Having Trouble Staying Relative and Matching Fall Rate

[Xitesmai 0]

Hey guys,

So I'm uber new to the sport (28 jumps) and I'm starting to do 2 ways, but so far I'm a problem child on all three I've done so far. I just cant seem to stay relative to my partner. I'm alittle better with fall rate...i can usually adjust to the fall rate in about 5-10 secs. I feel bad having someone more experience than me jump with me, because I feel like I'm wasting their money when I just shoot by them, or cant close the gap.

Any advice on how to work on staying relative? Should I spend some time in the tunnel? Or should I just try to do an ass load of jumps with anyone willing to burn a ticket? Maybe a coach?

Thanks for the help.

[tred 0]

your problem is typical at your experience level, I had issues with fall rate and yes the tunnel is one of the best things you could do for fall rate, are you floaty or fast?

[keithbar 1]

Don't feel bad. It's all about learning. As far as tunnel. Coach. Ass loads of jumps. Yes please all of the above

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[Xitesmai 0]

tred

your problem is typical at your experience level, I had issues with fall rate and yes the tunnel is one of the best things you could do for fall rate, are you floaty or fast?

According to my AFFI I have a medium fall rate. I jumped with a small frame girl and dropped like a rock, then a guy bigger than me, and I was floaty.

So I guess somewhere in the middle...in all honesty I probably havent jumped enough to know which I am, if at all.

[tred 0]

my advice would be to just get more experience and work with someone experienced, whether that be coach jumps or a tunnel instructor

[sammielu 3]

Are you jumping with people who are also new or infrequent jumpers? Thats 2 people working on fall rate. Double trouble.

Keep your dive flows simple, have backup plans for if things don't go well, and discuss what worked/didn't after the jump. If possible, do the same jump with the same person twice - give yourselves a chance to learn and improve!!

Most important: just keep jumping.

[TsunamiGilligan 0]

Try a linked exit. Ride down the hill linked and then try to fly with no tension in your grips. Then release grips and work on staying relative. If your two way partner has a camera, it's a great way for you to see what you need to adjust in your body position.

If I was to take a guess, you probably need to work on keeping your legs extended. It's a common mistake that leads to a sinking out and backsliding.

[ghost47 18]

Quote

So I'm uber new to the sport (28 jumps) and I'm starting to do 2 ways, but so far I'm a problem child on all three I've done so far. I just cant seem to stay relative to my partner. I'm alittle better with fall rate...i can usually adjust to the fall rate in about 5-10 secs. I feel bad having someone more experience than me jump with me, because I feel like I'm wasting their money when I just shoot by them, or cant close the gap.

Any advice on how to work on staying relative? Should I spend some time in the tunnel? Or should I just try to do an ass load of jumps with anyone willing to burn a ticket? Maybe a coach?

First, remember that you are having trouble at something that you have spent roughly three minutes practicing.

Second, staying relative to someone horizontally (and to a great extent, vertically, barring radically different body shapes and sizes) is often a matter of knowing what to do with your body when your eyes tell you the relative position of the other jumper. In other words, the other jumper is moving away from you -- extend both of your legs to move forward. He's moving to your left -- extend your right leg to side-slide left. Etc.

But the problem is, with three whole minutes of practice, these reactions are simply not intuitive yet. So, while you're thinking about what to do, the other person has moved very far away, or has changed what he is doing, meaning that you need to think of what to do now, and in the meantime he's changed again, and then it's track-off time. Or, you do something, but you find that you've done it too much, or too little.

Getting these movements to be second nature requires repetition. Tunnel can help, if you have a good coach.

Keep at it. Sooner or later, the movements will become more natural, and you'll find that you can stay with people without even having to think about it.

[jumpsalot-2 3]

Be aware of the line of flight ( of the plane that you jumped out of ). Don't chase people down the line of flight. Only chase perpendicular to the line of flight. Chase meaning, they keep moving away from you and you can't seem to keep up.

Life is short ... jump often.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

Yeah, linked exit for now. Once you get off the hill, staying at the same altitude seems to be a lot easier.

Spend half an hour in the tunnnel going up and down like a yo-yo. Have slow-fall competitions with your instructor in the tunnel.

At some point it'll click and be easy, just like everything else.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[Deimian 43]

Xitesmai

I feel bad having someone more experience than me jump with me, because I feel like I'm wasting their money when I just shoot by them, or cant close the gap.

Don't feel bad for that. Experienced people were beginners at some point, and I am pretty sure they appreciated help from more experienced people back then.

Also, if you are jumping with beginners, try to find a partner with similar height and weight. Small girls are floaty, big guys drop like stones. What happened is quite normal. With somebody with a similar body it should be easier to keep up.

[wmw999 2,534]

Experienced people who jump with beginners know what they're doing, and hopefully plan accordingly. Some of my favorite jumps are four-ways with beginners. Three good points where everyone is challenged and actively flies and remembers everything about the skydive and what they did is a success. And an awesome funnel where everyone figures out how to behave in their next funnel is also a success

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

wmw999

Experienced people who jump with beginners know what they're doing, and hopefully plan accordingly. Some of my favorite jumps are four-ways with beginners. Three good points where everyone is challenged and actively flies and remembers everything about the skydive and what they did is a success. And an awesome funnel where everyone figures out how to behave in their next funnel is also a success

Wendy P.

^This.

I don't claim to be super experienced or skilled, but I can usually make my slot on a 6 to 8 way.

Beginners are a lot of fun to jump with. Their relative lack of skill means I have to be that much better. I may have to do more of the "work" to make the dock, but it's a good challenge.

I did a couple 4 ways at SDC Summerfest last year with JaNette and a couple new guys. 3 planned points, repeat if we get that far. Absolute ball, good test of my skills, and the enthusiasm of the new jumpers when it goes well is well worth the ones that don't quite go as planned.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo