View Full Version : Forward rolls (or lack thereof)
CarrieP
08-12-2009, 07:48 AM
I can't do forward rolls on my right side.
Well, that's not entirely true. I think I have the physical ability to do them. Although I've struggled with some knee tendonitis and a slightly weaker right leg/knee muscles as a result, I think that the problem is mostly mental.
Anytime i try to roll on the right side, my body just tenses up and I stop myself from rolling. I'll either crash down on my knee or fall forward instead.
I don't quite know how to get past this block. My instructor has been trying to help by helping me to bring my other (left) leg over, to get some momentum, but even so, I'm still resisting it, big time.
I am trying things to get the leg/knee stronger, rolling from a kneeling position instead of standing, etc, so I'm still trying to get the gross body movement down. But this mental block is killing my technique.
It's kind of like when i was a kid, I wasn't able to dive headfirst into water. In fact, I still can't, but I haven't tried in 2 years. It's a very similar mental block, I think.
Any suggestions?
Patience.
Don't try so hard.
The more you think "I have to be able to do this roll!" the bigger the mental block will become.
Stop worrying about it and relax.
Shadowfax
08-12-2009, 08:35 AM
My forward rolls have been having some issues as well lately. I think I'm just rushing it a bit too much and need to slow down. I have a tendency to tense up and rush in the particular exercises we use for ukemi practice.For me its not the fear of going down its simply self imposed pressure to keep up with the class. My sensei has basically been encouraging me to work on slow and correct form. Going back to low and slow. And stay relaxed as much as possible. Eventually it will fall into place. Meanwhile stay safe.
I practice the low rolls at home and that does help a lot. But taking higher ones has to wait until I am at the dojo where there is a safe place to fall as well as the room for it.
The DVD, Ukemi, The art of Falling Volume 1 has also been super useful for me.
ruthmc
08-12-2009, 08:36 AM
Hi Carrie,
Next time you go to the dojo, take a large inflatable gym ball with you :)
Lie on top of the ball with your arms and legs in forward ukemi position. Have an assistant roll you and the ball over at the correct angle for forward ukemi. Keep yourself curled around the ball as you go over.
Once you've done this a few times, progress onto rolling from kneeling, curling your body in a circle, but without the gym ball.
Learning to roll is all about taking little steps - very few of us can roll from standing on our first go!
Good luck,
Ruth
Janet Rosen
08-12-2009, 10:36 AM
I also agree w/ Joep. Ease back. If you feel like gently practicing rolls on that side, always start and finish with rolls on the "good" side so you are imprinting success in the body.
Nick P.
08-12-2009, 10:42 AM
...or the other way to address the issue....
Dont leave the dojo until you do, say, 5 on the right side in a row.
Next time, 10.
Then 20.
Imagine a can or bottle standing on the mat in front of you, with the label-side facing away from you; with your right foot front, get your butt low, and with your right hand reach over the bottle in an effort to pick it up from the label-side (magic, your in the correct stance for a forward roll). Stay relaxed, tip forward. Roll is done.
Sometimes blocks have to be met head-on. Not always, but sometimes. Good luck.
ChrisHein
08-12-2009, 11:03 AM
What others have said is true, you are stressing yourself out. This is leading you to focus more on your anger/frustration, more then the roll itself.
How is your sitting roll on the right side?
If you can't do this perfectly, then work from here, as it is easy to do. Once you can do a sitting roll on the right side perfectly, attempt the standing again one time. If you fail, then ask yourself what went wrong,and go back to the sitting roll. Ask what is going right, and how can you do that from standing.
Go slow, focus only on the roll, question what is right and wrong about it.
Stay calm and focused. If you are tired, frustrated, or angry quit for the day. If you can only stay calm and focused for a short time, then each day try to stay calm longer.
Here is my forward roll tutorial: http://www.aikidostudent.com/content/?p=321
Hope it helps.
Abasan
08-12-2009, 11:15 AM
Try to do back rolls first starting from a cross legged position. Legs over your shoulder that sort of thing. Don't complete the roll, instead roll over until your leading foot touches the floor then, push forward so that you go back to your starting position. Repeat until you get very comfortable doing this. Next complete the back roll, and then roll back to the starting position. Pretty soon your forward rolls will follow quite naturally.
ninjaqutie
08-12-2009, 12:27 PM
Try to do back rolls first starting from a cross legged position. Legs over your shoulder that sort of thing. Don't complete the roll, instead roll over until your leading foot touches the floor then, push forward so that you go back to your starting position. Repeat until you get very comfortable doing this. Next complete the back roll, and then roll back to the starting position. Pretty soon your forward rolls will follow quite naturally.
Our sensei has newbies learn rolls this way. For some reason, learning backwards helps going forward. :) Once the person has this down, we go to forward. For this he has us get on our knees. If you are going to go over your right side, stick out your left leg straight behind you and put your right hand through the space behind your left hand and where you left knee use to be. Practice lifting your left leg. As your leg lifts, your front/ head should lower. If you lower your leg, your upper body should come back up. Once you have a feel for that, left your left leg up (which lowers your front half) higher and higher until gravity puts you into a roll. Make sure to keep your "rolling arm" rounded. I hope this helps.
Like everyone else said, don't stress. It can only make things worse. One of the girls in my old style went through puberty and grew a lot. She had a hard time adjusting to her rolls so quickly. She fell on her shoulder once. She went from having beautiful rolls to crash and burn rolls. Because she hurt her shoulder that one time, she got fearful of hurting herself again and had doubts about her technique. Eventually, she learned to let go of that fear and her rolls became smooth again.
Everyone has good and bad days. Everyone has moments where they relapse into their old habits. It is all a matter of how you deal with those challenges. Take a look at what you are doing correct on your left side and try to imitate it on your right. Start and end on your good side if you can. You can then get a good feeling before attempting it on your rusty side and you will end on a good note. :) Once your rolls are more similar/even, you can then start on your weaker side to make sure you get more practice on that side.
tim evans
08-15-2009, 06:40 PM
Hi, Carrie I had the same problem but one thing that helped me with my rolls was our instructor would take a tennis ball and roll it in front of me ,to the side,and behind me . it made me not think about nothing but the grabbing the ball and the rolls will come.
ninjacow2001
09-15-2009, 04:22 PM
I had horrible rolls in the beginning and right when I got the rolling on my own (about three months after I began aikido), I began to start rolling out of techniques. Then the most horrific happened and my arm collapased coming out of a technique. I broke my collar bone and have to have surgury to plate everything back together. Three months off the mat. Started back in June and just recently began rolling on my non surgury side although very carefully from kneeling and with close supervision from my Dojo Cho and other higher ranks. I seem to be better now with my rolling than before but, I am sticking to doing in from kneeling for a while until my bad side fully recovers.
ninjaqutie
09-15-2009, 05:49 PM
One girl in my old akijitsu dojo broke her collar bone doing a forward roll as well. She came back for a bit, but then left. I don't think she was able to get pass her injury.
Darryl Cowens
09-15-2009, 06:08 PM
I'm also having beginner issues with rolls. I'm right handed, and my left side forward and right side rear are ok... but I go offline or thud with right side forward, and keep rolling over the wrong shoulder on my left side rear.
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