How many people go to tunnel camps

[Skydivesg 6]

Are there a lot of people here who attend tunnel camps?

I conducted a camp for horizontal formation skydiving during the Mountain State Boogie at Skyventure Colorado the weekend of Jan 25-27 and it was awesome.

It's such a joy to see people improve so dramatically.

Let's hear about your experiences attending a camp.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[NWFlyer 2]

I've attended two - one was at Paraclete with my then-8-way team, and another was a local skills camp where we brought Chris Farina in to iFlySFBay to do 1:1 work over a weekend with a few folks. I thought both were great - it's nice to have the concentrated time to work on skills and I definitely felt like I was able to make strides in both cases.

However, I do feel like half the time I find out about tunnel camp opportunities when they're taking place (someone posts come cool photos on FB or something) or afterward (like yours). I think I got a FB invite to the Mountain State Boogie, but don't recall seeing anything about the camp on there (of course, I might have missed it). It's happened with other events, too - it'd be great to know where to find out about these camps other than through the grapevine. I know about the team-hosted ones (like Airspeed & Rhythm's camps), but there are others going on too that might be the right fit with time to plan & travel.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Skydivesg 6]

I agree with you. There are a lot of people who are always saying something similar to what you just said.

They don't know about the camps unitl it's too late.

As a moderator maybe you can answer this for me - we are not allowed to post anything about our future camps - right? Isn't that considered advertising?

.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[skyjumpenfool 2]

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I agree with you. There are a lot of people who are always saying something similar to what you just said.

They don't know about the camps unitl it's too late.

As a moderator maybe you can answer this for me - we are not allowed to post anything about our future camps - right? Isn't that considered advertising?

Sandy, Talk to B Rehm and his team, they do a great camp every spring. They are excellent coaches and go out of thier way to help out the campers. Let me know if you need contact info. I'll forward you thier FB Event page.

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[NWFlyer 2]

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As a moderator maybe you can answer this for me - we are not allowed to post anything about our future camps - right? Isn't that considered advertising?

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I'm not a moderator, those are the green names. I just pay for the Premier membership. But I think that you can list events like a tunnel camp in the Events & Places to jump forum, so long as they're special events and you don't list more than 4 months in advance.

There's also the calendar of events: http://www.dropzone.com/calendar/

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Skydivesg 6]

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Quote

As a moderator maybe you can answer this for me - we are not allowed to post anything about our future camps - right? Isn't that considered advertising?

.

I'm not a moderator, those are the green names. I just pay for the Premier membership. But I think that you can list events like a tunnel camp in the Events & Places to jump forum, so long as they're special events and you don't list more than 4 months in advance.

There's also the calendar of events: http://www.dropzone.com/calendar/

Oops my mistake. First one ever..... better make that in the past couple of hours.

Thanks for the info.

.

Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[skymama 35]

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But I think that you can list events like a tunnel camp in the Events & Places to jump forum, so long as they're special events and you don't list more than 4 months in advance.

Actually, no, they don't belong in there. Try the Wind Tunnel Forum.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[NWFlyer 2]

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But I think that you can list events like a tunnel camp in the Events & Places to jump forum, so long as they're special events and you don't list more than 4 months in advance.

Actually, no, they don't belong in there. Try the Wind Tunnel Forum.

See, this is why I should leave these answers to the professionals.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Joellercoaster 6]

I've only been to a couple. But!

I spend my tunnel hours mostly doing 4-way with the same team and coach over a season. Tunnel camps are great; a change of pace and direction, break down your technique and maybe do some one on one. Not to mention hang out and fly with a whole range of different people at different levels. You always learn something unexpected.

The trick is getting a slot! There's a certain set of camps in the UK that seem to sell out in about eight seconds flat

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[Skydivesg 6]

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I've only been to a couple. But!

I spend my tunnel hours mostly doing 4-way with the same team and coach over a season. Tunnel camps are great; a change of pace and direction, break down your technique and maybe do some one on one. Not to mention hang out and fly with a whole range of different people at different levels. You always learn something unexpected.

I hear you on both accounts. I use to say 'my best tunnel experiences were when I was training with a team and getting the coaching.' But now I have to admit that even just doing an hour with a pick-up team the day before nationals is a great experience, especially when I can get my son to come in and give us some coaching. I'm actually still learning and it's partially what keeps me jumping after all these years.

I now get great pleasure from coaching others in the tunnel and watching them make huge strides and improve right before my eyes in a matter of two and a half days.

At my camp last weekend I watched one guy with the old Boxman style of flying (1990s) get to a modern 4/8 way style and by the end was doing some fantastic cogging drills with him.

He's doing an 8 way team this year and wants to show up at their first camp with an improved flying style. He was so thrilled with his learning curve he's coming back for my February camp.

I also helped a couple of younger jumpers with 50 and just over 100 jumps become so efficient they were doing verticals with each other while adding translating turns into the mix. I'm not sure who was more pumped at that - they or I.

The trick is getting a slot! There's a certain set of camps in the UK that seem to sell out in about eight seconds flat


I agree. It seems that people need to be in the inner circle about these camps and the ones who really need the help don't always know where or how to get in one. That's why Skyventure Colorado asked me to do some HFS load oragnizing for their annual summer boogie tour and then conduct HFS camps during the winter.

As you said the camps are sometimes hard to find which is why I just increased mine to once a month for the rest of this spring. I still have three left but they're filling fast.

When you've attended a camp other than the 4 way training what kind of drills did the coach use?

BTW do you know Rob Jonson or big Evan from the UK?

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Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

[wageman 0]

I recently attended my first tunnel camp at Skyventure Colorado with Sandy Grillet after getting licensed last summer, and it was an amazing experience. I think I learned as much outside of the tunnel as inside it. A few observations:

After getting licensed, I wasn't sure what to do next to improve. As you know, after you get your license, you are on your own. I knew that just making more jumps didn't mean I would get better. I was especially wary of solidifying bad habits.

The sport continues to evolve, and there are a lot of different ideas about what to do. It can get a bit confusing with all the advice. Not everyone knows the latest or understands where the sport has been over the years.

Nothing compares to the extended session time in the tunnel, and you don't have to worry, as someone said, about saving your life afterward! No packing either. Just put on your helmet and fly.

I gained a ton of knowledge outside the tunnel, from creeper etiquette to the idea of cogging. Just the confidence from the increased knowledge and skills is worth it alone.

The best part, though, may be the video to review, especially to see the progress that can be made in such a short time.

Now, I'm set to do a one-day camp in Eloy. I'm excited to apply in the air what I've learned in the tunnel.

As you can tell, I don't hesitate to recommend tunnel camps.

[Bignugget 0]

Ill throw my exp. in!

I have 17 jumps, working towards my A as weather allows.

I just got back from a tunnel camp at the new tunnel in Austin. It was FANTASTIC.

I did 3 hours across 5 days and the progress was unbelievable to me.

I started out able to stay on my belly sort of keeping a heading, but pretty terrible.

Ended flying in a sit taking grips.

I cannot wait to start working in the sky and trying to translate the stuff I learned.

My belly flying feels soooo much more relaxed I can't believe it.

I would 1000% rec. tunnel camps with some quality coaching to everyone looking to fly better.

Now I just need more tunnel time, more jumps, and some canopy camps!

ETA: Just to add to the points about visibility. I was actively seeking out coaching, that was how I found out about the camp I attended. In fact, everyone else in the camp knew the coach from previous time. I was asked multiple times how I found out about it.

So I guess if you really want some good tunnel coaching, it's there to be found ( I found my coach via this site. There was a list of freefly coaches), but it takes some active effort on the students part.