CaneSpider 0 #1 July 25, 2003 Woooooo!! After what feels like forever of waiting for this moment, I finally made my first skydive today, an AFF level one jump from an obscenely small Cessna. It was absolutely an incredible experience- y'all know what I mean, I'm sure. But even if I really get into this, then this one, it'll live forever in my memory as one of the best moments of my life. A few concerns I had, however, I was hoping maybe someone else had the same problems as well and could offer some advice. Everything went fairly well, I was calm as I've ever been, which surprised me, on the climb to altitude and climbing onto the strut. It all felt very natural. SO, I'm like "this is cool, ok..." and I let go of the plane. Sensory overload hits. I don't even remember the first few seconds, it seems like. but once i get my wits back, my arch is absolute crap. The upper half of my body is ok. but my JMs keep on giving me the legs out sign. You can see on the video that my legs are flapping around all over the place and I'm a bit unstable. It was frustrating because i never panicked or anything, but I felt in freefall as though I could never gain full control of my body. My legs just seemed in a separate world. As it turns out, I landed great, on my feet, which was really cool, and I passed to move on to level two, which I definitely want to do as well. It's just the leg thing bothers me and I wondered if anyone has any suggestions. Thanks.Skydiving is my affirmation of life. it's good to know God still needs me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnischalke 0 #2 July 25, 2003 Welcome!! Before you get down on yerself, check out this thread: clicky The first post is by a guy you'd never guess is a complete badass now. Ya might get a laugh or two as well. It will all come together in due time. Just relax, listen to your instructors and have fun! Keep coming back. It works if ya work it... mike Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills--You know, like nunchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malev 0 #3 July 25, 2003 Firstly congratulations on your first jump! Quotewas hoping maybe someone else had the same problems as well and could offer some advice...Sensory overload hits. I did my first few AFF jumps under similar cirumstances, out of a Cessna 185. Sensory overload is a pretty common thing, although I never totally blanked out myself, I do recall that my second jump was lots more fun simply because I remembered so much more of it! Don't worry too much about it, it sounds like you "woke up" fairly quickly and your JMs must think it was ok! Quotemy arch is absolute crap Key tip - don't concentrate on trying to pull your arms back to arch. Although this is the way you practice when dirt-diving, it doesn't really work in the air. Instead, push your pelvis out and relax (yes, easier said than done!) and you will naturally form the correct position. It sounds common sense, but it took me a while to actually work this one out! QuoteMy legs just seemed in a separate world. When you first start, legs are a bit of a problem - there is apparently a muscle group in your legs which tells your brain where they are...which works perfectly well on the ground, but not in freefall. Therefore, you have absolutely no idea where your legs are. Practise arching as much as possible on the ground! Sit on your bed every night, and do a few archs - they key here is to build up "muscle memory". Above all, don't get too worried about the legs thing - its a pretty common problem, and you will find it all slots into place after a while! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #4 July 25, 2003 CONGRATS and welcome to the skies all in all it sounds VERY MUCH LILKE a normal first jump! Its good that you got yourself together and did what you were supposed to, PULL ON TIME! jumping out of a plane is NOT a natural thing so it may take you some time to get used to it. sensory overload it normal (thats why they have a name for it) when I wnet through AFF. I was told that this is the only sport where you may not have awareness of your legs. If I compared skydiving to anything it wouldnt be quite close eonough. Swimming. if you dont use your legs youll drown(for the most part) running- Duh skiing-Duh. EVERYTHING else ON this planet you need your legs to manuever (its the same with skydiving) but you arent focusing your thoughts on your legs at first! They should incorporate some kinda o fToes taps in the next few levels of AFF. this MAKES you tihnk about your feet! anyway what i am saying is hat your first jump sounds totally normal to me! Congrats, and good luck on feeding your new addiction! LOLMy photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conhails 0 #5 July 25, 2003 cool. good work. isn't everyones first jump a bit of a blur? I was the same way, and to be fair it really pissed me off when people kept saying 'all you need to do is chill out'. They just couldn't understand that I was different, and I was not meant to jump out of planes, and i wasn't as confident as them, and i coudn't just chill out no matter how much i wanted to. As it happens 'they' were right. Wait till you've done a few jumps and things will hopefully get a lot better! n. _______________________________________ Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
