Getting started...

[mamajumps 0]

Ive been jumping for 5 years and from the get go I've been interested in 4 way. My skydiving history has been stop and go, but now nothing is in my way and I really want to get it going. I have done five 4 way jumps and to be honest, I feel really lost. I have about 5 hrs total in the tunnel and trying to get more all the time. I try to get in on 4 way jumps any chance I get and I always tell the others Im new at this. I have dreams of being on a team one day and competing, but in the mean time, what is the best way to learn about the different formations, and basically all the in's and outs of RW. Thanks!

[DanG 1]

Sometimes well established 4-way teams will hold training camps, either at a DZ or a tunnel. If you really want to learn a lot about 4-way, camps like those are great.

Another easy way to get into 4-way is try to find three other like minded individiuls and form a casual team. There's probably someone at your dropzone with a little 4-way experience who can give you some pointers and ideas to get you started. Then just start doing 4-way! Going to 4-way meets is also great. Every meet I've ever been to (including Nationals) has been a great learning experience. Most people will offer free coaching and tips, as long as you ask.

Don't forget that skydiving is supposed to be fun, so don't worry if it takes a while to get the hang of it. Sloppy 4-way is a blast. Tight 4-way is even better.

Good luck!

- Dan G

[JustChuteMeNow 0]

Quote

what is the best way to learn about the different formations, and basically all the in's and outs of RW.

One of the best sites to learn the formations and how to set up the exits for those formations is on the team fastrax website. Like the other poster said if you can form a team and go to NSL meets, people are really helpful about showing techniques for smoother 4-way.

Airspeed has some good articles on 4-way as well that can be downloaded.

Good luck. 4-way is a blast. My daughter is competing on a 4-way team for the first time this year too.

Think of how stupid the average person is and realize that statistically half of them are stupider than that.

[NeedToJump 0]

http://www.teamfastrax.org/ is a great resource for learning about 4-way. Download the Dive Pool PDFs and try to memorize what the formations are (start with the randoms.)

Watch lots of 4-way videos. http://www.skyleague.com has lots of them. Try to figure out what the formations are. When you start recognizing the formations, pick a person and follow him/her through the entire dive. Try to figure out which "color" that person is on the Fastrax PDFs.

Our team is going to be holding a 4-way skills camp in Sebastian April 26-27. It will be a great opportunity to learn a lot about 4-way and meet other people interested in doing 4-way. We'll be posting details soon about that.

Our team tends to be at Sebastian a lot so just come up to any of us and ask us any 4-way questions you have. At the end of each training day, we usually put our videos on the big screen so grab a beer and come watch them with us.

Try going to the tunnel with a coach who knows about 4-way

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

[mamajumps 0]

Quote

http://www.teamfastrax.org/ is a great resource for learning about 4-way. Download the Dive Pool PDFs and try to memorize what the formations are (start with the randoms.)

Watch lots of 4-way videos. http://www.skyleague.com has lots of them. Try to figure out what the formations are. When you start recognizing the formations, pick a person and follow him/her through the entire dive. Try to figure out which "color" that person is on the Fastrax PDFs.

Our team is going to be holding a 4-way skills camp in Sebastian April 26-27. It will be a great opportunity to learn a lot about 4-way and meet other people interested in doing 4-way. We'll be posting details soon about that.

Our team tends to be at Sebastian a lot so just come up to any of us and ask us any 4-way questions you have. At the end of each training day, we usually put our videos on the big screen so grab a beer and come watch them with us.

Try going to the tunnel with a coach who knows about 4-way

Do you know any good ones?

[brettski74 0]

As people have mentioned, the Team Fastrax website is a fantastic resource with exit videos, block animations and colour-coded dive pools showing how to cheat the grips, but for a rank beginner, I'd also recommend first looking at the standard dive pools that you can obtain such as that contained on pages 45-48 of the USPA Skydiver's Competition Manual. Other national organisations like the CSPA, APF, etc have similar dive pools available for download from their websites, also. The standard dive pools you get from these places will help you get a better initial mental picture of what each formation looks like. Get that, first, then start learning how you can cheat the grips to make things go faster. The Fastrax Dive Pool is great once you know what you're looking at, but if you don't, a lot of those formations may look very similar to you. Several coaches I've worked with also like to concentrate on angles more at the beginning before you start cheating the grips. It tends to develop better discipline in flying your slot first and taking the grips last.

FYI - In case you're wondering, cheating grips is not cheating. In 4-way, angles don't matter so much as flying in a position that allows you to take the required grips. If you take a longer formation like a K or L and curve it around a bit, you can get there with less movement. If you look at the Fastrax dive pool randoms and compare them with those in the USPA SCM, you'll see what I mean.

[bliston 0]

Here's another resource that might be helpful. I tried to explain slots, mirrors, slot switchers, exits, training plans, and general tips for 4-way in language that hopefully makes sense to a new jumper or someone that hasn't done any 4-way...

http://www.collegeskydiving.com/content/view/6/4/

Have fun,
Ben

Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website


sticks!

[siddacious 0]

Quote

Here's another resource that might be helpful. I tried to explain slots, mirrors, slot switchers, exits, training plans, and general tips for 4-way in language that hopefully makes sense to a new jumper or someone that hasn't done any 4-way...

http://www.collegeskydiving.com/content/view/6/4/

Have fun,
Ben

Hey Ben, I read that article a while back and wanted to say "thanks!" It's been quite helpful 'bigger picture' to go along with the excellent airspeed articles.

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[rehmwa 2]

quite a few good articles and resources referenced via the cscrhythm website and an older one by mario santos

do a search, both are worthwhile

Fastrax's team site is a great site also

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[KathleenL 0]

This dvd helps me alot and I am jumping with very accomplished belly flyers turning 12 to 13 pts avg. Get the Arizona Airspeed Mind Maps. It is great.

[SmoothAl 0]

Hey mamajumps,

Wanted to see how the team formation was going. Where are you located? I've had aspirations of starting up a team myself (after I get back out there), but my last few visits to my home DZ have shown me that almost all the people I jumped with, have moved on.

SA