Tunnel Coaches... who to choose?

[oldbastard 0]

Well... I've been reading all these questions about who is the best... how do I become a tunnel coach... which coach can help me... and if you ask me... no one has given a clear, cut and dry explanation of the best way to choose a coach. I've read lots of opinions and I've seen a lot of different website addresses - but no answers. So if anyone out there is thinking about buying some time or hiring a coach ... I offer you the following... all just my opinion... but I hope it helps.

1. How much time do you plan of buying?
This is probably the most important factor and one the coaches may not ask. Not how much time you want to buy - but how much training are you going to take? You can't buy an hour and magically be a better flyer. It takes time. So if you're only going to buy an hour or less... don't hire a coach. The instructor's who work there will be just fine. If you plan on buying more than an hour and plan on making the tunnel a training tool... invest in a coach.
2. Selecting a coach.
All this talk about who is the best... who should I have coach me... who should I... hell... why not ask who should do the training for me too! GO TO THE TUNNEL! Do you want to know the best tool for selecting the best coach for you? It is the observation room inside the tunnel. You can go to the tunnel and spend all day watching the many different coaches and their many different styles. You can even find out what time a particular coach will be there at the front desk so you can go and watch the ones you might want to hire.
I have done this many times and I personally get training from one of the instructors at the tunnel... just because I like his paitence. When you come to the tunnel and watch you will see coaches get frustrated with their students... you will see coaches fly as much as THEY can... and you will see coaches stand outside of the tunnel and TEACH their students to fly. Many of the coaches that some of the threads have named as the best coaches are the same coaches I see flying a lot of their students time. They demonstrate something again and again and then let the student try. I can get that from watching a video. If you go to the observation room and watch the coaches and talk with the STUDENTS... you will see who is improving and who isn't. Usually the students who improve are the students who have coaches who let them fly. By this, I mean that some coaches take up half of the tunnel so that they can fly and others stand outside and coach while the student has the whole tunnel to fly. More room to move... less worry of other people... and more focus. That is what a good coach does... you don't see football coaches running down the field catching balls and yelling, "DO IT LIKE THIS". Do you? You don't see your swimming coach smimming laps around you while you splash around trying to stay afloat. Do you? Your tunnel coach shouldn't either. If you have a coach who does a lot of flying on your dime... you should ask yourself what are you paying for... the coaching or his flying time.

Find a coach who isn't afraid to make you back up... I often see coaches who try to progress their students as quickly as possible... just so they can tell their students that they accomplished something. Instead... a good coach will recognize when someone isn't ready to move on and will even go back... maybe this student needs to fly on his/her back more... or spend more time walking... by the way if you want to be a good sit flyer learn to walk in the tunnel... yes walking!...anyway... the whole point is many coaches try to push you to a goal... don't let them set goals for you... instead find someone who will teach you what you need to know - not what makes it easiest for them.
3. Have fun... if you're not having fun.. something is wrong.
4. Watch the instructors who work there too... they see all coaching and all levels of coaching... they see the AirSpeed camps... they watch Magic coach and they see the poor coaches... and they are some of the best flyers! They didn't get that way by chance... they know how to fly and they know flight mechanics... the only draw back to going with the tunnel instructors is that they can't spend a lot of time with you if they are working... but if you find one you like you can ask them to coach you on their days off... and usually they are cheaper than some of the other coaches... who do a better job at marketing themselves than anything else!

The point is... if you want to learn to fly your body in all styles... go to the tunnel and sit in the observation room and you will find your coach! It is something you have to take an active role in... you can't just sit at your computer and ask... who is the best coach?

[vibeke 0]

Some of us travel from far away to do tunnel camps.
Its important for us to have a coach booked in advance, we can not just *hope* one of the instructors we favor is available, if we have not made arrangements beforehand.
This might work for 1 hour, but when you are flying more, planning is needed.

And even though I know very little. Only flown 4,5 hours. (Next camp is in April YAIH!) I must say, that I like having the coach fly with me. Maybe this is specific for FS - bellyflying, I cant tell.
I learned very much during basic training, by "playing" (AFF drills / Wrestling etc.) This I could not have done without my coach. Also, the precise movements and stops, the eyecontact and the 3D not to mention, could not have been done with my coach standing outside!

Having pointed out my opinion on these two things, I must say your post is good and will hopefully be of help to many.

[Ron 7]

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1. How much time do you plan of buying?

Very important question. How can a coach develop a program for you if he does not have an idea how much time you have to learn?

Also, let him know what you want to learn or need to work on.

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So if you're only going to buy an hour or less... don't hire a coach

This I don't agree with..there are many really great fliers at the tunnel...Some of them are fantastic skydivers. Not all even jump. I have taken people to the tunnel for 15 min before and they saw a marked improvement.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1343580#1343580

Depending on what you want to learn should decide who you get.

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2. Selecting a coach.
All this talk about who is the best... who should I have coach me... who should I... hell... why not ask who should do the training for me too! GO TO THE TUNNEL! Do you want to know the best tool for selecting the best coach for you? It is the observation room inside the tunnel.

A good number of people don't live near the tunnel and can't just go watch.

For those people the best method to fiqure out who you should get to coach is ask around. Don't just accept that someone is a good coach, ask people they have coached. Ask on here. There is plenty of information out there to help you make your choice easier.

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you will see coaches fly as much as THEY can... and you will see coaches stand outside of the tunnel and TEACH their students to fly. Many of the coaches that some of the threads have named as the best coaches are the same coaches I see flying a lot of their students time

Like AFF, at times you need to be with the student to fix body position and correct application. If a coach spends all of his time outside the tunnel he is not doing all he can, if he spends all his time flying around, he is not doing all he can...There is a a balance. Talking to others will tell you which coach does what.

Talk to a few of the folks on here who have done Mojo camps. CaptainBB7 was so happy after the last camp that I was sore...Made him happy (sicko). Coaches for the most part don't want to fly. They HAVE to fly.

My only point is this is to say that just because a coach is in the tunnel does not mean he is stealing time....If he is in there by himself, by all means tell him that you are not willing to pay for his fun. But most times a coach is there and needs to be there to teach.

It would be like doing AFF by video.

One thing you forgot to mention....

Look for a coach that is willing to spend time before and after the session. Many times BEFORE is more important than after and is often over looked.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[marcandalysse 0]

Ron or Sally Hathaway are fine coaches for flatflying.

The tunnel coaches are fine, but for anything advanced, someone like Ron or Sally Hathaway has many techniques and exercises to help fliers get what they need to learn.