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chaz1234

I wanna go both ways!

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Hey, this is my 1st post to the forum (does that call for beer?), and I'm a regular jumper at Elsinore who started skydiving in Feb of this year. I currently have 110 jumps, mostly RW with a few solo sit-fly attempts. Here's my delima: Must I choose one discipline over the other to get really good? That's the vibe I get from most experienced skydivers, but the problem is I WANNA DO IT ALL! Anything you can do in the air, I wanna do it! Are there any jumpers out there that regularly go back and forth betweem disciplines, or must I make a decision, at least for now? In my limited experience, it appears that most divers pick a discipline and stick with it. I've focused on RW figuring it's "the basics", but definitely wanna develop my freefly abilities. Any input on this subject?

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i can see no good reson for you to not be able to do it all. ppl pick there prefered disiplines and stick to them if your prefered is all of them then u can do all of them. u shouldnt have to make a decision about which way to go. I say learn the basics of freeflying then decide what you r going to spend the "most" time on but you can still do the others

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Hi chaz1234,
I feel the same as you about doing everything there is to do in the sky. I have 76 jumps and am trying to get my FS1 while at the same time I have started freeflying. I think it is possible to freefly and do RW to whatever standard you want. Don't take advice from people who think RW is "serious skydiving" - you're jumping to have fun, and every jump you do will improve your skills of balance and control in the air, whether freefly or RW.

:)Joolee:)

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I've had people tell me I should stick to one thing and just do that. Usually it is the people who are totally into freeflying that say this. I think this is BS. On a given weekend I might do all RW or all FF. I will do FF if there is nobody else to do RW with on a load.
I think that going back and forth makes you a better overall flyer. At the moment, my company skydiving team is a FF team. However, we are doing just RW for now, trying to work on basic flying skills (other 2 members not yet licensed).
The Dutchboy
http://www.geocities.com/ppolstra

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Here is the secret. You do just enough RW to be able to turn say 5-7 points on a four way and not go low on a 10 way. It sounds like you might have alreay done that.
FF is hard work some people have a hard time getting head down.
1. you have to match fall rates (practice)
2. you have to learn how to transition
3. You have to learn how to move laterally with a partner/s
4. you have to learn how to dock
5. you have to learn how to be safe in freeflying
Some people that only freefly cant do any RW (they potato chip and back slide). If you can do already a little RW, freeflying will make you more aware of the air and how your body reacts to it and I think you will be a better RW jumper also. If I do just a little RW (I mean 1 jump a month), I find that my freeflying skills really help and turn me in to an all around skydiver.
I mostly freefly, but like you quite a few of my first 100 jumps were RW, but then I started FFlying.
Also getting a reputation with the RW people as being able to fly your slot, will keep you getting on dives with them.
Getting a FF reputation takes a long time...sheesh 300 jumps later I still am not very good, but I am one of the best at my DZ...and I still get invited on RW jumps.
good luck
ramon

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I think it all depends on what your goals are, how many jumps you are committing to, etc. If you want to go to Nationals and take on Freefly Circus or Airizona Airspeed...stick with one discipline and jump your ass off like its your job!!! If you want to be competent in both and have fun, then that can be done too. Its not very hard to do RW once you learn how. Most casual weekend warrior pickup bigways are always going to have issues out the door...you are rarely going to have a perfect bigway and I dont really think that many people expect it to go smoothly (and thats the beauty of it). If you can fly your slot and turn in place than you are ahead of the game for RW. So go onto Freeflying, that is going to take much more time. I would recommend that you go back to RW though...the other day I took a guy out to do some RW that had 900 FF jumps, oh my!!! This guy is one of the better freeflyers I know, but he seemed to have lost his skills because he hasnt used RW since those 900 jumps or so. He was all over the place. My recommendation is do what you want to do, but you gotta use your skills or you can loose them. I didnt really think that you could forget skills, but it seems as though it can happen.
-Slut
"I'll jump anything!"

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Hi Chaz,
I do both. I usually do 1 RW jump to every 4 freefly b/c I prefer freefly but like you, I want to be well-rounded. To me, the freeflyers that can't belly-fly are not full-on freeflyers b/c in my opinion, the definition of freeflying is to be able to fly your body in ALL POSITIONS, even if it means turning points on your belly. I think those that say you should choose are just *really* into whatever it is they're doing. You mentioned that it was the more experienced jumpers telling you to pick but if you think about it, if they're really experienced and have choosen than they have been flying however it is they choose for a long time. Obviously they are going to be biased. I know quite a few *experienced* jumpers who are very well-rounded and can fly with the best of them in either discipline. In my opinion, that is what makes an awesome skydiver; someone who can fly their body well in any position. But I'm not criticizing those who pick. Everyone has their favorite and it can be really easy to want to stick to that favorite. As I mentioned, my favorite is freeflying but I have to admit, I have had some of my most fun skydives be RW and turning really cool points.
You will ultimately make the decision that fits your flying desires so no worries. One thing you have to learn about skydivers is that THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OPINION. Ha ha ha. You will hear a LOT of those opinions too and many will be conflicting so do what makes you happy;).
Much love and blue skies,
Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

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I have more choices than you - I like RW, FS and like to jump with camera. And I completely solve this problem.:)I choose RW as my primary discipline and concentrate on it. And I didn't forgot about FS - I do one FS jump for each 2-3 RW jumps. Experience in each jumps help me to improve my skills in other discipline. Possible - I never will be World Champion - but I do RW and FS good and like it all.
What about camera? I always jump with it :)P.S. Now I'm thinking about skysurfing......:)

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I'm pretty new (about 45 jumps) and I'm starting to feel the "tug" from both "camps". I'm pretty fortunate because our DZ has a good set of really good RW and FF people.
The beauty of skydiving is that it's so multi-faceted that I can't imagine ever getting bored (unlike just about any other hobby I've taken up). I personally would like to be proficient enough at RW & FF that a group of either would feel comfortable having me along.
I've always been one that doesn't mind doing solos. I'll bet about half my jumps are solo. So lately when I'm doing a solo I'm trying my hand (or butt, I suppose) at sitflying. Otherwise, I'll practice my RW skills with some friends of about the same experience level.
Every now & then more experienced ppl will ask me if I want to jump. I always jump at the opportunity because it gives me a chance to get some feedback. And don't be self-conscious, because it presents a challenge to the experienced folks as well.
Hey. It's all good! ;)
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

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Hey, this is my 1st post to the forum (does that call for beer?), and I'm a regular jumper at Elsinore who started skydiving in Feb of this year. I currently have 110 jumps, mostly RW with a few solo sit-fly attempts. Here's my delima: Must I choose one discipline over the other to get really good? That's the vibe I get from most experienced skydivers, but the problem is I WANNA DO IT ALL! Anything you can do in the air, I wanna do it! Are there any jumpers out there that regularly go back and forth betweem disciplines, or must I make a decision, at least for now? In my limited experience, it appears that most divers pick a discipline and stick with it. I've focused on RW figuring it's "the basics", but definitely wanna develop my freefly abilities. Any input on this subject?

Yeah, we figured you'd find yer way here.... See any familiar faces? So about doing it all...RW, FF, skysurf?, and definitely CReW at Perris on 6/9; that is, unless you are *scared* :)

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If you want to get competetive then specialize.
For anyone else, skydiving is FUN
Do it all...
Last weekend I did...
3 4way RW. and we actually held the exit on a couple of them
2 2way SiT the second one we stayed relative all the way
till pull time.
1 2way RW 16points from 9.5 OK the other guy had 1000jumps
1 CReW my first.... BEER
I dont think anybody under 500jumps should worry about which area of skydiving to get in to...do it all...
Have a blast :)Andrew

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If you want to get competetive then specialize.
For anyone else, skydiving is FUN
Do it all...
Last weekend I did...
3 4way RW. and we actually held the exit on a couple of them
2 2way SiT the second one we stayed relative all the way
till pull time.
1 2way RW 16points from 9.5 OK the other guy had 1000jumps
1 CReW my first.... BEER
I dont think anybody under 500jumps should worry about which area of skydiving to get in to...do it all...
Have a blast
Andrew

Good point. I planned initially on doing CReW, but I only get to it 3 times a year, so I migrated to RW w/o the C. I'll freak later when I improve my rw shit. Until then, it's a lazy boy thing for FF... Accuracy is a different story.

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HI Chaz,
Don't feel pressured either way... the more you know the better off you'll be! I could kick myself in the butt for not focusing more on my RW ~ I really suck at it now!!! I'll be spending more time working on both disciplines when I get back! But, lord knows I won't be investing in a jumpsuit with those "gripper things!" hehehehe Take it easy, g

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HI Chaz,
Don't feel pressured either way... the more you know the better off you'll be! I could kick myself in the butt for not focusing more on my RW ~ I really suck at it now!!! I'll be spending more time working on both disciplines when I get back! But, lord knows I won't be investing in a jumpsuit with those "gripper things!" hehehehe Take it easy, g

Ya know, you should do some Hour-W with us sometime and you wont suck. (You could laugh at my *head down* flying and/or back-to-earth flying later.) And 'bout the suit, those are actually *bumpers* so as not to get injured during those hard docks. Get betta and we'll figure it out...B|

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Dude, speaking about going both ways, today I did my first three-way sit-fly with Jonathan and Janelle! We exited in a train, and I held my sit through the whole dive! WhooHoo! Backslided some though, that's my next task to work on. Pretty soon Mandy, I'll be ready to freefly with you and the gang! The rest of the day, I went back to RW, but it was all good! By the way Shark, I'm there for the CRW event in June!

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hey!
there's nothing wrong with doing it all! I try to do everything. I really prefer CRW and RW, but I'll go up with freefliers too for a kickin' head down jump. After a long day of Ponce-ways and crankin' 4way my brin needs a break so a nice head down does the trick. I'm starting freestyle coaching now too. why not? people at the DZ start to see that you can truly fly in all dimensions. =c)
Stacy
http://astro.temple.edu/~sweeks

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