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Hands Off! Just about any jumper can benefit from no-contact 2-way drills, the most basic of all relative work. Practice in a logical order that builds skills sequentially, beginning with proximity and altitude drills, then turns in place and, finally, individual vertical moves. Start with a no-contact 2-way star. Once in place and close, one jumper backs up several feet or moves from side to side as the other maintains the distance. Next, one pops up or drops five to ten feet as the other matches the fall rate.
On the next drill, one jumper stays put while the other performs 90-degree turns, maintaining eye contact and flying level and close until breakoff. Progressing to 180-degree turns will be more difficult as one jumper faces away. The turning jumper maintains eye contact as long as possible, finishes the turn and stays put until the other taps a leg as the signal to turn back. Take turns, working up to 360-degree turns without grips between moves. Focus on stopping on heading and in place. Spend one skydive turning in one direction, then another skydive turning the other direction. Finally, practice all these moves together with no-contact compressed accordions, turning 180 degrees between each one.
With the in-place drills smooth and comfortable, try some simple vertical moves. A great practice involves three jumpers in a no-contact line with one body space between. One of the end jumpers pops up and over and sinks into the space between the other two. Everybody is an end jumper at one time or another, so everybody gets plenty of practice. No-contact drills work for any formation skydiver who wants to keep his skills sharp and can challenge skydivers at any level. |
