Relaxing the Tandem Student

[BIGUN 1,448]

A previous thread regarding the prevention of panic in tandem students prompts the following method I’ve come to use to reduce anxiety in students. It takes five minutes before starting the formal training and seems to help. Since beginning to use this, the feedback I’ve received from students has predominately been, “It’s just like you said it was going to be.”

I’m not saying that this is “the” way, but offer it up for others to “test” with students and to encourage fellow TI’s to share their way. Perhaps a buffet of ways would allow new TI’s to pick and choose a little from each technique to develop their own method of relaxing tandem students.

Addressing the students:

Quote

Let’s take a second to talk about your decision to go on a skydive. First, it took a lot of courage for you to make the decision to come here today. I say, “courage” because each of you looked back to previous experiences in your life to associate those experiences with what’s going to happen today. These are called, “Frames of Reference.”

You may have thought about that time you were close to a window in a high-rise tower or been on a ladder or rooftop and retracted a little bit at the sensation of height. And, we have all fallen off something or felt a falling sensation from a a roller coaster or going over the top of a hill in a car too fast and we remember those sensations. We try to combine these sensations of height and falling into what’s going to happen today – and that took courage.

Unfortunately, all of those “Frames of Reference” regarding height or falling you brought to the table today are wrong.

You will not have the sensation of falling, nor will you have the sensation of height. And, before you ask, let me share with you the “closest” analogy I can come up with using a different “Frame of Reference” that you’ve probably experienced.

First, how many of you have dove from the side of a pool?
And, how many of you have flown on a commercial airliner?
OK, good.

Now, when you were diving into the pool, did you get the sensation of falling? [most will shake their heads, “No.”] And, when you were in that commercial airliner, did you get that same sensation of height that you had when you were on the ladder or roof or high-rise tower? Or, did you feel like you were looking out over a picture?

OK. Let’s combine these two experiences into one. When you dove into the pool, you said you didn’t have the sensation of falling, but gravity was enforced and so technically you were falling, right? But, the reason you didn’t have that sensation of falling was because you were “in control” of the fall and you were diving into a fluid. And when you dove into that fluid we call “water,” you felt an increase of pressure on your body from the water, right?

Well, what’s going to happen today is; we are going to start training you to “control the dive.” And, because we’re going to be up high enough that the ground looks like a picture, you’re not going to have the sensation of height. And, because the aircraft is already flying at 80 or 90 miles per hour, when we “dive,” we’re going to feel that same increase in pressure that we felt jumping into that fluid called water, because we are now going to be transitioning through that fluid called, “air” from 80-90 miles per hour to 120 MPH. No different than if you stuck your hand out the window at 80 MPH and accelerated to 120MPH. So, you’re not going to get a sensation of “falling.”

So, what you’re going to be close to experiencing today is; 1) we’re going to be in control of our dive just like the pool, 2) we’re going to be jumping into a fluid called, “air,” and 3) our pool today is going to be a picture. Alright?

Having said that, you are still going to feel some apprehension anxiety on the way up to altitude. I need to assure you this is normal. In fact, even the most experienced of skydivers feel a little apprenhension on their first jump of the day. Let me share with you a little “breathing exercise” trick we use to reduce that apprehension on our way up to altitude.

How about we all close our mouths and take a nice slow deep breath in through our nose and slowly let it our of our mouth. Ok. Let’s do it a couple of more times [do it with them]. What this does is send a signal to the brain letting our adrenaline gland know that, “It’s OK” and you’ll immediately feel your apprehension go down. How about we do it together a couple of times on the way up?

Great! Now let’s start our training and remember; We’re just diving into a pool. Think about that on the way up to altitude.

OK. Your turn to share.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[mark135 0]

I have found a shot or two of quality liquer usually calms me... i mean them down.

If that dont work go with the crack.

_______________


"It seemed like a good idea at the time"

[BIGUN 1,448]

Oh sure, take the easy way.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[D22369 0]

hmmmm, "taking notes...."

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[John4455 0]

If I have a student that is very nervous or a bit panicky, I just keep talking to them, about anything to keep their mind off of it.

How do ya like it Johnny?

[Jeth 0]

Wow, Bigun, that is a very well thought out explanation. Well said. I will print this out and show it to my Mom before she jumps.
p.s. I like the diving into water vs. diving into air analogy.

p.p.s. All my TM said on my 1st one was "Remember - we're strapped to you, and we've got plans tonight. Lets skydive!!" (Also that he had never had an accident in 17 yrs)

"At 13,000 feet nothing else matters."
PFRX!!!!!
Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109
My Jump Site

[BIGUN 1,448]

Quote

Also that he had never had an accident in 17 yrs

Very powerful. I like it.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Ron 10]

I do some deep breathing with them right before we move to the door.

I tell them to think about taking good deep breaths.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[skydog 2]

I do most of those things.

I watched a friend take a nervous passenger and just before the door went up he put his hands on their shoulders and said quietly "I am going to be with you all the way"....

Was powerful to watch.

I also find loads of chat takes some of the nervousness away.

A pet peeve is the amount of TI's I have encountered who dont speak to their students at all. They are the one who seem to have more "problem" passengers........go figure...

Bryn

Journey not destination.....

[BIGUN 1,448]

Quote

I also find loads of chat takes some of the nervousness away.

There are times that I've had some difficulty reading the student to find out if they want to talk on the way up... So, at the end of training, I tell them, "We'll talk on the way up. If you don't want to talk, feel free to tell me and I'll shut up and take a nap ."

And, I've had that backfire... I took an older lady up on the last dive of the day. She had paid for all the grandchildren to jump and she was last. On the way up, I tried talking and she said she was just going to enjoy the view... Just about to doze off and she reaches over and pats me on the leg, "Hey! Are you going to be alright?!?!??"

"Yes, Ma'am, why?" Well, you looked like you were going to sleep!" Yes, Ma'am, I was." "Well, how can you be going to sleep when we're about to jump?!?!"

We wound up talking the rest of the ride up. I still crack up about that... thinking I had nailed how to determine whether they wanted to talk or not.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[tdog 0]

I like the pool analogy... Ever since my 5th jump, I have told people skydiving is like swimming... You jump in and float around...

But, when people said, "but don't you feel the wind?" I had to change my analogy... Now I say it is like a jaccuzi hot tub - where you are swimming, but you feel the water rushing from the jets against your body.

[SCR10480 0]

I generally just tell them that I've been doing pretty well, since the "Incident"

Seriously though, thank you for the VERY well thought out routine. I plan to memorize as much of it as I can...and, with your permission, add a twist or two of my own.

[BIGUN 1,448]

Use as much or as little as you like. I've taken bits and pieces from others to develop my own method and continue to learn other things to incorporate into my style.

Thanks to all those I've learned from.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[feuergnom 29]

good read definitely worth getting bumped

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666