Body Position in freefall for good skydivers ??

[skrovi 0]

I've been watching several video on the internet on skydiving, freefall, etc. What I've noticed is that some people seem to be able to pull off the freefall elegantly even with not so good arch or nice body position. Especially I've watched the world freefall'06 in Thailand videos. Question is can some skydivers be good skydivers even with no so graceful or nice body position? like legs not extended, hands allover the place, the side view of their body appears like a flat board from their head to their knees and the legs bent over their butt, etc.
I reason I ask is because if I were to do that I would probably lose heading or back sliding, etc, etc. So do all experienced skydivers have graceful freefall body position?

Question # 2: Also I have observed that experienced skydivers legs are not shoulder width apart, they are closer compared to new jumpers like me. Is it because they can balance with their legs closer, may be??

thanks,

[Floats18 0]

A lot of those guys are bad ass 4-way competators who can spin their bodies on a dime. I believe the lowest jumper had something like 600 jumps and the highest had tens of thousands. All these guys evolved a body position that works for them the best to get the job done.

Check out team RW videos on SDM.com and you'll see that a lot of flyers have 'bad' body positions. They are head high, arms all over the place, and legs close together but thats what they need to do to turn points.

The hard ARCH is to keep you as stable as possible and as you learn to control your instability, you'll be able to evolve a body position that works best for you.

But ARCH now and listen to your instructors before I get flamed for my inexpierience and my crappy coach rating.

--- and give them wings so they may fly free forever

DiverDriver in Training

[rehmwa 2]

Knees together is more stable when you're relaxed. Helps to keep your booties and forearms pressurized and the airflow smoothly separating in one spot down by your hips. (if your airflow is dancing around on your belly, then you tend to dance around in the sky instead of being still and in control).

(imagine a stool where the legs are constantly changing in leg by just a little tiny bit all the time - now compare a 4 legged stool like this to a 3 legged one.... Which one is always in three point contact with the ground? Which one is dancing from any 2 or 3 legs and feels kind of tippy? Not a great analogy, but it's all I got)

This is just belly of course, good position for other orientations have analogies, I suspect. It's all about smooth air flow.

Edit: Floats has a good point. Although this is a better body position (a good mantis) it is also more dynamic - thus not totally suited for a brand new student. A big box arch as a student maybe a bit more 'wobbly', but it is designed to trade that for more confidence in a newbie to stay on their stomach (depending on your goals, that might be called more 'stable', but in a different way)..... That's a good thing. A 4 legged stool may be more wobbly, but it won't tip over as easy when a drunk is sitting on it.

...
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

[tdog 0]

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Especially I've watched the world freefall'06 in Thailand videos.

On big ways - the skydivers are working hard on managing fall rates - not falling in their normal comfort zone.

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freefall elegantly even with not so good arch or nice body position.

I can stay stable completely dearched and slow falling at 98 MPH... It is an acquired skill, that I learned in the tunnel... It is not that hard once you practice it.

[bodypilot1 0]

Do not watch the jumps we did in Thailand to determine the best body position for you.

Get some good coaching and learn to fly, because you'll never get it from watching videos.

Now I see some kind of warning coming at the beginning them...........



Be safe
Ed

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

[skrovi 0]

thanks, just curious how can you become an AFF instructor with 2 years in sport and 300 jumps. I though I read somewhere that you need at least 3 - 4 years in sport with certain number of pre-requisite jumps, but then may be the rules have changed or you have not updated your profile.

[Floats18 0]

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A 4 legged stool may be more wobbly, but it won't tip over as easy when a drunk is sitting on it.

Hahahaha! Depends on what we're drinking that night!

--- and give them wings so they may fly free forever

DiverDriver in Training

[steveorino 7]

I believe you need 7 hours of freefall, plus other objectives.

Don't believe everything you read.

steveOrino

[BETO74 0]

Very simple answer when you're a student they teach you with enfasis on keeping a big arch and "X" with your arms and legs, that just to keep you from spinning and or end up flying your back. Now to slow down your freefall you need to de-arch kinda like that flat position you see on those skydivers, the more you are aware of your center of gravity while flying the better, I seen the XL team turning points while knee flying. On big formation the bigger the formation get the slower the fall rate so to not end up lower than the formation sinking in you need to catch more air thus end up in a flater position.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html