Skydiving For the First Time - 4 Great Tips Before You Skydive the First Time

Anything being done for the first time is bound to make you nervous. Of course, this nervousness wouldn't be quite evident if the activity does not involve your life. But, with skydiving, your life is on the line. It is understandable, therefore, that most will freak out when doing skydiving for the first time.

Here are some tips that could help you out:

1) Recall your lessons: Before you actually skydive, you ought to have taken a few skydiving lessons in the ground. Our fears actually arise more from lack of knowledge than anything else. Most people who are skydiving for the first time panic when they think that they can't recall what they've been taught in the ground. You'll need to recall your lessons and remember what your instructor had taught you, but also remember that it is not really all that complicated.

Usually, skydiving instructors make students practice basic drills repeatedly. Some people may think that this is because they have nothing better to teach but actually, the repeated drills allows those lessons to be ingrained into your mind. Because of those drills, you will be able to react instinctively even if you get confused.

2) Enjoy yourself: Sometimes, it's all a matter of distracting yourself from your fear. A lot of people actually find the jump more enjoyable if they forget the fact that they are putting their lives on the line. In fact, because of today's technological advancements applied to the skydiving sport, skydiving actually puts you in vary little danger at all. Just enjoy the sensation of the clouds beneath your feet and the view of earth from this unique perspective.

Remember: skydiving is supposed to be fun. So whistle a tune or recite a sonnet. Get your mind off the danger and onto the beauty of the experience. Rejoice in the thrill of the flight. Remember that you are practically conquering gravity. You are stepping on the edge of the cliff where the view is at its best - do you look at the beauty of the horizon or do you look down into the rocks below. Forget the rocks, enjoy yourself.

3) Prepare your mind: Just when you are about to jump, you will experience a split second of fear where you will have second thoughts about whether to step outside the plane or not. You will feel your fear urging you to turn back and get the pilot to land the plane with you still in it. However, you need to get past this voice. The best way you can do this is to prepare your mind beforehand with a deeper message. You need to actually hypnotize and convince yourself that there's nothing you would like more than to experience the thrill of the jump.

Remember that preparation is the best weapon you can have against fear. You need to accept the fact that you will feel fear during the jump. Fear is completely natural and is no way an indication of your inadequacy for the task. Some people are great at disguising fear but everyone has fear. Accept that you are afraid and still jump.

4) Press a pressure point: There are certain points in the palm which, when squeezed, can help reduce your stress. By stimulating these points, you will find that you are breathing easier and you can actually think more clearly about the jump. By easing your panic, you will be able to conquer the fear of skydiving for the first time.

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The History of Skydiving

Skydiving has an interesting history that can take up a whole volume, but this article will attempt to give a brief synopsis of that history. Most people consider skydiving a product of the twentieth century, but its history actually goes further back than that. The Chinese attempted parachuting in the 10th century, a thousand years before we did. Of course, there were no airplanes, so the Chinese did what we would today call base diving; that is, they jumped off outcroppings or other formations that would allow them to float from a height to the ground. And then, of course, we have the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, who illustrated a pyramid shaped parachute on a wood frame.

As an active sport, however, parachuting is much more recent. The first person to attempt to parachute was Frenchman Jacques Garnerin, who jumped from his air balloon at the end of the 18th Century and did tricks on the way down and stupefy the crowds by landing safely on the ground. In the 19th century, an intrepid woman, Kathie Paulus became famous for skydiving in Germany at the end of the 19th Century and is now famous for these feats and her demonstrated skills.

Once the airplane was invented, skydiving took on a whole new form. The airplane made it possible to dive from greater heights at greater speeds, allowing for more range in the movements in the air. A woman named Tiny Broadwick became the first woman to jump from a plane (in 1913) and to dive free fall (in 1914).

Skydiving was not called skydiving until the middle of the 1950s, when Ronald Young coined the phrase. It had been called parachuting prior to this and was primarily used by the military to land troops in inland locations, or for pilots to bail out of their planes when necessary. This was first done successfully in 1922, and has now become a standard for small plane pilots. Once World War I was over, parachuting became a sport, which we now call skydiving.

After World War II, this form became more and more of a hobby and less and less of a military maneuver. Soldiers were now trained in parachuting and enjoyed the thrill so much they continued on for fun. From this, teams and competitions were formed. Skydiving schools started popping up in the late 1950s and now it is a recognized extreme sport enjoyed by many.

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Tips for Choosing the Best Skydiving School

Make sure you take this basic skydiving information with you if you decide take skydiving lessons. It will make a big difference in how much enjoyment you will get out of the sport.

The most important thing to do is to take skydiving lessons from the best school for you. This will involve doing a bit of research about the quality of the school, the location, how they conduct their classes, their class schedules, etc.

Next, be aware of your own personal health concerns. There are some conditions that make it at best uncomfortable, and at worst, dangerous to skydive. Make sure you are honest with yourself and your skydive center about your health issues. Some centers will actually have requirements that you have to meet, but others will not and will rely upon you to be honest on the health form that you have to sign for them.

For the ones that require a physical before you can skydive with them, you have to take into consideration the cost of the physical. If your health is good, passing it should be easy, but if you have certain conditions, you may need the doctor to sign off that you are fit to skydive. Be honest with the skydiving school or center; you don't want to have any surprises if a medication you are taking does not function well when you are up in the air. If you were recently a blood donor, or if you have been scuba diving, make sure you tell your instructor. It may make a difference in whether or not you should skydive right now.

Many countries and states have requirements regarding the minimum age to skydive, so make sure you know what that is before you waste your time and money. For example, in the United States, you must be at least 16 in order to skydive, but you can get a waiver if a parent or guardian consents to it. In this case, the parent or guardian will have to observe the instructions for the skydive.

Most schools, however, regardless of more lenient federal requirements, will require that a client be at least 18 in order to skydive.

There may also be certain tests, including oral and written tests to demonstrate knowledge and a practical test to show you are capable of the skydive. Typically, these tests are administered after detailed ground training, so as long as you have been paying attention in the on the ground skydiving lesson, you should have no problem. Just passing the test is not the important thing, understanding everything you need to know in order to make a safe dive is much more important.

Interested in skydiving information, huh? Matt Anderson is a syndicated writer of [http://www.skydiving-parachuting-guide.com] - Keep reading about tandem skydiving and extreme sports [http://www.skydiving-parachuting-guide.com/tandem.html] at his web.

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Tips on How to Skydive

More and more people are attracted by this unique extreme sport and want to learn how to skydive. However, anybody who wants to do this must firstly understand the basics and to be aware of the risks. Most of those who tried skydiving without knowing how to do it freaked out, but this won't be your case if you will apply the tips listed below.

1. Ask for assistance: you have the option to experience the thrill of skydiving by jumping in tandem with an experienced instructor strapped on your back. This will give you the luxury to fully enjoy the ride of your life having the peace of mind you are safe. There will be no pressure on you, so you will be able to enjoy each new sensation. The instructor will pull the cord at the right time, so you won't need to stay under pressure.

2. Remember your lessons: it is imperative to take a few skydiving lessons on the ground before you actually skydive. Most of your fears will arise from a lack of knowledge regarding how to skydive. Try to recall your lessons and think positive, because skydiving is not that hard. If you get confused, remember what you've learned and try to maintain your calm.

3. Make sure you are over 18 years old and weigh less than 250 pounds: these are two basic conditions of skydiving. Moreover, you need to be in good health and to make sure you haven't drunk any alcohol lately. Try not to wear clothes that could limit your moves, such as sandals and tight clothes.

4. Prepare your mind: it happened to many people who practiced skydiving for the first time. Just when they were about to jump, they've experienced a few seconds of fear. These second thoughts of whether or not to jump are extremely common nowadays, and you might need to face them. Right when you will feel your heart pounding very hard and you feel an urge to step back and tell the pilot to land, then is the moment you need to step forward and show yourself and others you fear nothing. In order to get past this moment, it is imperative to prepare your mind a few hours before the jump.

There are many ways to prepare your mind in order to learn how to skydive, but probably one of the easiest and most widespread method is to convince your intellect that there is nothing more interesting and attractive in the whole world than a jump. Convince yourself that you really want to experience the thrill of a jump and you can be sure your mind is prepared for anything.

5. Press one of the pressure points on your hand: the specialists discovered that there are many pressure points on your palm which can help reduce the stress when pressed. By stimulating some of these points, you will soon realize you can think more clearly about that jump and you can also breathe easier. In order to learn how to skydive properly, you need to conquer your fears, and what easier way to do that than to press a few pressure points?

Do you want to learn how to skydive? Go to www.expansionblog.com/learn-how-to-skydive/ to learn more about this amazing sport. No matter how much money or time you have, skydiving is affordable sport for anyone to try, but you must know how to deal with your fears that might prevent you from learning to skydive.

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7 Reasons Why Skydiving is the Best Adventure Sport

We all like a little adventure in our lives, which is why many individuals turn to sky diving as the way in which they receive the thrill of their lives. However, some like the thrill so much that they turn to the activity as a sport. Although parachuting does not require a lot of exertion, there is some physical activity and a lot of discipline involved. The discipline comes in the way of being able to follow procedure the way that it is meant to be followed.

When it comes down to it, though, there are many adventure sports that individuals can choose from. Some decide upon extreme sports such as skiing off of mountain cliffs into large snow drifts. Others choose bungee jumping off of bridges. There are some amazingly daring adventure sports, but skydiving presents an interesting opportunity for virtually anyone to enjoy.

Here are 7 reasons why skydiving is the best adventure sport:

1. Sky diving is an activity that anyone of any age can enjoy, as long as they do not have certain physical disabilities or heart conditions that could cause complications during the dive.

In some cases, entire families become involved in parachuting activities. They make entire outings out of them, buying packages for the entire family. Although there are no real age limits, the usual age is around 18. However, parents can get the kids involved if they are older. This is a great way to get aspiring competitive skydivers into the sport.

2. Initial dives are done either harnessed or tethered to a coach. There is training prior to the jump, all necessary equipment is made available, and proper instruction is given during the dive. Safety precautions are taken. If one device fails, there is always a backup.

3. Sky diving adventures are affordable. Many air yards offer sky diving and there are many instruction companies to choose from. Some individuals make sky diving a weekend activity for the entire family or with friends.

4. This is an adventure sport that can be done solo or in groups. Businesses may take their employees on an adventure, individuals have gotten married in the sky, and skydiving has been a part of many birthday and anniversary celebrations.

There are packages available to both individuals and groups. Group packages may come with discounts to save some money. Nevertheless, skydiving in groups can be a lot of fun. Over time, the group can learn to make formations in the sky, how to break formation, and successfully touch down on the ground.

5. For those who wish to take the sport further, they can. Freestyle sky diving is a sport where an individual can do acrobatic maneuvers and be judged upon their complexity. The overall concept reminds you of freestyle skiing or other extreme sports. It is fair to say that skydiving as an adventure sport, especially in the freestyle sense, is an extreme sport.

This is a sport in which competitions take place all over the world. There are some rather exciting destinations in which contests are held and they are equally as fascinating to watch.

6. This is a sport where you can start out as slow and stay slow for as long as you need before taking it to the next step. You don't have to move to the next level in sky diving until you are ready. Over time, you will be able to jump on your own and do a few somersaults if you wish.

7. Skydiving has a low fatality percentage of less than 1%. There are nearly 2 million jumps per year and only 35 fatalities. Those fatalities are usually due to straying from jumping procedures.

One of the reasons why the fatalities are so low is because of the great training, safety precautions, and safety equipment that ensure a safe landing.

There are many reasons as to why skydiving is the best adventure sport. Not only is it a sport that poses risk without too many bad end results, it is one that is very unique. Now, no one expects the first timer to start doing somersaults as soon as they jump off of the plane. Actually, the first jump is usually done tethered or harnessed to an instructor. This is called "tandem skydiving" and gives you that first experience. Usually after the first experience, skydiving becomes addictive.

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Top 10 Skydiving Destinations in Canada and the United States

Every year, thousands of people of all ages take part in the exciting sport of sky diving. Some skydive for the fun and excitement, and others do it for professional competition. There are a number of places in the United States and Canada that offer skydiving. Below you will find the top 10 skydiving destinations in Canada and the States:

Canada

1. Whistler, British Columbia: British Columbia, Canada is not only a beautiful province where there is much to see and do, but it is also home to a great place to skydive. Only a 90 minute drive from Vancouver, BC, Whistler is a popular place for sport enthusiasts. For skydivers, there is a 10, 500 ft freefall which is one of the most exciting 45 seconds. As you free fall, you will enjoy spectacular views of Mount Curries, Blackcomb, and Whistler. Other exciting sports in Whistler include: ziplining, skiing, heli-skiing, snowboarding, and bungee jumping.

2. Niagara, Ontario: The Niagara Skydive Centre in Niagara, Ontario, is a fantastic place to skydive. It is located 45 minutes from Niagara Falls and New York State. You will have almost 4 minutes of viewing time traveling at 190 kilometres per hour.

3. Gananoque, Ontario: As the entryway to the gorgeous St. Lawrence Seaway and 1,000 Islands, you will freefall from no less than 9,000 feet and view the impressive St. Lawrence and the beautiful farmland.

4. Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia is world renowned for its beautiful scenery and welcoming people. In Annapolis Valley, you can enjoy exciting skydiving from 3000 feet and take in such views as the gorgeous Bay of Fundy. It is not far from Halifax. Annapolis is Nova Scotia's wine and agricultural centre.

United States

Wailua, Hawaii: When skydiving from 13,000 feet, you can view such awe inspiring views as Diamond Head, island of Oahu, Pearl Harbour, and Kaena Point. The view of these magnificent Pacific Islands is absolutely incredible.

Rocky Mountains, Colorado: Colorado is an absolutely beautiful state. When skydiving you will view the entire Rocky Mountain range including the fabulous Longs Peak.

Zion National Park, Utah: Skydiving over the Zion National Park in Utah is an incredible experience. You will view the Kolob Terrace, Burnt Mountain, the East and West Temples, and the Left and Right Forks of the North Creek.

Monterey Bay, California: Soaring over the beaches of California is an amazing experience. You will be able to view Salinas Valley, Monterey Bay, and the Santa Cruz area. The view is fantastic.

Newport, Rhode Island: Skydiving above the beautiful beach town of Newport Rhode Island offers stunning views of the sailboats, stunning mansions, rugged coastline of Narragansett Bay, and the amazing ocean waves.

Wasilla, Alaska: Now famous for being the place where Sarah Palin began her political career. Skydiving in Wasilla Alaska offers such fabulous views from 14 000 feet as glacier and green valley lakes and mountains. Wasilla is located 72km north of Anchorage.

Throughout the world, people enjoy the exciting sport of skydiving. Visiting the above skydiving hot spots is must for every skydiving enthusiast.

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Top 5 Reasons For Doing a Skydive

Are you thinking about skydiving? If so and you're not sure if you should make the move or not, it is good to know that the reasons to skydive outweigh the reasons not to take the plunge. As a matter of fact, the risk is a lot lower than you may think. Out of every 2 million jumps annually around the world, there are approximately 35 fatalities. These fatalities are usually due to not following procedure. Know that when you learn to skydive, instructors will teach you everything you need to know until you know it well. That way you reduce your risk of accident significantly. Only a small percentage of accidents and fatalities are not due to failure to follow protocol.

So why should you assume the risk and jump?

Here are 5 reasons why:

1. You are given an opportunity to face your fears. Sky diving is both frightening and exciting. Once you make the first jump, usually a tandem skydive (harnessed to your instructor), you'll get a taste for it to do it again and again. There are a number of safety precautions that are taken to ensure your jump is as safe as it can possibly be. You have a reserve parachute, you're harnessed to your instructor, a drogue chute that slows you down when in tandem with your instructor, and your auto release device can initiate the chute in the case you approach a certain altitude and you are in free fall mode.

2. You do obtain bragging rights when you take on this risky activity. You can tell your friends and family about the experience. Considering many people are nervous about such activities, they are fascinated by the stories you tell about your jumps. You may even decide to add video to your skydiving package so that your experience can be documented. Showing a recording to your friends and family allows them to see the experience you had.

3. Parachuting is a fascinating sport in that you are able to literally fly through the air. You can satisfy any fascination you ever had about skydiving, such as whether or not you are able to breathe when you dive (yes, you can) and the sensation of free falling at over 100 mph. You are also able to control yourself while falling. You can make turns, move around, and have a great time.

4. Skydiving produces an adrenaline rush unlike any you've ever had in your life. Some individuals become addicted to parachuting and actually make it their preferred sport. They enjoy the freedom that skydiving provides. There is no freer feeling than the feeling of jumping out of a plane and looking at the vast sky around you, knowing that it goes on and on and you are just a small part of it.

5. Some people skydive because they must for their jobs. Military personnel, policeman, firefighters, and many others do it for their jobs. There are some, however, who do it for a special occasion. There have been many individuals who have gotten married while skydiving or a group of people will do it as a part of a party. Of course, those doing so for a special occasion will receive the necessary training in preparation for the event.

You don't have to worry about skydiving being an activity just for the insane. Many individuals find that this is an activity that they want to try at least once in their lifetime. Since many of us live in fear of some events, parachuting is a prime way to overcome a lot of fears and to have a true feeling of freedom.

Stewart Watson is seriously into skydiving. From beginners through to advanced, he can provide you with tips and advice to get you ready for your next skydiving adventure. Stewart Watson is also a keen writer and enjoys sharing his skydiving experiences with the world. To find out more about skydiving visit his website today.

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Sky Diving Training - The Initial Process

Except for people who are afraid of heights, sky diving is a very pleasurable experience that would literally let you soar towards your highest sensations.

Man has always been fascinated with the prospects of flying. And while he doesn't have yet the technology to physically fly, meaning he would actually fly without any technical assistance, he however found good ways to get the flying experience. As for the free spirited and adventurous souls, sky diving, among with other extreme sports, could be a very rewarding experience to test your will to seek great adventurous.

So if you consider yourself as an adventure freak, it is best it have yourself booked with a chance to sky dive. There are, however, some things you should consider when deciding to experience sky diving. These include the following:

Training-You can never get off a plane and jump from a certain height if you don't have at least some sort of training. This is especially true with the more complicated aspects of it.

Tandem sky diving, which is considered to the simplest type of handling the sport, is done by jumping from a plane together with professional tandem instructor. the jump maybe scary at first due to your body's adjustment to the heights and the experience but you will soon get over the scary feeling of jumping into the thin air.

Ground training is usually done for around 30 minutes with some guidelines on how to efficiently get yours elf grounded in the sports. The tandem is typically considered as the first phase of the jump course. After your completion of this requirement, will now be bale to move into the higher levels.

Meanwhile, the other more complicated side of it is the static line sky diving. This is basically started as a technique used by paratroopers in the military during sky dives with an easy deployment of paratroopers in a relatively low attitude of 200 to 3000 feet.

As you might now remember from the films, this technique is conceived by attaching a special cord on both the plane and the parachute of the sky diver. Once you jump off the plane, your cord will easily deploy the whole parachute for you. Nothing so much complicated right?

This, however, must be demonstrated for a series of times-usually around three times starting from pulling mock pulls from a dummy ripcord. Once you have perfectly done this routine, you can now move into another higher level of sky diving.

The accelerated free fall is actually where all the thrills could be experienced. But this offers the prospect of investing a lot since you will need two instructors that will be sky diving with you during your course. During the training, your instructors will keep close contact or hand-to-hand contact as to assist you better. After several jumps, you will only be left with one instructor which will help you perfect the jump. The source then, when finished, will give you a license for it.

Sky diving, as a sport, requires thorough learning of the processes that you will be encountering during your jumps. So it is only important to avail the various trainings that will help you explore the techniques needed to help you jump in safety.

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Skydiving Safety

How dangerous is skydiving?

The sport of skydiving has continued to improve its safety record every year. Skydiving accidents are most often caused not by random equipment failure but mainly by human errors in judgement and mistakes in procedure. While skydiving poses a very real risk of injury and even fatalities, those who undergo good training, keeping their knowledge of the sport up-to-date and who know their own limits are unlikely to suffer any injuries or be involved in any accidents while skydiving. There will always be an element of risk and danger but this is something to be weighed against the enjoyment that many people get from the sport. Most skydiving centres will require participants to sign a risk agreement that is legally binding to show that the jumper is prepared to willingly take on an element of risk. If you are completely risk-adverse, this is not the sport for you.

What types of jumps are there?

There are different ways to perform a parachute jump.

* Tandem Jumps

Rather than go it alone, a first time participant may like to begin with a tandem jump, where the experienced instructor controls the jump, meaning the jumper needs to undergo a minimal amount of training. The beginner will be fitted with a harness which is attached to the instructor's parachute system. They share an extra large square parachute. Together they will freefall for up to around 45 seconds before the parachute is deployed and the pair will land after about five minutes. A tandem jump is an ideal way to begin the sport with a lower risk and less training required. * Static Line Training (also known as Category System or 'RAPS')

Static Line Training is a method often used by the army and a training course for this kind of jump can last from four to six hours. Jumpers fall from 3000 feet above ground level and the parachute is opened using a line which is joined from the aircraft to the parachute. The ride itself lasts about 3 minutes, and the jumper will be guided to the ground using radio contact or by someone on the ground. Static Line Training requires significant training and has a higher rate of injury than a tandem jump. It is ideal for those who want to become skydivers as it requires self-confidence and self-discipline. It is not the right method for those who want to perform only a single, one-off jump.

* Accelerated Free Fall Training

Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) Training is used by those who are serious about becoming a trained skydiver. Requiring a full day of training before undergoing a jump, two instructors will hold you as you fall from 10,000 feet for about 40 seconds before the beginner opens their own parachute at about 4500 feet. The ride lasts about 4 minutes in total. This method provides accelerated learning, and so fewer jumps are needed to get to a competent level. It is more expensive to train using this method and better suited to those who wish to become skydivers.

What does it feel like to fall?

It is not the "heart in mouth" sensation that many people expect. Rather than a sensation like a rollercoaster, it is more of a comfortable feeling of floating with support, and is really the closest a person can come to human flight. It's possible to move around in the sky while falling as there is a constant air flow which makes manoeuvring possible. On opening the parachute jumpers experience a sensation not unlike jumping feet first into water for a few seconds. Parachutes are usually easy to move and steer by using simple hand controls. Modern parachutes make landing as easy as stepping off the pavement.

Assessing the risks

The British Parachute Association is the National Governing Body for the sport of skydiving and can provide information to help you assess your own personal risk. Depending on which method of skydiving you choose and on your own personal profile (gender, age, fitness level and weight) the risks can vary greatly. Rates of injuries rise in line with an increase in age, weight and a decrease in physical fitness. Risk is calculated in terms of injuries per thousand jumps and deaths in every 100,000 jumps. An injury can range from a minor cut or bruise through to a more serious fracture. Deaths are few and far between. In a tandem jump, the injury rate is about 1 injury in every 800 jumps, with a slightly higher risk for women. Only about 1 in 380,000 tandem jumps results in a fatality. Static Line jumps have an injury rate of 1 per 170 jumps. The fatality rate is about 1 in 40,000.

Accelerated free-fall jumps have a novice injury rate of 1 in 170 jumps with women again having a higher injury rate than men. There is not enough data to produce a reliable fatality rate for this type of skydiving.

Risks for experienced skydivers

When fully trained, the risk of injury falls to around 0.4 injuries per 1000 jumps. The risk increases at public displays and events to about 2 in 1000 jumps and 8 deaths in every 100,000 jumps.

What sort of jump is best for me?

If you are a novice who is prepared to accept an injury rate of up to 1 in 900 (male) or 1 in 700 (female), and are not very fit or self confident, and do not want to commit to regular skydiving, you would probably be best with a tandem jump. If you are fit, have lots of self-confidence and are willing to commit time to training you may prefer the challenge of a solo jump. For this you would accept an injury rate of up to 1 in 200 (male) or up to 1 in 100 (female).

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Great Skydiving Tips for Beginners

Anyone that wants to skydive for the first time trying to became an experienced skydiver have to first understand the basic rules and all the risks that exist in skydiving. Doing it, the level of risks in this sport will be greatly reduced.

Like all extreme sports, this one has an age restriction too, set at 18 years. Not even a parent can't sign documents in order for a minor to jump. 18 years or older, no exceptions here. In order to be 100% sure that your landing will not bring up any problems, you must weight not more than 250 pounds.

You need to be in good health even if skydiving is not very demanding from this point of view. If you can pull your chute line, you can skydive at it's best, and this was never a problem for people.

Some teachers could let you do your first jump all alone if you want. Usually you can make your first jump after 5 to 6 hours of ground training. You can do your ground training and your first jump in the same day.

You should never wear clothes that will limit your moves, sandals or open toed shoes. You should always wear clothes you best feel in and running shoes. You can also bring with you glasses or contacts, the goggles you will be provided with, will fit over with no problem. Your skydiving jump will consist of 30 seconds of free fall and 30 second to land.

Most people feel the free falling like a great flying experience.

Even if skydiving as a sport, envolves risks, if you are good trained you can call skydiving a very safe sport because bad injures and death are unlikely.

You will just have to learn learn and learn all you can about this great extreme sport and you will do great. Discuss every aspect of this sport with your friends, family or any other experienced skydiver and you will grow in knowledge, you will develop your skills and in the same time you will be more secure of yourself.

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Why Do People Skydive?

Skydivers - Most people say we're crazy. Some say we have a death wish. Psychologists say people with an inclination to take high risks are a necessary part of the continuation of our species.

We are people from all walks of life. Students, blue-collar workers, engineers, doctors, nurses, you name it. What we have in common is an infinity for a high-risk sport, skydiving. Some also participate in other sports like scuba diving, kayaking, rock climbing, skiing. There is a sense of camaraderie among us. A sense that we understand a greater truth that is missed by most people.

Mentally it is an incredibly refreshing break from "society". Skydiving is a super stress reliever. When you are skydiving, you focus on that skydive and nothing else. This keeps away all the distractions of life. No room for stray thoughts or worries here. The intense focus and the pump of adrenaline leave you feeling mentally and physically cleansed.

And yes, the adrenaline is no doubt a part of it. Your body responds to the rush of adrenaline into it, bringing with it a sense of excitement and a surge of energy. Our human bodies are made to produce adrenaline as a survival mechanism and it is being regarded more and more as a necessary part of the human experience and overall health. Something any skydiver could have already told you a long time ago.

Stepping out the door of a flying airplane has other benefits too. It makes you mentally tough. It takes a lot of mind control to go against what you have been taught about danger since a child, get a hold of your thoughts, and realize that yes, it is okay to step out that door. You acquire an increased awareness of all that is around you. You develop a confidence in yourself and a quick response as events happen around you. The sense of accomplishment is incredible. Knowing you met your fear, took control, and pushed yourself to take that step flows over into other parts of your life.

When I did my first skydive a group of us from work went. I organized the outing. Everyone had a blast but I was the only person who did more than one jump. Later, in talking with one of the guys in the group he said to me - I know that whatever I face in life, I can remember that I went up in that plane and did a skydive. If I can summon the courage to do that, I can do anything. It was great.

Okay, so enough of the psychobabble mumbo jumbo. What is the sensation? When you step out the door of a flying airplane you are in freefall until the parachute is deployed. Most skydives are done from around 10,000 ft. to 14,000 ft. providing the skydiver anywhere from 30 seconds to 70 seconds of freefall time. Stick your arm out the window of a car doing 60 mph then imagine your whole body out there going twice as fast - then you start to get a little of the idea of what skydiving feels like.

No one I've ever talked to has been able to put into words the sensation of skydiving. Even asking first time jumpers - is there any way to describe what you just did - only elicits a wide-eyed, grinning, no way.

Freefall is such a stupendous sense of freedom. You are flying through the air, able to move your body in 3D. You can fly forward, back-up, move sideways, speed up how fast you are falling and slow down how fast you are falling. Yes, you are continually falling. But during that time you are definitely flying your body. You can do flips and twists. You can stand on your feet or stand on your head. There are absolutely no limits as to which direction you can move your body.

And let there be no doubt - there is not a plane around that can give you the same view. What an awesome sight to view 360 degrees around you - the sky, the horizon, the incredible beauty of the world, right there for you to see with no obstructions. To feel you are a part of that sky.

The parachute flies like a glider; responding to the pilot's input and slicing you through the sky. It can be flown slowly and smoothly or fast and wild. But either way, with correct pilot input, it would bring you safely and softly to landing on the earth.

Why do we skydive? Who will ever understand the beauty, the freedom, the rush but someone who has been there? Truly, the sky is our playground.

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Skydiving Basics

If you want to go skydiving, the safest way to start is to become acquainted with the basic rules and risks associated with the sport. By doing this you will greatly reduce the risk of injury and accidental death.

Most skydiving companies have an age restriction of 18 years and over. A parent cannot sign a document for a minor saying that they are allowed to jump, there are usually no exceptions to this rule. You must also weigh under 240 pounds in order to ensure the softest landing possible.

Skydiving is not a physically demanding sport, but you must be in basic good health and strong enough to pull your parachute line, which for most people is not a problem.

Courses at skydiving schools will last around four to six hours and the jump is completed on the same day if the weather permits. Some schools allow you to jump the first time alone, although this is up to the teachers’ discretion. W

hen you show up for skydiving, you should wear lose, comfortable clothing and running shoes. Restrictive clothing, sandals, or open toed shoes should not be worn. Glasses and contacts can also be worn because goggles will be provided that can fit over either. A skydiving jump usually lasts 60 seconds, with 35 seconds of free fall.

Many people report that free falling feels a lot more like flying than falling and can be one of the most exhilarating experiences of a lifetime. And of course, the question everyone wants to know, how safe is skydiving? Skydiving is actually a very safe extreme sport, although it is important to know that there are risks involved. When you jump out of a plane that is 10, 000 feet above ground and fall at about 120 miles an hour, there are bound to be risks. But when done properly, the risks of injury or death are very unlikely.

Remember, that there is always a relationship between your knowledge, skill and attitude, and your chances for survival with any extreme sport. I recommend researching this topic more in depth and never stop learning.

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