Get the Power

As you probably realise, the fundamental difference in freeflying is the huge wind velocity and the impact this force has on our muscles in movement. So you need power.

photo by Keith Larrett

photo by JC

Consider this: 1. Slow fall position For slowing speed; in this position (fig 1), your legs and arms are used as brakes. We slow because a greater body surface area interrupts the wind velocity force. A certain type of muscle movement in these areas will cause tension and subsequent strain, if you haven't got the power to cope. 2. Fast fall position For greater speed; from the first position to the second (fig 2), less body surface area, less resistance, more speed. However, in these movements, muscles are still under tension/contraction to provide the power control required to maintain the correct position. It is from this position that most upper arm strains result.

Illustrations by Alex Meacock

So - FEEL THE POWER!

Try this...
Try these two exercise examples for specific muscle power development, isolating just two particular muscle groups most liable, in my experience, to injury:

Legs (inner/outer thighs)
  Person A sit down, knees bent, feet flat on ground.
Person B as above with knees outside and against Person A. 
Person A push out hard.
Person B push in hard.
Both BREATHE, maintain HOLD, release S-L-O-W-L-Y.

Please share any other exercises you know and refer to Sport Parachutist September/October '95 for article on stretches (Sorry, this is not on the website which only contains articles from Lesley Gale's magazines, the earliest is December 1995)

Debs McCarthy
Debsmcmad@aol.com

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