Sit Fly forward movement

[skyblu3 0]

I'm a FS jumper converting to freefly. I'm having an issue with moving forward in a head up position. The way I've been taught is to push the hips forward with arms back. This is ok but when I do this I seem to want to stand up thus creating some vertical seperation.

In videos that I'm watching I see a lot of jumpers moving forward by picking their legs up and kida butt sliding forward. Which is the better method?? Any pointers will help.

[losty 0]

Get your head round the mechanics...

Get creative with some pool sausages in a pool...

Yahoo Serious

[Newbie 0]

Welcome to the dark side! I have limited experience, but here are my thoughts...

If possible, check out the Trace 101 DVD - has some excellent video of Babylon demonstrating this exact question.

To cut the answer to the bone - forward movement is as you say, done with the hips, but you can also move the lower leg forward, point the toes etc etc, but by doing this, particularly pushing your hips forward, you will be presenting more of your back to the relative wind. By going into a slightly extended vertical position (i.e. sitting up slightly, or standing if needs be) you will maintain your fall rate. Really, it depends on many factors - some people fall very quickly and have a tight suit/clothing etc, but you certainly don't want to be sliding about on your butt. Also, you should try to focus on making sure the arms aren't extended too far back - it will make taking docks more difficult, and in my experience, it's best to try not to rely on using the arms to fly.

A good exercise i read about is to get into a sit position and lean against a wall/door. Now push down on your legs, think about extending vertically a little (or not, depending on how your forward movement is affecting your fall rate), and push your hips forward so that only your shoulders are touching the door/wall. Hold that position and feel what muscles you are working.

Good luck!

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[Peej 0]

First off, we call it sitflying because it bears some resemblance to sitting in a chair but that's about it.
The last thing you want to be doing while head up flying is flying on your ass.

Your points of balance during head up flying come from your arms and under your heels so when driving forward with the hips you want to be very aggressive with your feet and legs, drive your heels down hard into the relative wind and point your hips where you want to go.
As for getting your arms back, i'd say it's more a case of getting your shoulders back rather than your arms. You don't want your arms close together behind your back. You still want them out to your sides but roll your shoulders back to assist wih pushing your hips forwward.

A great way to practice this is to go out and chase someone around. Get them to backslide madly and do your best to max out and catch them. Just make sure you're facing off the line of flight when you do. Good luck

edited for spelling

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[skyblu3 0]

thanks for the pointers...keep them coming

[mr2mk1g 10]

Forget about your arms. Don't try to produce forward movement by putting them behind you - if you learn to fly by relying on your arms you will only have to re-learn everything when you want to start taking docks.

[freeasabird 0]

I "fly my arms" totally differently when I drive versus when I take docks. Arms are very important in the drive - but almost a non-factor when taking docks (or so it feels that way). You can read advice all you want in these forums - but just making the jumps and practicing more in the air to get the feel will help most with progression. Furthermore, a coach with video for feedback will speed that progression tremendously. Good luck and have fun!!

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[ntacfreefly 0]

Quote

Forget about your arms. Don't try to produce forward movement by putting them behind you - if you learn to fly by relying on your arms you will only have to re-learn everything when you want to start taking docks.

mr2mk1g is right.

Arms are for docking, not 'flying'.

Blues.

To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. ~ Lao-Tzu

It's all good, they're my brothers ~ Mariann Kramer

[dharma1976 0]

I definately use my hips and legs to steer and fly, in order to gain maximum forward moevemet, I almost look as if I am in the halfway point between upright and reclined in an easy chair... although if I need to get somewhere quickly I would much rather be on my head ;)

my arms can be anywhere when I am sitflying at this point, I can fly them up down on my hips giving people the double bird (my hand signal for slow the f down) waving hello, you name it,

if you want you should try sit flying with your hands crossed in front of you to get the position so that you dont rely on your arms for stability.

Cheers


Dave

http://www.skyjunky.com

CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing.

[Peej 0]

Quote

if you want you should try sit flying with your hands crossed in front of you to get the position so that you dont rely on your arms for stability.

Or take an empty gatorade bottle out of the plane with you, get into a stable sit and pass it round your body. You can even do this with a pull up chord. (I think that might be the patented AggieDave freefly drill jump)

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[rmcvey 0]

Hi there

Try this.....

http://www.bpa.org.uk/skydive/pages/articles/aug05/headuphigh.pdf

[fialachris 0]

It is all about a balance between how much up push your legs down to how much you push your hips forward. Your arms will naturally drift back, but more important is try and keep your chin back and have a slight arch in your lower back. (The more you push your hips forward you have to drive your legs down to maintain fall rate, due to more surface area exposed. Small movements!

[patworks 5]

The Anguish of Backsliding, the Heartbreak of the Fly-by Zoomies
Many a new sit-flyer’s early attempts result in a righteous backslide. Why? New sit-flyers tend to fly with the soles of the feet nearly perpendicular to the ground, heels to the wind, and the calves catching air. This produces a backslide. When they try to push their legs down, the calves catch more air and they cannot get their heels down and feet properly flat to the wind. Sound familiar? Frustrating, isn’t it?
Here is a solution: Instead of trying to push the legs down to get into the desirable “kitchen chair” position, do this: Bring your heels in—up close to your butt. When the soles of your feet are flat to the wind and your calves are vertical (out of the wind blast), then it’s easy to step down into the kitchen chair.
Try it on the ground to prove that it works. If you have any friends left, get three of them to repeat the “kitchen chair” exercise described above except, this time, have the “wind” lift up and out on your feet so that your soles face their chest and are perpendicular to the ground. This time their hands will be cupping your heels. Now, striving to go to the kitchen chair position won’t work because the wind is lifting your heels and calves. In this position, pushing the calves down just flips you on your back. To solve this, blend with the wind instead of fighting it. Just put your heels on your butt. This is easy and it takes your calves out of the wind and puts your feet flatter to the wind. Now, push down on your feet until you resume (or attain) the sit position.
OK?

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,