Articles

Do you want to know the score round by round? Or would you rather focus on the next jump? Each […]

Competition debriefs are different from your standard training debriefs. Why are they different? How are they different? And what should […]

Everyone thinks they want to be the least experienced or skilled person on the team—until they actually are. The reality […]

Psychic? Not so much How is your plane captain so fast? What looks like speed is oftentimes an uncanny ability […]

Ever seen teams train their butts off all season, only to hit Nationals and completely fall apart? They’re not just […]

Anybody can hit a draw button, but is that the best way to set a training plan? Here is how […]

Alright, skydiving superstars, let’s talk MONEY and team training. Budgeting sets your team up for success. Knowing your financial limits […]

Goals? Yeah, we all got ’em. Wanna win Nationals? Score a 15-point average? Crush that next competition? Awesome. But setting […]

Experienced skydivers tell new small skydivers that they shouldn’t wear weights and instead “learn to fly their body.” The notion […]

by Chris Webb from SDC Rhythm XP Why we use them We use alternate engineering when it makes a quicker/short […]

Headswitch later! Headswitch sooner! Why so much advice about when to flip your head and look the other way? It […]

If you are team training, you will want to increase your efficiency in skydiving to get back to the packing […]

Feeling like your skydiving skills don’t measure up? Everyone has moments where they feel in the pits about their skydiving […]

I got access to Dall-E-2, an AI art generator that generates images based on text captions. I have been enjoying […]

Your team has a problem block. You try and try to fix it, but it circles the drain and is […]

It isn’t a big secret that I hate training with rigs in the tunnel. I hate it. But I will […]

I encourage every headed to US nationals to read the skydiver’s competition manual! It is generally full of precise rules […]

Everyone wants better landings! Even if you prefer to focus on a freefall activity, you have to land every time. […]

We tell you to wait for the key all the time, but when you watch a video from a team […]

Anticipation is thinking about what is coming next on a skydive. Knowing the next point before the current formation gets […]

Want to go faster? Speed up the keys! But it might not be as simple as trying to just releasing […]

The zone, sometimes called flow, is a mental state that leads to peak performance. It comes up in competition skydiving, […]

Teammate driving you nuts? Ready to break up the team? Stop! Before you do, try this. Tensions are normal First, […]

If you are at an event, training camp, or competition, the days might get long. To do your best, you […]

So you are going to jump at a new dropzone? Sweet! A new DZ is an excellent step into experiencing […]

Oh no! You messed up a jump. Skydiving is an intense sport. You only have a few seconds to get […]

I get many curious questions about what it is like to be on a professional skydiving team. Here are the […]

A variety of 360 videos from the 2022 P3 Big Way Camp at Perris. If you would like […]

We have all had a jump that did not live up to our expectations. It could be a meet, a […]

The door pops open, and you feel your heart leap. Maybe it starts when you arrive at the DZ. But […]

Jumping at a new dropzone is a giant milestone in your jumping career. I wanted to write about it, but […]

You are at an event or on the dropzone, and another jumper starts giving you tips and does not stop […]

You know you need to fall faster for good bodyflight habits and safe successful freefall. You are comfortable with the […]

Landing on someone is not something you want to do. But it happens. Here are some tips to reduce the […]

Are you looking to up your skydiving safety game? Here are five great articles to put you in a positive […]

Slot switchers! How fun! But now you have to learn another slot; how often should you be training in your […]

You know how tunnel instructors tell you to empty your pockets before you get into the wind tunnel? They are […]

Feel like you are spinning your wheels in training? It may be because you don’t have targeted and specific goals […]

The best part of the sport is how much people love sharing and helping each other. We all take care […]

What the point slot lacks in exciting random work is more than made up for by the fantastic, glory-filled block […]

I shake my head when I see a FB comment telling some beginner how the tunnel is completely different in […]

Are you looking for some tunnel drills to fine-tune your inside center game? Here are a few categories of skills […]

How does Rhythm do their dirt diving? Is prep different than amateur teams? Here is how the professional teams I […]

That exit looks like a frog in a blender – when do you drop your grips? Hold on and ride […]

Your knees are too wide! Your knees are too narrow! Everyone seems to have an opinion about your stance. Luckily, […]

Want to try a team but do not want to go crazy intense? More interested in a team that prioritizes […]

Does team scheduling seem like a lame unnecessary article to you? That is because you haven’t seen teams mess it […]

Luckily I’m not talking about the flashing that gets you arrested in a park. In competition 4way, you have to […]

Congratulations on your team! Do you have a video person yet? Find and build a positive relationship with a great […]

Being on a team is an incredible experience. Challenging, of course, but generally amazing. Here are some of my favorite […]

Do you watch the “super serious” teams on the dropzone and wish you could try it – but without all […]

Tunnel Exits or Entrances, which is it? I’m never sure of the terminology– Are we entering the tunnel? Or exiting […]

Letting a grip rip from your hand in a skydive gives you that same momentary gasp as dropping a phone […]

I took the judges course years ago while I was on Fury. It was absolutely eye-opening to see things from […]

A great track is just as much about the steps as it the body position. By breaking the track into […]

You are on jump run looking down over clouds. Should you go around or get out? What happens if you […]

There are so many formations and techniques to learn in 4-way! Who has time to learn the actual rules? […]

Rant time! This minor walking thing drives me a little bit nuts. The goal of the first walkthrough for a […]

It’s a trap! Repeat that block and don’t move on until you master it, right? When you do easy things […]

Unless you are an aff instructor, you probably don’t spend a lot of time reviewing the details you learned in […]

So many shiny things! I am grateful my competition is only 35 seconds to keep my attention span. But there […]

How does this US Nationals thing work? What are the questions you hear everyone asking every year? Look here for […]

Do you have to grab the fabric strips? Does a harness grip count? How about a shoe grip? From the […]

You just cracked open your brand new jumpsuit – how do you know if it is right? Do the booties […]

Does the thought of turning away from the middle terrify you? Do you drift away or sink out whenever you […]

Mental toughness is the quality we all want to have when it comes to competing. It boils down to the […]

Get away from that group! Want to boogie faster and further away at the end of your skydive? Check your […]

Start-Coast-Stop! Unlike the terribly wrong ‘hug a beach ball’ and ‘leave 45 degrees between group’ memes, this old tip works! […]

What causes safety-related errors? Failure to create good habits? Or complacency? Breaking down the problem When you analyze a safety-related […]

Does your line up in the sky match your line up in the mockup exactly? No? Next time notice these […]

Why I Use “Red Dives” in Training My teams are very aware I sprinkle scored competition-style dives into daily training […]

Spring rolls around, and much to your dismay, you are still not on a team. Don’t waste your season! Improve […]

Visualizing is a term that means producing mental imagery. In our case, it means per-rehearsing a skydive before you do […]

What to Expect at Your First US Nationals If you have never been to US Nationals, you probably have a […]

So many options! You have probably seen as many versions of a count as you have groups. There seem to […]

At some point, all skydivers have a close call. A mistake or error occurs, and an accident is narrowly averted […]

When you start multiple plane formations, the coaches will add a walkthrough phase called the exit frame. I remember going […]

Brainlock is a great word. It is self-explanatory and relatable. The instant you tell someone about that word, they know […]

The break-off plan establishes how we get away from other skydivers for safe deployment at the end of a skydive. […]

If you have been to a big-way event, you know that we spend a lot of time walking and practicing […]

How to Fly the Hill Like a Pro Are you still holding the exit before starting the skydive on the […]

You’ve seen and practiced all the basic formations – stars, opens, and zippers. But then the organizer starts throwing out […]

Has it been a long time since high school geometry? Maybe you never paid much attention? Refresh some useful 4-way […]

Signed up for your first big way camp? Eager to prepare, but don’t know what you can do before the […]

Just joined a kick-butt team this season? Don’t forget to implement these five habits as part of your team culture […]

Are you confused by all the “helpful” advice about wearing a weight belt? Has someone told you that wearing a […]

When you first start skydiving, the different formations groups do seem oddly named, infinite and confusing. By learning the common […]

Headed to a big way camp or event? Nervous about your performance? Even if this is a beginner’s camp, you […]

Every team has a moment a few camps out from Nationals when it hits them hard – there isn’t much […]

You’ve seen some 4-way teams that have the outside center give the count, while others have the inside center give […]

Teams break up mid-season when they discover each of the members had different visions for the year. After you have […]

Want to start on the big way journey but not sure where to begin? This guide will walk you through […]

You are a ninja when it comes to understanding the four core exit principles – but how can you practice […]

There are two common strategies when it comes to creeping. Do you practice each angle three times? Or just flow […]

Your coach tells you to calm down all the time. You hear it repeated like a mantra in a big-way […]

When a formation is complete, a signal is needed to indicate it is time for the team to break and […]

A UK reality show inspires this article (NOT Love Island). The show took a total newbie in a particular field […]

Lies. There is no such thing as effortless learning. If only I could download what I know into your head […]

These six tips will help you absorb more while you prepare a formation dive. It will also keep you from […]

A player-coach is a member of the team who simultaneously holds both playing duties and coaching duties. In skydiving, this […]

I describe skydiving skills as falling into one of two buckets – moving around and making the right decisions. Here […]

Everything you learn about the sport can help you become a better FS competitor, but here are five big non-FS […]

Ever watch a team creep and wonder how they know where to move for the billions of different combinations? Read […]

Closing a block means landing on or catching the grips after the inter is performed. In the context of individual […]

Just launch a bow! The most common advice for intermediate teams. Was this strategy confirmed at the 2019 USPA Nationals? […]

Slots are Positions Just like other sports, there are positions on a 4-way team. They are Point, Outside Center, […]

Picking the best tunnel was easy when there were only two in the US. Now you probably have several choices […]

A continuity plan is a color-coded guide that suggests how to perform each formation in competition skydiving. If you look […]

You are walking like a pro when your team has a brainlock, bust, or bad block. Argh! Stop the presses? […]

Understand the basic exit principles Presentation, placement, timing, and fixing! Before you start with a bow, you should learn about […]

Every wonder how teams know those fancy spinning moves? Read on to discover what blocks are, how you can correctly read a […]

Types of Walkthroughs There are three different flavors of walkthrough, each with different goals. Learn how to execute the initial, […]

What round was busted the most at this last year’s nationals in 4way Intermediate? Here are a couple of ways […]

We have a coach! Do they cater lunch? Here are the more common team decisions and who is responsible for […]

Say it isn’t so! Your instructor fibbed to you when they said not to reach for grips. Well, maybe not […]

Love 4-way but still waiting for that trust fund to kick in? Skydiving is expensive, and 4-way can be even […]

How much wind tunnel time do you need for a season? I am asked this question from teams regularly. Here […]

Starting your first team? Avoid these four traps! Not Setting Goals Everyone has their own individual goals when they join […]

You found a coach! Get excited to be working with someone who can shape you into a better formation skydiver. […]

Getting in the tunnel can be intimidating at first, but there is a tunnel instructor who will guide you until […]

Headed to your first tunnel meet? They are a blast! Here are some tips to make your competition successful. Types […]

You’ve been told you should look across. Someone has explained that you should “fly your slot.” But what does that […]

There is no single path to getting on a professional team, but here is my story. Luck and circumstance play […]

You formation skydive. You are trying to make formations. But what exactly is a formation? How do I “mirror one”? […]

What round was busted the most at this last year’s nationals in 4way Intermediate? Here are a couple of ways […]

You see the pros gracefully dropping a knee and extending a leg to slide around effortlessly. A coach told you […]

The fun starts the second someone leaves the plane; so learn to leave the plane linked and start moving as […]

I love the phrase “Good, fast, or cheap. Choose any two!”. When selecting a coach, there are three big factors. […]

Curious as to why all the local coaches insist you stare into a stranger’s eyes in a socially awkward manner? […]

Are you presented with a mish-mash of team options? Can’t find anything suitable? Take a step back and start by […]

If you live in a climate that experiences the “joy of seasons”, you might begin wondering (or panicking!) how you […]

Looking at the plain black and white pictures from the rules doesn’t tell you how to do the block efficiently, […]

Building between the Point and Tail is an engineering concept that should be familiar to experienced 4-way competitors and is […]

The final dirt dive before you get on the plane is the last chance you get to practice with your […]

Keying is the process of checking the formation for completeness and indicating it is time to move. This process is […]

The big day is coming up, but how do you schedule your training right before the meet? How much training […]

The three key ingredients to a great exit are presentation, timing, and placement. Simple enough, right? Yet somehow I find […]

It doesn’t matter how in place your turn is if you aren’t on level! In a wind tunnel, you can […]

I suspect that it is no coincidence that two formations in the dive pool are named Murphy. Anyone who has […]

Yikes! Who stole the center? Some 8-way formations have no clear middle. What are the super secrets to building these […]

Another super fun meet with Jim Klinge (Bu) at Mission Valley! The hosts even awarded tunnel time prizes to the winners […]

Can you execute backward correctly only if you are concentrating on it? Or perhaps your fall rate control rocks when […]

Stages! Some builds in 8-way look impossible at first (here’s looking at you hope-less diamond). But if we combine two critical concepts […]

You’ve been doing 4way for a while and have realized that each jump presents dozens of options beyond the normal. […]

Great builds happen from the center out. Building the center takes a little time, and that sometimes leaves the outside […]

Congratulations to Khoren and Keith!

Want to know how to tackle slot switchers? I discuss several approaches to mastering both slots and learning to deal […]

In the last article, we spent some time identifying a center 4way. A mantra among 8way teams is ‘build the […]

Who needs a healthy dynamic when you can have the pure pleasure of driving your teammates nuts? There are countless […]

All Skydivers are Vulnerable I’ve observed through my years of skydiving a reaction to accidents that prevents skydivers from truly […]

Holy smokes! Six divisions. Six patch winners! Learn more and sign up for the next one!

Great 4-way and 8-way teammates strike a balance between providing feedback and letting their teammates correct their own mistakes. If […]

How to Give Criticism Regardless of whether you are an instructor, coach, teammate, or just a skydiving peer, you will […]

This is a short series of articles that will help you break down and understand how 8-ways are built. While […]

Taking criticism and turning it into improvement will propel you forward in your skydiving goals. Unfortunately, criticism can be very […]

Going low sucks! Every skydiver of some experience has had that combination of panic and dread as they are looking […]

Going low sucks! Every skydiver of some experience has had that combination of panic and dread as they are looking […]

Going low sucks! Every skydiver of some experience has had that combination of panic and dread as they are looking […]

Going low sucks! Every skydiver of some experience has had that combination of panic and dread as they are looking […]

This is a short series of articles that will help you break down and understand how 8-ways are built. While […]

Do you like to break down your flying or do you just do it? Balance these two concepts by crafting […]

This is a short series of articles that will help you break down and understand how 8-ways are built. While […]

If you are interested in a team in 2017 and would like help from Christy, you are welcome to fill […]

Physical Prep Before Session If you are on the edges of physically fit, take the time to build a little […]

Bow This classic beginner exit already has the outside center pre-presented. There is an awesome argument for only launching a […]

You can get more from your training experience if you come to your camp prepared. The more information you already […]

Did you know there are two common types of sidebuddies (block 7)? The most common – and easiest – is […]