At each and every event, gymnasts and coaches need to understand where the danger spots are for each skill and plan for the possibility of falls. Indeed, it is a good idea to practice the falls so that the experience of falling is not alien, unexpected and totally new.
Practice falls before you need to
In the case of landing, there are a number of landing positions that must be practiced. Falls should be practiced for front and back rotation skills and for lower and upper rotation skills.
Use protective mats for safe fall practice
All falls and turns must be practiced on mats. There is no point in risking injury training to prevent injury.
Shoulder roll off the fronts
For front jump skills with excessive rotation, forward shoulder movements are one method of using excess rotation safely. Shoulder turns are used instead of forward turns to prevent the body from rolling over the head and neck. The shoulders should be practiced on both sides for complete safety preparation.
Practice frontal falls like in Tramp
Another possible landing from an overrun front is a front drop onto the carpet. You’ll want to practice being able to do a front drop on the mat like you would on a trampoline. You should be able to land flat and not in an arch to avoid possible back injury.
Half the turns of the front drops are safer
Another landing to practice is a jump to a front drop with a half turn to a back drop. Sometimes it can be advantageous to avoid landing head-on, so you’ll want to learn to cross in front of your chest in order to turn so you can land on your back.
Practice Judo Falls
In the case of a back landing, you should practice a judo landing where you hit the ground next to your body at exactly the same time your body hits the ground to stop or slow the momentum of the landing.
Protect your head and neck with arms
If you are leaning more towards the head and neck in a backward fall, you will want to hit the ground with your arms above your head. Again, the timing must be the exact time before the crash to stop or slow the momentum. You need to hit the floor with the same amount or more force that you are going to hit the floor with your body.
Deployment of skills backwards
You must also learn to roll your shoulders back and extend the range of your backward falls.
Prepare ahead of time for falls
There is no guarantee that in a real fall situation you will be able to use one of these or that your reflexes will not take over. But there will be situations where having practiced falls can make a difference and it makes sense to spend some time preparing to be ready.