It's amazing how muscle memory works.
For the first time since childhood, I actually lost my balance and fell. Was walking into a bookstore with sidekick and I somehow stubbed my toe on the curb. Had too much forward momentum to regain my balance so I fell,
Many, many years before, I was heavily into judo. Most of our early classes were being grabbed, sometimes unaware, and slammed into the ground. There was a purpose to this. Once you instinctively know how to land, taking the shock with your arm/shoulder and leg, you're golden. Eventually, you can reverse it and throw the other guy without thinking.
Well, when I fell, it all kicked in. Leg. Arm.
Sidekick thought it was pretty badass that a 240 pound 50 plus guy could fall onto a concrete patio and emerge without even a bruise.