How do you do cartwheels?

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

I will be flying solo this wknd and want to practice some stuff that I should do alone first.. So, cartwheels sound like fun, how do you do them? I did a couple searches, but couldn't find some simple info on how to perform a cartwheel.

Is there anyone who can explain how? My skill level is not that high. I cannot fly headdown at all.I have done about 50 sitfly jumps and am comfortable with turning and fallrate but that's about it. I'd really like to start doing cartwheels. Any help would be great! Thanks!

Angela.

[AggieDave 6]

Cartwheels are fun and reasonably easy to master.

Basically just do it. Lean the direction you want to do it, pull in the inside arm, then pop out your arms when you start coming around. You'll pop into place.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[BlackholeSon 0]

Yep. The first half of my cartwheel begins by torque alone. Literally rolling to my side, right or left. Then I just open up in a sit position with one arm into the wind to spin the rest of the way around, that's how I do it.

It also helps to focus on another jumper, a cloud, or the horizon. This might be strange, but I visualize sort of rotating around my head.

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Here's to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking. If you cheat, cheat death. If you steal, steal a woman's heart. If you fight, fight for a brother. If you drink, drink with me.

[kimmy 0]

I have asked many people for cartwheel advice and gotten a different answer from everyone. What works for one person may not work for another. I had gotten tips and coach jumps from some of the best-Eli, Colon, Rat, Heath, and other freeflyers with great skills. I have tried at least 10 different ways to propell my bod around. Finally, Derek (aka Freefly Goat) gave me beta that worked for me. If you want to do a right cartwheel from a headdown position, drop your left arm to your side, then tuck your right arm and let the wind throw you into the cartwheel. Hope this works for you!

[kimmy 0]

Whoops-I just realized you wanted sit fly cartwheel advice. To do a right cartwheel, push down on the air with your right arm and tuck your right arm in and let the wind take you around.

[bigfritz 0]

The first time I did it I thought I'd screw it all up. I just dropped my right arm and leaned right and it flipped me perfectly into a headdown position.

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Freefly, baby.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Thanks everyone!! I'll be heading out in a minute. I'll letcha know how it goes this weekend:)

Angela.

[78RATS 0]

Quote

Eli, Colon, Rat, Heath

name dropper

Rat for Life - Fly till I die
When them stupid ass bitches ask why

[wildWilly 0]

I didn't know how I did them until I saw myself on Video. To go left I lead with my head, drop my left arm and stick my right leg out to catch more wind. After initiation I tuck up and pop back into a sit when coming around. Everyone has different ways to do things, so ask a lot of questions, get some good coaching ( Goran is one of the best) and try different things. It will help a lot if you can see video of your jumps to see what are doing.

Keep Smiling,

Willy

growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I don't want to tell you how I do cartwheels as I'm sure mine aren't the most graceful. But start doing them now in order to not develop bad habits which you will have to fix later. I wish I would have started cartwheels sooner in my ever so short skydiving career as now I am trying to break my bad habit of bending at the waist when I transition from head down into a sit. Cartwheels are the cure to my bad habit, but I have to slowly retrain the brain. So build that good muscle memory before it's too late.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Thanks guys! At first I was wasn't get them at all... i'd initiate, and tumble a bit, and be facing 180 from where I started when I got back to a sit. Then someone told me to tuck in more after initiating, and that helped a lot. Now i'm off maybe 45 from where I start when I get back to a sit. I'm not sure how great they are, they don't feel very controlled. I definitely need work and will keep practicing.

:)
Angela.