[butterguns]

I know how to fall (intellectually). How do I translate that into the real world? I took a nasty fall on my MTB this summer, broke my shoulder. Everything was instinctual and a blur. Can we somehow retrain our innate responses?

[celestialcheese]

I know it's not helpful, but from a lifetime of doing really stupid things in action sports, starting young is a lot of it. Falling like anything takes practice, and falling when your 12 is so much less painful than falling when your 35.

Anyone who grew up in the skatepark/terrain park knows the experience of learning new tricks and progression. It's thousands of falls building up the muscle memory to land the trick. Over time, it just sticks (or you hurt yourself bad enough you quit).

Cant really do this when you're old. It just takes less to cause damage, unless you're in excellent shape from doing active and dynamic movements over years of work.

Now to try and be helpful - Martial arts, wrestling and doing low weight dynamic movement exercises will help you train. Also, if you want your whole body to be sore, pick up a skateboard, strap as many pads as possible, and go learn how to ride a bowl at your local skatepark. Guaranteed you'll get lots of fall practice :)

[brokenmachine]

I skied when I was young and later rollerbladed on ramps and street and did adult gymnastics classes for fun. Definitely learned to roll out of a crash and body awareness in the air. You just get used to rolling instead of trying to stop yourself.

I used to ride a racing bike to work and had to slam the brakes on suddenly once when an idiot in a car suddenly turned in front of me. I went over the handlebars, but instinctively did a forward somersault/roll and was pretty much unhurt except a slight graze. It happened so fast that I have no idea how I did it. In the air I must have recognized that my body was spinning and I just tucked into it until I was the right way up again.

So I think the answer is just practice. Do silly shit until you learn how to land it. A foam pit makes it less painful. :-)

[donmaq]

> I know how to fall (intellectually). How do I translate that into the real world?

As a martial arts instructor, here's my advice: The first month or so of aikido classes is a great way to learn rolling. Start on your knees, on a padded floor, arc your arms/"hold a ball", & practice rolling diagonally (eg right shoulder to left hip, etc)

1. Keep arms in a curve: the arms pattern your fall, rather that 'push the ground' 2. Point your nose into your armpit. Don't let your head touch the ground 3. Protect your clavicles. Super easy to break, especially if you hit the ground with a stiff arm. Clavicles take MUCH longer the heal than wrists, & hurt worse too 4. DON'T learn rolling from gymnastics, if your goal is to survive crashes on concrete. Gymnasts practice on thick padded floors & don't mind that their head touches the floor. Bad idea when there's no padded floor.

[Rediscover]

This is great advice - it is true to me as well. I would ask You to also consider mention rolling across the upper back unless You don't endorse it and then I would like to hear [read] that too - i.e., one backside shoulder across to the other with your #2. It has saved me many times.

[alistairSH]

Practice. In mountain bike terms, that means lots of slower/easier terrain, with occasional “soft” falls. If there are skills areas in any of your trail networks, those are great. Trail running can help - you’ll eventually trip and you’re closer to the ground and going a bit slower, so you have a bit more time to react (tuck and roll, hopefully).

That said, broken collar-bones (along with separated shoulders) are one of the most common serious cycling injury. I’m one of the very few of my friends who hasn’t broken one. And several friends have broken or separated each shoulder multiple times.

[butterguns]

My first over-the-handlebars resulted in a fractured Greater Tuberosity. Pretty sure I reached my arm out to catch myself. Terrible decision.

[alistairSH]

Ouch. That’s not a common break, IME, but either an outstretched arm or direct trauma can cause it.

I’ve mildly separated both shoulders a few times over the years. Thankfully no major separations or breaks - just some MRIs and PT (plus a few concussions). I did break my forearm when I was 5 - fell jumping a fence, reached out, and snap. Classic broken arm.

[sporksmith]

Folks are saying to practice your fall-possibility-sport where a fall won't hurt as much. I say take it a step further and do focused practice of falling and rolling intentionally. There are a lot of videos on YouTube about how to do so.

When I started long boarding at ~38, I practiced throwing myself into a roll first from a crouch, then standing, then standing on the board - onto grass of course. It helped a lot when I did inevitably have unplanned falls on the pavement.

[karpierz]

As with every other skill, practice.

Judo and skiing taught me how to fall. It's easier if you start young because you have less distance to fall.

[renewiltord]

When I first learned to ski, my cousin just shoved me over until I got used to how to fall comfortably. With snow, it's no pain whatsoever.

[drewm1980]

I have had reflexes learned from contact improvisation kick in during a couple random low speed falls from standing or walking/tripping. I had a feeling of "ah I have been here before" as I fell. Maybe not relevant to oneboard speeds, but relevant if you trip on a toy or kid in your house, or slip on some ice outside.

[EamonnMR]

Same way you train any other faster-than-thinking response: lots and lots of practice.

[gregwebs]

Practice at home (outside on grass is nice) starting from on your knees work up to on your feet. The real test is to have a partner push you over. Spend time strengthening the neck to avoid concussions.

[akamaka]

Casual ice hockey might be a good start. It’s certainly possible to get hurt, but with shin pads and gloves, a good sliding fall on the smooth ice will be totally painless.

[smileysteve]

The most instinctual thing we can change is avoiding panic - and the negative things it causes. Like looking down instead of ahead. Or trying to stop yourself.

[DenisM]

Martial arts

[timo555]

Surfing is a great safe way to learn how to fall.

[jtsuken]

No, it's not! When you surf, you get used to punching through the surface and then holding your breath and dealing with the water movement. You have to consciously remind yourself to not do the equivalent of going head first through the face of the wave or stretching out your toes when bailing of the board.

[SoftTalker]

Drive a car.