Having been thrown around a lot in jujitsu I just realised that when the girls land we have our arm out and our ribs and hip tend to absorb the initial impact (think side breakfall) as our waist is smaller than our hips. When a guy is thrown it seems they absorb the initial impact through a longer section of their body (arm, rib, midsection, hip, thigh) thus spreading the impact. Is my line of thought correct and if so how do you female judokas and jitsukas out there counter this? When being thrown do you think that the male skeletal and muscular structure has an advantage?
Oh us men just have an advantage all around . . . we're men Really though, I have no idea, I just felt like being a smart ass .
it's an advantage to have a more compact, muscular frame like a guy does. But a girl can still learn to land better by practicing better technique instead of just landing instinctively.
My bad man, I've been sick and out from work due to working out to hard at martial arts and lifting weights and have to find SOME way to entertain myself
Hey DragonSpawn thanks for trying to answer my question but I was wondering more about the skeletal structure (i.e. women have a wider pelvic bone thus it is one of the first points of impact in a fall). Can you explain how better technique would help absorb this impact for women? With the rib area I agree with the fact that men have a stronger musculature in that area so it is less a skeletal factor. Sparkle, do you have to entertain yourself on this thread?
Oh. I'm not really sure about what difference the wider pelvis makes, I've never thought about it until now. (thinking) Hey I wonder if that's why women seem to break their hips all the time once they reach that certain age I'm no expert on falling, but I'd say maybe don't fall directly onto your side, but 45 degrees between your side and back. That way whether your pelvic bone sticks further out laterally than a guy's does makes less of a difference. This is just off the top of my head though, really.
Stop it Skrom At least I'm entertained while waiting for proper responses Any real judoka or jitsuka out there who can help me (thanks btw Dragonspawn, you have a point)?
Lily, I am no expert in jujitsu nor am I an expert in falling. But, could it be that it has more to do with the center of gravity being in the hips and pelvic region of ladies where as men have a higher center? Just a thought and again, I have no answer on how to counter this effect. Just throwing in my 2 cents worth.
Well, I think men do have an advantage there, but it just isn't significant. If you use your free arm(s) and legs to help breaking the fall there shouldn't be any problem absorbing enough impact. I've studied Judo for ten years and I've trained alongside plenty of woman of all ages (My first instructor's wife was our assistant instructor, she was 65+ and a blackbelt, pretty impressive ). And I've never heard of any woman damaging or breaking her hips in a breakfall. It might happen, but it's nothing worth worrying about
Thanks Lennert, what about rib injuries? The men in our dojo all have well developed muscle and are more solid in this area whilst the few girls have a seemingly thinner band of muscle over the ribs (not sure if these are the intercostal muscles). I've spoken to my dojomates and as the majority are guys they have said they don't feel any excessive pain in their ribs or hips (more shoulder complaints) whilst the girls complain more of rib/chest or hip pain.
No offence Lily, but it sounds as if your technique isn't right rather then there being some grave physical difference between men & women. In my experience of teaching persons to breakfall, those that try to "catch" themselves or keep their back rigid on being thrown (rather than relax and allow the arm to do its job) tend to feel pain around ribs/chest/hips because they are not falling correctly and the shock of impact is either felt in the ribs/chest/back (whatever hits the floor first) or in the extremities of the spine (hips/pelvis or neck) depending on the angle of the fall and the way the impact is projected through the stiffness of your physical structure. That applies to women & men. In fact only last week, one of the large guys at my club injured his hip & lower back because he "forgot" how to breakfall. Can't offer you any specific advice on how to correct it without seeing your technique, but if its causing you a problem talk to your instructor. He should be able to sort it out in no time.
i haven't had any problems in that area either, so I don't think there are any major differences in the anatomy that cause problems when breakfalling. I've only really had pain when I do it wrong. I agree with Garibaldi, talk to your instructor, get his perspective.
