fallposition

Fallposition is a term used in safety training, martial arts, and certain sports to describe the recommended body posture during a fall and the immediate actions taken after impact to minimize injury. It encompasses how a person positions the body before contact, how to absorb energy on landing, and how to roll or come to a controlled stop. In practice, fallposition is taught to reduce head, neck, and spinal injury.

Etymology and scope: The word is a compound of German Fall (fall) and Position (position). In German-language manuals the term fallposition is common, while English-language literature more often uses breakfall, ukemi, or fall technique. The concept appears in climbing, parkour, gymnastics, and martial arts training.

Techniques and variants: Core principles include protecting the head with the arms, keeping the chin tucked, relaxing the body, and distributing impact over multiple joints. Practitioners learn to initiate a side- or front-facing roll to dissipate energy and to avoid stiff-legged landings. Variants are categorized by the direction of the fall: forward, backward, or lateral, with different protective patterns.

Training and safety: Fallposition is typically taught by qualified instructors on padded mats, with progression from low-height to real-height falls and adherence to safety guidelines and supervision.

See also: breakfall, ukemi, fall risk, safety training.