worried about my numbers

[antifnsocial 0]

How many of you jumped only on weekends while getting A and after because of your careers? Someone said to me that jumping only a few times on the weekend makes me a dangerous jumper and it freaked me out. I do plan on taking some canopy control classes soon but again, I have to do all my jumps on the weekend. My jm says its fine as long as I keep current and don't take risks and am under their advice and supervision.

Have some of you had to do it this way? At this rate it'll be a couple of years before I get to 100 jumps.

Please feel free to reply to my posts and pm's, but only if you're smart enough to understand what they really mean.

[justaflygirl 0]

I jump every other weekend, if I can afford it...

I am very safety minded and if I am a bit in doubt, I do a coach jump.

B/c of family and working, I only have 66 jumps in two years. I have never been told that I could "be dangerous" b/c of this....

Just do your best, and keep safety your #1 priority

• Quote

[unformed 0]

jumping on the weekends make yoiu dangerous? what the hell?

the majority of jumpers can only jump weekends. know your limits, that's all there is to it.

This ad space for sale.

[JohnMitchell 16]

I only jumped on weekends for years, and I'm not dead yet.
A career move once had me down to 30-40 jumps a year for a few years, not fun at all. Now I'm back to 200 jumps a year or so, dodging the Seattle rain and raising a family and working 5 days a week. You could probably squeeze in a few more jumps if you want to try, but I don't think yu'll be unsafe if you don't. You certainly won't learn as fast, though.

Practice your EP's a lot, even if it's just closing your eyes, visualizing, and making the motions with your hands. Don't do this in a lot of public places though.

[cocheese 0]

I think currency is one of the biggest factors in any type of flying. The more current, the better.
Also a good excuse to go jump.

[RoadRash 0]

You know what...sometimes life gets in the way of jumping...or...as many of my buddies have been telling me..."the sky can wait"...I broke an ankle...have had to take time off because of a car accident, school, work, and freakin' gas prices...The moral of the story...do what you can when you can do it...and JUST BE SAFE!

Yes, the more current you are the better...but if you can't do that...don't worry about it...I just now have the money to jump again and will have the time really soon......

~R+R...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fly the friendly skies...^_^...})ii({...^_~...

[thepollster 0]

Quote

At this rate it'll be a couple of years before I get to 100 jumps.

Let's see, you already have your "A", right? So you just need about 75 jumps or (probably) less to hit 100. At the rate of 3 a weekend, you only need good weather 25 weekends to do that in a year. I can't think of anywhere in USA that isn't possible.

Current according to USPA standards is dangerously uncurrent in the real world. If you can't jump more, understand you are taking a bigger risk. Jump a bigger canopy, stay off the more challenging (and fun) dives, stay off sunset loads (less light is less safe), in other words, know your limits.

[tsampson 0]

Between my job, my children, and the rest of my life, two or three jumps is often all I can manage per month. Lots of times I have gotten only one jump then had to leave. If I thought this made me unsafe, I would not continue to jump. Surely I would love to jump more often, but one or two (or three if I am lucky), once or twice a month has to be good enough for me.

[sunshine 2]

You jump when you can, i see nothing wrong with that. Don't get freaked out by that silly comment.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[skysprite 0]

Considering my dz is only open on the weekends, I have no other choice. But I'll be sure to watch out for myself, and all of the other unsafe jumpers at my dz every weekend..

You're fine, girl. Don't worry about it, and just jump as much as you can and be safe about it.

~skysprite

[BoostedXT 0]

Was it the DZO that told you that? Or an employee of the DZ?

I have heard it, but usually from people wanting my money.

Be safe, stay with in the limits and you will be fine.
Joe

For long as you live and high you fly and smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry and all that you touch and all that you see is all your life will ever be.
Pedro Offers you his Protection.

[happythoughts 0]

Most people are weekend jumpers and only do 200 jumps a year. People who work in the sport do 800-1000 jumps a year.

Doing 5 jumps on a weekend is certainly current.

If you don't jump for for 5 months because of local weather conditions, like snow, be careful on your first jumps back after a layoff.

[Kennedy 0]

I heard that same line of crap a few years ago.

When I first started jumping I was as addicted as anyone, and not being at the dropzone when the sun was shining on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday was abnormal.

Later in college I had to dial back jumping due to budget, class load, work, an SO, and all the other usual stuff. Sometimes I would go three or four weekends without even trying to get to the DZ. When I did make it out, I could only jump two three, or if I was lucky four times.

A jumper I respect told me "You have to knock that shit off. It isn't safe."

Well cry me a river, but jumping does not run everyone's life. Now, at the moment I have to admit I would be an unsafe jumper, but that's because I've been on a skydiving "break" for over a year. Not exactly the same as missing a month.

Now, the jumper who makes fifteen jumps in a year may be cause for concern, but fifty in a year is not "unsafe" or "dangerous" just because it doesn't meet someone else's standards.

To all jumpers who think somebody isn't good enough because they have other priorities in their life:
Fuck off, you hurt our sport and are a shit stain on life.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[skybytch 273]

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A jumper I respect told me "You have to knock that shit off. It isn't safe."

Well cry me a river, but jumping does not run everyone's life.

I know this isn't PC to say but... many people believe it's safer to do fifty jumps a year when you have 2000 jumps than it is when you have 200. I tend to agree. That may have been the angle that jumper you respect was aiming for - not as a comment on how they perceive your committment level to the sport.

Quote

Now, the jumper who makes fifteen jumps in a year may be cause for concern, but fifty in a year is not "unsafe" or "dangerous" just because it doesn't meet someone else's standards.

I've got a few fifty jump years in my logbook(s), along with a couple 200 jump years. I am definitely a safer jumper when I'm on track to do 200 a year than when I'm on track to do 50. I'm more aware, more confident, and I fly better both in freefall and under canopy.

Fifty jumps a year can be "safe", imho, as long as the jumper recognizes the increased risk and mitigates it as best they can - i.e. fly light wingloadings, no aggressive landings, jumping within current skill set, not jumping in marginal conditions.

[Kris 0]

Very well said, Lisa.

As for me, with just 400+ jumps, I'm to the point now where if I'm not doing about 120 a year I don't even feel current. I'm going to try to hammer out about 200-250 this year though.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[Kennedy 0]

Quote

I know this isn't PC to say but... many people believe it's safer to do fifty jumps a year when you have 2000 jumps than it is when you have 200. I tend to agree. That may have been the angle that jumper you respect was aiming for - not as a comment on how they perceive your committment level to the sport.

I've got a few fifty jump years in my logbook(s), along with a couple 200 jump years. I am definitely a safer jumper when I'm on track to do 200 a year than when I'm on track to do 50. I'm more aware, more confident, and I fly better both in freefall and under canopy.

Fifty jumps a year can be "safe", imho, as long as the jumper recognizes the increased risk and mitigates it as best they can - i.e. fly light wingloadings, no aggressive landings, jumping within current skill set, not jumping in marginal conditions.

Of course, more is better and not just for the fun factor. I realize that, and I realize that when I jump less often there is a lot more I have to do to stay safe. (and what isn't safer to do with 2,000 than with 200?)

As to the tone of that little talk, well, it came out as one step short of the "TUG speech," and it's still a point of contention between us.

Of course fifty jumps is a slow year, but that doesn't mean a person should just stop jumping for a year rather than have fewer jumps. It just chars my ass when someone who's life is falling apart because "nothing but jumping matters" is giving someone with low jumps and low recent jumps an inordinate amount of shit.
(this last bit no longer applies to my 'little talk', but to things I've seen)

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[skyyhi 0]

Sweetie, I did 150 odd jumps my first year all on the weekends. . .I am not an unsafe jumper and most people I jump with like to put me on their loads. . .I have had lots of coaching and I don't take unnecessary risks, but I really only jump on weekends. . .its the only time I have.

That being said, I do not jump very often right now due mostly to school obligations. . .so when I do get to the DZ to jump, I go it alone and slow first, then jump with others after I get my "sea" legs. . .that works for me. And I always review safety procedures and try to get time in the hanging harness when I have been away. . .

________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

[Squeak 17]

I think if you only do 1 or 2 jumps a weekend then it may be more benificial to wait a week and do more say 4 or 5 every 2 weeks.
1 or 2 jumps a weeks makes it hard to consolidate your learning.
But as for jumping a bunch of jumps on weekend only that's how 95% of us do it

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[gmittar 0]

Unfortunately I haven't had the time or money to jump consistently. I've taken several 2 to 4 month breaks since I started. Whenever I get back I make sure to do a couple of solo jumps and then when I start jumping with people I do it carefully. If I'm sitting, I don't zoom in, I take it slow. I break high and clear my air and land nice and carefully.

That being said, I believe that it my skill progression that is taking the hit bigger than my safety awareness and ability. I take every precaution necessary and make sure I'm not in over my head. This is easy to do at a single 182 DZ. I'll make damn sure I'm more current than I am right now before I head to a boogie.

|>.<|
Seriously, W.T.F. mate?

[Gravitymaster 0]

Congratulations. You just met your first Skygod. Tell him to F'-off and don't let it bother you.

[gordy 0]

Extremely well said.

[heidihagen 0]

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Practice your EP's a lot, even if it's just closing your eyes, visualizing, and making the motions with your hands. Don't do this in a lot of public places though.

i do that. i USED to practice while laying in bed before i went to sleep (repetition would wear me out and make me tired)--- but i stopped once i started having some $#&@ed up dreams.

one of them is on dz.com somewhere. the other one--- i dreamed i went to pull my hacky, and instead of pulling my pc, i pulled out a snake. so there i was in ff with no hackey and a freakin' snake in my hand! (i think i know the root of that one: a while back, my instructor was trying to get me to throw me pc faster than i was throwing it.... so he said "think of it as a snake and you want top get rid of it") ..it worked.

so yeah, don't practice in public or before you go to bed.

i didn't lose my mind, i sold it on ebay. .:need a container to fit 5'4", 110 lb. cypres ready & able to fit a 170 main (or slightly smaller):.[/ce

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

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How many of you jumped only on weekends while getting A and after because of your careers? Someone said to me that jumping only a few times on the weekend makes me a dangerous jumper and it freaked me out.

I think that's crap, and I completely disagree. Just because a person doesn't jump four days a week, that doesn't mean he/she can't have learned, and be continuing to learn, safe skydiving technique and habits. It's all about where your head is at. If you care about safety, you make sure to learn about safety. Isn't it completely possible that some dude who jumps six days a week might be reinforcing bad, ego-feeding, dangerous habits? Many of our "dangerous" jumpers, the ones who burn in doing dangerous things, are people who jump frequently, are they not? Nothing axiomatically links jumping more than just on weekends with being a safer skydiver.


-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[piisfish 140]

I only jump on weekends (and holidays).. .Managed around 300 jumps last year and almost 70 so far this year (with a lot of bad weather...

No big deal about jump numbers etc... Just stay current, and specially careful.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[freeflir29 0]

Currency is important but knowing your limitations is far more important. I try to be slightly more careful when I have had a lay off. That means only doing 90's or 180's to my landing. Not throwing a PHAT 270. I pull a little higher and tend to be more conservative in free fall. Basically..........I just back off a little. As long as I know my limits.........it's all good. Since Jan 2003 my employment has SERIOUSLY interfered with my jumping habits. I'm not going to stop because of that..........just take it easy when I go up again. No biggie!