TRouble with Side Sliding

[mikewdiggler 0]

I am currently going through my WARP progression and i have nailed the first level, next up is the side slide but i just cant quite get it, i have been shown the position on the ground but i cannot replicate it on my jump, is there an easier way of soing a side slide? I just seem to be turning either right or left depending on which way i try to do the slide

Santa Claus cum down my chimney and emptied his sack on my tree!

[damion75 0]

Hey Mike!

First things first, you should be going through 'FS Coaching' towards your FS1 rather than the old WARP package - this is the updated training scheme which Aaron Faith has put a lot of work into and is both more flexible than WARP and will (arguably) result in a better, safer FS skydiver!

As for help with side sliding, I'll leave that to Aaron too, you'll find some tips in the FS Student Manual, available online at http://www.bpa.org.uk/trainingmanuals.htm

Hopefully that came up as a clicky... There is stacks of interesting info in there which may be of use. Enjoy!

Frank.

***************

Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

[mikewdiggler 0]

Thanks very much will look at the clicky, nice 1 for the fast reply

Mike

Santa Claus cum down my chimney and emptied his sack on my tree!

[pr0ject42 0]

While this certainly isn't scientific and I bet will chap some peoples butts around here, a good easy way to start getting in the right body position for side-sliding is think about pushing off with your leg and arm from the side you are going away from.

Think about when you're in a pool next to the side and you go underwater and push off. Well it is somewhat the same idea in the air. If you want to go forward, extend (push off of the wall) your legs. Same deal if you want to go backwards or side sliding.

Another way to think about it is to think about "digging in" the side of your body that will be leading the slide, in effect pitching your body and spilling air off of your trailing side.

I'd say get in the tunnel. That is the fastest and cheapest way to learn the basics.

[conor 0]

Hi Mike

If you have the position on the ground and are just trying to replicate it in the sky, then all you need is practice. Obviously doing tunnel time or just doing loads of jumps will help but they are expensive so my advice to you is not underestimate the value of ground practice. You can develop your muscle memory without even jumping.

Have a coach observe you (on the ground) practicing the position and once you know you're doing it right, just keep doing it (preferably with your eyes closed and imagining the sights and sounds and feeling of freefall). Rather than practicing on the floor or a creeper, get into a hanging harness (if available) or lie on a bed - they are more realistic.

When you do actually do it in freefall, you may need to fine tune your position a bit but if you have developed the muscle memory then you're 90% there.

By the way, if you are turning rather than sliding in the intended direction, then you are not giving enough leg input (you're upper body is moving faster than your lower body - resulting in a turn around your knees). Try giving less arm input.

Anyway, enjoy this next stage of your skydiving progression and don't get frustrated. Never again in your skydiving career will you learn so much over such a short number of jumps. The finesse will come with jumps and practice.

All the best

Conor

[Suavel 0]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what does FS stand for?

If it's Freestyle, then why are we talking about belly flying? I thought Freestyle was the artsy freefly discipline.

[marks2065 0]

use to be free style now is formation skydiving

[rehmwa 2]

Quote

I thought Freestyle was the artsy freefly discipline.

less Artsy, more fartsy

...
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

[Suavel 0]

So FS is brit RW?

[mikewdiggler 0]

Thanks all for your input, taken all the advice given here and spoken to instructor and i am almost there, slide the the left is fine, slide to the right is OK ish just keeping practicing, going jumping this friday as managed to get the day off work so i can do some more and hopefully progress a bit further towards FS1

Thanks again guys and gals

Blues!

Santa Claus cum down my chimney and emptied his sack on my tree!