head up position styles

[lili 0]

I have been flying head up for quite a while now, but whenever I go for coaching whether head up or head down or a coach/more experienced freeflyer sees my sitfly position on video, I get advised to totally change my position.

There seem to be two general types of head up position when in a sit that both work for me:
1) the american/english advice I've had is a crunched position with feet slightly under my legs to burble myself slightly (otherwise I am super slow)
2) the babylon/french advice, a very open body position with wide, 3/4 straight legs to keep the speed on.

Don't know if I've explained them very well, but although they both seem to work for me and I tend to get where I want, any comments on pros and cons of these positions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Lili

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

1) the american/english advice I've had is a crunched position with feet slightly under my legs to burble myself slightly (otherwise I am super slow

I wouldn't call that the "american" version. Just about every coach I've ever seen or talked to doesn't teach that.

If you're all crunched up with your legs under you, you're not going to beable to really use your legs to fly, you'll use more of your arms. That means it'll be hard for you to take docks out infront of you.

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

[Zenister 0]

there is no 'one head up' position. It is totally a matter of what works best for you in the moment, in that particular dive, that does not cause complications or difficulty later on, and allows you the most freedom to adjusts.....

what your describing as 'crunched' just sounds like bad flying, but perhaps i'm not understanding/ or your not explaining yourself very well.... increasing speed is all about decreasing surface area... there are a number of ways to do that in a sit/stand, none of which are country specific....

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Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[lili 0]

I actually find that I can fly without my arms in this position (arms crossed in front of chest) and fly more with my back, however taking a hand dock does prove difficult as my legs tend to be closer together in this position and hence it is further to reach. I find that is also slightly less reactive, presumably because I'm not using the large surface area of my legs as well as my back.

[fuga 0]

I think that what you call the babylon/french advice is best. I'm quite light (just under 10stone) and find that this position works well for me. It has given me a huge range to fly in, with practice you can easy stay with the fast guys (can comfortably stay with some at 180 while still being able to take docks) but you are also very easily going to be able to slow right down without really having to goto your back.

I think its easy to stay with people at the those speeds, the trick is to never let them get away from you, if you have a big distance its hard but if your near then its easy to maintain the speed. If I want to speed up from this position I find that a normal stand doesnt get me fast enough so i bring my arms up above my head (as if i was high diving) and straighten my legs. I only have to do this for a short time as I can accelerate quite quick with this. Its also still very easy to move around with as your going faster so you dont have to make such big inputs to move around.

If I want to slow down from the position I can relax my legs a little into more of a tradition 90* sit position or if I need to slow down just a little I find that moving my lower leg out to the sides can help a hell of a lot for small adjustments.

This position is also (I think) really nice for when you want to take docks, instead of compensating with your arms (one arm back and one arm forward) try to compensate with your legs a little. If your bringing your right arm forward bring your right leg back and out and your left leg forward and out, just a little. You'll still need to compensate a bit with your arm but I find that I can fly the dock so much easier. I can vary my fall rate by changing how much I am sticking my leg out to the side.

I dont know if that answered your question or not though! Sorry if i rambled a lot

.

[Andrewnewell 0]

In the long run there is no static freefly body position, we should always be compensating and reacting.

I would say the different positions you describe differ in degrees of style, probably not function. I say fly them all chicka, If your where you wanna be and in control, then who cares.

Dont think feel, its like a finger pointing to the moon, Blah blah blah

[goose491 0]

I've sorta been playing with that second sit position since I saw Dave Brown flying a suto version of it.

Head up, he looks like he's flying head down... just upsidedown. He looks like a starfish or something similar. lol.

Legs are wide apart, almost straight. Arms to the sides and a little lower than you'd expect for head up orientation. At first when I tried it out I thought, what the hell is this? Being so thin (without legs out in front of you, you are thinner 'front-to-back') I had a tendency to speed wabble forward and back. Took a couple jumps to get used to but now I think it's bomb digaddy!! It simplifies flying around in that you're body is more streamlined. In fact, the 'speed wabble' I described is a direct result of not having the pressure on the underside of my quads/thighs to rely on.

That is, in a 90-90-90 sit position, you can move around using your hips but you can also get into the habit of simply 'leaning' your upper body which is less efficient (i.e. simply to present chest for aft movement and present back for forward) The new head up posision promotes the use of your hips to move around. It makes it easier to learn an input as there aren't so many other 'control surfaces' sticking out into the relative that may counter the motion you desire (without thought or unintentionally)

Also, I find I'm able to move my arms around, (present dock, wave, give "peace", clap, point up and to the left then down and to the right like I'm disco dancing) with a lot more stability in this position. I attribute it to torque principals in that with your legs near-straight, the force applied by wind drag on your legs in not only greater (due to larger surface) that that on the arms but is presented further from the hips which would be the fulcrom point if you're finding stability issues moving your arms around.

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[SamerMasry 0]

Everybody flies their body differently. Not every airplane flies the same because they have different body styles but they all adjust to a supreme end of flight. I personally sit with my calves straight down so you do not cause any unwanted back/forward movement, legs wide( to slowdown ) together to speed up. Most importantly of all i fly relaxed. Relax your mind then you can relax your body and have it do what you want.

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The difference between fear and respect is knowledge. Learn more about what your doing and you won't be afraid to do it.

[Jskydiver22 0]

I dunno, being only 16 and 140 lbs, i just stand to keep up the speed without really realizing it until i see it on video.

--I don't even know enough to know that I dont know--