Run Safer Tip: How to Fall
Running is an incredibly popular fitness activity for millions of people around the world. It can produce amazing health benefits including weight loss and decreased stress levels. For the most part it is also a primarily solitary activity, where each runner can find themselves miles from home, lost in their own thoughts or blasting music through their headphones. There are countless stories in the newspapers and on the TV news shows about runners, primarily women who have been harassed or even worse.
For those runners who must run alone, perhaps early in the morning before sunrise or later in the evening after dusk, it's important to be aware of the potential hazzards that come along with that relaxing solitary run. The countless stories of runners being attacked should be a cautionary tale for runners of all genders. It's imperative to be able to protect oneself if the need arises.
Former Olympic team member is long distance running, Todd Williams who also happens to be a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt has created a resource known as Run Safer which will give you the practical, distilled knowledge of his years of self-defense training through his jiu jitsu black belt. These simple to implement techniques are tools that ideally, we never have to use, but if the situation arises, they can save your life.
In the video below, Todd Williams breaks down the proper reaction in the event that someone accosts you during a run, pushing you to the ground. Sadly, the bad guy's game plan is going to include an element of surprise and a way to slow you down when you're running. This may include them pushing you to the ground.
Run Safe Key Point--Tuck your chin
If someone surprises you and pushes you backwards, one of the worst things you can do is simply fall. It is important to tuck your chin towards your chest as tightly as you possibly can as you fall back. If you do nothing else, this simple action can save your life. If you do not, you could risk hitting your head off the ground or surface and potentially be knocked unconscious.
Run Safe Key Point--High five the ground
A second key point from Todd Williams' video above is that as you tuck your chin and fall backwards, it is important to "high five" or smack the ground with open hands. This is an adaptation of a judo take down reaction where the force of the fall is dissipated and not localized in an area where you can be injured. So by falling back and "high fiving" the ground, the force of the fall is less likely to break your arm, elbows, or hands which would make continued defense much harder.
At the end of the day, it's important to be able to enjoy your running and get all of the benefits you are looking for, but to also be safe while you are doing it. We go out and purchase our expensive shoes and clothing, we buy those expensive GPS watches, why don't we invest in our own safety. And instead of spending the next 10 years working on a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, why not check out the great resource that Olympic team member Todd Williams has created for you.
To learn more about the Runsafer program and how it can help keep you safe while you're out enjoying a run, check it out on sale here at Fanatics Self Defense!
