# You are falling from a high distance. Maximize your chance of survival how? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110 "2012-03-08T03:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/21 "2012-03-08T16:47:04Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > This has been demonstrated on a show that goes around searching for superhuman abilities (I forget the name), and analyze the claims. One person claimed to have a superhuman ability to highdive into very shallow water. What they concluded was his ability was not superhuman, but a learned skill. What he would do is have his hands hit the water first creating waves and airspaces in the water. Then when his belly flop hit it didn’t hit a solid surface allowing much more deceleration time and plenty of space for the water to get out of the way, at least initially. How high was this? I found [this guy on YouTube,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A1oCsPM7pw) who bellyflops into a foot of water from a height of 36 feet. His speed at impact is about 33 MPH; assuming he uses the entire 12 inches of water to decelerate, his average decel is about 36 g’s. That’s a lot, but if the force is distributed in a reasonably uniform manner, it’s apparently tolerable (OTOH, 36 g’s delivered by a passenger-car seat belt is going to injure you). One question: Has bellyflopping from 36 feet _without_ doing anything exceptional with your hands been shown to reliably cause injury (not just pain, but real physiological damage)? If not, then it seems doubtful that the technique you describe really does anything beneficial. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/22 "2012-03-08T18:28:59Z")
I remember reading somewhere that if you are falling into water go feet first, and that it is also a good idea to clench your sphincter to prevent a high-pressure enema. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/23 "2012-03-08T18:46:17Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > How high was this? I found [this guy on YouTube,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A1oCsPM7pw) who bellyflops into a foot of water from a height of 36 feet. His speed at impact is about 33 MPH; assuming he uses the entire 12 inches of water to decelerate, his average decel is about 36 g’s. That’s a lot, but if the force is distributed in a reasonably uniform manner, it’s apparently tolerable (OTOH, 36 g’s delivered by a passenger-car seat belt is going to injure you). > > One question: Has bellyflopping from 36 feet _without_ doing anything exceptional with your hands been shown to reliably cause injury (not just pain, but real physiological damage)? If not, then it seems doubtful that the technique you describe really does anything beneficial. Not sure, but this link shows the guy’s technique with his hands (after the animation): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xPWQNKJUel4/hqdefault.jpg "Professor Splash High Diving into Shallow Water") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPWQNKJUel4) In your utube link it appears like in second 16 that he may bring his arms/elbows into the water first. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/24 "2012-03-08T19:08:46Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > This has been demonstrated on a show that goes around searching for superhuman abilities (I forget the name), and analyze the claims. That would be [Superhuman.](http://www.history.com/shows/stan-lees-superhumans/episodes#slide-6)😃 The diver in question is Darren Taylor, AKA [Professor Splash;](http://www.professorsplash.com/) he is indeed the fellow featured in the video I linked to upthread. [Here’s slo-mo video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XpOEJRfVfA) of his landing, from a different program (Time Warp, where they, um, show slo-mo video of things). I don’t think the hand action does anything for his body, but it _may_ help decelerate his skull a bit more gently. [Here’s his segment from the “Superhuman” program.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYkU21xBgpU) BTW, he’s not the first person to do this kind of thing. As a little kid I remember seeing [Henri LaMothe](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1089576/index.htm) doing similar belly-flops [at the age of 70.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhpT3uDelQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=399s) Can’t tell from the video whether he’s doing anything with his hands similar to what Professor Splash does. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/25 "2012-03-08T19:48:24Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > That would be [Superhuman.](http://www.history.com/shows/stan-lees-superhumans/episodes#slide-6)😃 > > The diver in question is Darren Taylor, AKA [Professor Splash;](http://www.professorsplash.com/) he is indeed the fellow featured in the video I linked to upthread. > > [Here’s slo-mo video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XpOEJRfVfA) of his landing, from a different program (Time Warp, where they, um, show slo-mo video of things). I don’t think the hand action does anything for his body, but it _may_ help decelerate his skull a bit more gently. > > [Here’s his segment from the “Superhuman” program.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYkU21xBgpU) > > BTW, he’s not the first person to do this kind of thing. As a little kid I remember seeing [Henri LaMothe](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1089576/index.htm) doing similar belly-flops [at the age of 70.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhpT3uDelQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=399s) Can’t tell from the video whether he’s doing anything with his hands similar to what Professor Splash does. Thanks, that shows some great shots at this. In all the videos it appears like all have used hands/arms to pre-enter the water. I think we have to assume there is some reason for it. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/26 "2012-03-08T19:57:22Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > I remember reading somewhere that if you are falling into water go feet first, and that it is also a good idea to clench your sphincter to prevent a high-pressure enema. It’s _always_ a good idea to clench your sphincter. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/27 "2012-03-08T20:25:56Z")
Mythbusters has shown that landing in water is a LOT better than concrete. Still, at high enough altitude, it may not matter. ---
**Author:** ![bonitahi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7993a0/32.png) [@bonitahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonitahi)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110/28 "2012-03-09T00:11:17Z")
Do you carry a cell phone? How high would the fall be? If you have the time try calling some government agency for help. What have you got to lose? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-falling-from-a-high-distance-maximize-your-chance-of-survival-how/615110.md?page=1)