# Falling really hurts...



## Funkfish (Apr 3, 2015)

I'm not sure if there's anything I can do about this but regardless if I fall while in the middle of a fast run, or I fall on my butt while strapping in my bindings it hurts the same, which is a lot. 

I'm guessing this is because I'm 6'5" 220 so I have a longer way to fall. I grabbed some impact shorts but it feels like it doesn't help that much. Its one of the biggest things that is preventing me from progressing my riding. I'm scared to practice riding switch or simple straight airs because falling sucks so much. Is it just me? Any advice? (I should mention I'm riding in the east)


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Honestly, sounds like you just need to suck it up.

With that said, as I get older, the falls hurt more and more. I've definitely learned to pick my spots. I ride a lot differently on a pow day with soft landings than I do on boilerplate hardpack days.


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

Some people have the gift of falling gracefully, some people don't. If I'm paying any attention at all I'm usually able to do some pretty good stunt man rolls and bounce right up pretty good for my age. It's when I get lazy and caught off guard that the jolt usually hurts in the mid section area some where.


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## timmytimmytimmy (Feb 19, 2013)

Funkfish said:


> I'm not sure if there's anything I can do about this but regardless if I fall while in the middle of a fast run, or I fall on my butt while strapping in my bindings it hurts the same, which is a lot.


Plenty of hard pack and ice in the east. 

My only recommendation would be to ride slower, and strap in your bindings sitting down. Falls will always hurt and the ones that come out of nowhere hurt the most, so anything you can do to stay as in control as possible and be aware of the board's edges will help you be a better ride, and fall less. Good riders fall too, but I do think they also can feel when their board is potentially at its limit or losing control and slow down/correct to prevent a crash.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Depending on the type of fall. Some are worse than others. Edge slip out fall not a big deal. Slamming backside down the hill off the kink rail I did early season....F'd me up !!! 

I ride midwest concrete as well, very comparable to East Coast Ice. 
I"m not afraid to gear up depending on my riding for the day. 

I have and wear what I need:
helmet
wrist gaurds
Azzpaddz
knee pads
Chest/Back protector
Mouth Gaurd

Not embarassed to show them either. Was a pic floating around one of my threads with me all armored up and safe. Plus like foobar said some of the falls can be lessened by knowing how to fall and go with the fall. Tuck and roll or slide, whatever it takes. Some come out of now where and bite you in the ass and those do hurt for a while as we all know.


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## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

Learning how to fall properly is key. Just had my last weekend at the hill and ate shit probably two dozen times. Nose diving off drops, catching an edge on jump landings, hitting some chop too fast, running into trees etc... Not once did it hurt enough to slow me down from getting back up.

This makes me sound like a bad rider... haha


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

ryannorthcott said:


> This makes me sound like a bad rider... haha


If you're not falling you're not trying. The only way to improve is to push your limits and when you're pushing your limits you're gonna do some falling.


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## ryannorthcott (Dec 17, 2010)

linvillegorge said:


> If you're not falling you're not trying. The only way to improve is to push your limits and when you're pushing your limits you're gonna do some falling.


Mainly I struggle with the idea that my skills are in decline since I used to ride 30+ days/year when now I'm lucky to get 10... So I try to prove to myself I can still do the things I used to do, when really I can't.  :injured:

Still havin fun though! Don't think that will go away

To the OP, once you progress I think you'll find that you will stop falling on your ass, and other parts will take the brunt of the force. I haven't had one of those devastating butt crunchers in years, not sure when or why that stopped but now when I bail I tend to roll naturally with the momentum I already have, or if I'm on a heel edge slip out I will be so low that when I do make contact with the snow it doesn't really hurt.


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

ryannorthcott said:


> To the OP, once you progress I think you'll find that you will stop falling on your ass, and other parts will take the brunt of the force. I haven't had one of those devastating butt crunchers in years, not sure when or why that stopped but now when I bail I tend to roll naturally with the momentum I already have, or if I'm on a heel edge slip out I will be so low that when I do make contact with the snow it doesn't really hurt.


Yeah same here. I find that if I fall it's because I've arsed out on my heel edge and I then quickly get back up while sliding and pretend nothing happened :happy:


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## stillz (Jan 5, 2010)

+1 for falling properly. I think martial arts break fall techniques help a lot. Try to take a small hit everywhere rather than a big hit anywhere.

Is the martial arts concept of a breakfall scientifically sound? - Quora

While on a snowboard, you can also use your edge as you fall to dissipate even more energy. That's what we're doing: bringing our kinetic energy to zero in the least damaging and painful way possible. Obviously some nasty falls will still hurt, but you can reduce the damage a lot with good defensive falling technique.


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## essie52 (Mar 19, 2014)

Another vote for the Azzpadz. Hubby broke his tailbone two years ago. Neither of us will go without an Azzpadz now.


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## Crankthat (Feb 9, 2014)

Bruise your butt falling and it will stay tender for a while.
Makes every other fall hurt also until it heals.
Possibly your armored shorts would work better after you heal?

I busted my tailbone one year and was hurting every time I bumped it or sat to strap.
Never heard of Azzpads before.
Wish I had thought of something like that before it happened.
Bought some cheap knee pads from home depot and instead of falling back to strap in I would go forward then sit from there.
Came in handy waiting for friends on the slope or watching landings.
Helped with keeping knees comfy and dry.
Liked it better the sitting. 

Nowadays I don't fall as often as skip and slide across the ice.
And when I do bail on a landing it never seem to be my ass that hits first.

Nothing wrong with a bit of armor.
Most you can fit under your gear and it's not even noticeable.
Just make sure you have free movement and its not likely to hang up on your gear.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

stay loose and go with it...crumple, tumble, roll and slide

hit with the biggest and softest body part, shoulder, torso, thigh and butt cheek (not the tail bone)

hit at an angle...so you glance and slide...not direct and stop

falling back on to da butt...actively try to sit at an angle and on to one of your butt cheeks...not the tailbone

falling forward...drop in the knees... and hit at a collapsible/glancing angle...and let your quad, hip, torso roll into the hit

don't use your arms...Period...chicken wing your arms up to your chest, elbows glued to your ribs and bring up you fist to hold the mammies...this will help prevent...shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist, rib injuries...because it's spreading the impact while also supporting or backing these body parts against the torso...while also protecting the innards. You still might end up with a broken upper or fore arm...but it will likely be a clean break which will be alot easier to deal with then some of the other potential joint breaks and ligament damage.


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

linvillegorge said:


> Honestly, sounds like you just need to suck it up.
> 
> With that said, as I get older, the falls hurt more and more. I've definitely learned to pick my spots. I ride a lot differently on a pow day with soft landings than I do on boilerplate hardpack days.


Funkfish I'm a heavier and a shorter than you, but mostly the same size, and I agree with linvillegorge. I'm a bit of bomber when I ride, and I have had some "interesting," crashes to say the least. Concussions, walking with a limp, etc. have all been apart of the game for me. Thankfully no hospital trips, although you could have argued I should have gone for a few of the head shots. 

Falling hurts...learn the better ways to fall, no your limits, if you want get some pads, but if you want to progress you are going to crash.


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## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

Learn how to fall and work on your general strength / fitness in the gym


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## francium (Jan 12, 2013)

Suck it up princess. :hairy:


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## Extazy (Feb 27, 2014)

Funny For me it never really hurts that bad when I ride. It hurts later that evening or next day when adrenaline is gone. 

My worst fall this season was from landing on my shoulder from medium kicker. I just got up and did 2 jumps that were below the one I fell from. Then I went to get some food, and after that my shoulder started hurt a lot. Even jumping from small bump with no ollie hurt to the point of tears. But oh well I was riding 3 days after that. No medium jumps of course for like 1,5 month.


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

Extazy said:


> Funny For me it never really hurts that bad when I ride. It hurts later that evening or next day when adrenaline is gone.


For me it is after I sober up.


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