I learned something great in tunnel camp about slowing down. But only if you are using booties (like all good relative workers should). First, hugging the ball is not very effective. It still emphasizes the upper body and leaves you blind. If you are wearing booties, over half your surface area is from the hips down - why not take advantage of it??? From a regular mantis body position: Get your legs all the way out and turn your feet out, snap those booties taut - cup air at your hips, too. Get your arms out in front of you and turn them palm down (like the old time superman television show). Here's where the oldtimers are going to cry "foul". They are wrong. Since your legs are out, you would normally drive forward - counter this by lifting your head (and upper torso) to slip air forward past your face - this will counter your legs being out so you don't just go into a funny (superman-style) forward motion (the legs would normally drive you forward). It seems counter intuitive, but slipping air past your chin is more than compensated by all the lift you get with your leg/booties. Best way to learn this is to go up with someone as base and try each body part separately. First, just extend your arms forward - note the lift. Then, just cup the hips - note the lift. Then, extend your leg/booties back (straight) into the air and counter the forward motion by lifting the torso a little higher - note the BIG lift. Finally, mix and match these. Frankly, I was most effective sticking one leg straight back, dropping the other knee to help stabilize forward motion, extend arms forward and cupping shoulders - but still keeping my head/chin up high and spilling air. But that was because someone taught me the beach ball method about 15 years ago and it was hard to keep my torso as high as it needed to be. Both legs straight would have been better but I just didn't feel right slipping that much air with my upper body - my bias, I'm sure it would have helped. Last week I coached a 85 women with the build of a toothpick. She wasn't wearing weights. It was work, but I'm normally around 124 MPH on 4-way, this one was in the 90's. It works. Nothing like professional coaching. I learned a ton (NSL camp). Good luck - the beach ball is ok, but there's a better way. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants
