Falling Never Looked So Good
I always worry about falling. I have a scary history with stairs. If I had a clip sequence to show you all the near-fatal stair misses... you would laugh. Or be terrified that I go down stairs at all.
But falling is part of walking. It's truly only natural. People fall all the time and perhaps because I am a constant 'near miss', I find falling fascinating.
Take for example this clip. Wait til 00:12-- I have seen this movie numerous times and burst out laughing every time Phillip Seymour Hoffman walks in. Now that I've found this clip, I have watched it an embarrassing number of times on repeat but take a moment for yourself.
Oh, I love it.
But just like PSH, we have to 'go with the fall'. Granted sometimes the fall can catch us by surprise and there is simply no time to react. Other times, people will try and prevent the fall from happening but we sometimes have a choice in how we go down.
Put yourself into a 'slippery' situation...
You have just stepped in dog poop and are balancing on one foot as you hop to grass where you can wipe off your shoe. Just then, your knee isn't so happy with this pogo stick dance and you begin to fall.
You can either:
A) Scream, stiffen the body, and stretch your hands out in front of you to stop the fall.
B) Scream, relax the body, and begin a soft landing.
Easier said than done, of course. Clearly, you will release a verbal squeak of some sort, but as you go down, imagine rolling with the momentum that is taking you down and you can't fight it. Many, who fall and really hurt themselves, go against the gravitational flow. Those who don't hurt themselves, find a way to roll. You'll still bang yourself up but hopefully, you won't sprain or break your wrist. Don't use your hands to brace yourself.
Be sure to soften the body and imagine yourself rolling out of a moving truck. If you are falling, go down with a purpose, stuntman style!
Good Luck.
