{"id":28259,"date":"2020-09-22T14:03:43","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T14:03:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=28259"},"modified":"2020-10-01T12:19:41","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T12:19:41","slug":"getting-good-on-a-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/getting-good-on-a-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"AWESOME on a BUDGET"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Article, by Christy Frikken, re-published from FuryCoaching.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love 4-way but still waiting for that trust fund to kick in? Skydiving is expensive, and 4-way can be even more so. But there are ways you can still enjoy this fantastic hobby on a reasonable budget.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You don’t need matching gear, spend the money on jumping
Photo from Nationals 2017, Skydive Perris, by Thad Parker
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Focus on what you can do<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

You might not have a platinum style $30k budget to spend on 4-way this season, but you might have some skydiving money allocated. Instead of thinking about what you lack, focus on what you can do. If you can make only 30 team jumps this season, that is 30 more than nothing! And those jumps will be fun and enjoyable, which in the end is the point of all this craziness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t compare yourself to others<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

It is hard to feel like you are keeping up when other people seem to have unlimited funds. They spend money on matching equipment and 500-jump seasons. Keeping up with the Joneses is a losing proposition in life and in 4-way. Work to find the joy in what you are doing with your team instead of looking over your shoulder at the other guys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus on slow and steady progress over a more extended period<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

You can do 500 training jumps in a season or over five years. They shake out just the same. If you can keep the same group together by doing a modest amount over several seasons, it works just as well. It may even result in a better average because you have a higher ratio of competition, more time to study, and a more relaxed team dynamic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Become an athlete
Photo: Sian & Anna from NFTO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Become an athlete<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Get strong, fit, and flexible. Athletic people can train harder when they do train. They tend to have more coordination and better reaction times, and they learn faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might seem obvious, but get serious about your workouts. They are free and improve your skydiving dramatically!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do the homework <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Most of my students don\u2019t spend enough time thinking about 4-way off the dropzone. Become a fantastic visualizer by consistently working on the skill each day. Learn to engineer by playing with paper dolls. Study your notes frequently. Review other teams\u2019 videos as well as your own. Eat, sleep, and breathe 4-way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visualize<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

You should be visualizing as much as you can. Develop the skill by imagining jumps in detail, from different points of view, and at multiple speeds. Rehearse what you have done before and jumps you have never seen. Set aside time each day to concentrate on this habit, and let your mind wander to jumps in your downtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Watch videos \u2013 it’s free knowledge
Image by Pete Allum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Watch videos<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Hooray for the internet. Skyleague.com<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, and OmniSkore.com<\/a> all have lots of 4-way videos to study and enjoy. There are tons of things you can do to increase your awareness and knowledge for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n