Dive Plans

[skydude2000 3]

Hi guys,

I've recently gotten my 'A' license, working on two-ways towards my 'B'. Basically I'm just trying to work on my flying skills. But the one thing I've found so far, and I'm sure this is newbie nerves, but even on the most basic formations, I find myself forgetting the next point. Therein lies my problem. Because each dive is different, I have a hard time remembering. Even if I dirt-dive it twelve times, lol.

Are there any mnemonic devices that might help me remember the basic sequences? In theatre we used to have line cues so we knew what to say next. But a key is the same, on every point, so that doesn't help much.

Any ideas? Thanks a bunch!!

Skydude

PULL!! or DIE!!

[MakeItHappen 15]

Quote

Hi guys,

I've recently gotten my 'A' license, working on two-ways towards my 'B'. Basically I'm just trying to work on my flying skills. But the one thing I've found so far, and I'm sure this is newbie nerves, but even on the most basic formations, I find myself forgetting the next point. Therein lies my problem. Because each dive is different, I have a hard time remembering. Even if I dirt-dive it twelve times, lol.

Are there any mnemonic devices that might help me remember the basic sequences? In theatre we used to have line cues so we knew what to say next. But a key is the same, on every point, so that doesn't help much.

Any ideas? Thanks a bunch!!

Skydude

Try this

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Make It Happen
Parachute History
DiveMaker

[elightle 8]

Don't throw in too many points when you're first learning. Start out with no more than three and with experienced jumpers who won't make you rush.

While the exit settles out, think about your move to the first point. As you move start thinking about your move to the third point. It's not just the point you are remembering; it's your move to get there. For example, remembering how you move when you turn to cat on your partner is just as important as remembering what the completed caterpillar looks like. The completed caterpillar is really just the end of your move.

What all this means is always try to be a point ahead in your mind. While you building one point, you should already be anticipating your move to the next point. Move to your slot and plan your next move at the same time.

It's like learning to dance. Small steps at first then as you build the basic moves into memory, you can add more steps.

Blue Skies!
Ed

[Mikeb 0]

I would also like to suggest while the organizer moves the group to the next point in the dirt dive, think back to each position (point) you just did. It does no good to move ahead with additional moves if you have forgot the previous points. After the dirt dive, go someplace without distractions and mentaly go through the skydive. If you get confused at all, do not hesitate, find someone (the organizer is best) and clear up your confusion. Asking questions is appreciated, missing points in the dive is not.
As you gain more experiance you will start to "see" more of the dive, not focus on grips, matching the fall rate, seeing the shape and build of the formation.
When you visualize include the breakoff, tracking, and pull sequence.
Hope this helps with your dance lesson.
Mike B

[skydude2000 3]

Thanks for the replies!! Hopefully that should help me a lot. That was the one thing I was struggling with. I just thought there might be something I could do to help myself remember.

Y'know, like 'Never Eat Shredded Wheat'. or when I had to memorize the area codes for most of the provinces in Canada, I made up stupid rhymes to help me remember, eg. area code 819 'Quebec Doesn't Rhyme' Saskatchewan 306 'prairie chicks' Alberta 250 'Rodeo' Calgary Stampede, lol. I just thought there might be something like that out there to go through the basic sequences. But I guess unless you make it that way, no two points on more than one dive, are the same.

I guess I'll just have to try and make something up, lol.

PULL!! or DIE!!

[elightle 8]

Mike, thanks for reminding us to remember where we've been as well as where we're going in the skydive. And the part about seeing more of the bigger picture as we learn shows the importance of starting out with simple dance steps (I don't know where the dancing analogy came from - I can't dance a lick ).

Cheers, All.

[wildfan75 1]

I've done some dives that I have no idea what the actual formation looks like.

I've watched competition video of my 4 way team and I've had to ask or look up to see if the point was right because I had no idea if my tail was suppose to compress or sidebody the inside center.

You get line cues in acting. Continue this through process to skydiving/dirt diving....

"Chad's left leg, to Jamie's right arm, back to round", etc.

People have laughed at me during me dirt diving in "my head", but in 541 jumps, I've brain locked once.

[scaryshari 0]

wildfan, you are doomed to brainlock your next 10 skydives after that statement.

Skydude, I swear there are complete skydives in the otter as it flys away. Then there are 3 other people pointing and laughing, and of course its always on video.

As far as stressing over memory. Stop stressing - it leaves more room for memory.

Then, learn the skydiver's prayer, but never say it outloud.

is

[skydude2000 3]

I recite it before every jump, lol.

The SkyGods just won't listen.

PULL!! or DIE!!

[siddacious 0]

Firstly, you mention every dive is different. Why? Find someone who is willing to do the same dive several times! The improvement you will see from building off something familiar will help you build confidence. My team (and Airspeed) always practices the same jump/diveflow/draw several times in a row so that we can note the mistakes we made one one jump and then fix them on the next.

Visualize! I've found visualization to be extremely important in remembering the points of a skydive. The idea is that by visualizing the dive in your head (from your perspective) you have more time to practice before the jump. The man, the legend, Dan BC can explain it better than I ever could, so do yourself a favor and read this article:
Visualizing by Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld of Arizona Airspeed. The article is geared towards 4-way, however the principals apply to any sort of skydiving (and other sports), be it 2 way or 50 way.

When you are dirt diving, you should spend as much time as you need to be able to go though the flow at least 3 times without making an incorrect turn or taking the wrong grip. Start off taking it slow, and working on one move at a time, and then build off of that base.

So if the flow was

star->sidebody->compress, first start off practicing the star->sidebody move, over an over until you don't have to think about it. Then move onto the sidebody->compress, followed by the compress->star. Once you have the individual moves down, then put them together. The repetition will help drive the moves and points into your brain.

As has been suggested, don't give yourself anything too complicated at first, no more than three points; even two if you want.

As far as mnemonics are concerned, I would only suggest you learn the names and any shorthands for the basic formations: Star/Round, Compressed Accordian/Compress, Catapillar/Cat, Sidebody, Open Accordian/Open, etc. Hopefully these will serve well enough for mnemonics!

Feel free to PM me with more questions, or post again if anything I said isn't clear (which wouldn't surprise me).

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[scaryshari 0]

one big thing that truly helped me was to visualize the skydive and see it as the camera flyer. See yourself doing everything flawlessly - from exit to breakoff. On the ride to altitude, keep it simple, don't think about mechanics. Just get there. It'll come.

Brainspace: Don't sabotage yourself with thinking about what you may screw up and/or forget. That takes up valuable headspace that some of us just have too little of..

Keep it fun and don't beat yourself up. Your progression will be on a greater curve. Then, you can trick 3 other people into flying with you....

well, that's what i had to do.

is

[elightle 8]

Thanks, siddacious. We can all offer our two-cents worth but Dan BC's Visualization article blows us all away. We've all learned a lot from Airspeed. One very effective Airspeed training tool is to creep each move/transition three times. This really helps to burn moves into memory.

Blues, Bro's!

[siddacious 0]

Quote

Thanks, siddacious. We can all offer our two-cents worth but Dan BC's Visualization article blows us all away. We've all learned a lot from Airspeed. One very effective Airspeed training tool is to creep each move/transition three times. This really helps to burn moves into memory.

Blues, Bro's!

I'm pretty sure my team got the move practicing thing vicariously from Airspeed. We got it from Kaleidoscope, and they got it from one of the airspeed coaches.

Blues Skies and Tight Jumps!

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