Random work sounds like a funky new way of being on the dole?...

Blocks are surely something to do with roads?...

Not unless you're into FS that is, when it all makes sense. We’re looking at the spin, stop, grip,  spin, stop, grip,  nip-over-there, stop, grip-and-nip-back, stop, grip... ooh, track-off... stuff today...

Pete Allum says: “Doing fast efficient randoms is a lot of fun and also an easy way to score a lot of points.” He tells us that all the 4-way world record skydives have been made on a complete random dive. In training the top teams in the world can score 50 points in time on an easy, small move random dive. To build the randoms, Pete says, is “90% about moving from point to point, the formations are just the brief period in time when we meet together, only to then immediately let go and start moving to the next point.”  The guys don’t fly from grip to grip but rather to their point in the sky, which has been worked out to split the move as far as possible between all four people.

  "In all 4-way dives there are more random moves than block moves so it is useful to focus on your random flying... All the randoms should build between Point and Tail... keep looking through the centre of the formation.... As Point I tend to have a lot of out-facing moves so I remind myself to keep my body neutral and trust my moves."

Toby Stafford (Inside Centre, Mr Purple ) suggests "Learn the move on the creepers to the point you can do it literally with your eyes closed. While on the creepers and while in the air, think Move - Stop - Grips. This discipline will ensure that you never carry momentum into the formation... If, after you have picked up the grips, the formation is not the shape you planned in the dirt dive, 'box it out' before moving. This will help keep the skydive under control and the moves consistent... Through a skydive I focus on the centre point and cross-reference with my opposite (Outside Centre – Steve), this helps to give me the 'big picture' on fall rates and moves while also helping to keep communication high – a big secret to awesome skydiving”.

Steve also emphasises communication, saying to look across at your opposite and work the position, don't chase the grip. He adds “Keep the formations as small as possible and make everyone's move as efficient as you can... Fast is good but fast and furious probably isn't. A sensible pace with everyone staying calm will almost certainly score you more points... Showing separation is important in competition, make 'flashing' a priority." That means a clear hands-off moment – a hand not actually touching but hovering over a grip can appear, once on camera, to have a hold.

Jumps are drawn from the dive pool and contain five or six formations, made up from blocks and randoms. All formations count as a point if completed in the right order within the working time of 35 seconds. The team aims to find the most efficient way of going from one formation to another, this is called mechanics.

Looking at a list of 24 different blocks can be daunting! There are so many to learn that where do you start? But the boys stress that many are similar and techniques for turning them remain the same.

Rotations are achieved by the individuals in the piece moving in straight lines in different directions. So when Sebastian XL debriefs a block move, they focus on the timing and direction of the inputs. The team aims to take off input power, perfect the timing and make the block effortless.

Steve Hamilton says: "I'm finding that the effort you need to make a piece move is probably much less than you think. You have input from at least two bodies so trying less but getting the timing right is much more effective than using muscle."

Pete says “It's important to work out how the turn happens, walk it through, work the synchronicity with your piece partner, then and go and do lots of reps in freefall”.

Toby says that usually the centre people move first then the outside (ie, Tail or Point). "Most of the 2-person pieces require an 'I go, then you go' approach. this makes transitions efficient.”

John says "Keep good eye contact and have a good, strong grip on your partner. Work on keeping the pieces level." He also says to make all piece moves with small controlled movements and you'll be surprised how easy it is to create separation.

In the photos below showing Sebastian XL doing the monopod - monopod block, notice how all team members are looking to the close of the block. In the beginning there is a plan of the physics of the move. Start with this plan but don’t forget the vital end part – to finish the block by creating the end formation.
 

Turns
The boys have a few tips on that most basic manoeuvre – the in-place turn. It's a relief to hear that Pete Allum, 50 squillion jump man, has his off days just like everyone else. "Sometimes I turn really well, other times I feel hopeless!" Maybe there is hope for the rest of us after all! Pete says “I sense my centre point and then just allow the turn to happen” and adds “This is backed up by lots of physical practice on the ground, working the actual movement of the limbs. Plus masses of tunnel practice".

Toby is analytical and points out the importance of starting and stopping in a neutral body position. That means applying equal upper and lower body input, relaxing to neutral and applying opposite equal input to stop. "The input should feel the smallest stage with a longer stop stage and the coast or neutral should feel the longest.” He says to forget eye contact here as it gives you misleading information, concentrate on rotating around a centre point and then correct any errors.

John qualifies the eye contact idea by saying start with good eye contact in the pause stage, then trust yourself on input and only pick up the eye contact on the stopping part. "Keep your back straight and your head up" he adds.

Steve's mantra is ‘balance’ with a good body position and a balance of upper and lower body input. "Everyone seems to want to turn aggressively with their knees these days. Your legs are efficient in starting and stopping turns but if you don't use the same relative input with your upper body it won't be an in-place turn." He advises to only turn as fast as you can stop as, if you can't stop on heading, turning fast is just a waste of time. "Don't sacrifice precision for speed, that'll come later."

Compiled from: Sebastian XL
pete_allum@compuserve.com

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