Keep landing on my arse...

[meltdown 0]

Hey People! I'm new to skydiving (3 tandems and 2 AFF jumps with jumpmaster), and I haven't figured out how to land on my feet. My jumpmaster said I am starting to flare at the right time, but following through too quickly. Anyone here had the same problem? My behind is starting to ache....

Thanks,
Rick

"may i marble dogface to the banana patch?" - S. Martin

[Casch 0]

You'll get it, don't worry. It's often hard to get good landings with some student gear just because of the age, but your technique will get better. You're not breaking yourself so there's a start. Just keep "experimenting" on your flare. Try flaring a little later, a bit harder, or flare at the same time, but time is so that you finish your flare as you touch down. A good number of students have a hard time with landing, I know I did (and still do sometimes)

[riggerrob 558]

Keep your feet underneath you.

This bad habit probably started during your tandem jumps, since most tandem instructors like to do slide landings, they probably told you to stick your feet outing front. Slide landings are great on tandem, but develop bad habits for solo landings.

Another common problem with people who flare with their hands out in front is pulling their knees up to "help" with the flare. This is similar to people pulling their legs up while doing chin ups. Knees up contributes nothing to the process.
To cure this bad habit, pull your hands down close to your chest and focus on absorbing most of the landing shock with your leg muscles, while your hands are at hip level. This requires keeping your legs 3/4 extended downwards.

[happythoughts 0]

Think of an imaginary cushion about 10 inches high. Then, think of doing an accuracy landing on that 10 inch cushion.

Don't look down at your feet as much. By looking out ahead of you more, you will bleed off your speed and set yourself down on that target. The canopy will not "drop" you from 10 inches, it will set you down, just like a cushion.

[Fast 0]

Everything they said, plus for some people, ok most people, it takes some getting used to to actually land on thier feet. I know my first few jumps we not stand up landings.

I sat down a few before I figured out how to stay standing.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[Kramer 0]

meltdown-

Don't let it get to ya, I've only stood one of my five landings so far, the other four I went to my knees real quick and popped back up.

Wait till that first stand-up landing. I know to these veterans it's no big deal, but when you're just starting, and you stand a landing, it's a great feeling, it really completes the jump.

-Kramer

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[meltdown 0]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I'll be jumping this weekend so plenty to think about before then.

Thanks,
Rick

"may i marble dogface to the banana patch?" - S. Martin

[phonics1981 0]

During my AFF I landed mostly on my feet (except my first jump when I landed in a tree, but thats another story!) and i think its because of what my instructor told me. Since you say that your instructor has said you are starting the flare at the right time you should try what I did... as you start the flare count one thousand, two thousand, three thousand. As you hit three thousand you should be pulling the toggles all the way and just about be landing.

I'm no expert by any means but this seemed to work for me.

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"Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!"
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[StevePhelps 0]

One possible problem may be your canopy size (wing load ratio) When I was doing AFF a few years back I had a TANDEM canopy! (I weigh 220 lbs) It seems another big boy was jumping the Manta.

That puppy is hard to flare at that ratio, at any skill level. When I purchased my own rig after 7-8 AFF jumps, I had no problem. 260+ jumps later I occasionally land on my butt. Its far and few between these days, but still happens every once and a while.

My suggestion is relax, land safely. Stand ups will be second nature before long if you stay with it.

Blue ones!

[lawrocket 3]

I'm a newbie speaking here but:

My first question is "why are you landing on your butt?" Spinal compression fractures happen that way. If you are losing it, you should be in PLF.

Also, as a newbie, I had someone tell me a few pointers that worked like magic, and I stood up every landing from #3 on (except for a few planned PLF's (I like to practice them)).

1. Ask your instructors. THis is the most crucial, since they can help you out from seeing it first hand.

Also, ask your instructors about:

a. Full flare comes from a full speed. Let the toggles up all the way about 100-150 feet off the ground. That lets the canopy reach full speed, giving a more effective flare. Then flare from speed. It worked.

b. Think of the flare like braking on your car. It should be fairly smooth, but with a bunch of very minor changes to brake at the right spot. Finally, right when you land you should be right there and bring the ful flare down.

c. Don't look at the ground - look at the horizon. It'll approach you, too, and it will help a lot in your timing.

All I can say is, this advice worked wonders for me. And if you have problems with balance. PLF it. But ask your instructors about what I asked. It may not be right for you, but it's always good to be informed.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[bch7773 0]

Ask an instructor to watch you land, and ask him what he thinks you should be doing to improve your landings. even better, if you have a friend or something watching, get them to videotape your landing. I know that can help a lot of people, because then you can see exactly what you were doing, and not just what you THOUGHT you were doing.
anyways, don't sweat it too much, the most important thing is to land safely... and even the experienced guys buff in landings every once in a while.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[MattyBoy 0]

That's cool, it took me well over ten jumps to properly land on my feet well, and even now I often stumble or slide on my knees a bit. Although it'd be really nice to land every jump beautifully, I'm a firm believer in every landing you walk away from is a good one....having said that, I need to be!

I may be gullible but at least I have a magic fish

[freakyflygirl 0]

You'll get it, it takes some time. I always faceplanted on all of my jumps til about 5 jumps ago . Then all it once, it came to me. But that doesn't mean I won't face plant or fall on my butt again.
Good luck!

[vonSanta 0]

Quote

During my AFF I landed mostly on my feet (except my first jump when I landed in a tree, but thats another story!)

Heh, landed in a tree on my first SL jump (guided in by radio over the hangars, 280 canopy, high winds an me weighting 140lbs and being a n00bie probably had some influence there). Then did my AFF Level I - bad spot and I landed 2km from the DZ in a field - standing up. Then did a bunch of shitty landings. Started to land standing but every once in a while I'd fall.

I think it also ahs something to do with the fact that as a student, you jump different canopies quite often. I'd go from a 280 to a 240 to a 260 to a different 280 and they all had slightly different landing characteristics. Add different wind strengths and directions and levels of turbulence and it's easy to see why it's hard to consistently stand up as a student. Some manage that - I started doing it when I almost exclusively jumped the 240s.

To the original poster: follow the great advice given here and don't sweat it. It's natural to do some arse landings as a student. Look at eventual bruises as badges of pride - you've been skydiving

Santa Von GrossenArsch
I only come in one flavour
ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

[PeteH 0]

Quote

I think it also ahs something to do with the fact that as a student, you jump different canopies quite often. I'd go from a 280 to a 240 to a 260 to a different 280 and they all had slightly different landing characteristics. Add different wind strengths and directions and levels of turbulence and it's easy to see why it's hard to consistently stand up as a student. Some manage that - I started doing it when I almost exclusively jumped the 240s.

I've noticed that. I did my first 8 jumps with 260 or 280 canopy. Landed on my feet on last 5 .

Then I started to use 220 canopy and landed on my feet first 3 times but last two times I've flared too late and had too much vertical speed (especially yesterday in zero wind) and I've done PLF.

Live and learn.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

I'm a newbie speaking here but:

My first question is "why are you landing on your butt?" Spinal compression fractures happen that way. If you are losing it, you should be in PLF.
-----------------

He may not be losing it. I'm 0 for 5 so far but every landing had been soft. But landing into the wind I find the flare swings me forward like a pendulum and I can't get a foot back fast enough. Feet touch, sit down, stand up. No bruises, but no style points yet.
It's easier in low winds, but I didn't flare fast enough in my one attempt, slide in like going into home plate.

• Quote

[weezil1 0]

Another point to consider - maybe he SHOULDN'T be trying to stick the landing yet.

On my 6th jump I tried to flare and land on the feets on a student canopy - feet down, working so hard to stand I forgot all about PLF. Broke my wrist and didn't know it for 2 days until the pain finally drove me to see a Dr.

Worry about landing pretty later. Just landing safe is a helluva lot more important!

To err is human (Total chaos requires a ferret)

[WrongWay 0]

Dude, it happens to everybody. It takes a while to get stand up landings, to time that flare just right. I haven't seen you jump, but from what it sounds like you just need to smooth out your flare a bit. The only advice I can give you is don't "stab" at the toggles. Bring'em down slow and smooth. That should help.

Don't sweat it though. Nobody gets awesome landings right off. Hell, you see even the best of the best biff it in every once in a while. Take your time, be patient, and wear lots of padding on your ass!!

Wrong Way
D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451
The wiser wolf prevails.

[betzilla 56]

I'm a terrible lander -- I was the joke of my DZ for a good 400 jumps, and that only stopped because I moved away . It really pissed me off when people would say, "any landing you walk away from is a good landing."

But I will tell you honestly, since that one landing I was carried away from, I understand what my friends were trying to tell me. Broken bones change your perspective...

I hope you work your landing issues out (and I think you will. I mean, you only have 2 solo jumps -- cut yourself a little slack). But if you don't, enjoy your jumps anyway. Some people will never look cool in the landing area (me, for instance), but they can still have a hell of a lot of fun.
Work at it, and you'll get it. Be dilligent, because once it is a habit to slide them in (like it is for me), it's REALLY hard to change!

-Betsy

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Don't feel bad. I probably only landed standing on 4 or 5 of the 9 aff jumps I made. Once off the radio, it got much better for me. A couple things to keep in mind:

Generally speaking, most people start off flaring too soon because they feel that they are very close to the ground. Don't stare at the ground, stare at a 45 degree angle, it'll give you better judgement as you'll approach that point.

When you start your flare, you'll feel yourself swing a little as the canopy lifts up. Do some practice flares up high and get used to what it feels like, what each part of the flare feels like. Look up at the canopy on these practice flares and see what it does. If you are jumping a zp canopy and you're punching it at flare time, it is likely you're getting a lot of lift and then plopping on the ground, right? You have to feel yourself lifting as you flare, follow through gradually as you slow down and reach the ground.

It's hard to take advice from a bunch of type on the screen. Just practice lots of flares in the air, and don't worry, it'll come to you as you get more practice. Try not to land on your bum, I did a couple months back and my tailbone still hurts sometimes.

Good luck! :)
Angela.

[FallenAwake 0]

I am only on my 24th jump. I was landing on my hands rather than my ass. I found I was holding my legs stiff on approach and looking directly below me. I always do practice flares under canopy in my control check, that certainly helps. I read online to visualise your landing like stepping up off an escalator. This visualisation tool helps me keep my knees bent and helps me follow through with the flare after initial touchdown. Experiment, find what works for you.

[Tonigravity 0]

First thing is to learn body positioning etc...

[schattenjaeger 0]

I'm just like kelpdiver, 0 and 4, but all of them were nice soft landings, just when I touched down all my weight was behind me(plus that parachute suddenly goes from being above you and holding you up to behind you weighing you down)

[meltdown 0]

Thanks alot for everyones input. I had 2 non-gluteal landings this weekend, the 1st one was a cross wind PLF (ugly, but didn't go down butt first), the 2nd was a standup landing 10 meters from the peas. All the great advice from this board really helped.

Thanks,
Rick