Sebastian XL skills camps

[ThomasHughes 0]

XL are hosting skills camps over Nov and Dec
here are the dates
Nov 9-10: Tunnel camp (SkyVenture Orlando)
Nov 12-16: 3 on 1, 4-way skills camp
Dec 14-15: Tunnel camp (skyventure Orlando)
Dec 17-22: 2 on 2, 4-way skills camp
For more info contact
[email protected]
www.sebastianxl.org

[ThomasHughes 0]

Anybody have any testiminoials about their camps?

[Emma 0]

Definitely worth the money, world class coaching geared towards the individual's level and ability. The combination of tunnel and skydiving (2 on 2 with XL) uses bodyflight techniques learnt in the tunnel, and builds on them with 4way instruction on exits etc. Comprehensive debriefs, video etc, lots of fun.

I did a camp last year with some friends and found it a very intense learning curve, particularly good for people who may not have a team yet but who want to learn 4way skills. Also a good way to meet people to do a team with for the coming year. In the long run it's probably one of the cheapest ways to raise your RW skills up a notch or 3.

I believe they get booked up pretty quickly though as they don't run throughout the whole year and get students from the US, as well as those who fly in from the UK / Europe just to do the camp.

[NeedToJump 0]

XL rocks! Great guys, great coaching - definitely worth while.

Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

[jlpskydive 0]

I've never been to one of thier camps, but i have jumped with them and they are outstanding!!!! If you get the chance to learn form them take it!!!!
Stupid Sky Monkey

Just got humbled in the tunnel.

[Spike 0]

Hey Thomas,

Shameless dude, just shameless.
I've been on a couple of the camps run by XL.

I think the phrase structured flexibility springs to mind. The guys don't just run a program which you have to fit into, they check you out, assess your ability and change the program to fit you. This means if your low in jump numbers and lack bodyflight skills then thats what they focus on. If you've been doing RW for years and you come with team mates, they'll up the workrate challenging you to raise your game.

But they do have a basic framework starting with individual bodyflight skills and building up to advanced block moves for those who are ready. They are prepared to guide beginners along starting at the basics, or for more advanced flyers, they can jump right in at the top.

While the groups may be mixed, when doing RW, they will match you up to people with similar skill levels. This mix and match is really cool. As a newby, I was really pleased to see my skills progressing as I got individual tuition. But it was just awesome to see them crank the pace up with the more experienced guys. Now that I've a little more (tunnel) time under my belt, I've seen it the other way round. Seeing (relative) newcomers take thier first steps on the road to learning bodyflight and seeing someones face crack into a smile as they figure how to do a new skill for the first time is just so cool.

Whether you are doing the Tunnel Camp or the XL Challenge (which combines tunnel time and skydiving), the team have the same positive debrief regime. This was excellent for me and I'd recommend it to any low confidence, low timers. The debriefs identify what you did well and reinforce that as a basis for what you need to improve on. As a consequence XL build you up and up. When you try new stuff it doesn't always work first time, but the XL guys don't pick you off and knock you down, they help build you up. As they've been coaching for so long, they have a wealth of experience and if one particular method doesn't seem to work, they help you to stop, reset and try another way.

Expert or beginner, you'll walk away from an XL camp with a massive hike in your skills, a bunch of new friends, some totally awesome memories and of course the honour of having flown with Britains best. If thats not value for money then I don't know what is.

[Spike 0]

Rather a long post, but this is a copy of an article I wrote for Skydive The Mag last year after my first camp with XL. I've a few more jumps now and a bit more time in the tunnel, but the article still reflects the enthusiasm I have for XL and the coaching they give. At least two of the XLites (John Keogh and the lovely Emma), went on to win Gold at the British Nationals this year as part of V2.

Quote

XL hold a series of two on two FS training camps during the year and a group from Hinton took up the challenge. Here's how it hung.

XL Are:
Pete Allum
Steve Hamilton
Thomas Hughes
John McIver
Rob Stevenson
Patrick Osbourne (flew additional camera)

The XLites were: (jumps)
Beryl Carew (250)
Colin Hicklin (140)
David Cox (1400)
John Keogh (260)
Ben Dawson (150)
John "Gibbo" Gibbs (1400)
Emma Hammersley (Brit Chick 500)
Phil Hartree (300)

Cost US$ GBP£ (@$1.52=£1)
The XL Challenge $2200 £1447

This covered 26 coached jumps, with video, pre-jump briefing, post jump debrief and half an hour coached time in the Orlando Skyventure Wind Tunnel.

Other costs are, flights to Orlando £300, basic accommodation at the Ferndale lodge $200 (£132) for a twin room, 8 seat people mover $470 (£309)and we split these costs.

For
The XL Challenge is tailored on a jump by jump basis to meet your individual skill level. If the rest of the group advances at a different pace to you, this isn't a problem. XL work with you one on one or two on two.

XL video and fully debrief each jump.

XL pick out the good points in a jump and then add new skills boosting confidence.

XL have over 26 years of skydiving experience between them and it shows. They talk with authority and their advice works.

XL thoroughly enjoy what they do and their enthusiasm is contagious. You'll find yourself doing things you didn't dream you could.

Against
Because the XL Challenge is tailored to your skill level there isn't a jump by jump programme. Not so good for people who want to know on Monday what Friday holds.

The XL Challenge is focussed on FS, so if you want advice on canopy control or some other element of skydiving then you have to ask for it. But don't be shy, the guys are more than pleased to help.

What You Get is a jaw dropping transformation in your skydiving skills. I'm nicely settled down in my cattle class seat on the flight back to Blighty, reflecting on one of the most amazing weeks I have had for a very long time. Along with 6 friends from Hinton and Beryl from Canada, I've just completed the XL Challenge. A week that consisted of an intensive coaching program with the British National Champion Team, Sebastian XL, based in Sebastian, Florida. For myself, as the least experienced jumper, the learning curve was ballistic.

XL Coach You At Your Level and then bring you on some. Pete Allum did an excellent job matching our skill levels and objectives for the challenge. My goal was to improve my individual flying skills and build to 4-way if I could. Ben, Emma, Phil and John wanted to focus on honing their existing 4-way skills, concentrating on blocks and randoms.

The Programme Is Full On, our days began early, arriving at the DZ in time to see the sun creeping over the Cessna Caravan, raising a gossamer haze over the landing area. Each day a different member of XL would take us through a programme of stretches to warm us up and prepare us for the work ahead. Flexibility is integral to the days activities and the team take stretching seriously. I found this an excellent habit to get into and by sundown at the end of a hard day jumping, I was glad we'd done the stretches.

Briefings Are Complete And Thorough beginning with the exit, including tips on positioning in the door, grips and presentation. Next the moves through the dive would be discussed, again starting with an overview of the dive as a whole followed by individual coaching on flying your specific slot. We would practice the dive starting with exits from the mock up and dirt diving the moves on creepers, until everyone was happy.

XL Made Manifest Easy organising the whole days loads up front. This was one less thing to worry about. I was nervous, almost as worried as I'd been during my first jump course! For our first jump we were going to do a relatively simple drill dive, but XL are the British National Champions and I hadn't jumped before with my partner Dave, so I didn't know what they were expecting. All that I knew, was that I was the least experienced jumper at the drop zone. I was desperate not to screw up my first dive at the camp.

Turnaround Was Spot On and as soon as the Caravan was wheels up, manifest called out 20 minutes to the next lift. Time to pack for yourself if you wanted the practice (or in my case, need) or meditate while the sexy Suzy packed. While the first group did their jump I had a little extra time to run through the dive plan. XL landed, donned their second rigs and did a quick run through of the dive plan on the ground, before we were up and away. This set the pace for the rest of the week.

XL's Confidence Is Infectious and I needn't have worried. The dive was fantastic. Ok, I didn't get the exit quite right and my turns weren't in place and I sank out a little just before I got brain lock. But XL are awesome, I'm sure these guys can levitate! Turn for a grip and its there, sink out, pop up or go for a brain lock solo, and XL are there. Whether it be rounding up the straggler, or waving in the face of a brain lock, they’re there. XL help you a little, but tone down the assistance as your skill improves.

Debriefs Focus On What You XL At with an opportunity for you to say what you liked most about the jump and what you would do to improve it. XL sort out any questions you have about techniques or methods and add their own hints and tips before briefing you on the next dive, which usually builds on a skill from the last jump. Occasionally we repeated a dive to correct specific problems.

Positive Thinking Is The XL Way to improve even bad jumps. At the start of one jump Thomas and John had to stop, physically reposition my hands and continue with the dive. I recall thinking "I got the grips wrong" for the whole of the dive. Needless to say, I wasn't concentrating and sank out during my first 360. Afterwards, during the debrief I found very little to say that I liked about the jump and John talked through the technicalities of the problems I'd encountered. Just as I thought we were done, John rewound the tape and made me watch the dive through for the 5th time. I'd seen it all before, or so I thought. But right at the end he pointed out my last rotation. I did a full 360 in place and without sinking out, picking up my grips perfectly. Each time before I'd been so focussed on all the things I'd done wrong that I hadn't seen myself do it right.

Visualisation Is The XL Key To Success, as Thomas said, if you ride up repeating, "I mustn't sink out", you're reinforcing the very thing you don't want to do and so, you sink out. Instead, picture the dive like a movie where it all goes right. John McIver recommends using a similar snapshot technique when visualising the exit. Freeze frame the movie when you have exited the door, just after the Ready, Set, Go and see how your body is presented. Now relate that back to your stance in the door.

XL Use The Tunnel To Fine Tune body flight issues. It was my first time in the tunnel and I was just totally blown away (ho ho) by the experience. I used to think I could turn in place. Now I know I can. The tunnel allowed Thomas to correct some body position issues I had. But its not all work, the serious lessons came with whole dollops of fun, playing posit chasing Thomas around the tunnel was just awesome. Plus through the observation windows you get to look like a SkyGod in front of slack jawed tourist whuffos - never a bad thing.

Progression Is The Name Of The Game and my program began at the basics of body flight, but by the end I was doing verts!!! Comparing the videos of my first and last dives, the improvement is incredible. Now I really feel justified in calling myself a skydiver, when asked what I do. I certainly feel confident that I can fly my slot in future 4-ways. The more experienced guys were focussed on blocks and stardians and other complex dives. Watching each others videos we saw moves that left our chins buried in the carpet. Emma even got to fly the fourth XL slot, while Pete Allum took a group of us for a tracking dive. Rob Stevenson (XL camera flyer) complained that even he doesn't get to fill slots for XL. Go Emma go!

XL Helped Me Exceed My Expectations beyond my wildest dreams. I think training in our sport is essential, but I signed up to the XL Challenge worried that my skill level was too low for the program. But from the first jump to the last I was grinning like a Cheshire cat, smiling so wide that I needed a zip top head. As Pete Allum says, the program is designed for anyone who is ready for 4-way. I would thoroughly recommend the XL Challenge, their methods treat each jumper as an individual focussing on you and the skills you need to improve as a building block of a 4-way team. Sebastian XL, see themselves as a world class 4-way team which coaches, not as a teaching machine which competes. This keeps them at forefront of our sport and their methods worked perfectly for me.

I Can't Wait To Jump With Sebastian XL Again and if your thinking about signing up, go for it…

Edited for bad use of brackets

[Nick 0]

I'm booked up for the tunnel camp in November, was pretty sure but now I know I've made the right choice. I'm also tempted to go for a skills camp early next year if they run one.

Nick
Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

[Spike 0]

Hey Nick,

Your going to have an fabulous time, start stretching now.

Camps with XL early next year are on my agenda too and I have a couple of other guys planning on hooking up too. Let me know if your interested and we'll work it out.

You lucky lucky person.

• Quote

[Nick 0]

have been doing yoga for the last couple of months so hopfully that'll help a bit.

Will be up for a camp next year, just a case of working out finances after this tunnel camp and xmas in Eloy.....

Nick
Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

[Nick 0]

Spike

Just back from the camp out in Florida, what a blast it was...

Managed to get a total of 80 mins tunnel time over the 2 days. Started with the basics, worked on improving my body position, forwards and backwards movement, side sliding and ended up launching 2-ways into the tunnel and working on things like vertical transitions and superpositioning, and actually combining the 2 to put in some pretty good moves (at least I'd say they were pretty good, Thomas might say otherwise). Even managed to get in a bit of knee flying for the last couple of minutes. The only problem is that muscles I never knew I had are aching!!!!

If your still up for a camp early next year drop me a PM and we might be able to sort something out with Thomas.

Nick
Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

[Spike 0]

Hey Nick,

Cool, I knew you'd have a ball, that knee flying is a blast. I got a freeflyer to vid me kneeflying all the way down when I got back to real air - coooooool and unusual footage, for a bellyflyer.

I'm so pleased you had a good time, I know how important it is to Thomas and the rest of the XL guys, to hear that people benefited from thier skill and experience.

Yes I'm definitely up for a camp in '04. There are a couple of other peeps who said they would be interested too, so lets work it out. I'll PM you.

Gosh man, you just took me back down memory lane, its been tooooo long since I've been in the tunnel. Love verts. Did you play posit, chasing Thomas round the tunnel?