Doing rolls

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Dragonhead, Sep 11, 2008.

  1. Dragonhead

    Dragonhead Manchester United Fan :)

    I am training jiu-jitsu and currently i have this pathetic problem of not being able to do the rolls i am asked to do (fowards and backwards). when i try to do it i complete freeze and i think it is because i am too much afraid of getting hurt or breaking my neck. i know that the possibility of getting an injury is not big but i still can't do them properly. while i am in position to just kick with my foot and do it i just think of how i can get injured and ugly stuff like that.

    any suggestions how i can overcome this fear of doing rolls will be greatly appreciated as i have been trying to learn them for nearly a month now but to no avail. also can i think about that will occupy my mind while trying to do a roll? pls help me :cry:

    pls ask me if you don't understand something or want more information

    thanking you in advance.
     
  2. pauli

    pauli mr guillotine

    a: ask one of your instructors or training partners for help. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR.

    b: break the motion down. if you can't do it standing, start kneeling. if you can't do it kneeling, start sitting on your butt. if that's still a problem, start on your back and get some of the fundamental pieces down.

    (this reminds me... i've got a couple of white belts who are ready to learn diving forward rolls... :D)
     
  3. estranged13

    estranged13 ex video game freak

    and.... remember that learning the rolls WILL prevent injury later
     
  4. Bruce W Sims

    Bruce W Sims Banned Banned

    I start my beginners in a push-up (thats "press-up" to you folks in the UK :) ).

    2.) Bring your left foot forward so that now you are essentially in a sprinter's position.

    3.) Tuck you left arm by touching the tip of your pinkie to the floor at the spot directly under your belly-button.

    4.) Point your left across the mat to a point directly in front of you.

    5.) Push-off with your right toe and roll--- up the left arm over the left shoulder and across to your right hip.

    Thats pretty much the pro-forma roll. Now for the trouble shooting.

    People are afraid to roll for a few good reasons. One is that they are big people and they have problems controlling their mass in odd situations (IE. getting in and out of cars; negotiating crowds). A second issue is whether or not you have had a bad experience (remembered or not) which unconsciously impacts your confidence. A third issue is a lack of arm strength or a lack of confidence in your arm-strength to support you in a roll. And yet another issue is the matter of not rolling straight---- or a fear of not rolling straight -----and putting one's neck or spine at risk.

    I can't help you with your personal fears. I'm afraid you are in that by yourself. However, I have found that people who have problems rolling can sometimes be helped by performing the pro-forma roll along a wall or with someone standing next to them (that is, if its a left arm roll, you are in sprinter's position with your right hip against the wall or spotting person). I have heard people recommend starting fearful individuals with "sommersaults" first. My own opinion is that this might help the comfort level but might reinforce habits that make for bad rolling such as taking force on the back of the neck and small of the back. FWIW.

    Best Wishes,

    Bruce
     
  5. Alansmurf

    Alansmurf Aspire to Inspire before you Expire Supporter

    Imagine your body being a ball ....or a hedgehog !!!

    Roll along the ground ...Bruce has set out a good methodology for you

    good luck

    Smurf
     
  6. DCombatives

    DCombatives Valued Member

    Ok really- what is there to be afraid of? Fear isn't rational; I get that but still. When everyone next to you is doing just fine how bad can it be?

    The nice, polite thing to do would be to tell you to examine your fear, see if it's deep seated in a bad memory or something. Then I could explain how I teach rolls to my students and break it down. However, you already have a teacher for that and seem to be on top if not in control of your fears. So I'll tell you exactly what I tell my students who exhibit the same concerns: Quit being a sissy and roll your butt over your head the right way. Little kids, tiny women, and fat old men do it every day and so can you. That may not be very PC, but the truth is the mat is a place where we confront our fears head on. Quit ducking it and just focus on doing the roll correctly. It's not rocket science. Maybe by focusing on doing the roll correctly your mind will be too busy to tell you to be a wuss.
     
  7. Topher

    Topher allo!

    I used to have this problem too. It's actually easy when you break it down, like in this video:

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=W93w6aw26Ls

    I'm still don't find backward rolls easy though.
     
  8. simi

    simi Valued Member

    Watch this video. Its not a joke. You can do practise first basically like this and backwards.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6YntNqzoyM"]flips out practise - YouTube[/ame]
     
  9. EternalRage

    EternalRage Valued Member

    Hey, better you do it on the mat, then on the r34l d34dly str33ts, where it is concrete covered in molten lava, glass, and HIV needles...
     
  10. Dragonhead

    Dragonhead Manchester United Fan :)

    thank you for your suggestions. i will try to do it properly today and not be afraid so much because fear is being my obstacle when trying to do rolls. probably i am being afraid so much to do it because most of the time i have low self-esteem along with the fear of getting hurt. but i will give my best shot and stop having all this self pity and do the rolls.

    i will try your method bruce, it seems to be simpler than to the methods i have been thought at my dojo. again thanks everyone for the videos, encouragement, etc :)
     
  11. old palden

    old palden Valued Member

    Physical flexibility is an important component in comfortably performing rolls. Tension and stiffness, particularly in and along the spine, can dramatically inhibit your movement, as your body sends signals to the brain that tell it the spine is at risk because it is being asked to flex and move far beyond its normal range. (Thus you have fear.)

    Relax and spend several minutes stretching, then assume a seated position on the floor with your legs either
    stretched out together or folded in front of you. Drop your chin and tuck your tail to round the spine, then roll backwards in as slow and easy a motion as you can manage. As you roll, raise your legs so you lift your butt up in the air, and then (keeping the spine rounded) roll back up to your starting position. Repeat this move a few hundred times, and your spine, and more importantly your mind, will begin to loosen up. In time you'll be able to roll back and balance on your upper back and neck.

    Repeat this exercise a few thousand times and you'll be rolling like a bowling ball.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2008
  12. Mr. C

    Mr. C 9th degree BB in arguing

    I also struggle with rolls, I always have this fear of crashing, so I freeze up mid roll and land on my side. It just takes practice. I can do a front roll OK now, but I still get tense. If your not comfortable asking for help in front of or during a class, perhaps see if you can see the instructor before or after.

    Just my thoughts.

    -- Mr. C
     
  13. Dragonhead

    Dragonhead Manchester United Fan :)

    to old palden: i think you're right about the fear thing. i just seem to freeze when i try it but as i try to do it more and more i am less afraid than i was at the beginning but it's taking me a lot of time to realize that it's so easy (it seems when you see others at the dojo do it) to do it.

    nevertheless i'll try the method you have carefully suggested.

    to Mr. C: yeah i'm going to speak to my instructor so maybe he can give me some of his time to see what i'm doing wrong and maybe get some of the guys in the dojo to help me while trying to roll.

    thanks for your helpful tips. i just can't wait to remove the fear from my mind that is hindering me and start rolling!! :) i'm hoping come the end of this month i'll be able to do both the front and the back rolls.
     
  14. Stevebjj

    Stevebjj Grappling Dummy

    Remember that they're shoulder rolls. You shouldn't be going over your neck either forward or backward.
     
  15. narcsarge

    narcsarge Masticated Whey

    I am glad someone mentioned this!

    Yes!
    Precisely!

    You should be rolling toward/on your shoulde blades or scapula (for those of you in Encino :hat:). If you are hitting your neck or back of your head something is off. Another thing to remember is to tuck your chin to your chest. GLUE IT THERE if you have to! (kidding but you get the point). Doing a proper shoulder roll (front or back) should allow you roll "in control" no matter the circumstance. As w/ everything else in Martial Arts; PRACTICE (ask questions), PRACTICE, PRACTICE (ask more questions).

    Once you are comfortable on the mats, try it outside on the grass. Try it on a carpeted floor, a hardwood floor. Once you are really comfortable rolling, you could do it any where and at anytime. You might even want to have someone video your rolls to look at them and make corrections.

    Just a thought! :cool:
     
  16. paul1960

    paul1960 Fighting Lethargy

    As someone who has just started Judo I know right where you are coming from, also as I am nearly three times older the worry about injury is in the forefront of my mind.
    I found that thinking of a forward roll just being a big head over heels that little kids do allowed me to persuade myself that I could not get hurt, after all little kids do it all the time. All in all just go for it dont worry about making a fool of youself no one else is looking at you anyway. have fun;-)
     
  17. Dragonhead

    Dragonhead Manchester United Fan :)

    i'll keep practicing and practicing till I get a good roll. someday i have got to STOP worrying about injury and stuff and just do it.

    for now i'm going to practice only at my dojo because at least if i get injured there someone will be there to maybe notice i'm half dead! :eek:

    as to your post paul: today i had the grading to get my first belt and some kids that trained at the junior classes where doing rolls just for fun. by just seeing them do it as if it was nothing it just made more courageous although one has to admit that all of them are way more flexible than me.

    i just can't wait to start doing rolls like kids just for fun but as days pass and i still get difficulties doing it i seem to get angry with myself :mad: my instructor says that i am doing everything right (i.e. positions, chin touching the chest, etc) and i just need that push and BUM i'm done but i'm still getting afraid just to give that little push with my feet :bang:

    tomorrow i'll try the methods some of you have suggested to me. maybe i get one right! :dunno:
     
  18. monkeywrench

    monkeywrench Valued Member

    I still struggle with rolls. I learned front tumbles last night and it was...embarrassing! What helped me on forward rolls (and this was during a test!!) was to actually have someone give me a gentle shove. First time that I tried that I executed the best roll of all time. (for me that is!)

    I have an inherent reluctance to hurl myself at the ground, so I feel your pain here. I really do.
     
  19. Decision Tree

    Decision Tree Valued Member

    When I was first taught to roll, we did it on hard floors with no mats. You soon learn the right way to land becasue it hurts like hell if you do it wrong. Starting slowly on your knees is sound advice. I used to roll everywhere, in corridors in my appartment building, at work when no one was looking. I used to split every pair of trousers I had by kicking light switches on and off, and rolling about everywhere. haha.

    After about a year of training, I realised that I was only rolling over my right shoulder when possible. I had a fear of going over my left shoulder! I'd injured it once and I was obviously afraid. For a while then, I decided that I was only going to roll on my left in my spare time. I moved up to being able to do dive rolls on the left just as well.

    Once you do a good one for the first time mate - it will all be fine. There are barriers in martial arts that people have to get over. The barriers may be quite common (Like being unable to actually hit another person) and they are all individual. Once over the barrier, you rarely look back.
     

Share This Page