skydiving exercises

[mr2mk1g 10]

So, two days ago spent about half an hour in the tunnel working on my head-up flying. I can hardly lift my arms to type. Freaking agony.

Anyone got some good tips for gym exercises to target the key muscle groups? Obviously my main problem is I'm flying with my arms too much but only yet more tunnel can cure that and I'm looking to make sure I get the most from my investment by targeting my gym work to ensure I can put the time in at the tunnel.

[Remster 26]

Flexibility, and general fitness.

Even in the tunnel, we're not talking about requiring major strength or special levels of endurance.

Remster

[NWFlyer 2]

Quote

Flexibility, and general fitness.

This, plus treat the tunnel as you should a workout; do some warm-ups and dynamic stretching before the session, and stretching after the session (or between sessions if you have more than one).

"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

[adagen 0]

Don't just stop when you finish your tunnel session, do some sort of warm down that gets the lactic acid out of your muscles. Swimming might help. And organise your rotations to alternate between headup and something else. Also, if you're training with a coach you could ask about exercises that will stop you making so much use of your arms, provided you're at the point of having a reasonable degree of control.

Anne

[adamUK 3]

Sounds like you have DOMS. Basically you did too much too soon.

Warm up by getting some blood round your body e.g. jogging. Then do some stretching as damage is caused when muscles lengthen. Don't just jump in without warming up and then warming down. Next session you'll probably find things are a lot easier.

Which tunnel you at?

Adam.

[suuz83 0]

yoga - i love it, and since I do it I don't really have muscle pain after tunnel and skydiving :)

good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere

[Fearjoburg 0]

Do crossfit. Tough to start of with though. But gives you great all-round strength and fitness.

[blueblur 0]

Building strength and endurance will help. As far as your arms/shoulders... get a few dumbbell pairs, 5,10,12.5,15 and do what I call "around the worlds". Sit on a bench, grab a pair that is mid-weight for your strength, start with the at your sides hanging down. Do a front raise and with your arms straight out in front of you, spread your arms so they are straight to the side, hold it a beat, then lower them. That's 1/2 a rep... do the opposite, out to the sides, rotate to the front, then down. That will build up strength and endurance for holding your arms up and out. I have very strong shoulders (I can overhead press with 75# dumbbells) but I only use 12.5's and they kill me in about 8-10 full reps! Do as many as you can with good form, then rest and lower the weight.

In every man's life he will be allotted one good woman and one good dog. That's all you get, so appreciate them while the time you have with them lasts.

- RiggerLee

[Austintxflight 0]

Honestly the best training to get in good tunnel shape, is spend alot of time in the tunnel. Short of that as people have said lots of stretching, Yoga, things that use bodyweight resistance.

From head up stuff usually my deltoids get the most sorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deltoid_muscle.

I also spend more time on my back than I would if I didn't tunnel fly, doing alot of lower back work for those long belly sessions.