How to learn head down ?

[lintern 1]

What is the best way of learning head down ?

I want to learn headdown but I have only had a few goes at it.

I have done around 200 or more sit fly jumps.

I've had a few coach jumps from one of the best (Tim Porter) who taught me to transition into headdown from a sit position.

But I am finding this very difficult and end up on my back everytime.

The transition happens so fast and I find it hard to go from almost a ball position to a straight body position with wide open legs in such a quick time.

I end up de-arched and on my back, but quicky get back into a sit to try again.

I have only done about 5 jumps trying these transitions so I know its early days.

But I just wondered if anyone has any tips ?

Going into headdown from a track seems easier, but is more dangerous in case your heading is wrong and you end up flying up or down the flight line.

I don't know what headdown feels like either which is another reason why Im finding it difficult to transition from a sit into something Im unfamiliar with.

I have tried some 2 way shuttle cock exits (hand grip or riser grips and legs wide open) into headdown and even found this difficult.

[rhys 0]

Maybe try another coach, what works for someone else doesn't necessarily work for you.

relax bro, and don't think of it as really hard to do, if you do this you are mentally begind the 8 ball.

go in with an open mind, try to relax and keep trying, it takes many jumps to get this right and you will have fun trying if you DONT beat yourself up about getting it wrong.

charge on,

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[likearock 1]

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But I am finding this very difficult and end up on my back everytime.

Yeah, I had the same problem. Try this: just do one thing on all your solos - play with your pitch. Go back and forth between feeling the wind on your back and your chest. Try to memorize the position between the two. When you think you have it, do another coach jump and look at the video.

[Unparagoned 0]

I found a couch going out holding you, and then telling/changing your position while holding you head down, then letting go worked well with me.

[dharma1976 0]

the way I got it was going to Eloy Arizona and doing a shitload of solos combined with some two ways to get reference I had done a lot of exits...lately more solos to work on things I want to work on

D

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.

[Steve_Lewis 0]

I've done about 300 sit fly jumps, and 2 hours sit in the tunnel recently.

What is the best way to start Head Down currently?

I'm leaning towards just cracking on in the tunnel as A) I live in the UK and, while I can fly in Airkix whenever I like, I can't necessarily jump whenever I like. Also B) 2 hours in Airkix is costing me £900 which is probably an ambitious amount to get even 10 coached jumps from Babylon, Ippo, Volare etc even if you include transport to Spain etc.

2 hours tunnel or 10 coached jumps I guess is the question?

[Fast 0]

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I've done about 300 sit fly jumps, and 2 hours sit in the tunnel recently.

What is the best way to start Head Down currently?

I'm leaning towards just cracking on in the tunnel as A) I live in the UK and, while I can fly in Airkix whenever I like, I can't necessarily jump whenever I like. Also B) 2 hours in Airkix is costing me £900 which is probably an ambitious amount to get even 10 coached jumps from Babylon, Ippo, Volare etc even if you include transport to Spain etc.

2 hours tunnel or 10 coached jumps I guess is the question?

Tunnel and you are gonna learn a whole hell of a lot of other skills along the way! Your question is basically 120 coached "skydives" or 10 coached skydives.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[wngarner 0]

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Maybe try another coach, what works for someone else doesn't necessarily work for you.

here here...while the cartwheel worked for me when I started learning, it didn't work for a good friend of mine. her husband (who has spent a good amount of time in the tunnel recently) decided to try a tunnel method with her that alot of the rats used and its working SO much better for her -

if there are tunnel folks out there, please jump in and clarify how to explain this, but from what i can tell its a sortof cartwheel / back layout thingy....she turned 90 off-heading from him, then, she starts a sortof cartwheel flip to end up facing him on her head....the change in direction mid-flip has kept her from ever getting really "balled up" and she's not moving very much in the transition...just a thought

- ever the spazz

Your work is to discover your world, and then with all your heart, give yourself to it...

[RossDagley 0]

this is pretty much my default transition. cross cartwheel/layout from sit to head down. I try to avoid front or back flips to head down when flying with others because you can lose sight of the other(s) - i NEVER back/front flip when coaching - its asking for it.

[EXTremeWade 0]

I used to go to the pool, before we had the tunnel in Raeford, and I would practice rfom sit, to moving however I needed to, to get to the HD position. Although hydrodynamics, are directly proportional to aerodynamics, the pool is slow, and for poor people, like me. I did have success with it, as I used the same body motion to go rfom the sit under the water to the HD position, as I do in the air still to this day. I can transition just fine in front of anyone, or a spaceball all form what I did, developing muscle memory in the pool.

Wade

[G-systems 0]

learn to use your legs more! its always the legs!
dont push with your arms when getting out of a transition leave them at the side or yust retract them
think faster and keep breathing when you stop your muscletention changes,this will bring un controlled movement in the sky (hitting some one).
take a coach let him video debrief practise 5 jumps take the coach again and to start make in this way 50jumps (vacation) and you wil get a stable HD position.
Smile and have fun! most importand one dont get stuck in the yums that didnt go so well look forward and set goals!
gr33tz

[Kami-kaze 0]

Great advise eveyone! I have problem with my hd, too. Someone said to me about my chin jutting out so pull them in, like she was telling me I can move forward and back with chin movements ....is that true? I do remember once a coach pushed my forehead ...
I like the idea of getting coaching every 5 jmps. and I never heard of doing it in the pool
cheers

[Cashmanimal 0]

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I used to go to the pool

Funny, I was doing this for a while just to have fun, then I realized one jump after a transition that i did exactly what i had done in the pool probably thousands of times just for my own amusement.

I like going into the diving pool so I have some depth to work with... it's surprising how much the water can teach you about the symmetry of your body, it acts exactly like really thick air... essentially, you get to work in slow motion, something freefall isn't so generous with.

It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye

[EXTremeWade 0]

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I used to go to the pool

Funny, I was doing this for a while just to have fun, then I realized one jump after a transition that i did exactly what i had done in the pool probably thousands of times just for my own amusement.

I like going into the diving pool so I have some depth to work with... it's surprising how much the water can teach you about the symmetry of your body, it acts exactly like really thick air... essentially, you get to work in slow motion, something freefall isn't so generous with.

Yes sir. Tunnel time can be too much...the pool slows things down, and the vertigo of being upside down is also a visual reminder of what it looks like to be HD. Very, very useful tool.