Preparing for a
TRAINING CAMP 

Pete Allum shares a few tips to help you get the most benefit from a training camp by preparing before you go. He has used an FS camp as an example but the suggestions can be modified for any discipline

"Unless we try to do something beyond what we have already mastered, we cannot grow"
Ronald Osborn

More skydivers want more from each jump they do, hence the steadily increasing performance of teams, the inception of AFF and RAPS programmes and the subsequent further education of Skydive U or WARP.

As a team player and coach I am always trying to find ways to maximise my learning, it may be by getting a coach to inform the team of newer technical information on the blocks or by reading sports psychology books on how to perform in a more efficient state of mind. If you want to improve, you will have to spend some time in practice. Whether your discipline is Freestyle, Freefly, Skysurf, Style & Accuracy or FS, if you really want to improve you will eventually decide to spend a specific period of time focusing on your performance - or to put it simply go on a training camp.

The venue, length, type and cost of camp will be relative to your commitment level and in a previous article I discussed these questions (see Putting an FS Team Together Sport Parachutist Feb '96) but the topic here is how to prepare for your camp in order to maximise your performance whilst you are there. I would like to use as an example a two week FS training camp. The reason for this is that as an FS coach this is the usual format that I deal with.

Physical Preparation
If you have never made 6-8 jumps every day for five days then it would be a sound idea to be physically prepared for the strains that you will be putting on your body.

Flexibility is vital for some of the moves and also avoidance of injury, see if you can get hold of a good book on the subject or take up yoga! Most coaches will initiate a stretching programme tailored for each team. Stretching will take up time but if you can stretch little and often, you will see improvements. Use TV time or find other moments when you could incorporate some stretching into your daily routine. Start stretching NOW!

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"

Lao Tzu 470-490BC

Stamina is an issue if you are making a lot of jumps each day over a long period, especially if you want to be alert for the duration. Good cardiovascular fitness will keep you mentally alert on long training days when more and more information is coming in and you are sweating to pack, the coach is calling for a debrief and you are on a 15 minute call. The general rule is at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular training (running /swimming/cycling etc) three times a week.
 
Strength training really only becomes a necessity if you find it hard to hold on to the aircraft, to creep or if you are planning to become a full time team. For some people who are wearing a lot of lead because of low body weight, strength training can be a blessing as increased strength makes it easier to deal with carrying the weights around on your body and you may be able to increase your body weight by adding muscle.
Although fitness will help your skydiving, mental preparation is vital...

Mental Preparation First of all be very clear about the short, mid and long term goals for: yourself this camp your team

Photo by Keith Larrett

Get these sorted whilst you are planning your camp. Motivation will keep you going when you are tired or irritable and a clear idea of what you want to achieve will help. I suggest that you write these goals down, however be prepared to adjust them if you exceed them or fail to make them.
 
Try and get some video of other teams that inspire you, if possible a team that is at the level you are aspiring to. This will help you visualise what to achieve, pick an individual and imagine it is you making those moves on the screen. If you do not know what the blocks and randoms look like you should study them (from the dive sheets and video) in order to become more familiar with them. Bear in mind that some of the formations don't look like the pictures, that's where the video can come in handy.
If you already have some knowledge of the blocks then keep yourself current by working your way though them, as little as one block a day will help. Make up dives and visualise them from getting in your door to opening your canopy. Sebastian XL visualise every day that we are not training! Visualise often, this will prepare you and is as good as physical practice (see Mental Preparation and Visualisation SP June '96). Only visualise good skydives!

There may be some time away from jumping, either due to weather or night time, I find that it is useful to have a bunch of books, movies or music available. Also find out about the area you are going to, are there any activities nearby that you want to do with your free time? You may just want to 'veg out' on your day off, or if you were in Florida you could go surfing; Arizona, climbing, etc. Finding out about the venue will also give you a good idea on what to bring with you. Prepare yourself for the temperature of the place, eg if it is going to be cold have suitable under-jumpsuit wear in order to retain flexibility. If possible speak to people who have jumped at the DZ before.
 
Get your personal skydiving equipment sorted prior to arriving. If you have just brought a new zero porosity canopy, can you pack it? (Maybe you will have packers any way?) Does your suit have the right grips for FS, ie inside leg grips and fat arm and leg grippers? Do you need a weight vest? Extra bungees and a closing loop will seem like a luxury item when you are packing furiously trying to make a 5 minute call! Check out your gear (or get your friendly rigger to) and see if anything will need repair work soon, get it done before your camp as you will be frustrated if a line breaks on jump one and you end up running around sorting out gear in a panic.
 
Prepare in detail for your camp as it will no doubt be quite expensive and you will want to get as much out of it as possible. With good preparation you will be able to fully focus on learning and enjoying yourself. As with anything though, something unprepared for will happen, just treat it as part of the adventure and keep smiling!

"If we do not invest much energy then defeat doesn't hurt as much but neither is winning very exciting"
Dick Vermeil

Pete Allum
pete_allum@compuserve.com

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