Dan BC’s 4-way Manual

This manual, written by World Champion Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld is unique. It’s the most complete work on 4-way in existence, covering everything you need to perform at your best.

Dan BC, a founding member of Airspeed and multiple 4- and 8-way World Champion, developed a training system through his competition experience and coaching so many teams at novice and world class levels. His system works. His personal and coached teams consistently performed at their best in competition and often won – three consecutive and different Women’s World Champion 4-way teams for instance – Synchronicity, Storm and Airkix. This series outlines his training system in 20 separate articles – each complete in itself and together building a comprehensive 4-way Manual covering every topic in detail. Some articles are extracts from Dan’s motivational book, Above All Else.

Links to Chapters

(Each linked to previous and next articles)

1: Becoming a Natural Athlete

Learning to trust our instincts for peak performance

2: Training your Instincts

Training ourselves to stop telling our bodies what to do

3: Flying on the Line

Finding our optimum performance state

4: The Four Cs

Calm, control, communication & confidence…

5: Visualization

Dan realizes his 8-way visualization skills sucked…

6: Performing at your Best

Making your best into your average by defining your best and knowing how to deliver it

7: Making your Best Better

It’s time to just gun it – go for it with reckless abandon

8: Competitive Magic

How to win before the meet starts – a personal account of 2 World Championships 

9: Understanding the Game

4-way competition; rules, scores and dive pool explained in basic terms from the very beginning

10: Tricks of the Trade

Understanding the five tools for success. Balancing qualities; flying fast but smooth; calm yet aggressive; efficient moves while staying perfectly in synch

11: Understanding 4-way Slots

Point, Tail and Center slots explained, their characteristics, and how to choose the right person for each position

12 : Team Pace

Learning to skydive as one team instead of four individuals – sensing when the team is ready and using key speed to direct the team’s rhythm

13 : Randoms, Level 1

Level One Random Work – Stop Drills, the most effective tool to train good random work and build a solid foundation

14: Randoms, Levels 2 to 4 – Adding Speed

Adding speed to randoms in three different stages

15: Block Training

First points, mid-pictures and stopping the block. Landing the close every time

16: Jump Categories

Understanding the different sequences of jumps and what to expect – all randoms, all blocks, mixed, and slot switchers

17: Jump Preparation

Dirtdiving, walk-throughs, creeping and exits.

18: Debriefing

Reviewing the video, communicating positively and making a plan to improve

19: Making a Training Plan

Dividing your training jumps into 8 sections, with different formations and goals at each stage till the final, most important competition

Above All Else

Several articles in this series are extracts from Dan’s amazing book, ‘Above All Else’, which covers far more than skydiving. It’s available from Square One HERE or Amazon HERE, where you can check the glowing reviews, mostly from non skydivers, such as:

“I can’t recommend the book more. Do yourself this favor and just read it. Sure, it’s not Shakespeare, but it’s truth. At 120 MPH. And you will be forever changed.”

Amazon review by Esta Desa