Is there a correct way to fall?

[Trek420]

You can, if tipping over, try to remember to keep your hands and arms in though - wrists and collar bones are fairly fragile and can break if you stiff arm the ground.

The concept is the same as a martial arts fall that is "If you can see your hands they are not behind you". Your instinct in a fall is put your hand out to stop the fall but think for a moment. What's your weight? Plus bike and gear? Now in motion with momentum if someone dropped that on you can you stop that mass and hold it up?

Probably not.

But your hips and the long bones are relatively stronger. Let them take the fall.

There's no time to think in a fall so lots of this is instinctive but Velogirl was telling me that instinctively many of us do things to avoid road rash, we avoid sliding or rolling and go for the sudden fall. Well road rash heals, it's the sudden abrupt fall that results in broken bones and worse internal injury.

If you get a chance with instruction, feedback and support, know someone with M.A. experience and can practice rolls in a safe place like lawn, mats or in a dojo practice and make it a habit.