Thank you for numbers!
1. If your ankle hang allows, try giving the free tail a beat to settle so you have a more clear view of where/how to grab it. Another option is after the toss, take your arms out (granted the tail is in front of your chest, keep your wingspan wide to hug the fabric between arms, and then use hands once the fabric has been gathered.
2. That hand does get a bit of burn! A few places to try different additional solutions to muscling down: Drive the toes down and slightly forward if your back is to the pole to use the landing pole as much as possible, taking some weight out of the sliding hand. If this feels possible, a palming press on the free pole can allow you to use the pole to help keep the chest lifted but with a slight adjustment of the relationship between fabric and hand. Happy sliding!!
