HD stability problems

[Kirils 1]

I'm a decent sitflyer, but have had big problems head down.
My exits are good, but as I build speed I start occillating and get unstable.
Last year I had a number of HD coaching jumps. The coach said my problem was the same one he saw with women with big gazongas trying to go head down. (I was body builder, have a small waist with a big chest). A large chest can make you unstable when head down. Is it true?? Can something be done to compensate???
Danka!!
Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

[freeflir29 0]

Sounds like you need to do two things. #1 Relax #2 Make sure you are "hanging" on your legs. I see a lot of people that are hanging on there arms instead and that makes you unstable and will cause all sorts of problems. You might try some solo dives where you go out and practice just flying with your legs and leave your arms at your sides.
"Here I come to save the BOOBIES!"

[Spy38W 0]

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Make sure you are "hanging" on your legs

Thanks Clay, I've been teaching myself freefly b/c I'm jumping at an R-Dubya DZ, when I started getting stable HD I notice I was relying on my arms a lot, then when I was in TN and got some ground school coaching from an AD I remember him commenting on how he could signal to others with his hands which caused me work on relying on my legs for stability, and I do feel like I've improved quite a bit. Though I still don't feel confident enough to do FF with others. I tried a 3 way sit a couple of weeks ago, and *sucked*. I think I was used to being on my own and focusing on my body position, but with others I kept going into spins and sucking overall, very embarrasing when I thought I was doing ok at a sit, to go out with somebody with video, hoping to see myself doing well, and just sucking. Going to try looking for a job tomorrow, then to Clewiston Wednesday for a day of FF coaching.
--
Give them a sip of the darkside, and they just thirst for more.

[freeflir29 0]

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very embarrasing when I thought I was doing ok at a sit, to go out with somebody with video, hoping to see myself doing well, and just sucking.

We all start somewhere!!!!
"Here I come to save the BOOBIES!"

[Levin 0]

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#1 Relax #2 Make sure you are "hanging" on your legs

clay is correct. only i would change both to #1 since they are of equal importance. i see many people with stability problems that have their elbows to far out. usually even with their sternum or just below their arm pits. typically their wrist are about shoulder level. looks kinda like a waiter carrying two large pizzas. with the arms in that position air spills down the upper and lower arms onto the elbows. people doing this try to fight the instability by blancing with their hands making the problem a little worse. elbows should be even with your lower ribs. wrist should be slightly lower than your elbows. hands slightly in front of you so that you can see them in your peripheal vision. a line drawn from one wrist to the other should go across the front of your stomach. roll your shoulders forward slightly. just enought to straighten your back too much will give you a hump back. likewise tuck your butt in. fly your legs. relax and subconsciously try to think about breathing. take it slow and one thing at a time. good luck.
levin
grat # 40
rf # (1)forthcoming

[airdrew20012001 0]

My 2 cents:
1) relax. Do a bunch of solo's concentrating on relaxing and sort of letting the headdown happen.
2) Make sure you can see both your hands at all times IF you are going to use them at all.
3) Do coach jumps with more experiences skydivers.
4) I found Pat Works "The Art of VRW" book and video to be helpful. In the end, though, in my very limited experience you can't be taught so much as allowed to find the headdown. It's real tough, then it's real easy.
Relax, don't try so hard, don't worry about how you are doing. It will happen.
Drewfus McDoofus

[hookit 0]

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...subconsciously try to think about breathing...

Hmmm....that sounds tough.

[Zennie 0]

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elbows should be even with your lower ribs. wrist should be slightly lower than your elbows. hands slightly in front of you so that you can see them in your peripheal vision. a line drawn from one wrist to the other should go across the front of your stomach. roll your shoulders forward slightly. just enought to straighten your back too much will give you a hump back. likewise tuck your butt in. fly your legs. relax and subconsciously try to think about breathing.

And a partridge in a pear tree....
"Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

[freeflir29 0]

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clay is correct

Wow....this is getting scary huh......
"Here I come to save the BOOBIES!"

[Kirils 1]

Thanks! Your advise is invaluable!
Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

[mre 0]

Kirils wrote:
> Thanks! Your advise is invaluable!
Notice who you were replying to here... But that's okay.