Preparing for your first jump!
If you’ve never willingly jumped out of an aircraft before, you can be excused being a tad apprehensive about your first skydive.
Most people would experience a little nervousness at the thought of that 10,000 feet gap between them and the good old solid ground. However, there really is nothing to worry about.
Your tandem instructor (or your two AFF instructors if you’re doing your first solo jump) are so incredibly experienced that you can hand yourself over completely to them with the utmost confidence.
Just so you can prepare a little, here are 8 great tips from skydiving pro’s which will help you to get yourself into the skydive groove. They’re not in any particular order, so choose your own path through them. Some you might not even need at all!
1. Get a bit of skydiving experience indoors.
No, we’re not suggesting you lay on the coffee table with your arms and legs outstretched, making whooshing noises! Take a trip to one of the four indoor skydiving wind tunnels around the country and get the feel for what skydiving is like without really leaving the ground. You can get more info about indoor skydiving hereand you can easily book some tunnel time at great rates here.
2. Don’t be alarmed at the aircraft noise.
Flying in a passenger aircraft, nicely insulated and with the door shut, is a much quieter experience than you’ll have in a skydive aircraft. Having the door open means that much more of the engine noise is heard and it can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not prepared for it. Just ignore it and you soon won’t give it a second thought.
3. No Dutch courage!
Don’t go out drinking to bolster your courage the night before your jump and absolutely not on the day itself. Alcohol may take the edge off your nerves, but it’ll also dull your response times and your capacity to take in what your instructor tells you. Instead, get comfy with a mug of cocoa and have a good night’s rest so you’re bright eyed and bushy tailed for your amazing experience. You don’t want to miss a second!
4. Don’t forget to eat.
While we’re on the subject of your intake, don’t go without eating anything at all on the morning of your skydive. Ok, so loads of people think they’ll lose their breakfast through motion-sickness, the ‘falling feeling’ (which you don’t get anyway!) or sheer terror.
Actually, none of the above will apply. That said, don’t have a blow-out breakfast either, as you’ll need your blood helping your brain to work well rather than digesting your fry-up. Have a well-balanced meal that will keep your blood sugars at a good level.
If you really, really can’t face proper food then have something like a high-calorie snack or drink to keep you going and take some more with you to nibble on through the day.
5. What to wear?
This one’s easy and nothing to worry about – just wear what you might put on for the gym. In other words, tie-up trainers with no hooks or other things that could get caught on anything; shorts if the weather’s warm, or jogging pants if not, and a tee or polo shirt type-of-a-thing. Lightweight, comfortable gear, maybe with one or two layers that you can add or subtract as you like. You’ll be given a stylish jumpsuit to wear over the top anyway, so don’t put on anything heavy or restrictive. Jeans won’t give you enough movement and you don’t want to wear anything tight. Sorted!
6. Breathe!
Might be a bit obvious, this one, but you’d be surprised how many folks think they have to hold their breath when they jump. Not a great idea as it goes! You can breathe perfectly normally when skydiving and it’s very much recommended that you do just that. Apart from reducing nerves, you’ll need all the breath you can muster for that whoop of pure glee that you’ll emit, once you realise what a fabulous experience you’re having. And you will!
