Back track barrel role

[gorillaparks 0]

I'm just recently licensed and tracking a lot. But how do I efficiently transition from a normal flat track to a stable back track.

I track with legs slightly wider than shoulders. De-arched and shoulders rolled forward, palms face up. I would like to work toward controlled barrel rolls.

[Floflo 0]

Hi,

First try to track with your legs closer and palms towards the ground.
Initiate your barrel rolls with your hips and not your shoulders or legs. If you stay on your back, don't do it for more than a few seconds, as you'll probably have changed direction on the first attempts.

[gorillaparks 0]

Hey thanks for the input. I think I was trying to initiate by pushing arms in opposite directions, this just made me unstable. I like the idea of initiating with my hips while my legs are closer together. But what does palm direction have to do with it? I feel like I achieve a more efficient track with palms up. Let me know if this is more crucial than it seems.

THanks!

[c10edges 0]

The Best way to go from a back track to a belly track is to simply move your right leg over your left. You should be very suprised how easy it will flip you over

[gorillaparks 0]

I will definately try using my legs now, thanks.

Along similar lines. Is it possible to continue the barrel rolls creating a perpetual corkscrew motion? You know...just keep spinning? Just curious on body position and technical difficulty. It seems like it would be hard to hold for very long.

[tjm 0]

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I will definately try using my legs now, thanks.

Along similar lines. Is it possible to continue the barrel rolls creating a perpetual corkscrew motion? You know...just keep spinning? Just curious on body position and technical difficulty. It seems like it would be hard to hold for very long.

I've done this only a few times. To answer your question yes it can be done. From my findings you seem to increase your fallrate and tend to go head low fo to decrease in lift, maybe? And the axis in which I was spinning seemed to be off center. I did keep a heading though and it is fun.

There are far more skilled people than me that undoubtly can perform this manuvuer better, but just my finding from doing it only a few times.

If you're not living on the edge; you're taking up too much room!

[Vertifly 0]

:049 Seconds on this one starts some manuevering:

Tracking Roles

[skycamefalling 0]

Here is a good video that has a tracking roll in it. Starts at 1:18. Got a pretty badass exit also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvgXxsuNsA

Speedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead.
And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore.

[yeyo 1]

On this jump me and my brother exchange leads a couple times. He starts on his back, then me, then him again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyDInrwEF_M

You can use any part of your body to start the transition. The problems would be keeping the heading and not losing too much altitude by going head low. Check out what works best for you. The key is practice, practice and practice.
And always have fun. If it doesnt work, laugh about it and try again

HISPA #93
DS #419.5

[gorillaparks 0]

Thanks dude, Ill give it a few jumps and just mess with it. Nice clip, what dz is that?

[Floflo 0]

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The Best way to go from a back track to a belly track is to simply move your right leg over your left. You should be very suprised how easy it will flip you over

You're right, it's the easiest way... When you're alone.
But it most of the time induces light changes in forward speed, angle and direction. It's easy to correct immediately in a "regular" tracking dive, but it's not a really clean transition, and when you start flying in a steeper angle, it can lead to huge (and dangerous!) angle changes.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's impossible to achieve clean transitions like that, it's just harder.
I think it's better to take good habits from the beginning and transition from the hips.

Of course, try and see what works best for you.

[yeyo 1]

Quote

Thanks dude, Ill give it a few jumps and just mess with it. Nice clip, what dz is that?

Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

HISPA #93
DS #419.5

[gorillaparks 0]

So what exactly do you mean by start the transition with the hips? Am I suppose to flatten my body as straight as possible and just rotate my hips keeping my body in a straight line? Could you elaberate? Just rotate the hips? Leg separation? Arms input?

[LongWayToFall 0]

When I tried flipping over during a track things got real wild, I found that getting a stable back fly going and then progressively moving into a back track worked great for me, might be worth messing with before you try to transition. Anyways, have fun!

[Vertifly 0]

One trick is to dump some air (speed up vertically) a little first while tracking with others. Get them to stay with you at that pace.

Then real-quick, grab air (slow down vertically) and do the barrel role, then back to neutral speed

The grabbing of air and barrel role will help you maintain the relative position next to others. Hope this is easy to understand

[davelepka 4]

All of this transition talk is good, but first you need to learn to back track before you can expect to transition to it from a belly track.

You have to be careful with your heading and length of time you spend back trakcing while learning. It's not hard to track yourself up or down the jumprun into the group before or after you. One trick is to use the sun as a heading reference. If you know that going across the jumprun puts the sun on your left for a certain jump, then make sure the sun is on your left. If the sun ends up somewhere besides you left, you need to stop tracking, and re-set your heading. Consult with a local instructor before doing this, and review the DZ procedure for exit order, and the jumprun, spot, and dive plan for the load you will be on.

By the time you have a solid, stable back track figured out, the transition will be a snap. You're just flopping from one comfortable position to another comfortable position. You just roll over, no big deal.

The best advice so far was 'popping' up just before the transition. The roll will cause you to lose some lift as you present less surface area to the wind on your side than on your belly or back. So if you slow down vertically a touch, then roll over, you'll fall right back to the same level you started at.

[Floflo 0]

Yes, you need to keep your body in a straight line and rotate quickly the hips. Do not give any input with the arms or legs.
As Davelepka wrote, it can be quite dangerous to learn back tracking alone. Do not stay (at the beginning) more than 3-4 secs on your back.
Ideally, talk to an instructor and fly with him (/her) a couple of times, it will in the end spare you time and a lot of jumps.