TKD and learning to fall

[KarateKen]

When I trained TKD (it was WTF style) we were never taught how to fall correctly.  I learned that when I switched to Hapkido.  Is this a common thing in TKD? If so, why is it that learning to break fall is not a taught in some TKD training?  It is a very helpful skill to have both on and off the mat.  

[Revario]

I am not a TKD practitioner myself. But my wild guess is that WTF practice it more as a sport then Martial Art focused on defense. Break falls are not important in competition. I had such a moment of realisation when sparring Kickboxing people who had great skills but didn't knew how to fall. As they explained to me, they do sport, I do Martial Arts. Certain things are not covered as not needed in competition setting. 

[JazzKicker]

I think to be a well trained martial artist of any type, you need to learn to fall- especially if you're a kicker!

I started out with judo as a kid, and my first karate teacher was also a renowned Olympic Judo coach, so it's always been in my toolkit. But yeah, in TSD it wasn't covered much, either, and when I started Hapkido we did breakfalls, though with some differences.

[bushido_man96]

Probably due to the sport aspect.  I've always had instructors that worked in some of the self-defense aspects, and we always learned how to fall, if even rudimentarily.  In Aikido, we spend a lot more time on ukemi, and it's a different level of attention to detail.

[aurik]

I consider ukemi to be one of the absolutely most important lessons I ever learned in martial arts.  It literally saved my life once.  About 15 years ago, I was visiting family near Aspen, CO.  I was carrying a large box in both hands on an icy patch of ground.  My feet slipped out from underneath me, and I went from vertical to horizontal in an instant.  If I had not known instinctively to land flat on my back with my chin tucked firmly to my chest, I would likely not be here today.