THE ROLL PROGRESSION : Page 30

BACKWARD ROLL

Fig. 8

SIT DOWN BACKWARD JUST BEHIND THE HEELS (b); PLACE HANDS ON MAT TO BREAK THE FALL (b);

QUICKLY PLACE HANDS BEHIND THE SHOULDERS WITH PALMS UP (c),

AND KEEP KNEES CLOSE TO CHEST IN A TUCK (d);

WHEN THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY IS ON THE HANDS, PUSH UP TO RELIEVE STRAIN ON THE NECK (e).

HINTS TO BEGINNERS: If you find it hard to drop down so far, it is sometimes better to learn the back roll from a squat as illustrated in Figure 9. Youngsters whose

arms and shoulders are not very strong should use the split-leg ending for the back roll, which is also illustrated in Figure 9.

BACKWARD ROLL