hd and shoulder fatigue

[gus 1]

Alright chaps!

So I finally have a stable, down the tube, straddle, hd position. I'm finding that it's putting alot of pressure on my shoulders and that after a couple of jumps it's quite sore/stiff (I am quite feeble though), is this a sign that I'm doing something wrong or is it quite normal?

Thanks,

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[Levin 0]

My arms and shoulders use to get really sore when I first started but my muscles got use to it quick. Try making your legs wider and use them more.

Levin
vSCR#17
www.freeflyers.com

[hookitt 1]

Greetings

Chances are, you're flying with your arms Very far out, very stiff and back further than your chest. It's also very likely the legs aren't being used as much as you think.

The Idea is to learn how to fly strong, but not rigid.

On the ground, a good excersize is to stand in a wide stance toes slighty outward with your legs straight. push outward trying to bush your feet through the sides of you shoes. Now allow your knees to flex. This excersize can be done anytime you're standing around ironing or making a smoothie.

Now for the arms. First of all, it's very common to fly with them straight out and back (chest out). It's a lot like balancing a broomstick on your palm rather than holding it by the bristles and letting it hang. You have to move your hand around to keep it up right. Dangling it, it just stays put.

If you carry something fairly heavy, you won't carry it with your hands straight out and back. (this is your queue to go find 2 buckets with some weight in em and pick em up that way). So stick your hands out straight out at your sides, bend your elboys a little and drop them down just below shoulder level. Let your shoulders drop as well. Then, with your eyes looking forward, move your arms forward untill your hands are completely in view. ( this will not apply to you if you have tunnel vision)

Make sure your head is perfectly straight up and down, as well as your spine. Stand against a pole a few times if you're unsure. It should not feel awkward to stand around this way.

Your shoulders and pretty much every thing else are just going to get tired sometimes. As you progress and learn to relax while still flying strong, it will decrease tremendously.

The leg excersizes and visualizing your body position, will help tremendously in a paint the fence sort of way. Keep it up it works.

That's enough for now

Hope that helps

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

[matttrudeau 0]

You need to use your legs more. Head down is all legs and if you are sore in your arms, you're using them too much. Also, If you're rigid in the arms you will not be able to take grips.

[hookitt 1]

Quote

You need to use your legs more. Head down is all legs and if you are sore in your arms, you're using them too much.

Head down is not all legs. Show me one person who flies with out them. Go make a skydive or many and remove them from the equation by crossing your arms. Come back and let me know how that goes.

That said, do you have any SUGGESTIONS on how to use them more?

I still get tired after a weekend of skydiving. Arms are needed, and readily available for use, so don't think they are not for use in head down.

The way you use them will change, and the amount of energy focused on the arms will diminish and be transfered more to the legs.

Hope that helps

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

[sssbc99 0]

Do push ups and dips..They will clear that right up

[Levin 0]

Quote

Head down is not all legs. Show me one person who flies with out them. Go make a skydive or many and remove them from the equation by crossing your arms. Come back and let me know how that goes.

I've made most all of my freefly jumps with a jumpsuit. Earlier this year I sent my suit back to Firefly so that they could use it to duplicate a new one instead of usng new measurements. So, far two or three weeks I jumped in jeans and t-shirt. I had never realized how much I used my arms. T-shirt makes it so easy to take grips.

Levin
vSCR#17
www.freeflyers.com

[gus 1]

Thanks everyone for all the replies. I did a couple of coach jumps over the weekend and Steve really got me to concentrate on relaxing my arms and shoulders. Result? Much better!

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com