relaxing in freefall

[chicagoskydiver 0]

I just logged my 41rst jump today. All the coaches I jump with tell me that my body position and mechanics are all good, I'm doing everything right, except one thing. I have to loosen up and relax. This wasn't a big problem for me until recently, but it seems like lately I'm finding it difficult to relax and I start buffeting, and I don't get as much movement. Any suggestions that might help me to relax more in freefall? I'm told that it's the only real problem I have, and once I get over that, I'll be ok. Any suggestions anyone?
Hackey

[skymedic 0]

Smile....believe it or not when I was concentrating on relaxing in free fall I was never smiling and hence I would tense up and potato chip all over the place. once I started smiling in free fall I relaxed more and all is better now...
just my experience..
Marc

[AggieDave 6]

Get a couple solo jumps where you don't worry about nothing but screwing around and having fun. That may sound counter productive, but it'll loosen you up. Try something new on those dives, something like diving out the door into a series of flips. I was having some trouble relaxing a while back and I realized it was because I was trying too damn hard to do RW, so I just solo jumped a couple and screwed around. That did the trick for me, atleast. AggieDave '02
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Blue Skies and Gig'em Ags!
BTHO t.u.

[Rhonda66 0]

Hiya -
Kimmer was asking the same kind of question in her post and all I can say is, what are you afraid of when you're in the air that is making you tense up?
I had a hard time relaxing during AFF and one of my JM's told me that the air isn't going to hurt me and that changed my outlook entirely. Don't think about the opening and the landing until the time comes because that is most likely what you're worrying about - you have almost a full minute just to think about relaxing and flying your body until you get it right. No one is forcing you to jump - I assume you're doing it because you like it like the rest of us so just remember that. Don't think about malfunctions and what you're going to do when you're landing until those times come - go over your emergency procedures and be ready for that day when/if it comes to cutaway and pull your reserve, but do not think about it consciously on every jump. You know by now that it's most likely not going to happen so don't waste your time worrying about it and if the air isn't going to hurt you, then why worry in freefall?
Just put all of the fears aside - it took me a long time to do it and I was like a two-by-four in the air for a long time because of it. You don't want to be that way because it really just takes all of the fun out of the dive and it will take you longer to learn new things if you get hung up on it for too long.
Smiling does help too - and think about that awesome feeling you'll have when you get that perfect relaxed arch..
Best of luck.
Rhonda

[Albatross 0]

Go screw around in the air. Get unstable and get comfortable then belly fly and do little to nothing on the freefall other than fall. Enjoy the wind and look at the ground and sky. If you don't try so har relaxing is fun and easy.
Ready, Set, GOOOOOOO
Albatross

[PhillyKev 0]

All the suggestions above worked for me. If I find myself starting to chip a little now it's usually because my head is looking down. So I take a deep breath and lift my head to look at the horizon...get's me loose and relaxed right away.
cielos azules y cerveza fría
-Kevin

[chicagoskydiver 0]

Thanks to all for your advice! I know now what I need to do. Someone else also suggested maybe doing a little stretching before going up. I thought that was an interesting idea..might try that as well.
Hackey