Strength required to flare

[In the clouds 0]

Hello- newbie here. I am wondering, what IS the strength required to flare? 
 

while I know it can change with your wing loading…. If someone was going to consider skydiving, but feared whether they had enough strength, is there a “if you can _____ you will be able to flare”, sort of measurement you’d give them? 
 

As I said. Newbie here. 20 ish jumps. All have been PLFs. All I’ve been told I didn’t complete my flare. And I’m wondering if I even have the strength too, since I’ve been trying and failed. The bad landing cause me to take six months off, but now I want to start again. But would like to know if I am strong enough. And not sure how to know that. 

 

 

[wmw999 2,117]

It’s not mandatory to stand up your landings; I stand up fewer than half probably. That said, finishing your flare is important because it’s part of controlling your landing. And yes, canopy size and choice both matter. 
That said, I keep my strength up by doing triceps exercises. I find that using one of the pull-down bars at the gym set to 30 lbs for both arms is just fine. An actual flare is easier at the top and a little harder at the bottom — the transition in your arms as you go from pulling down to pushing down can be tough. 
Have someone video your landing if they haven’t been, and talk to an instructor or coach about what your flare looks like in the video. Preferably a female one if there’s one at your DZ. 
Wendy P. 

[riggerrob 558]

We discussed this topic over on the womens' forum a few months back.

Wendy made some good points about arm strengthening exercises. Any good weight-training coach can help you start with light weights to develop correct technique, then slowly increase weights.

I often see this problem with students and saw it in myself when I returned to doing tandems after an accident. The problem is that too many of us try to complete the flare by pushing our hands down in front of us. This version only uses triceps muscles (back of upper arm) during the later part of the flare.

To draw in more muscles, modify the path that your hands and toggles take during a flare.

Start your flare by pulling both hands to your collar-bone. Then raise your elbows and continue pushing your hands down the zipper on the front of your jump-suit. This version still uses triceps muscles, but also pulls in pectoral muscles and perhaps some latimus dosi. When you keep your hands - almost - touching your belly, you r greatly increase the strength available.

Edited August 15, 2022 by riggerrob
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