Arm position

[gus 1]

When I'm in sit I tend to fly with my arms really far back (on the right in this picture). I don't often see other people flying like that but when I try to bring my arms forward (like Steve is in the middle of the photo) I find it much more difficult to stay stable. I never have any trouble generating forward movement or generally moving around, should I just stick with what I do or are there good reasons to try and change my flying style?

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[nacmacfeegle 0]

I used to fly like that and found it really comfy.
But after some coaching I was advised to keep my arms more straight out.
Reasons.....
Arms back there are compensating for you leaning slightly forward, if you sit up more straight, you can bring your arms more in line with your shoulders.
Also I now use my arms to make minor fall rate adjustments, say for docking etc, with your arms loacked out behind you, you cant raise your arms to drop down a couple of feet (relative). Its also really hard to press down from there to pop up a couple of feet. Think legs for big changes, arms for small changes.

Yeppers, it does feel a little less stable to begin with , but once mastered it is really useful. If you get your legs nice and wide (oo-err missus) the stability will be easier.

If you have a look a Snowflake's recent post, there are links I put there to some stuff by Giles Fabris which explains this a lot better than I can.

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He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[hookitt 1]

There are very good reasons to change the style of flying. maneaverability stability and range.

It appears that your feet are close together and that you are leaning a bit forward. Your arms are back to compensate. This position is difficult to dock with.

Feet together is like sitting on a rail. Legs apart is like a sitting on a stool. Spread em! and try not to lean quite so forward.

Bend the arms close to 90 degrees. You still have all the surface out there but now you have even more stability and it's easier to reach for a grip.

That's a good start

Tim

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[rapper4mpi 0]

Check out this picture of Dave Brown: http://www.freeflytrainingcenter.com/photogallerys/main/vvpic04.htm

It is a perfect example of what I call the "new-school" style of the "sit-fly". Basically, we don't refer to this position as a sit-fly, but more of a head-up feet flying position. Notice how far apart the legs are. The forward and backward movement is created by driving (pushing) the hips forward and backward. The wide stance gives great stability and frees up the hands for docks, freefall rate changes etc...
This is an excellent position to work to and should be the goal before moving on to head-down techniques. Good luck! Nevers top learning.
-Rap
D-21553

[jceman 1]

Let's make it clicky for the folk:

http://www.freeflytrainingcenter.com/photogallerys/main/vvpic04.htm

Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money.

Why do they call it "Tourist Season" if we can't shoot them?

[Snowflake 0]

this http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=335872;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread might help

[blazingcannon 0]

Adding to others comments on your position regarding you leaning forward a bit, if you look, you can also see that your shins are presented to the relative wind, which will give you a push backwards.

I totally agree with others comments about the misnomer of "sitflying" which then causes people to get into more of a sitting position instead of a more versatile "upright head-up, feet-flying position". Though, I think using a more sit-based position when starting is ok, because this position is familiar to everyone.

Cheers!

"Spread your legs and fly"

[gus 1]

Quote

if you look, you can also see that your shins are presented to the relative wind, which will give you a push backwards

You're absolutely right, it must be a subconcious thing to counter the forward drive my arms are giving me. I'm jumping tomorrow (probably just jinxed myself ) so I'll try to concentrate on trying a different position.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[Zenister 0]

i was having some of the exact same issues. i was flying with my arms back (which was tweaking my elbows bad after a full day of jumping) to compensate for a fwd lean i had..one coach jump with Sean Mcorimac (AFI) fixed that and let me really focus on flying rather then compensating for 'bad' habits i had developed already..

good luck man..!

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Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.