The fear of
falling is one of our strongest phobias, so most people never learn
how to fall properly.
Injuries from accidental falls have become epidemic, but little has
been done to help people learn how to fall.
Learning how to fall
safely is the primary purpose of the Fearless Falling classes.
For
any questions, or more information on safe falling, email:
fearlessfallinginfo@gmail.com
Central
Ohio Safe Falling Classes
2025 Summer Classes
The
Falling classes last one hour, and include a safe warm-up, balance and
Tai Chi movement exercises, and simulated falls practiced on
thick mats.
It is no more difficult than the typical senior group exercise class. Most of the basic class material
is repeated in each of the 6-8 classes in the session. There is one class per week, and you can start a class or two
behind and still catch up easily.
Registration for classes usually opens about a week before the first class.
Whetstone Community
Center
3923 N. High Street,
Columbus Ohio
(614)
645-3217
Summer classes started on June 13th
Search class list for "falling"
Worthington Griswold Center
777 High
Street,
Worthington,
OH
43085
(614) 842-6320
Summer classes started on June 9th
Mondays, 2:30pm
Worthington
Griswold online registration
Search class list for "falling"
Westerville
Community Center
350
N. Cleveland Ave., Westerville, OH 43082
(614)
901-6560
Summer classes start on July 23rd
Wednesdays, 3:00pm
Westerville
online registration
Search class list for "falling"
What is the Fearless Falling
Program?
Based
on Tai Chi movement skills and Kung-fu wrestling falling
techniques, Fearless Falling
classes will teach you how to prevent falls and how to
protect yourself as much
as possible if you have an accidental fall. The basic
skills of falling safely are not difficult, but like any
physical skills, they must be practiced to
be learned well. Just as important, practicing the falling
motion in a safe way on soft mats reduces the FEAR of falling.
Fear stiffens us up and slows our responses -- having a
strong
fear of falling makes you more
likely to have a serious fall!
Martial arts students, gymnasts, skaters, skiers, wrestlers,
and other
athletes learn specific falling methods for their arts. Most
of
these techniques are very useful if you have a sudden accidental fall.
Some
martial arts, like Judo and Jujutsu, strike the ground with
an outstretched arm (shown left) to help absorb
some of the shock. But
this method is problematic off the mats,
where concrete and uneven surfaces abound, and requires accurate timing
to be effective.
We teach a
modified method from Shuai Chiao Kungfu, where your arms pull in and
wrap
protectively around your head. But, details aside, any
training
in proper falling techniques is better than NONE. Just as
basic swimming
instruction can prepare you for an accidental plunge into water, basic
falling methods can prepare you for an accidental fall.
The Fearless Falling
class will provide you with information and actual practice
of
some basic survival skills. These simple
self-protection skills prepare you for common situations and
can prevent a trip to the hospital or even save your life. In
addition to falling skills, we cover balance, coordination,
and mental awareness. Tai Chi practice has been shown in
several scientific studies to improve balance and awareness of
both your own body and the surrounding environment. These
abilities are key to the prevention
of falls.
Fearless
Falling
starts with very low and easy
movements such as rocking back and forth on the floor, for
example, and
progresses gradually to more advanced levels. You will practice getting
up and down from floor level -- with assistance as needed.
The actual falling
skills are practiced on a very thick (12-14") soft mat.
It's like sitting down on a low bed.
As
your skills improve the
challenges
will increase, but you will
never
be forced into a dangerous or threatening
situation
in the class.
One of the most important rules of
falling is very simple:
JUST
SIT DOWN !
Important
note: this is a demonstration of a controlled fall
to floor level without
the normal training mat.
Remember: Tuck,
Sit, & Roll.
* Click here
for the basic Lesson *
Instructional Fearless
Falling videos from the 2020 Central Ohio Primary Care presentation:
How to Prevent Falls
How to Fall
Safely
-- Click on pictures for YouTube videos --
Videos courtesy of Andrew Brantley, Central Ohio
Primary Care
--- Some
Sobering Statistics ---
If you are 65 or older,
you have a 1 in 4 chance of
having an accidental fall this year.
Images from the Ohio Department of Health Special Emphasis
Report: Fall Injuries among Older Adults 2005-2014
* * Click HERE for the Full
Report * *
The
most common serious injury from falling is a hip fracture.
More than 24 percent of all people suffering a hip fracture die
within a year of falling, and another 50 percent never return to
their prior level of mobility and independence.
Most
fatal falls occur at home.
The National
Safety Council reports that 54 percent of all falling-related
deaths
of
older people are caused by seniors falling down at home,
and 20 percent of those fatal falls occur in residential institutions.
According
to the American
Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS),
accidental falls
are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries in the US,
and the primary
cause of fatal injuries for Americans 65 and older.
Most
injuries come
from striking a hard floor.
The number of fatal falls among older Ohioans
increased
more than 202 percent from 2000-2015.
~ Ohio Department of Health
Every
week,
accidental falls send 60,000 adults
to the emergency room, and over 400 die as a result.
Don't be a victim of
gravity! Learn the basics, and it will be valuable for the
rest of your
life.
