Running out of time!!

[willso 0]

Just over a year ago I had a hard landing on my arse, which compressed my vertebrea and my lower back has never been the same since (sore/aching). I haven't jumped since, but in the meantime purchased my own rig, intending to get back into it. I am keen to get up there and just do it, but 'something' is holding me back? I don't feel overly scared at all of the prospect of straping on the rig, flying to height and getting out. The landing has got me worried, BIG TIME. I have been offered a TA and feel greatful for that. And before the accident I thoroughly enjoyed it . It's probably pointless asking, but any advice on how to overcome my tentativeness and just do it?!? I think if it was my arm or leg I wouldn't be as concerned, but you only get one back and I have been told my the doc that if I happened to land like this again, I could end up in a wheelchair?!?!

Willso

[phoenixlpr 0]

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It's probably pointless asking, but any advice on how to overcome my tentativeness and just do it?!?

I've bruised my tail bone twice and broke my fibula.

It takes a while to get your confidence back.

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but you only get one back and I have been told my the doc that if I happened to land like this again, I could end up in a wheelchair?!?!

Just make sure that you don't do it again.

Anyone can make a mistake, but not learning from that and doing again???

[AFFI 0]

A) Don’t land on your “arse”, that’s what your feet are for.

B) Landing safely is an often overlooked aspect of this sport, and it is hard to learn – glad you found some respect for it.

C) I have had 3 major back surgeries, should have been in a wheelchair a long time ago. I have gear that is designed to open slower than normal, and take every precaution such as strict wind limits and continued training, but I still jump when I can. If skydiving is in your blood and you long to return, you will likely be back, just don’t fuck up by doing something stupid like landing on your ass again.

D) You are really going to feel the back pain 5 or 10 years from now, so smoke em if ya got em…

E) Be safe and enjoy!
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Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[skydiverek 56]

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I have gear that is designed to open slower than normal

Details, please

[AFFI 0]

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I have gear that is designed to open slower than normal

Details, please

I have a Stiletto, 135 and the slider that is on it is sized for a 170, it is the largest slider that PD was willing to sell me for this parachute, which they seemed reluctant to do but given my circumstances (2 large spinal tumors and a fusion), supplied me with a couple of them.

I have owned several Stilettos’, given that they are handmade; every parachute that comes down the line has a different personality. The 135 I have now has a great personality and with the larger slider opens incredibly soft & very forgiving.

I could move to just about any type of canopy I want, but need to make certain I fly something that will deliver enough performance for me to enjoy myself, but forgiving landings as well. I just can’t run out landings anymore and I need to be set down easy when I am hurting.
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Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[tdog 0]

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I have a Stiletto, 135

I jumped a Stiletto 150 for a few jumps. It was brisk opening... It shut down nicely on landing so I did not have to run barefoot (don't ask), but it opened quick (gave me a sore neck because I was looking up like a dumbass to see the canopy open) (I am used to the soft Katana openings I guess) Now I know Norman Kent jumps a Stiletto with dacron lines that makes it even softer... You might want to ask PD for the linesets that Norman uses too, if the slider mod is not enough???

[dharma1976 0]

here is what I will say having lived through that compressed/bulging disc thing...

1. spend 600 dollars on an elliptical for your home
2. Use it

It helped me enormously

Dave

http://www.skyjunky.com

CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing.

[Ironmanjay 0]

Coming off of a broken ankle at 25 jumps from landing wrong I know how you feel. Walking through our fears is not the easiest thing to do but for me I just have to walk through whatever Im afraid of and its usually not as bad as I think . NOW Im not too good of a skydiver to PLF, I had the "OH I can stand up every landing no problem" attitude and sometimes I cant, so it took me breaking my ankle to be humbled enough to know if I dont feel comfortable landing on my feet I PLF. SO my advice learn how to PLF and use it!!

[billvon 2,434]

>It's probably pointless asking, but any advice on how to overcome
>my tentativeness and just do it?

Well, first decide if you really want to do it. Another landing that hard may not have such a good outcome; a doctor is the best person to talk about with that. If you're willing to risk the wheelchair, then go for it. If not, then it's better to be on the ground regretting that you didn't jump than be in a wheelchair regretting you did.

[kallend 1,648]

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I have gear that is designed to open slower than normal

Details, please

I have a Stiletto, 135 and the slider that is on it is sized for a 170, it is the largest slider that PD was willing to sell me for this parachute, which they seemed reluctant to do but given my circumstances (2 large spinal tumors and a fusion), supplied me with a couple of them.

I have owned several Stilettos’, given that they are handmade; every parachute that comes down the line has a different personality. The 135 I have now has a great personality and with the larger slider opens incredibly soft & very forgiving.

I could move to just about any type of canopy I want, but need to make certain I fly something that will deliver enough performance for me to enjoy myself, but forgiving landings as well. I just can’t run out landings anymore and I need to be set down easy when I am hurting.
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My Stiletto150 has an oversize slider too, fitted by PD after I sent it back to have some test jumps made 'cos it opened too briskly for my liking.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[sundevil777 94]

Those that land on their ass tend to put their feet way out in front of them on landing. No way can you support yourself if your feet aren't under you.

Perhaps practice landings, where you run off of something 2 to 3 feet high and practice running it out would help.

On the rare landing I don't stand up, it always seems that I go down to my knees, which would be better for you than your ass.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[DSE 3]

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I have a Stiletto, 135

I jumped a Stiletto 150 for a few jumps. It was brisk opening... It shut down nicely on landing so I did not have to run barefoot (don't ask), but it opened quick (gave me a sore neck because I was looking up like a dumbass to see the canopy open) (I am used to the soft Katana openings I guess) Now I know Norman Kent jumps a Stiletto with dacron lines that makes it even softer... You might want to ask PD for the linesets that Norman uses too, if the slider mod is not enough???

It's not just the Dacron lines that Norman uses to make the opening softer, he also has several other actions during deployment to keep it very, very soft. He discusses them in his camera camps. Most of his secret is how he is managing his body just before, during, and immediately after deployment to soften it.
It works; I've tried his techniques. Takes some timing practice, but it works well.

[dorbie 0]

Ask your instructors to review PLFs and do several dozen of them. There's no reason to land hard on your butt even if you screw up your flare timing.

[sraja 0]

Coincidentally I had a hard landing on my arse too on jump #28. I wrote about it here in the 'Stupid things I have done' thread. That landing took a big chunk of my confidence away and I got back in the air 4 months later. Couple of things I did to make sure I was comfortable

1. Do a couple of coach jumps
2. Take the radio with me for flaring instructions
3. Jump in mild wind conditions - 10-12mph
4. Fly a large canopy

Hopefully doing some of these things will help comfort you like they did for me (atleast a wee bit). It boils down to just getting out there and doing it but then thats upto you.

[michalm21 0]

I landed on my butt on my jump #17 when demoing Sabre2 210. I jumped Navigator 260 and 240 before that.
I was so shocked how fast (or rather faster) it was, that I crashed on my ass
Luckily I didn't hurt myself.
I got up, packed and jumped it 3 more times

I was sore for the night (camped out too), and half of the next day.

[ladyhawke 0]

I had a really HARD (AND FAST) landing on my butt on jump #36, flying a Spectre 170. Scared the shit out of the DZ manager & everyone out there! The DZ manager said I was lucky I didn't break both legs! My legs and butt was so sore the rest of the day & the next day too. But, I jumped again that day because I just had to land it better the next time!!!!! Don't be afraid to try again. Remember your training (PLF!) and remember to always error on the safe side!

"It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities." - A. Dumbledore

[VideoFly 0]

I had two lower back discs removed several years before I started jumping. After about 900 jumps, I ruptured two lower back discs in a car accident, but have chosen to not have the blown discs removed. Additionally, hundreds of video jumps have helped to bulge a neck disc. Fortunately, concerning my lower back, I find that belly flying with a good arch provides me with the best relief of pain for days after jumping. Furthermore, I jump a slow-opening canopy and pack for smooth slow openings. Most importantly, at 50 years old, I bravely upsized my canopy, lost some belly fat, and moved toward more conservative landings. Moreover, I have learned to live with chronic back and leg pain and have found the psychological benefits of skydiving to be the best therapy for me. Of course, everyone is different, so do what is best for you.

[airtwardo 6]

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which compressed my vertebrae and my lower back has never been the same since (sore/aching).

First get some SERIOUS rehab advice and get to work making you back better.

Once it's as good as it's going to get...you have some decisions to make.

Understand your back isn't 'like' everybody else's and...

~Jump a big docile canopy and fly it very conservatively ...
and keep jumping for decades. (like me)


or


~Say fuck it... and do like 'spankey and the gang', and play Russian roulette with walking.


Most of my lower back is fused solid with 2 nine inch rods and 6 screws for the 'rough country' suspension.

I don't take extraordinary chances that may injury me, and if I DO see I'm not going to stand up, 1st option is a PLF, 2nd option is...
(and I'm not telling you to DO this, but it works for me)
I stick my left leg out at about a 45 and put some tension in it to help 'absorb' the landing shock, and I tuck my right leg kind under my butt and slide on it.

Really messes up that right side Sock & Shoe, but I try to pretty muck treat my back like it's glass and not bang it around at all if possible.


If you 'know' another way to save your butt, the tentativeness should go down some....

if not, what the hell...it rains 1/2 the weekends anyway.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[OSOK 0]

Can you tell us how this hard landing happened? Flared too early and let go, flared too late, etc?

[GrabGrass 0]

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if not, what the hell...it rains 1/2 the weekends anyway.

***

Is that a bowling joke?

~ "Pack Fast, Pull Low... and Date Your Riggers WIFE!" ~

[willso 0]

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Can you tell us how this hard landing happened? Flared too early and let go, flared too late, etc?

..............
I was flying a pattern to land, realised I was going to land a fair distance from the intermediate pit, did a late turn, now travelling down wind (alot faster than I was used to) apparently flared too high and lifted my legs?!? This was the account of someone watching. I have purchased a 210PD and want to jump it soon. First I will jump a student rig with a much larger main and get a TA to help.

[AFFI 0]

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Can you tell us how this hard landing happened? Flared too early and let go, flared too late, etc?

And what you have learned and will do dfferently?

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[willso 0]

Just thought I'd let you guys who replied to my post, I jumped last week and it was awesome A mate of mine TA'd me and I had a great stand up landing. I'm back and couldn't be happier. Now to convert to my rig and jump for $40 instead of $100?!?!