Q for the ladies

[Jeji 0]

I'm still going thru AFF and using a ripcord so I'm supposed to ARCH, LOOK... here is the problem. When I go to locate my ripcord handle I seem to have an "obstacle" in my way and can't see a thing!!! No major deal, I'll be going to BOC soon enough. HOWEVER...I'm assuming I'll have the same problem when the time comes to locate my reserve handle!!!!! Any of you "well endowed" ladies have any advice on how to overcome this??????
Jeji Ü

[lazerq3 0]

I,m not a girl however I think this may help either gender, anyway I just finished AFP a couple weeks ago and the best way for me to find the R/C was to not look for it but to use muscle memory. I would get on a creeper all geared up and do PRCP's until my hand new right where to go. It worked great for me, I never had to look back to find it. Also when I transitoned from R/C to hand deploy(BOC) it was no problem. Its like someone said before its like shifting a car, once you know where the clutch and shifter is you dont have to look at it to shift, your hand and legs just knows where to go!!!Granted your rig may shift a little in flight but not that drastic that you cant get to the general area. Also by not having to look for it I can keep my eyes on my alt and the ground so as to not to loose alt awareness. Any way that worked for me but then again I only have 9 jumps. So go with what helps you the best and good luck!
jason

[Dutchboy 0]

I have something artifical blocking my view of the reserve ripcord. I have a chest mount altimeter (and a wrist mount, and an audiable). Since I have a Z1 helmet the chest mount is difficult to read if I allow it to migrate to the center of my chest which it naturally wants to do. To stop this I have a tube stow holding it as far to the left as possible.
I can't see the handle, but I can still find it quickly. If I move my hand up to the "stop" which is the bottom of the cushion my hand is right in the handle. While your stop will be different (and always be with you), it should be in about the same place and can end up helping the situation.
Just my humble analysis of your "problem".
The Dutchboy

[PalmettoTiger 1]

Jason is absolutely right about the muscle memory. I was demonstrating emergency procedures w/o a rig on, and my instructor pointed out that I was consistently touching higher than where my reserve handle would actually be. I geared up and actually put a hand through it every time after that and now it's no problem.
If, after you practice while geared up, you're still not comfortable with your ability to locate the reserve handle, practice grabbing your chest strap, sliding over to the main lift web, and then sliding down until you find the handle.
Blues, squares,
PTiger

[skybytch 259]

ROFL! I had the same problem! I was told to look in that general direction, then basically let muscle memory take over. Can't tell you how many times I drilled arch, look, reach, pull between each of my student jumps and never once actually saw the ripcord ;-) And I continue to drill cutaway and reserve before every jump.
pull and flare,
lisa

[froggie 0]

FINALLY! a reason to be proud of my little 'buddies'! hehe. next time somebody comments on it, im just gonna say i had them fixed that way so that i can find my handles. ROF

[Dutchboy 0]

Quote

FINALLY! a reason to be proud of my little 'buddies'! hehe. next time somebody comments on it, im just gonna say i had
them fixed that way so that i can find my handles. ROF

No, just tell them that you prefer quality over quantity so you only kept the highest quality bits. BTW, women who have "enhancements" and then blame men for having to do it are really just dealing with their own insecurities. Most guys (90%+) really don't care much about size.

[Pammi 0]

I agree with everyone else who said that muscle memory is the key :) I also have short arms, so student rigs really sucked because it didn't seem like I could quite reach it without bending in some way. Plus, being short, I couldn't arch quite as well as I can now with my own rig. It'll be easier when you get something that fits, but regardless, you should always practice touching all three handles over and over. I touch them at least three times in the plane and a couple times before I even get in. I also have been trying to get into the habit of touching them under canopy as my coach recommended, and in freefall...just so you know that they move a bit in each of those positions and you'll have an idea of where they are then.
Or you can be like me, start dieting and working out, and they'll be the first to go! LOL!
Pammi
"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live."
http://trak.to/skydivechick

[freeflyguy 0]

Arch, LOCATE, Pull.
Not look. If you look, you de-arch, or turn. Not good.
That is what I was taught.
Ya, 'Look', for the reserve, I can't help you there, I don't have any 'obstacles' but that is where the muscle memory should be learned.
Whatever you do, pull your string.

[skymama 35]

Pammi's right that it is important to practice the muscle memory over and over. It's especially important when you downsize to a new rig, which I learned first hand. On the day that I switched from a student rig, to a sport rig, I had to cutaway. I knew the drill, and my hands immediately went for the handle and bag, but they wern't above my hips where I had practiced so many times. On the sport rig, they were closer to my breasts, so I had to run my hands up my sides to find them. It probably only took 2 seconds, but in the heat of the moment, it seemed like it took forever to find them! I am still renting rigs, and I go over and over the drill every time I put one on.
Blue Skies,
Andrea

[Tee 0]

Quote

FINALLY! a reason to be proud of my little 'buddies'! hehe. next time somebody comments on it, im just gonna say i had them fixed that way so that i can find my handles. ROF

LOL LOL I'll have to remember that one....too funny!!
I do agree with everyone else here that finding all three handles should be second nature to you. You should practice their location over and over so many times that you don't even have to think about where they are. When I changed my rig from a leg pull to a BOC, I swear I practiced pulled 100 times, and when it was time to actually pull, I didn't even think about it, my hand just went to the bottom.
Tee

[Pammi 0]

You've already had to cutaway Skymama?
"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live."
http://trak.to/skydivechick

[skySue 0]

Don't student rigs suck????? They aren't a good look these rigs - not glamorous at all with everything squashed and flattened!!! I'm nearly finished the static line course and on one of my early jumps I had the chest strap slip down (ah, now I could breath), couldn't see the handle, brought the left hand in - rolled onto my back, side, everywhere - not pretty. Now I don't care where the chest strap is, I still look for the handle but I rely on memory, like everyone else said. I just bought a rig (can't jump it yet of course) and thankfully I can see both handles.
Go for it ALL
Sue

[skymama 35]

Yeah, Pammi, I had a cutaway on jump #26. It freaked me out pretty badly, and that was why I stopped jumping for 7 months. I kept thinking of my kids, and what would have happened if that reserve wouldn't have opened...But, then I was so depressed not jumping, that wasn't good for the kids either. So, after much debate, and much thought I am obviously back into the sport, and more safety conscious, serious about the sport, and more aware of my limitations than I ever was before. In hindsight, it was a good thing for me. I'm just glad it had the safe outcome that it did have. And, now I don't have that dark cloud of "will I stay calm in a cutaway situation" looming over me anymore, which is a relief too.
Blue Ones-
Andrea

[Deleted 0]

Thanks for responding guys!!!! Got in L-4 and 5 yesterday. I spoke with my instructor regarding "my problem" and she pretty much said to do what ya can to see it, but you'll be transitioning to BOC soon anyway. On my L-4 I looked, but didn't "see" it, but of course found it. Got all sorts of unstable trying to visually locate it. L-5 I didn't even bother to look for it until my first tug at it didn't work, figured I better make sure I'm tugging on the right thing!! Had to use both hands for that bad boy!! But anyway, thanks for the input folks!!! I think they were just wanting me to visually locate it while still in my earlier jumps with JM's still hanging on. So they know that I know just where to find it, or something like that!!!! Muscle memory is definatly the thing. It didn't really occur to me that I had a hard pull and needed to use both hands till I was under canopy. You just do it!! Cool!!! No major deal, just never had any problems at pull time before. Anyway I'm still rambling on, and on..... thanks again!!!!!!!!!
Jeji Ü