Breakfalling is quite a simple business and shouldn't take much time to master. The following are few exercises to be mastered before taking an actual throw.

1. Lie on the back, head up off the mat with the chin almost touching the chest, arms held across the body. Now starting with either arm beat the mat with the whole arm down to the flat palm and then with the other arm and so on alternately. Try to get a slight roll to the side which you are beating. The idea of beating the mat is to absorb some of the shock that the back takes. In a heavy throw the arm hits the mat as hard as possible. The arm should not be too rigid or too limp but with just enough firmness to hit the mat hard without damaging the elbows. The position for starting and beating the mat can be seen in plate 151. This is quite a simple exercise and can be learnt after a minute or two.