Tunnel Frequency ?

[-Wildchild- 0]

Hi guys !

I wanted to seek a bit of advice here regarding hitting the tunnel this winter (starting early November until March - during the winter break in France).

I have not yet done any tunnel time, but would like to clock in around 5hours. I live only 1hour away from the wind tunnel...so the question is the following:

-> Should I schedule 15' a week ? or do 30' every 2 weeks ?

Basically, what is the best frequency to get good progress ?
Is it good to start with a camp of 1H30, then move to a regular pace ?

I know this question has been asked before, but I'd like to hear your answers/experience
Thanks in advance !

[adamUK 3]

I do 20-30 mins/week once per week in one day. Friends of mine do the same but split over 2 consecutive days. Unless you're tunnel fit, the last few rotations can be pretty tough and you don't get as much benefit from them as at the start.

Don't do any more than 10mins in one session and leave at least an hour between sessions. If you can organise it with the tunnel, try to have 2 mins in then 4 mins out to review footage and rest.

Airkix were doing a deal, 20mins/day for 7 consecutive days (i.e. 140 minutes) for USD850 which was a total steal. One of my friends went from flying head down pretty solidly to just about getting outface nailed in that time.. so basically the intensive tunnel camp does work if you can afford it (or you live so close to the tunnel you can pick up offers like this..)

[Trafficdiver 8]

I do 15 min every other week on average. Every so often ill do 20 minutes but I'm dying at the end of it. I'm a fat slob.

[-Wildchild- 0]

Thanks guys for your replies
Sounds like 15' every week could work well !
I'm rather in shape, so maybe later I can extend the sessions, but I think that for learning in a steady manner, 1hour split in 4 session per month can work nicely !

Unfortunately in France we currently only have 2 wind tunnels (one around Paris - very expensive, and one other south of France, way too far from where I live) and the one close to me is quite expensive...and never has any deals like the - amazing - one you mentioned...I might just come over to the UK for a week

[piisfish 140]

depending on where you are, you have alternatives.

Realfly, Sion, Suisse
Airspace, Charleroi, Belgique
ISG, Bottrop, Allemagne
The 4 English tunnels

Maybe with the transport cost and time you will want to do 30 minutes twice or an hour once

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[-Wildchild- 0]

Well that's the actual question I'm asking myself:

Is it more interesting (in terms of progress) to fly regularly; like 15' every week - or to go and do a Tunnel camp and clock in 2h30 in one week ?

I can do both...but I have the feeling that 15' every week during 5 month (lets say a total of 4H30/5H for my winter break) is better than just doing 2 big tunnel camps over the same period ?

But that's just my guess..

[wan2doit 6]

Only have 36 min total in a tunnel but the last 30 min were at an overnight camp in Orlando. We flew 6 - 2.5 min flights in a group of 4 or 5. I am over 65 so was doing daily exercises to build up for this plus a lot of flexibility stretching. At the end of the first 15 minutes I told the coach my shoulder joints had a real burn going on.

I had to do a lot of stretching during the one hour break as well as between some of the next flights that followed to feel better which helped immensely.

Then we repeated the cycle. At the end I still wished there was another flight even though the burn was still with me but the great fun was over for that night sadly.

Bottom Line - 30 minutes is a lot but I have to do it that way due to being 220 miles from the tunnel and can't go that frequently.

[adamUK 3]

If you can fly to Manchester airport then the tunnel's only 15 minutes away. It's right next to the Trafford Centre so public transport to the tunnel is very available. If you do decide to fly in Manchester then pay a coach as they get tunnel at the cheapest rates and the coach+tunnel cost is lower than the walk in rate. Manchester gets a lot of italians coming here to train.

The other option if you have to take air transport is Skydive Arena in Prague - the walk in rate there is cheaper than the bulk cheapest rate available in the UK. Their sister tunnel in Slovakia is even cheaper I believe. I'll PM you some contact details if you wish. It's the same technology as the tunnel in Empuriabrava if you've flown there.

Flights within the EU are super cheap these days - we flew from Leeds to Prague for about 140 euro return each and these weren't the cheapest flights available.

[chanhlemonlime 0]

I'm currently in the same situation.

So far this year, I've only done 6 hours. About 2 hours every other month. I think I prefer it this way. For me, it takes a few sessions to get warmed up and remember the moves. Once I'm warmed up, the real training begins.

To start off, tunnel camps are the way to go. I think you should push it a little harder than usual, and then keep it up once and a while.

As for prices, you should check out Prague and Warsaw. I've been to Prague a few times now and it's just awesome. Cool people, cheap food, and it's easy to get to the tunnel from the airport. It's just a 25 euro taxi ride, or you can take the bus/metro (which is pretty long but doable). Each time I go, I always fly with Martin: https://www.facebook.com/MadRavens . Their prices are low as well and Prague is such an awesome city.

I'm also going to the Poland tunnel in September because their prices are still low. I believe it's 650 euros with coaching.

TL;DR Tunnel camps are the way to go.

[adamUK 3]

chanhlemonlime

Each time I go, I always fly with Martin: https://www.facebook.com/MadRavens . Their prices are low as well and Prague is such an awesome city.

I'll definitely vouch for Martin, he's a top notch guy! I took public transport - it's very easy to get around and really cheap. Saves money for beer

[3mpire 0]

nobody has mentioned this yet: the amount of time you fly in a session/day really is dependent on what you're working on.

I can fly 15 minutes of 4way FS, take thirty minutes off to debrief, and fly another 15 minutes and feel fine.

One 15 minute session working on my sit and stick a fork in me I'm done.

A big part of that is your physical fitness level overall (which I'm working on) but the larger point that applies here is that the difference in effort you put into belly flying at 62% and sit flying at 75% is real. So when you're trying to figure out your budget and how to plan your time, you should be aggressive to get the max gain but not bite off more than you can chew to the point that you spend the last 15 min of your block on your back with spaghetti arms because you're maxed out.

If you're just starting out in the tunnel maybe a big up front focus on belly flying and basic back flying would be worth it with later weekly 15s once you get to sit transitions and whatnot.

You never told us what your goals in the tunnel are, but I'm assuming you're looking for the FF progression. Just something to think about.

[BryanCampau 0]

Everyone is different and has their own opinions but I like to do at minimum 30 minutes every trip. I try to get 45 minutes each trip out there. I do 15 minutes in a session and give at least an hour in-between sessions. That gives me plenty of time to review the video with my coach and pre-plan the next session. The first 15 minutes of each trip always seems to be a bit of a warm up. The second session is good progression but the last session is where I really feel and see the improvement. Before I started doing this I flew an hour and 45 minutes at a tunnel camp in two days. And before that I had a few 15 minutes sessions each visit to the tunnel. The 30 or 45 works best for me! PM me if you would like to see progression videos. I've got one for the camp and then three others for my 30/45 days at the tunnel. Good luck and have fun! The tunnel is amazing!

[Trafficdiver 8]

Yeah, I totally agree with you on this. I can belly fly and back fly til hell freezes over...well maybe not quite
Sit flying beats the shit out of me.

[-Wildchild- 0]

@3empire: you are absolutely right ! I did not specify what my goals were in the tunnel...and your question is spot on !

Your assumption is correct: I'm going for the FF progression.
As mentioned, I have not yet spend any time in the tunnel - so I'll be starting from scratch (and the bad habits of my approx. 300 skydives ).

Your suggestion of going in with a Tunnel camp to cover the "basics" of bellyflying & backflying - then moving on to a steadier/more regular training pattern sounds very interesting...and I like the idea !
Thank you all for your comments/suggestions - I had already heard very good things about Prague ! Might just go and check it out to start off with...and then go on a regular basis to Aerokart next to Paris.

[adamUK 3]

Good luck!! You'll have an awesome time.

[-Wildchild- 0]

Cheers guys !
Thanks for all your messages - it's been really helpful
I got in touch with Mad Ravens - and am discussing going to Prague in January to fly with Radek, for a 2H tunnel camp over 4 days !

It's looking good

[PetethePilot 0]

-Wildchild-

Cheers guys !
Thanks for all your messages - it's been really helpful
I got in touch with Mad Ravens - and am discussing going to Prague in January to fly with Radek, for a 2H tunnel camp over 4 days !

It's looking good

I started flying with Radek several years ago. I was an experienced jumper at the time, but that's of very little account in a tunnel. I would recommend that you build up in small sessions at first - if you hit an intensive camp with little tunnel experience, you will likely be overwhelmed and much of your money will be wasted. A camp is useful once you have more time under your belt, but it's an overload for a beginner. I generally try to fly two sessions of ten minutes (5x2 minutes), with at least an hour break between. That seems to give me the maximum benefit for time and money spent.

And Prague is great - the tunnel is one of the best AND cheapest around, and city accommodations are excellent.

[GrahamClarke 0]

-Wildchild-

Cheers guys !
Thanks for all your messages - it's been really helpful
I got in touch with Mad Ravens - and am discussing going to Prague in January to fly with Radek, for a 2H tunnel camp over 4 days !

It's looking good

I would tend to agree that 2 hours in 4 days is a lot if you've never flown in a tunnel before.

However it does depend on how fit you are, your skill level and what you are working on. Some higher power positions like head down and sit flying are much more tiring than others like back flying.

I attend tunnel camps in Spain and do 2 1/4 hours in 3 days and am pretty tired by the end. I've got over 100 hours of tunnel time and am of moderate fitness. I have found that it gets less tiring as you improve because you use the wind rather than fighting against it.

Before commiting to 2 hours, if possible see if you can do 10-15 minutes in a tunnel to gauge how tiring you have found it.