MissMae 0 #1 May 26, 2004 I've been able to do about 10 jumps so far w/ my camera helmet. I have a very nice opening canopy and for the most part don't have any problems, except one major one.... I think that I'm head high (as I was told by about every experienced camera flyer at Eloy) without overdoing my arch, but then when I actually think about, ok look up, don't get stiff, don't look up too much, it seems it does more damage to my neck. I haven't had anyone video my openings, but there was a friend of mine who told me I should see more of the horizon in my video and when I took that advice I managed to knock out my atlas and axis.. Which really sucked 2 days later and a quick trip to the chiropractor fixed it, but is there any tips that anyone can give me for this? I enjoy doing the video for fun, but I don't want to break myself over it. Here is some information on my helmet. Bonehead optik top mounted (I was worried about snaging lines on a side mount because I have narrow shoulders so my risers are pretty much right there when I open). Sony PC105... any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks. take the time to appreciate the people around you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cloud_monkey 0 #2 May 26, 2004 I don't know about looking at the horizon on opening while wearing camera gear - I've had some very bad experiences with hard openings while wearing camera gear but I found that if I just look straight down at the ground, keeping my neck aligned with my spine when I dump, and wait to look up until my canopy is almost completely open, it reduces the forces transferred to my neck. I'm not sure how other camera flyers prefer to hold their heads on opening, I just found that looking straight down is simply more comfortable for me. Give it a try - it might just work for you too Peace - Z P.S - I think Quade explained the process much better than I did but I do exactly the same thing - I just wasn't quite as eloquent as Mr. Quade Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #3 May 26, 2004 From my web site: Quote . . . As the d-bag comes out of the container, I begin to sit up and shift my ring-sight to the horizon in an attempt to have my head, neck and back in a straight line as the canopy opens. I feel that this gives the best protection against neck strains, but obviously, this might not work for you. It does work well for me. No matter what your body position, you want to get your hands on your risers as quickly as possible between the time you deploy and full inflation. An additional benefit of looking toward the horizon during inflation is that in this head level position, you can watch out for team members doing short tracks and high openings. Individual team members probably have more than enough separation from each other, but if one dumps a little high and you maybe have a little bit longer snivel and they have a 180 opening, well, it can get interesting and you need to react pretty damn fast. Looking out toward the horizon lets you see what might be coming up to meet you, and you may even be able to shift your weight during inflation to avoid it. . . . The technique may take a little practice to get the timing just right, especially if you're used to looking up at your canopy deploying like maybe you were taught to do in AFF. By the time you're experienced enough to strap a camera to your noggin, you should be aware enough of how your canopy behaves and feels to not have to look up to tell if something is wrong. Soft, slow opening canopies also help. When in doubt, a Spectre is the standard by which all others seem to be compared. One more thing, more neck strength will enable you to deal with more wacky openings.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ffejdraga 0 #4 May 26, 2004 Another thing for you. It is quite a stress for your neck to bear the weight of a camera helmet. Your neck has never really done this before. DEFINITELY do some neck excercises on the ground, build it up to be strong. Strong neck muscles can help avoid injury. jeff D-16906 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #5 May 26, 2004 QuoteStrong neck muscles can help avoid injury. Don't forget flexibility, too. I've known body builders who have pulled muscles simply because they didn't maintain the ability to stretch. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
