He nods. "It's a trick to get the hang of it. It feels like going against instinct, but humans are kind of stupid that way, evolution-wise. It gets better with practice, and don't feel bad if you don't get it right away. That's why we're practicing on mats."

"Breathing out before impact is another thing that seems a bit counter-intuitive. It makes you more relaxed, and less likely to get hurt. And if you can, it helps to kind of fold your body into itself." He demonstrates as he talks, in deliberate slo-mo of course. Bending ankles first, then knees, then at the waist, kind of a controlled collapse. "Doing this shortens the distance you have to fall."