erikmenzel

 

For terminology, we at our school don't use the word break-fall (or its dutch equivalent). We simply use the term ukemi in which every espect of being uke is incorporated. This also includes falling, flipping and rolling but is definitly not restricted to those parts of ukemi.

As we practise rolling every class, beginners are expected to practise rolling every class as well. Of course they will be helped by one of the sempai. In practise beginners are expected and allowed to do the ukemi their up to, so this varies per person. Some people take years to be comfortable in techniques with flips and others are really quick.

In our experience having a not so obvious example helps people to do flips and rolls. Every one expects the advanced students to flip. If one of the big masculine sempai does a flip people tend to look at this as something only the advanced students do and is still beyond their reach. Luckily sometimes some special talent comes in and opens some eyes. We have a little, fragile looking, woman that started to do flips comfortably from almost every technique (Kote gaeshi, sumi otoshi, shiho nage etc) within a year. Her flipping showed people that it can be done by everybody and inspired lots of people to practise and do flips. Of course being helped and guided by the sempai also helps.