I have been inspired to write this article after meeting so many people who want to be part of the next Australian big way record. It is indeed possible ‘if you want it enough’ but you may need to develop flying skills that are new to you.

It is generally appreciated that tracking and diving skills need to be learnt. In addition your

body position and mental approach to ‘how’ you fly might also need some development.

You will receive the P3 Big Way Manual as part of a Star Crest briefing or ‘big way’ skills event. It is also available from your State Mentor. It clearly defines the rules of ‘Big Way’ flying.  Specifically in relation to personal body flight, it is a requirement to:

• Stop fully before you dock and pick up a grip
• ‘Park’ in your slot once you have your grip and be able to fly with the formation
• Maintain your heading, even if someone does bring momentum into the formation.

If you have not had any formal team or any personal flying coaching since your B-rels you may never have had to develop the skills that allow you to do these things.

Indications that some development effort is required include:

• Inability to present to the wind on exit and hold your position relative to others
• Reaching for a grip before stopping
• Inability to stop in slot, sit relative to the formation and feel comfortable without taking a grip
• Moving whilst in your slot with your grip, unable to hold a position relative to the formation on your own or when others dock on you

In early learning many of us will have been told to ‘relax’ and have a ‘loose’ body position. This is said to prevent students from being too rigid. It can also create a situation where we fly at the mercy of the airflow and any bumps and movement around us.

Many people also feel it is a stigma to wear lead. But, unless we can fly relative to the group with range to fall faster and slower whilst still in a ‘box’ position, we are essentially unstable and a liability to the integrity of the formation. Lead is often the only way to help lighter or less flexible people do this.

Big way (and team) flying requires us to fly with a ‘strong’ body position. Where we can exit strongly onto the air and fly relative to others, fly ‘down the tube’ in a straight line, holding our position relative to others and a formation even if they move up, down or sideways or even if we get bumped into.

Developing such an approach to flying requires both mental and physical training. A strong body position and flying style

Mentally one needs to decide to be ‘strong’, to be in control and part of the solution and switch onto this feeling as you stack up in the door. Being aware of what emotional state works best for you to be mentally strong and connected is important, there are many great articles on ‘arousal levels’ and performance on the internet that you can read.

Physically one needs to put effort into creating a flying ‘stance’ that has power and stability. Everyone needs to learn how to do this, it is a developed skill.

Initially it takes significant physical effort to focus on a continuous sense of power and strength, with extra effort to maintain it when you stop and hold your ground ‘park’ in a slot. Over time it becomes second nature.

Try the exercises below. They are designed to help you connect with your core strength and to feel the continuous effort required to maintain and control a stable platform of air around you that you can fly on with confidence.

1.

• Lie on the ground, adopt a neutral body position
• Whilst maintaining your body position, put your right hand on your head then return to neutral.
• Analyse what happened to your body position when you did this. Typically one’s head and right shoulder dips forward. If this happened in freefall you would tilt forward in the airflow, move forward and in bad cases even barrel roll.
• Now try the same exercise again, this time maintaining a square and equal presentation to the imaginary airflow. You may need to arch more, focus on holding your head up and on keeping your right shoulder level with your left.
• Remember never to twist your ‘chassis’ – the four corners of your shoulders and your hips and to maintain an arch. This is your stable platform from which your ‘power’ comes from to manage the air around you in your movements and indeed in your stopping and ‘parking’.
• From the neutral position now try several scenarios – left hand on head, both hands on head, right and left arms behind your back, and one at a time then together. Reaching back with your right hand to touch your right foot and then with your left hand to your left foot. Reach one hand straight in front of you then try both hands.
• The effort you had to put in to maintain your stability is the effort needed every time you jump, when you exit and as you fly. That effort creates a powerbase from which you can control your movements and maintain your chosen position in the air.
• Now find a friend and try this in the air, if you set up in a ‘no contact’ side body picture you will quickly see when either of you moves from your position. Pay for an outside video if you really want to learn quickly.

2.

• Lie on the ground or stand up adopting a neutral body position.
• Have a friend lie or stand next to you in a side body position and have them put level pressure on you at various points of your body. Hip and shoulder on the same side at the same time is a good start.
• If you are easily moved around, focus on your core strength and your arch and put effort into staying in one place. That level of effort to maintain a strong body position is what you need whenever you fly.
• Try this in the air. You will need to counteract the pressure either with side sliding or turning etc. The focus that you put into doing this and how it feels to be ‘switched on’ is what you need to connect to at all times.

3.

• Lie flat on the ground with your head on the floor then adopt the neutral position and raise your chin. This simple movement can often act as a trigger to empower your core strength and power base.
• Try it in the air, as you arrive in your slot and stop, raise your chin, feel the increased sensation of ‘parking’ before you pick up the grip and hold it there until the key is given then repeat with each move.
• Focusing on your arch is another trigger that might work for you.