I could hear the instructions!  "I did have a fall on the other day.  My small dogs (2) got caught up between my feet and the foot of their little gate.  I could hear the instructions of how to sit, slide, tuck my head and roll.  I was able to flow with the motion using what I have learned in class.  I did not hit my head, that was teh first thing I assessed.  Thank you to all the instructors and their patience.  Now if I could be as fluid in class."  - WD

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Presentation participant - "Thanks, you saved me from a serious injury. I don't know how I remembered, but I also automatically went low and bent my knee. I still can't believe that in an instant I did what you demonstrated. If I fell back, I would have fallen on my back and hit my head on the concrete floor. I am very grateful. "  - LK

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"Wanted to let you know how grateful I am for taking your class.  A week ago, I was at my daughter’s wedding and I, being my mom’s caregiver, thought I was watching her carefully on her walker.  In an instant, my eyes left her and she started falling backwards.  Because I had just taken your class this summer, I instinctively got behind her and went with the fall protecting both our heads and no injuries!  I did the backward roll!! Luckily it wasn’t a hard pavement but it could have been catastrophic.  Mahalo for your guidance and passion for teaching us safe falling techniques, it really was a lifesaver!"  - J

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"After 5 weeks of being in the Safe Falling class, I fell while walking with friends.  The sidewalk was slippery, my right leg shot out in front of me, and I found myself on the ground (I landed on my okole and with one knee bent toward my midline), with a painful and bloody knee and one badly skinned finger.  

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After I cleaned off at home, I assessed what had happened.  Had I been aware of my surroundings?  Not so much.  Did I break anything?  No, I did not.  Did I hit my head or land on my face?  Again, I did not.

 

Bottom line is that the principles and the practice of Safe Falling helped protect me.  My injuries were minimal – I didnʻt miss a single class – and in under three weeks, I am now back to normal.

 

Thank you, excellent Kupuna Aikido instructors!  I learned and am still learning my lessons!!"  - M 

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"I am one of the students that attended the 4 pm Safe Falling Class which started on October 1 of last year and want to share the following with you:
 
I went jogging with my husband last Sunday at the Ala Moana Beach Park.  After coming out from Magic Island, we turned left and continued to run on the pedestrian sidewalk.  Suddenly I tripped and began to fall forward.  As I was coming down, I remembered what the 3 instructors had taught me – go low,  turn your shoulders and roll.  That was what I did.  After the roll, I looked up from the ground and saw my husband.  I got up telling him I was ok.  He then became busy explaining to the bystanders that I attended a Safe Falling class recently and that class saved me.  I didn’t have any broken/sprained wrists or any scratches at all. We were so happy!
 
I want to let you know how appreciative I am with what the instructors and all their assistants teach.  I had fallen several times before and resulted in sprained wrists, arms, ankles, cuts and scratches.  Had I not taken this class and learned how to fall, I would most probably end up with injuries again!"  - T

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"We are writing this letter to support the valuable "safe falling" lessons that one can learn by participating in the SAFE FALLING CLASSES offered by Kupuna Aikido Hawaii.

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After attending the classes we have become aware of several important actions that can help prevent serious injury:

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1. The importance of recognizing potential falling hazards, requiring one to be alert and focused while walking. For example, we now use handrails whenever we are going up and down stairs.

2. We have learned how to fall to protect us from broken bones in the face, head and hips.

3. We have installed grab bars to help us enter and leave the shower safely.

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We strongly recommend the SAFE FALLING CLASSES to help others avoid not only injury but serious medical costs as a result of injury."  - S. &  J.

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"It is common knowledge that kupuna falls lead to diminished quality of life, and often hasten death. An accidental trip, stumble and fall can instantaneously transform a healthy, vibrant elders’ life from one of independence and social involvement to disability, dependence, social isolation, depression and premature death.

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Prevention programs teach us to install good lighting, discard loose rugs, and provide clear pathways to ambulate without hazards. Exercise programs teach us balance, coordination and muscle strengthening. However, no program teaches you what to do when you fall. This is the genius of Kupuna Aikido, and what separates it from existing programs. Kupuna Aikido teaches me what to do when I fall, despite all my preventive measures."  - J

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"On the first day of my recent trip to South Africa, I slipped and fell on a misty damp day at Table Mountain in Capetown. On the aggregate concrete pathway I came across a smooth, large, flat and slightly elevated stone that I was not able to avoid and step over. Being very mindful, I checked to see if it was safe to step on making sure it wasn’t slippery.  Lo and behold, when I put my weight on my R foot to free the L foot to take the next step forward, I slipped and rolled over as taught in the Aikido Kupuna class I had taken. I walked away from the fall injury and pain free and enjoyed the rest of my trip. Thank you, Kupuna Aikido!"  - Lois

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"There were 40 in attendance (at your free presentation) and they could not have enough of your enthusiasm, your concern for Kupuna's balance, circulation, mobility and  the memory of falling right to decrease fractures and injuries, not avoiding scratches, by your explicit demonstration of turning the body, lowering self slowly, and protecting the head.  How?  Awareness, Balance and Control...If all your volunteer instructors are like both of you, you people will and have left “tracks” and inspired all whom you’ve come in contact with along life’s road."  - KBC            

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"Took a fall kneeling on my bed I leaned over to retrieve something that had fallen on the floor, tipped past my center of gravity and safely executed your safe falling technique instead of landing on my head when I toppled over. That was after my second class !!!  Many thanks.  This is a great class."  - CK  

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"I slipped and broke my wrist.  Thanks to two classes, my head hit my bicep. My bicep, shoulder and the side of my thigh have a huge bruise.  No broken head or whiplash.  Thank you for the classes."  - S

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 "I was coming into the laundry room.  It's a narrow but comfortable path to the door.  I have tools along the side.  The floor is rough cement.  I didn't trip on anything.  But, before I knew it, I was falling.  All I could think was OMG, my face will be hitting that cement.  There was no way of breaking my fall.  When my fall was complete, I couldn't believe it?  My left arm had gone straight out like I was trained in class.  But, in the four years since class, i had not practiced falling.  Due to monpei pants and a long sleeve shirt, I pulled myself up with no scratches to my face or sustained injury.  I find it difficult still to believe how I fell with my left arm stretched out, preventing me from direct contact with the rough cement floor, especially after four years."  - F

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"A student's husband reported that his wife fell from a slippery floor in COSTCO.  As she was falling, all she remembered was to turn.  She ended up with a hematoma near her knee and bruises on her hip and hand.  Nothing broken and no major injury.  I asked the husband what he thought about it.  He said it was a win.  If she had not remembered to turn, even though it was late, she would have hit the floor face first with some major injury.  The following week, the wife came back to class."  - D