Head down tips

[namwen 0]

Hey folks,

My coach just graduated me to getting started on head down next time we hit the pipe. Any tips to remember or common mistakes to look out for?

Thanks,

Eric

[Austintxflight 0]

I have started head down recently as well. I would say be patient its going to take a while to figure out the balance and the positioning, adjusting to being upside down etc.

Also like with head up, be sure to work your good side, and your bad side equally. (right leg in front, left leg in front stuff)


And of course listen to your instructor, watch your videos.

[skreamer 1]

Any tips you get now might conflict with input from your coach. Rather go on the next camp with a fresh, open mind and trust in your coach.

[JohnRich 4]

Is "hit the pipe" a reference to a wind tunnel?

[namwen 0]

Quote

Any tips you get now might conflict with input from your coach. Rather go on the next camp with a fresh, open mind and trust in your coach.

I see where you're coming from, the problem is, I dont have a "fresh" mind about it now. I've been talking to people about it for months, watching videos, reading articles, etc. So I just wanted to try to get a full view and tap all my resources.

Also, yes, a bunch of people I know call it the "Crack Pipe" since its so addictive.

[5.samadhi 0]

Quote

I have started head down recently as well. I would say be patient its going to take a while to figure out the balance and the positioning, adjusting to being upside down etc.

Also like with head up, be sure to work your good side, and your bad side equally. (right leg in front, left leg in front stuff)


And of course listen to your instructor, watch your videos.

I'm curious about your response to 'work both sides'. why work both sides instead of just being focused on daffy with left or right leg in front always??? I dont surf switching up sides - I always have my right foot forward (its called a sex change btw and is a trick some people do mid-wave or on a skateboard midtrick). Same with snowboarding. So why is skydiving headdown different from that??? Why not always use your good side....its the GOOD side!!!

curious...

[ibx 2]

Quote

Is "hit the pipe" a reference to a wind tunnel?

Yeah, it used to be for smoking crack but the meaning has currently been replaced with something more expensive and more addicting !

[skinnay 0]

Quote

Quote

I have started head down recently as well. I would say be patient its going to take a while to figure out the balance and the positioning, adjusting to being upside down etc.

Also like with head up, be sure to work your good side, and your bad side equally. (right leg in front, left leg in front stuff)


And of course listen to your instructor, watch your videos.

I'm curious about your response to 'work both sides'. why work both sides instead of just being focused on daffy with left or right leg in front always??? I dont surf switching up sides - I always have my right foot forward (its called a sex change btw and is a trick some people do mid-wave or on a skateboard midtrick). Same with snowboarding. So why is skydiving headdown different from that??? Why not always use your good side....its the GOOD side!!!

curious...

If you want to be a solid flyer, you will need to learn both daffys. It also helps to switch and give your leg muscles a rest in the learning process. If your goal is to only fly head down and not be able to turn and switch to take docks, then sure, only fly your good daffy.

[pilot-one 0]

Relax

[Austintxflight 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

I have started head down recently as well. I would say be patient its going to take a while to figure out the balance and the positioning, adjusting to being upside down etc.

Also like with head up, be sure to work your good side, and your bad side equally. (right leg in front, left leg in front stuff)


And of course listen to your instructor, watch your videos.

I'm curious about your response to 'work both sides'. why work both sides instead of just being focused on daffy with left or right leg in front always??? I dont surf switching up sides - I always have my right foot forward (its called a sex change btw and is a trick some people do mid-wave or on a skateboard midtrick). Same with snowboarding. So why is skydiving headdown different from that??? Why not always use your good side....its the GOOD side!!!

curious...

If you want to be a solid flyer, you will need to learn both daffys. It also helps to switch and give your leg muscles a rest in the learning process. If your goal is to only fly head down and not be able to turn and switch to take docks, then sure, only fly your good daffy.

+1.3

Its the same with all your flying skills really, you develop the strong direction you like to carve, do barrel rolls and even turn. It takes conscious effort to work both sides, and its easier when you are learning to spend a little more time getting both sides, than to go backwards once you already learn.

[Pablo.Moreno 0]

+1
You have to relax and have fun that is a must. Once you are in the relaxing and having fun stage, your learning is going to speed up by a lot.

I just got back from a tunnel trip to Arizona (we had Ty Losey and Brandon Atwood from Arizona Arsenal, they were awesome).

I guess the second best advice I could give you would be learn how you learn. We were in a group of eight people. Two of us discover what was the best way we learn and we both really went ahead of the rest in progression. I have to stay focus while relaxing, I have too keep doing deep breathes and going over what I have to do on my next 2 minutes. While my friend have to reset his brain from what he had to do, and when he jumped in the tunnel everything came back to him.

Also, when you make a mistake, you better laugh, even thou you are in the tunnel, getting mad and frustrated over something that already happen isn't going to make it go away and if you laugh at the mistakes you are going to stay relax.

---------------------------------------
I apologize in advance on my grammar and misspelling

[likearock 2]

Quote

Quote

I have started head down recently as well. I would say be patient its going to take a while to figure out the balance and the positioning, adjusting to being upside down etc.

Also like with head up, be sure to work your good side, and your bad side equally. (right leg in front, left leg in front stuff)


And of course listen to your instructor, watch your videos.

I'm curious about your response to 'work both sides'. why work both sides instead of just being focused on daffy with left or right leg in front always??? I dont surf switching up sides - I always have my right foot forward (its called a sex change btw and is a trick some people do mid-wave or on a skateboard midtrick). Same with snowboarding. So why is skydiving headdown different from that??? Why not always use your good side....its the GOOD side!!!

curious...

You'd be surprised how much better your "good" side can get as you improve your "bad" side. The more surfaces you can fly, the better flier you are.

[LyraM45 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

I have started head down recently as well. I would say be patient its going to take a while to figure out the balance and the positioning, adjusting to being upside down etc.

Also like with head up, be sure to work your good side, and your bad side equally. (right leg in front, left leg in front stuff)


And of course listen to your instructor, watch your videos.

I'm curious about your response to 'work both sides'. why work both sides instead of just being focused on daffy with left or right leg in front always??? I dont surf switching up sides - I always have my right foot forward (its called a sex change btw and is a trick some people do mid-wave or on a skateboard midtrick). Same with snowboarding. So why is skydiving headdown different from that??? Why not always use your good side....its the GOOD side!!!

curious...

If you want to be a solid flyer, you will need to learn both daffys. It also helps to switch and give your leg muscles a rest in the learning process. If your goal is to only fly head down and not be able to turn and switch to take docks, then sure, only fly your good daffy.

I'll second (or third?) this! I've been on the net with coaching just about 2 hrs now. I'm so goofy foot dominant that I thought for sure that would be it for me and I'd never look back, but right off the bat TJ made me swap out legs and learn how to be comfortable with either leg forward...... although weird thing is I ended up better on my left, but I digress. Learn both-- you may hate having to learn it, but you'll be a better flyer in the end.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[Austintxflight 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Quote

I have started head down recently as well. I would say be patient its going to take a while to figure out the balance and the positioning, adjusting to being upside down etc.

Also like with head up, be sure to work your good side, and your bad side equally. (right leg in front, left leg in front stuff)


And of course listen to your instructor, watch your videos.

I'm curious about your response to 'work both sides'. why work both sides instead of just being focused on daffy with left or right leg in front always??? I dont surf switching up sides - I always have my right foot forward (its called a sex change btw and is a trick some people do mid-wave or on a skateboard midtrick). Same with snowboarding. So why is skydiving headdown different from that??? Why not always use your good side....its the GOOD side!!!

curious...

If you want to be a solid flyer, you will need to learn both daffys. It also helps to switch and give your leg muscles a rest in the learning process. If your goal is to only fly head down and not be able to turn and switch to take docks, then sure, only fly your good daffy.

I'll second (or third?) this! I've been on the net with coaching just about 2 hrs now. I'm so goofy foot dominant that I thought for sure that would be it for me and I'd never look back, but right off the bat TJ made me swap out legs and learn how to be comfortable with either leg forward...... although weird thing is I ended up better on my left, but I digress. Learn both-- you may hate having to learn it, but you'll be a better flyer in the end.

And when you are working your weak foot, your appreciation for how much better your good foot is, and how well you can fly your good side will be apparent. Thats how I notice my progress, when I am working the bad side, then switch to the good side and I'm flying on worries. I guess the goal is to make that disappear, but a nice benefit in the meanwhile, is that you can really appreciate how well you fly, when you are flying your bad side compared to the good.

[hairymango 0]

Its good to work the other leg but I wouldnt waste to much time on it. You can do that once you are flying solo and not paying a coach.
Its also good that you have done research. Practice body position outside the tunnel, doing head stands with a pillow under your head, at first use the wall for support then as you get the hang of it, move the pillow to center of room and add another pillow to fall onto. Practice getting up into hd daffy position, nice and slow like in tunnel. this teaches you to get your hips inline with your head, use your daffy leg position for balance.
Once you get good at that, go from daffy to straddle to opposite daffy then back again.
Relax, dont rush its going to take a while, dont get frustrated.