IS IT ME?

[SARLDO 0]

So here it is...

I am pretty new at RW but I believe I am falling in a very stable body position (i.e. not sliding) as I had no trouble, other than closing position too slow (which is OK for now), as a student. Problem is; I jumped with someone of pretty equal experience a few times and once we exited and released grips to try a redock, we could not get within the same time zone again. How do I know if it is me who is unable to manuver into position or my partner continually sliding away from me?

I would like to try some RW with others but due to my experience level, it's tough to do without paying for a coach. Tunnel time is out of the question for now.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[AggieDave 6]

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I would like to try some RW with others but due to my experience level, it's tough to do without paying for a coach.

I find it hard to believe that there is no one at your DZ that is an experienced jumper that would be willing to go up and do some drill dives with you.

Talk to your former instructors, they could probably point you to the right person to go jump with. Besure to approach this as an opportunity to learn for yourself, not an opportunity to place blame on another jumper for a dive not going as planed.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Remster 24]

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How do I know if it is me who is unable to manuver into position or my partner continually sliding away from me?

Obviously, we dont know yours of your buddy's skills, but, I think its safe to assume its both of you, and the corrections you both are trying to do probably compoud the problems.

What kind of coaching have you gotten beyound the AFF training? And your friend?

Remster

[druspork 0]

"ROCK" Drill

What you do is dirt dive your jump and exit with full intention of doing the drill. If it aint happening either party puts up a hand in the STOP sign. Stop sign means the "rock" stays still while the other guy closes. When you get the close, go back to the top of the dive plan. You be the rock on the next jump as your skills in falling down the tube sound good. Your buddy can be rock the jump after.

Expect things to be happening with both of you. It's not that easy to close when the other guy is moving around (which he will be cause he is also trying to close).

Dru
ps Let us know how it goes.

[Remster 24]

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You be the rock on the next jump as your skills in falling down the tube sound good.

No offence, but we have no idea of that. Its easier to be stable if you have a stable reference (ie, an AFF instructor). If your only other reference is anoter 20 jump skydiver, its a whole different game!

And really, I wouldnt expect any jumper with 20ish jump to be able to fall down the tube by himself. Its part of learning.

Remster

[SARLDO 0]

Thanks. I know I need to jump with some experienced folks (pay for a coach if needed) to better my skills. As of now, I have not had any training beyond my ISP towards my "A". It was just frustrating to not be able to dock, wondering if it was me. I'll keep working on it
Blue sky's!

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[Travman 6]

Haha, I remember some of the early 3 to 4 ways I did with people the same jump numbers as me.
Everything worked great.. and then we left the plane
It was good fun, but getting coaching early on will help you develop quicker.

[StreetScooby 5]

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Everything worked great.. and then we left the plane

LOL!!!

Yep, been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Somebody needs to be base and fall straight down, if they can. If that person can't do it, pick somebody else. Or, get an experience person to jump with you.

We are all engines of karma

[FrenchyDiver 0]

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I would like to try some RW with others but due to my experience level, it's tough to do without paying for a coach. Tunnel time is out of the question for now.

According to your profile you are in VA Beach. Come to Skydive Virginia in Louisa County near Lake Anna (about halfway between Fredericksburg and Richmond). There are a fairly amount of RW experienced jumpers to jump with you for free. That includes our AAFIs and Coaches. We will be glad to be of assistance.

Hispas Brothers President
HISPA #2,

[3331 108]

West Point Virginia is a one hour drive from Virginia Beach. Lots of help for all levels.

Check it out with Map Quest

I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving.

[skytash 0]

I'm really pleased to see your post and the one from 3331. Being in completely the wrong part of the world I couldn't offer any help to SARLDO and was hoping someone else would.

Like others said, been in the situation where as a group we decided that if we managed to get a linked exit to work, we'd count that as 15 points .

A more experienced jumper offered to do a couple of 2-ways with me and paid his own slot. The only request he made of me is that I 'pay it forward' and do exactly that for someone else who needs it once I could fall straight down the tube. I've kept my part of that bargain so far and hope to keep doing so.

It makes me sad to think that there aren't many out there that do this anyore. Then you two restored my faith in skydivers remembering the help they got when they were 'young' and passing it on to others. It's one of the things I really love about our community and there are probably lots more out there who think this way than I thought!



tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[FrenchyDiver 0]

Thanks Skytash

Hispas Brothers President
HISPA #2,

[kallend 1,623]

I don't do as much of that as I should, but it's always a lot of fun to be a target.

Sometimes I get out the videos of my student jumps...

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[GQ_jumper 4]

It makes me sad to think that there aren't many out there that do this anyore. Then you two restored my faith in skydivers remembering the help they got when they were 'young' and passing it on to others. It's one of the things I really love about our community and there are probably lots more out there who think this way than I thought!

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there's a few of us lurking around

History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

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[HellsAngel 0]

I'll vouch for that. GQ_jumper helped me out immensely at the now infamous Dublin Saint Patrick's Day Boogie last year. It's always nice to find others who share a love for 4-way. Once I return from my year and a half tour laying the smackdown on North Korea should they decide to take a trip across the DMZ, I'll be needing lots more help to get my flying skills back!

Diablo Pantalones Rodriguez...giving the devil his due in spandex and a smile.
Pink Mafia #435...Pink is my new obsession.
Team Dirty Sanchez #149

[chigbee 0]

I have the same problem when jumping with people with my low jump #'s. What I found works is if after you release, one jumper makes a 90' turn and just falls at their natural rate and the other jumper chases and does a side dock. Probably not as good as a coach, but better than yo-yoing back and forth.

[GQ_jumper 4]

I'll vouch for that. GQ_jumper helped me out immensely at the now infamous Dublin Saint Patrick's Day Boogie last year. It's always nice to find others who share a love for 4-way.

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holy crap I thought you had disapeared!!! it was a blast jumping with you, we'll definitely have to do it again when you get back.

History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

• Quote

[DanG 1]

You may be in luck. Skydive Orange is hosting free coaching for recent (within the last 12 months) A license graduates this Saturday. It is intended to be for Skydive Orange alums, but I just gave myself permission to invite you.

You will have to pay for your own slots, but that's all.

Come on out and play. We are about 3.5 to 4 hours from Virginia Beach, so you might want to plan and spend the weekend.

Hope to see you,

Dan G
President, Skydive Orange, Inc.

[DanG 1]

(By the way, unless there is video, it is ALWAYS the other guy who is backsliding)

- Dan G

[SARLDO 0]

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(By the way, unless there is video, it is ALWAYS the other guy who is backsliding)

- Dan G

Oh man... Sorry I missed out. I'll try to get up to orange soon. Thanks for the invite and above words of wisdom

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[bigdad510 1]

SARLDO,
I had the same problem. The best advice that seems to work at my DZ is to jump with an experianced jumper in 2 ways, nothing bigger. As far as docking, it depends. I had to modify my flying to get forward movement. Sticking legs out didn't get me there. Had to put my hands back about 50 percent to a track to get forward. Another thing that helps everyone, is get someone to video it. Its amazing how much you learn in a very very short time with video.
If you ever come to MS, check out Gold Coast, everyone there will help you out!

Brad

[LemmingBoy 0]

Me and my buddies had the same problem, it became especially bad when we tried adjusting fall rate.

An easy jump we came up to fix that was going into a sidebody, letting go but staying put, have one person adjust the fall rate, get back next to each other and docking. Then we would then each turn 90 degrees to another sidebody and repeat the process. If we had to move a lot to stay hovering, it was a sign that the guy taking grips was backsliding. We did it REALLY slow and focused on form.

Hope this helps, Good Luck.

PS- If you get stuck in a rut on 2-ways, try 3-ways, they are a real easy way to figure out who is doing what.

[fastphil 0]

Forget the "one on ones" and move on to 3, 4 or bigger; you'll figure it out much quicker that way...

(however, no matter how much your buddy backslides, you can catch him)

[DanG 1]

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Forget the "one on ones" and move on to 3, 4 or bigger

I'm going to have to disagree here. If you can't do a successful 2-way, you won't be able to do a succesful 4-way. I'm all for having fun with friends, and as long as you can maintain relative proximity, are aware of everyone's location on breakoff, and can track to a clear piece of sky in a timely fashion, go for the gusto. But I believe you will learn faster by getting feedback from a more experienced jumper on a two way than you will by flying all over the place trying to get a four-way together.

As for the advice above about bringing your arms back to promote forward motion, I would caution against this. You need to be able to both hold still and move forward with your arms in a natural, "grip-taking" position. If you have to move your arms back to move forward, you will never be able to take grips. Again, work with a more experienced jumper to improve your body position.

- Dan G

[elightle 8]

I agree. I would much rather do 20 points on a 2-way than a garbage 4-way.

I also agree about the forward movement thing. About the only time a belly flyer should bring his arms back are to dive to a spot outside the formation or to track away after breakoff.

--Ed