Basejumper.com - archive

I recently finished my fun jumping season, about 4 months of full time jumping, now I'm back at work for the next 8 months, and will only be jumping occasionally (every week or two). This is mostly because I would get laid off if I got injured, so I only jump during the summer when I really feel the need.

While in Moab, I started working out (albeit sporadically) to reduce my chances of landing injury. I'm already fit and agile, but I figured more is better. It consisted of mostly the rowing machine, cardio, and dumbells.

I'm planning on taking a more structured approach this summer. I've never been into weight lifting, but I've just started a strength lifting 5x5 program, and just heard of GPP, or General Physical Preparedness, and am planning on incorporating that, as well as Pavel Toutsaline's "Grease the Groove" low rep, long rest program.

Is there anyone doing crosstraining to mitigate injuries that has any advice to share? I get an hour of paid time to workout every day, that I've eschewed in the past, but plan on fully taking advantage of this year.

I want to bounce instead of break if/when things go pear shaped on my planned trip to Europe next winter!

Thanks!

http://www.artofmanliness.com/...greasing-the-groove/

Had to look the guy up, read the link above, and found
that this idea had been taken from Systema, a Russian
Martial Art, which took it from Yi-Chuan (Mind Form)
or basically all the other internal style martial arts.

I think this is a very smart way to improve your skill
and reduce your injuries... Trail running trains your
feet, knees, balance, and ups your cardio fitness.

Sparring teaches you to calm your mind which
obviously helps when things go badly . . .

Could site a dozen other cross-over examples but
the absolute most valuable and least intuitive
aspect of this training is the mental aspect.

Greasing the Groove is your guys way of saying it,
I have also heard this idea expressed using muscle
memory, polished movements, and natural moves
but the most scientific way to describe this process
is the Autonomic nervous system, which Tai Chi,
Yi-Chuan, real Yoga, gymnastic, etc. all train.

After years of practicing the exact same move it
will be performed by the body faster than ANY
human could think it and then do it, because
the neuro-pathways are well ingrained and
re-inforced with each repetition.

One of my past teachers would say:

“We do not rise to the occasion,
we fall to the level of our training.”
~ Archilochus, later adopted by
The USA Navy Seals


My experience: being a red-headed step child I
was born with minimal natural physical talent,
but after a decade of daily practice got to the
point where when sparring I could attack or
defend without thinking or trying, I simply
let the the moves come out just like when
I am in the groove on a dance floor and
everything feels almost effortless.


Losing focus when climbing, jumping, or flying
can hurt or kill you, so any daily practice that
requires you to be both mentally & physically
engaged should definitely pay dividends.

I don't know much about fitness for the sake of preventing traumatic injury, but I hope all the running I do pays off when I'm being chased by scary men with batons and handcuffs.

I've learned playing rugby that you're far more likely to be injured when you're hesitant, and can tell you from multiple personal experiences that you can turn a really bad situation into a less bad situation by keeping your wits through the impact and not letting the "oh noes" take hold of you. Taking up a contact sport might help, but then you might get hurt doing that as well. Injury severity (and recovery times) can be affected by how you handle things mentally.

How the first contact is handled affects everything...

Read: On Combat

https://www.amazon.com/...nflict/dp/0964920549

I have seen many simple problems turn into bigger ones
when the initial response has been bad, maybe like the
videos where people grab a front riser on a cliff 180.

Reach out to Danny Weiland. I am not sure he is on these forums but he has got to be one of the fittest base jumpers out there. He runs a number of courses that fit exactly what you are looking for. Plus he's just a good dude.

I recommend doing a martial art that involves tumbling, throwing, and falling. Judo, Aikido, Aikijujitsu, Bujinkan, MMA/jujitsu, all come to mind. Among others. If the sensei eventually offers to teach you in "real world environments" -aka "mats are for pussies," you are on the right track... key word being "eventually." Anyone can get slammed onto a soft pad or tatami. If the sensei can't do a ten foot dive roll onto concrete without a scratch, keep searching (or learn the basics and then move on). You will learn how to get slammed on the ground hard and not break yourself. it really does work but it takes a lot of dedication to perfect your ukemi. Being muscular/fit helps a lot, but i have seen 300 lb fat boys who could bounce with the best of them. it may keep you out of the hospital some day.

Visit FL, I'll roll with you.

would love to! I gotta get down there some day

At my age I don't bend, am unable to roll, so I just shatter like tempered glass, it is easier to just pick up the pieces and stick them back together....sometimes you can't find all of them though...

Thanks Tom!
I ordered On Combat, and watched a couple videos of Dave Grossman's talks. I'll take that on board and see what I can apply.

I'm not a fighter, but it's sound logic that combat and tumbling would help. So far so good gaining with the 5x5 weightlifting though, paired with lots of stretching to improve my flexibility and using a balance board, soon I'll be slacklining again too, after the snow melts away.