is the point that should be the center of the fall. Think of someone doing KBS #1 on you, but not going through with the throw. They just stand there with your hand in theirs. When you do the fall then, your hand is the center because they are holding you in place. The Soo Do does the same thing for you, it holds your hand in the air so you don't nosedive into the mat.
Hope this makes sense.

[coc716]

Are you talking about the one where you remain on the ground after the fall?

Yup.

If so, then a trick I use is to Soo dDo in the air with the opposite hand that slaps. I know this sounds a little weird, so I'll explain a bit more. Say you are going to slap with the left hand, therefore your right shoulder and foot will be forward. Most people lean forward, kick with left leg and pop up with the right leg. All you need to do to add the Soo Do is to lean forward, Soo Do, kick, then pop up. The benifit of the Soo Do is to provide a point in space for you to focus on. This is the point that should be the center of the fall. Think of someone doing KBS #1 on you, but not going through with the throw. They just stand there with your hand in theirs. When you do the fall then, your hand is the center because they are holding you in place. The Soo Do does the same thing for you, it holds your hand in the air so you don't nosedive into the mat.
Hope this makes sense.

Actually yes, that does make a lot of sense. I have had people tell me to throw or tuck my opposite hand (so using your above example, the right hand) across my body to help with some momentum for the flip. So it sounds like the same gist as what you wrote above, but your explanation of doing a Soo Do well... for some reason that clicks a bit better in my head.

Just for clarification tho... when doing this, are you aiming at something in particular? are you stopping at any particular point? For instance, in what you wrote above, you mentioned KBS #1 and how if someone was throwing you where your right hand would be. Thus, should I be aiming specifically for that point? Should I stop at that point? It seems more that I should be aiming to have a track through that point, but not stopping at that point... that I should allow my right hand to continue through the point so as to ensure maximum momentum. I just want to make sure of what you're getting at.

Either way, "think Soo Do" is something I will put in my head. I'm actually going to the private lesson in about an hour, so we'll see how it goes. :)

Thanx for the suggestion (and I'm open to any more folks wish to share).

[KSW_123]

are you aiming at something in particular? are you stopping at any particular point?

Yes


For instance, in what you wrote above, you mentioned KBS #1 and how if someone was throwing you where your right hand would be. Thus, should I be aiming specifically for that point?

I think it would be a good idea to pick a point somewhere between belly button and solar plexus height.

Should I stop at that point?
Yes

It seems more that I should be aiming to have a track through that point, but not stopping at that point... that I should allow my right hand to continue through the point so as to ensure maximum momentum. I just want to make sure of what you're getting at.

If you shoot through that point sidewise (as in continuing the Soo Do) you will tend to barrel roll, which is not a good thing. if you throw your hand toward the floor, you decrease your air time, which is also not a good thing. Your leg and tucking the body will the continue the momentum so you don't have to worry about that.

Good luck and I hope your private went well.

[coc716]

If you shoot through that point sidewise (as in continuing the Soo Do) you will tend to barrel roll, which is not a good thing. if you throw your hand toward the floor, you decrease your air time, which is also not a good thing. Your leg and tucking the body will the continue the momentum so you don't have to worry about that.

Good luck and I hope your private went well.

Ah, that's a very good point. I follow what you mean. I tried that a few times while warming up at my private lesson... not the full on fall, but just thinking "Soo Do" and then doing a "roll and land". I could feel the momentum difference.


Well, I'm back from my private lesson and it went well. I don't think my confidence has fully returned, but I believe that will now come with some more practice. I'm certainly feeling more confident now that I know some fundamental things that I never knew (or didn't know well enough) that are quite essential to executing the fall correctly.

The two big things that came out for me were 1) punch, 2) let the shoulder lead.

The punch isn't a fist thing, it's a gymnastics thing. It's that initial jump/spring that you have to do to get the height, to get air. I knew to jump, but I wasn't doing it right (wasn't punching). It's to be this explosive jump that pretty much originates from the calves and by clenching your butt. So, I've been making a little jump, a little air, but not a full-on punch. When I would punch, I'd get over a lot easier because I had more air-time. When SBN was watching or assisting me, any time he said I did a good hwen jun I had punched. Any time he said it wasn't good, I knew I had been executing as I had before... without the punch. So, punching helped me a lot. Now I just have to get into the habit of it.

When I do the fall, I often get too concerned with getting my head tucked, and consequently the head leads and is technically leading me down into the ground instead of just turning my body over. That's not right... my head should not be "before/under" my shoulder. Instead, the shoulder should be leading. Think about how you get thrown in KBS #1... the shoulder goes first, the head is aways "behind" it and following the shoulder. I need to think about leading with the chest/shoulder and letting the head follow. That will get me over better. Again, when I did that, I received remarks of "good", and when I did that well... it was obvious even to me when I landed. :)

There were a lot of other little things that I got straightened out, pointed out to me, and that I need to work on. At this point, there's just a lot of information swirling in my head and I need to let it simmer and then practice a bunch.... put all these things together and get to a point of not thinking about them and just smiling and falling. :) I am feeling better about things.