8ypical 0 #1 August 16, 2011 hello, i'm a newbie and just starting with my IAF levels. i did my level 4 (first non-tandem), and the freefall went badly - i started spinning almost right away. i'm pretty sure it's mostly because i was overly tense for the jump. but i was also wondering if the weight of the instructor, who's holding onto a leg, can makes things more difficult too? i'm very small and light (105lb) while the instructor i had was double that. could that weight difference make stability harder to achieve in freefall? should i try requesting an instructor closer to my weight? thanks guys! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #2 August 16, 2011 Weight is one issue, but height is also important. The easiest students - to fall level with - are "height-weight proportional." Good freefall instructors own a variety of jumpsuits, to help match their fall-rate to the fall-rate of their students. A few freefall instructors wear weight belts to adjust their fall-rate to match the fall-rate of their fastest students. I have only worn a weight belt for one week of my career. Great instructors refuse to jump with students who have fall-rates considerably faster or slower than theirs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ypical 0 #3 August 16, 2011 thanks for the info! so tiny me jumping with a much taller/heavier instructor could make it harder to be stable in freefall? is this an issue i should watch out for while doing the rest of my iaf levels? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beachbum 0 #4 August 17, 2011 It's part of the instructor's job to NOT influence your stability in a negative way. If you have doubts, I'd suggest that you talk with the person who jumped with you about it and see what they have to say. If it was a fall rate issue, the instructor should make sure you jump with someone who can float with you on your next jump.As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #5 August 17, 2011 If I were in your shoes I would completely forget about anything the instructor might be doing and devote my focus entirely to what you can do to promote your own stability.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ypical 0 #6 August 17, 2011 yep that's def true - I think my main problems are not arching enough and being too tense. I'm going to try my best to fix those things. I was just also wondering if instructor size is something that might have an impact and if going with an instructor near my weight would be easier. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlindBrick 0 #7 August 17, 2011 A too heavy instructor that holds on too long will actually stabilize you, just in the wrong orientation. -Blind"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ruleofpull 0 #8 August 19, 2011 I just finished the solo course 3 weeks ago. My instructor was significantly heavier than me as well (although I was taller than him).Yes-when he held on to me leg in the air, we turned. After one of the first jumps, I explained to him that I felt unstable-because of this and my arch. He told me I wasn't, but that I was "wobbly." If you were unstable (as he explained) you would be flipping around in the air a lot more (barrel-rolling). I found that the turns stopped when I relaxed in my arch. Breath, relax, and arch. It gets a lot better with every jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
