skyslammer

im still a student, and i know i don't know that much about skydiving, those were just little things that i was learning, that might help some other students. Above all listen to what your jump master says, cause i guarantee you he'll know more than i do.

I started out on a 288 then progressively the moved me up to 190, I have good canopy control, they thought that by giving me a smaller rig might help me fly better because i was having some problems with unintentional turns.

I wasn't directing it to more experienced jumpers, i said "new people need to know". Your right though, it's mainly for students like myself who are still flying those 190's and above.

People always told me that when it clicked you would just be like now why didn't i do that earlier. Well it finally happened. I had slow turns, sometimes fast due to bad body position. Much to do with not arching enough and not enough leg awareness. After 3 level 4's, 10 level 5's, 2 level 6's, i finally got it. Much of it for me had to do with just squezing those butt cheeks together. But you have to feel it, if your knees are too far apart it makes it harder and you can't get your hips to where they need to be. Once i got that I was flying straight. Another thing i learned which I believe a lot of new people need to know is that when landing DON'T look down to determine how high you are, look out at something. When your flaring go into about a 3/4 to 1/2 brakes before you flare just to get some tension, then flare all the way, makes for a great landing.

Don't worry about failing, if it's something that you really want then don't let anything hold you back. I failed level 4, 3 times, and level 5, 10 times, and I still want more. I've done 21 jumps and am still working out all the little things that cause me to turn but i would have quit long ago except for how much fun each jump is. Sometimes it's a little disappointing that i wasn't progressing but i am determined as should you be if you really want to skydive.

Thanks for all of your advice, I went to Perris. They recently opened up the tunnel, and i seem to have corrected my spinning problems. The last thing i have to work on is my arms. My arms were going behind my head and someone told me that was because i was arching with my chest instead of my back and hips and that i needed to keep them parallel with my body. So hopefully on my next dive i'll be able to work that out. And thanks again for all the advice, I'll let you know how it goes.

I am an AFF Student, and I am determined to get this, I am 15 jumps and still on aff level 5. It's due to bad body position. I just recently went to a wind tunnel and same thing happened. I jump out fine, do my prct touch and toe taps then the instructor releases and it seems fine, i try to gain a heading but this slow turn starts to happen and i am unable to stop it. I know what the problem is. I have video of myself but in my mind i feel as if i am doing it but on video my knees are too far apart, my pelvis isn't down enough and my arms are too far back. And until i went to the wind tunnel i wasn't told to point my toes which seemed to help more. Is there any help anyone can give me.

I did my first jump there and found the staff to be more then friendly. Very experienced and willing to pass down the knowledge. I drive 1 and half hours extra because i enjoy the people. If you're in the area or not try them out.