Extreme Ukemi

Every dojo I have visited in Saigon seems to enjoy practicing extreme ukemi. Every class includes diving over multiple bodies in order to take a roll or a breakfall.

I know there are dojos that practice this in the U.S. but I have never practiced this way before and I am not sure if folks in the U.S. take it to such extremes. Here, it is common to leap over four or five bodies to take a breakfall or roll. I am not sure what the practical benefit of this is, but my real concern is diving and rolling over people who are standing bent over. I have to leap maybe four feet off the ground and come straight down on my extended hand. I am not comfortable with this. I feel like maybe other people are getting away with it because we are on a mat and because they are significantly lighter than I am (I am a very average 175 pounds, but people here are generally much lighter).

Today, I tried diving and rolling over three people standing bent. I bumped the first person and consequently did not quite make it. When I touched the mat my extended shoulder popped. It really hurt and is now extremely tender. I am not sure how bad it might really be.

I would really like to know what other people think of this sort of ukemi practice. Is it typical? Is it legitimate? Does anyone know a good YouTube video or other resource that might help me figure out how to do this before I severely injure myself?

I bought Bruce Bookman's Advanced Ukemi video hoping it would help. It had a lot of great ideas and techniques but unfortunately nothing on this sort of practice.

Futari Garami in Saigon

Today I had my first opportunity to practice futari garami here in Saigon.

Futari garami is the practice of free technique although I have never heard it called that anywhere else. Elsewhere it is always called jiyu-waza and it is practiced at all levels. The dojo here only begins practicing free technique when folks are getting ready for first kyu.

They are having me begin with two uke and working only with shomenuchi. In fact, they only want uke to attack with the right hand. They believe in beginning slowly and building gradually. I suppose it has its merits.

The other requirements are these: we go for thirty seconds with the goal of twenty techniques. I am supposed to pick just a few very quick techniques and keep running through them quickly.

I have not practiced randori or jiyu-waza since coming to Vietnam and didn't do much of it in America either. What I discovered or rediscovered is that I get very excitable and all precision goes out the door. I use way too much force rather than calm finesse, making me prone to error.

Now that I have the go ahead to practice like this, I will be trying to work in a few rounds at the end of each training session. That will be a lot more free technique than I did in the U.S. and I am hoping that I will see some quick improvement.