Falling on Ice Kilted

[BoldHighlander]

I'm glad your okay & on the mend Ron!

In all my years of practicing martial arts (25+), the most useful self-defence move I have ever learned is the "break-fall." It's what allows people in grappling arts like judo and aikido to be thrown on the ground and get right back up.

I've used break-falls in several incidents involving ice on the ground and managed to avoid cuts or bruises!

Something like that came into play many moons ago when I was studying aikijitsu, and I slipped on some ice covered steps in front of my roshi & landed as he had instructed me without injury. He was very proud

Another time, on a green broke horse, I was thrown clear of the saddle over his head. The ground was frozen rock solid, and, coming down head first, a very bad & nasty wreck was in the off'ing!
In that split second I thought of actor Christopher Reeves horse related spinal injury (I kid you not!) and my friend said I tucked and rolled, landing on my shoulders instead of the top of the head or the neck (I was still badly beaten up, but walked away).

Muscle memory I guess

(I wish it had helped when I severely tore my calf muscle two winters ago! )