Aikido: Backward Rolling

Kyle Sloan

This week I wanted to look at rolling backward. One of my fellow students asked me how I go about doing it, and thought I’d share. There are two things I want to note. First, I am using the belt to show the line of the body fall. This is the line from the hip to the opposite shoulder we encounter on every forward rolling breakfall. Secondly, note how I alternate which knee is up. This changes each time I roll.

In the photos, you’ll notice my hand is down as I’m sitting down. This is simply to slow down the motion enough to get a good picture demonstrating the line. In the video, you’ll notice the hand does not come down when I roll. The video version is what you should be aiming for.

Also, your fingers should point in on both hands. This will prevent an off-balance back fall from jamming your elbow into the mat (floor, ground, etc). If your elbow hits the mat during the fall, a dislocated shoulder is likely.

You can also check out this YouTube video for a more in-depth demonstration of the backward roll.