Fitness needed for tunnel?

[Johannes84 0]

Hi everyone
To my question:

I am going to Bedford in a couple of weeks and am going to have 2 hours of tunnel time.
The daily sessions are lasting
15 min
30 min
30 min
and 45 mins on the last day.

Now I got advice to train a lot fitness so the time can be used more effective, especially back, shoulders and arms...

Are you and how are you guys training for the tunnel? Do you have some advice for me?

[FionaB 0]

Press ups! and lots of them! I know that's what the VMax ladies used to do. Their coach recommended that they could do at least 10 FULL press ups - ie NOT knees on the floor but feet and hands only.
Not only does it work the pecs, shoulders and upper back, but helps the core stability muscles which are important for the "cross-crawling" techniques required for efficient turns, but it will also help to support your back in the long term.
Lots of stretching before and after your sessions will help as well. If you need any details on these feel free to PM me - I'm an osteopath by the way, (with 11 hours of tunnel time) so I'm not talking off the top of my head!
Have fun - Bedford rocks!!
Fi x

[Paulipod 0]

Quote

Press ups!

hehehe.... yeah as all our instructors will agree (internal joke - sorry peeps)

Bodyflight Bedford
www.bodyflight.co.uk

[bob.dino 1]

Stretching. Yoga works well.

[Johannes84 0]

Thanks for your answers...

I think it is going to be a mixture of press ups and stretching...

Yoga sounds quite good, too. I think I have to get more into that...
But how exhausted am I going to be after 45 minutes??? Sounds like a lot...

[mailin 0]

Ok... In myexperience, it'll vary.

I work out with a personal trainer every week, and I can do a solid 50 push ups (full) without stopping as of last week - hopefully more this week, so I felt pretty good physically about going into the tunnel after not having jumped in a year. 3 weeks ago I did 20 minutes in the tunnel. For the next week I couldn't lift my arms above my head.

I did a 2 hour camp 16 months or so before that and I was no where near as sore.

I'm not sure if its because I haven't jumped in a year, was flying mantis in the tunnel (muscles not typically used in everyday life), or that I've been working out pretty hard - but you can be sure that I'll be working even harder now.

I always found my arms, shoulders and upper chest to be the most sore after a session in the tunnel - and for some wierd reason the very small muscles in the sides of my neck too.

Good luck, and have fun!

Jen

Arianna Frances

[rehmwa 2]

You might have had just a more productive camp this last time and that's why you were more sore.

My last camp, I could definitely tell we were pressurizing MUCH more effectively). It's like doing tricep extensions and moving from using 20 pound dumbbells to 40 pound dumbells.

...
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

[blu 0]

ASPIRIN IS YOUR FRIEND!!!!

***Keep it fun, stay alive***
Safe swoops
Azul
Follow Orbita on Twitter @freeflyorbita

[bradp 0]

I dont think anything can properly prepare you for being tunnel fit, besides doing lots of tunnel time or skydives. But there are a few things that will definately help alot.

I think stretching and excersizes such as what you would do in yoga would be the the most beneficial.

I have done 45 minutes in the tunnel, 2 days in a row. 25 mins the first day. then 20 minutes the next day. After the first day i was stiff and sore in my shoulders and arms. But not the kind of stiffness that you cant move. I found that getting back in the tunnel the next day actually got rid of the stiffness. But i felt it for a few days after that.

Ive booked 5 hours tunnel time for dec. Which ill do over 25 day period. and broken up into 20 mins a day (rotating the 20 mins over and hour period). I gotta admit I am quite nervous about whether im going to be completely physically trashed by this. and be able to handle this. and jump as well during that time.

I've been doing yoga the last few months several times a week, and i can definately see how this is going to benefit me.

Being disciplined enough to stretch before and after your tunnel time will definately benefit you. and will reduce some of the stiffness.

Have fun! The tunnel rocks!

[freefalljenn 0]

Until you train the muscles that you will be using for tunnel flying, you are probably going to experience some tightness, or soreness, no matter the shape that you are in. When I first started in the tunnel, I was always sore after flying. Then, I got to the point where belly flying didn't really make me sore anymore. Then, I got to the point where back flying didn't make me too sore anymore. And now, I am finally at the point where sit flying makes me only a little stiff, but I don't hurt a lot anymore after doing it. The more you do it and train your muscles, the less you will hurt after flying. Just my 2 cents.

jenn
Tunnel Junkie Since November 2005! ;o)~
TPM #46
Paraclete XP TPM Delegate

[CriticalLF 0]

I think we all have to face the fact that doing strenuous activity for lengthy durations is going to hurt if we are not used to it.
If you didn't run regualy doing a ten miler will be sore in the morning, or doing two 1 hour aerobics classes back to back is going to cause pain if you have never been to a class before.

Surely it is worth thinking carefully about how much time we all book in a quest for excellence if the body is not used to it - in simple terms you are wasting money and hurting your body if you try and do too much at once.

I have to agree with the early posters though, if you are fit and flexible (ie done some stretches before going in) the body is going to accept what is coming a lot better and be able to recover from it a lot sooner.

IMHO that is

The CLF

On break off turn and track as far and as fast as possible....
Because not only your life depends on it but so does mine!!

[bob.dino 1]

I did 1.5hrs over three days in Aug 2005. I wasn't in the tunnel again until July 2006, when I did 2.5hrs in two days. I was dog-tired but not particularly sore afterwards.

The things that helped:

- yoga
- being a current jumper
- staying hydrated (lots of water + sports drinks)
- keeping energy reserves up (fruit, nuts, cereal bars, proper brekkie and lunch)
- stretching properly (20+min) before and after.

[CriticalLF 0]

Quite right I missed that one, staying rehydrated is v v important and not enough people are comfortable supping from the water bottles at the side of the tunnel

The CLF

On break off turn and track as far and as fast as possible....
Because not only your life depends on it but so does mine!!

[philh 0]

One thing that matters is the style of flying you are doing.
If you are flat flying - one thing that will help in particular is the cobra series in yoga. Google image search, cobra , locust , floor bow etc postures. These will help with the back flexibility to maintain an arch.
i find back flying v comfortable, but sit flying needs two things in particular. One, wide legs and two strong arms, so focus your stretching on hip flexorsand your strneght training in the arms, esp deltoids.

if you fly 45 mins in 1 day you will be very tired. Cross training will help but only to a small amount. best thing you can do is make sure the time is broken up. Do not fly 45 mins in one session, ideally you should fly 2 maybe even 3 sessions with a min of 1 hr break in between. of course it does depend how maany people are rotating with you. Also doing different body positions will help reduce the strain as they use different muscles. good luck and have fun.

[Johannes84 0]

Hi guys,

now I just got back from Bedford. Thanks again for all your help!!

I really had a great time!! The tunnel is really a great tool...

My sessions have like normally been broken up into 2 1/2 min sessions. On the first days I did not feel any soreness at all.
Just on the last day with those 45 minutes and Sitfly I felt my shoulders and arms a little bit.

To my experience generally:
I just had 50 jumps before therefrom around 20 freefly jumps.

In the tunnel I was flying:

10 min Belly
50 min Back
60 min Stand-Up/Sit

For everyone who never tried that tunnel. Do it, it's great!!