Numatik

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content

    29

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Feedback

    0%

Posts posted by Numatik

  2. Skydive went well, but I did still have some problems with my arch in free fall. It has gotten significantly better, but I need to keep working at it. Did all my practice throws, AA was excellent, COA was excellent, responded to my instructors signs, and pulled on time without needing a signal. When the canopy opened it twisted up, I was able to kick around with my feet and untwisted it. After that canopy was perfect, I was able to control it with no issues, but I did wondered out of the holding zone a few times. came 1000 feet I made by may to start the base leg, then 600, then 300 and I landed the canopy. I flared 4 feet to high, which is still wonderful in my book. Had a great time with the jump. Waiting for the money to come back which will be about a month, then I am going to continue to be persistent with the physical therapy. Here is a short video my fiance' took of the landing :)

    http://s60.photobucket.com/albums/h3/snakenetnetworks/Skydive/?action=view¤t=DSCN4636.mp4

  4. Skybytch!!! Sunday my jump is at noon (or so they say it is lol) I always get there early, one of my best friends is doing his first AFF too. We're both nervous but for good reason, it's the landing were scared of. Iv been prepped and did ground school but that first one is a little spooky . Wanna go on Sunday? I'd also like to meet your husband too. Its always good to meet the cool locals!

  5. Quote

    Quote

    my instructor taught me early on, My teacher said to land standing up or a short run is gold, but if you cant do that plan to PLF. ...



    Some of us teach a little differently....plan on doing a PLF and only stand up or run-out if you can.


    I like hearing from many different people how they do things too, not just the person I had that day. I hope I can come in smoothly and not have to PLF lol ;) I just want to do everything in the best of my control to come in nice and easy. After this first solo jump I hope it gets easier!

  6. Quote

    Quote

    . With that said what do I do in the event of stalling prematurely?



    What to do if you flare early should have been covered. Before you jump again, please ask your instructor(s) to explain.

    Pulling up your legs for landing is a tandem thing. You do NOT want to do that on solo jumps. You want to plan to do a PLF - you did learn PLF's, yes?



    I know abut the legs, I was just stating what my instructor taught me early on, My teacher said to land standing up or a short run is gold, but if you cant do that plan to PLF. My coach had us do like 20 practice PLFs over and over until she thought we had it right. No fun at all but long term will pay off in case I have any problems coming down

  7. In ground school they primarily explained how to try and save a malfunctioned canopy, and which circumstance to try and repair before cutting away. for landing she primarily explained the downwind leg, base leg and final approach landing against the wind. As far as canopy control she explained how to turn. And how to flare, and she made a strong point stating flaring high can lead to stalling. She even walked with us up some stairs to look down to 'see how far you will fall if you flare to high' . I am just trying to get every point and educate myself as much as possible to have the safest free fall. In my first fjc they didn't mention stalling at all, just proper body position, COA, when to pull and to pull up your legs when landing. With that said what do I do in the event of stalling prematurely?

  8. Wind tunnel went great!!! I was able to hold a steady free fall, only issue i had was floated forward and side to side a bit and had t push away from the wall a couple times. I had to do restore from backup cause my siri wasnt working on my iphone and it deleted my videos and im SOOO fucking mad cause I was gonna keep studying them and post o here. Iv tried everything to get it back but my phone restored from a date a few days befre the tunnel. Huge bummer im super down about it right now.

    I went to physical therapy ad have already gotten more flexible, and im still working my hips. My tunnel instructor is a sky diver and told me I can maintain a free fall its just gonna be a bit tougher then I would like it to be. He told me the same thing, I need to keep working my hips to get more flexible. But I am very glad it went well, that is making me feel a lot better. By biggest fear is my first AFF landing, cause I really cant hurt myself or il end up getting pretty hurt and back to the hospital if I mess my back up or other pieces of my body that were damaged too. Im pretty scared of it right now I really hope I can land the canopy successfully. He told me when I jump to wait as long as possible to flare so I don't stall up high and fall down. I really cant have a 10+ foot drop to the ground. Do you guys have any good tips for landing? Im all ears.

  9. Iv been super busy this week and totally forgot to post!! Super long post, sorry guys

    I saw my Physical therapist a few days ago and brought him all the info you guys have helped me out on here educating him a bit about skydiving as well. He told e I need to be very careful with excercises in order not to harm any of my areas with hardware and trauma. He told me to go ahead with the warrior one stretch but he said to to do it very carefully not to over strain my very very stiff muscles. He said with other generic stretching to again be very careful and try to steer away for now to not cause any strain. We started working some excersises with my hips and legs.

    Before I do either of these I take two laps around the block to warm up my muscles liike you guys said.
    First one I do 3 times a day is lay on my belly on my ottoman part of my couch and for working my right thigh muscle. I lay flat on my belly, place my left leg on the ground next to me and bend my right knee in an angle up and then grab with my right arm and pull in, then as I do so slowly slide my left leg forward on the ground until I feel the stretch. I hold it for a minute, take a short break then do the other side

    Second one is a sit on my back on the couch in this position (pic taken by my physical therapist, I didnt get a pic of the first one I talked about but I think I explained it enough to get the basic idea)
    http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3/snakenetnetworks/IMG_1100.jpg
    basically in this position push with my arms until I feel the stretch, then switch to the other side.

    he said to do these for the next week then hes gonna work my hips more and begin my upper and lower back. He thinks even with my fusion he will get 'some' flex but said not very much. He said what you guys also said about my hips, that they will basically help my overall body position tremendously when there loosened up. My timing is kinda off but Im trying to stay on calendar with my AFF, but this Wednesday im hitting the wind tunnel. Then in 2 weeks is my next jump. The only way timing would work in my schedule is this week for the tunnel, I wanted to wait longer to loosen up more but I didnt have time to get it in. Already doing these stretches 3 times a day, laying on my belly with pillows under me working my arch very carefully (and my doc told me to be very careful with this). I actually have already felt a major difference and everything is helping!! GREAT NEWS to me and im gonna keep at it. Thanks so much for your help so far ad im sure more in the future. Im gonna keep my progress updates. Sorry for the super long post, this is like a novel, I write to much

  10. Quote

    To stretch your hip flexor muscles, do the yoga pose called "Warrior One."
    Emphasis pushing your rear foot backwards and feeling the stretch in the front of your thigh.



    I definitely feel that stretch. How many reps and for how long? and how many sets do you think for someone as stiff and as my F'ed up body? lol

  11. Quote

    Arching is a good way to fly in freefall but it's not the only way. For sure, it helps to be able to arch in order to be stable and for the speed range too. You should be able to compensate that problem by a bit more of practice until you will fly in the box position when the body, arms and upper legs are in the same geometrical plane. You are able to bend the knees and to move up or down your arms which will allow you to change your speed. Practicing that in a wind tunnel should help you a lot.



    I love hearing good things! Im glad the AFF system does baby steps to skydiving, cause if I do get unstable and cant fix it the 2 instructors can help. Im hitting the wind tunnel on the fifth, so in the meantime I have started dong 'baby' stretches without straining too much. I hope the wind tunnel goes well, I have a feelings its just gonna be trial and error getting stable. Im gonna have to figure out the coordination with my arms and legs for my lack of arch. but I am working on it, and I actually have my first physical therapy 2marro and this is the main topic for my workouts.

    Quote

    To stretch your hip flexor muscles, do the yoga pose called "Warrior One."
    Emphasis pushing your rear foot backwards and feeling the stretch in the front of your thigh.



    I just googled it and got pics and im actually putting my laptop down right now to try it out :)

  14. Thanks for adding more details, I appreciate it. I looked into S/L online and checking out videos, and considered it, but I wanted more time in free fall to get my form. I always do the 13k so its 60 seconds of straight freefall before pulling. The prices are SUPER expensive, I HATE it, but it will all be worth it at the end of the road. Skydance has 22$ jumps and at the price I will be doing several each visit!

    I fear getting unstable and flipping. My coach said anytime you lose control just arch hard and aerodynamics will take its course and put you back in the neutral position. But I can’t arch well (yet?)!! During free fall all the force helps me arch little bit. I totally understood the bike thing, and your right. But just like before you get on the bike you want to ask questions first. I am going to try my best and I am not going to give up. I just fear certain things that I would think everyone else feared there beginning in the sport. My back is gonna be hard to work with but I hope PT and all these exercises help. I figure if even in PT all I can work is my upper back I would be able to make it work. The lower back can’t move. At all, but I am learning to use my hips as well

  16. Skybytch,

    I have the same results, its hit or miss with the pain. These days I try and be active enough to live but not so active that im stuck on the couch for several days. With skydiving I havnt had that. I have had nothing but positive results jumping (except my arch of course).
    My arch has me worried, I am told I can make it work but like you guys said, "I" need to make it work and im just gonna have to figure it out. Before my crash I wasnt super flexible, I rode ramps my entire skateboardng life but couldnt sit on my foot and reach my toes without major discomfort. I am going to start by working my hips, then slowly continue to do exercises I have read on here then start looking into different stretches that are good for my body and not hurting it.
    But you saw the pic mine is definitely bad, and im not sure how much stretching is gonna help cause no matter what I do that bottom of my back is fused. I am still gonna be trying 200% and I am not one who gives up.I envy you for making it work, YOU are my biggest inspiration and I definitely have the most in common with. Id like to meet you and your husband and you sometime
    Dthames,
    As a rookie iv heard its pure instinct try and correct a small problem leading in a bigger one. I will try my best to relax, I can only try my best. I just need to concentrate hard on the coa and to arch my best. Im gonna search around here a little bit tonight if I have more time between my other things, but I want to look into good hip exercises as well.
    Interesting on the wind tunnel, Im still gonna give it a wack and see how it goes, I might as well in the meantime. I am going to have my fiance film me from outside the chamber so afterwards I can look and pick it apart to do better.

  18. Posting this way is easier then clicking the quote link for all te replys so here it goes:

    Riggerrob,

    I have a pic im posting below that shows my stiff my body is just standing up and arching as far as I could.
    I started doing the pillow stack trick on my couch a few times a day for 60 seconds each. Pillows to support the front and the back then stickin my dick to the dirt hard enough to feel my back starting to feeling it then holding it there.I am going to look up the hip flexor stretches, thanks man!

    Skybytch,

    I have seen a few videos and I chose bad words to describe the exit. I didnt know how the timing went tho, thanks for the info, I look forward to it!!
    I made up my mind 2 weeks before my next jump (a little time to work my back and get a little more flexible, then closer to my jump to have
    it fresh in my brain). I have one nearby I might as well go for it and see if I benefit. I am very anxious and nervous about my next jump, I am trying really hard to do everything I can to be ready, I want this so bad!! I have never jumped without someone else on my back.

    You have almost the same fusion as I do... How do you cope with it? Another member that feels our pain too. Its awful tho. Im glad you and your husband still jumps as well. What is his name? He very well could have been one of my instructors!

    Joellercoaster,

    Yea your right. I am hitting the wind tunnel and will try out all these different things. There is definitely some great info from great ppl :) I am just like that guy, im stiff as a board (but working on it the best I can!) What was his position like? Hey thats better then losing control in freefall, Im glad he makes it work with what hes got, thats exactly what im going to try my best t do also

  19. Quote

    I'm sure you can do it!

    I broke my pelvis a few years ago as well. When I first started skydiving I didn't think about it at all. As I was learning to skydive my instructors said my arms and chest were arched, but at my crotch I bent like I was sitting in a chair.

    I did S/L progression so my freefalls were 5 seconds then 10 seconds, 15s, then top floor. I watched the video and it looked like I was seating in an invisible chair. I was perfectly fine once I picked up some speed (3-5 seconds after the exit) it was just sitting in the door then arching from that position that seemed to be difficult. It was just jumping out and arching right away that I seemed slow at. I never went unstable or had issues maintain stable. My instructors (and I) just weren't to pleased and something could have gone wrong/gone unstable. I did some practice on my arch and exit before going to top floor/60 second free fall on the ground.

    I was jumping out of a Cessna 206 for my initial low altitude jumps. The DZ i go to uses a Caravan for top floor. My first exit out of it felt and looked (on video) alot better. I was able to stand outside the door and just step off/arch. I felt it much more comfortable doing this. My instructors were alot happier with this exit as well.


    The best tip i got was 'try to stick your dick in the wing'. Look at the wing/ahead of the plane and try and f*ck it when you jump out. Worked like a charm for me. And it was pretty funny to think of to take my mind off any worry I had.

    I'm sure with some coaching you will do just fine! Have fun and good luck.



    The pelvis injury def sucks man. Mine has ad a pretty good recovery so thats good.

    The instructors at Skydance line up outside the door of the air craft then count and basically roll out of the plane. All the coaches I have talked to just say ext, ARCH, STAY ARCHED then before you know it you are in the neutral free fall position. Sounds easy but thats why I made this thread.


    I am feeling very confident that I can work through this and get certified. It is awesome having so many people post. Keep on posting guys! Motivation, tips etc. Thanks!

  20. Quote

    I am new to this sport and not a young man. I was told I had a lazy arch. In fact I just can't hold it deep for very long. I have stretched for over 8 months, twice a day, and have worked on muscle tone. I am still rather flat. My biggest real trouble was in AFF, as I was wobbling and was slow to learn to be stable. Instructors needed to help (hold) me more than most students. This sort of hampered my ability to learn. I finished by going to static line where I could work my way up from 5, 10, 20 seconds of stable free fall. It was not long before I had the stability problem whipped. I still fall slow, but no problem other than that.

    You can do it.



    Arching is really hard. I have never done static line, only tandem+ . I think the wind tunnel should help me get get stable. I am gonna goto a few physical therapy sessions, stretch and work exercises at home, then make an ifly wind tunnel appointment. I still think this is gonna be real tricky, and figuring out how to maintain a steady position without much arch. Im just nervous, but the wind tunnel def looks like it should be the next stop.

    Without much arch, do you compensate with your arms and legs to maintain a steady position?

  21. Quote

    You'll definitely get the best specific advice from the instructors at SkyDance (I'm a regular there, so I know for sure you'll get lots of good help there). From the way you've described it, it doesn't sound like your mobility limitations are something you can't get past to be a good skydiver, but a good evaluation on the ground from a qualified instructor will probably provide the best confirmation of that.

    One other thing to think about is that you're fortunate to live in a region with a wind tunnel. You could look into getting some time at the iFly SFBay wind tunnel down in Union City, as a chance to test how well you can arch and fly before going on a solo skydive.



    Hey a local whats up!! Skydance is going to be my primary drop zone and I love it there. What would you reccomend to help me move forward like these other guys? I want all the input from everyone I can get cause lots of great minds have great ideas B|

    I am actually hitting up the wind tunnel next week, I want to have my handicap in control before I do my first solo. Unsteady freefall is noooo good!

  22. Quote

    Talk to your instructors, show them what you can do, listen to their advise.


    That said, I have two 9 inch rods & 6 screws in my lower back and have had for 20 years...I make it a point to stretch everyday and have far more flexibility in the rest of my back and hips etc. than many jumpers not carrying steel in 'em.

    Where there is a will there is usually a way...but if you're just getting into PT, are you all healed up yet?

    When was the crash??

    I took just shy of a year off jumping after surgery...



    Its great to hear other people are making it happen, jumping with injury's similar to mine! Unfortunate for anybody to be injured like me but very positive to see success! It has been 2 years since the crash, my back is healed at least. Im def gonna be talking with my instructors, and maybe heading down to the wind tunnel. I also need to be very careful with the landing, that is my only fear in skydiving, I feel like im educated and ready for it but its gonna be a trial and error im sure

  24. Hey guys!
    This is kind of a long post but very important please read and post.
    I am a noob this is my first post on the forum. Anyways I have done 3 tandem jumps, completed all practice throws, right 90, left 90, pull, and even the last time landed my first canopy(very very fast landing, and with lots of help from my coach on my back!)

    I have completed ground school and am ready for my first solo AFF jump. I have a big problem I am stressing about and want your guys input...

    Few years ago I had a very near tragic motorcycle accident... large femur rod, plastic surgery face, broken pelvis, broken ankle with hardware and the most important that seems to be my biggest obstacle is my back...

    I have a spinal fusion from S1-L2 (8" segment of my lower back) that is fused together and cant move. My upper back I can arch some, but not like a regular person using there entire back. I spoke with a local he thought if I balanced my free fall using my legs and arms a little bit it would help for steady free fall, but I want more input. Skydiving has me hooked and I need to keep doing it. It is the best way to free the mind and I absolutely love it.

    What do you guys think? Please lots of input, thanks guys!