On Sunday afternoons in a quiet sunlit community hall in Kalihi, Bill Doi teaches old folks how to fall.

Of course, he also teaches them how not to fall. The 76-year-old aikido black belt demonstrates gentle strength exercises and stretching, and he talks about being aware of one’s surroundings to prevent falling, but he incorporates principles of aikido to teach people what to do when it happens.

“We’re all going to fall. It’s inevitable,” Clarise Ikeno says. Ikeno trains at the Aikido Ohana dojo with Doi and helps run the Sunday class. “The main thing is to not break anything.”

For the last six weeks, about 10 dedicated seniors have come to the Higashi Hongwanji social center on Alaneo Street to practice, over and over, what to do if they fall. The idea is to get so accustomed to the proper movements that it becomes instinctual.

“It’s not ‘brace to fall.’ It’s ‘reach to fall.’ That’s really important,” Doi tells the class.

Ikeno’s mother fell recently. She had learned the techniques. Though she got some bruises, she remembered to protect her head and wasn’t seriously injured.

“Old-time aikido guys will always have the story of the time they fell and didn’t get hurt,” Doi tells the class.

Doi’s own story is a doozy. He was standing on a concrete wall 7 feet high, trying to pick a jabong from his tree.

“I thought, ‘I can reach that with a rope.’” As he was pulling at the fruit, the rope slipped, and he ended up falling onto the crushed gravel below. He lay there for a moment — he tells the class that if they fall, they shouldn’t hurry to get up, but instead should relax and and assess for injuries — but he was fine. “Not a scratch on me,” he said. “I don’t remember turning. But that’s the whole point.”

Kevin Yamakawa, also an instructor, came to class with his mother. As she practiced rolling on the mat, he teased her. “You fall like a bag of rice. A big bag of rice,” he said. She laughed.

The 45-minute class is casual, positive and matter-of-fact. Students just show up, sign a waiver and participate as they are able. The floor of the hall is covered with soft mats. If more students show up, more mats are pulled out.

Doi demonstrates how to minimize the impact of a fall, how to turn your hand so the arm can act like a shock absorber, how to protect against breaking your elbow. He shows how to bend the knees, protect the spine and roll.

“Sometimes, cannot help. It happens so fast. But if you can lower yourself and roll, you’ll be that much better off.”

The class is a community service provided by the Aikido Ohana. It’s free — no fees whatsoever — and the schedule is ongoing.

Doi thinks it should be a “forever” activity as people age. “It would be best if this class became a regularly scheduled part of their lives, similar to taking yoga or martial arts classes.”

Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.