Adrenaline levels in skydiving vs other activities (plz throw in your two cents)

[Monkeyb 0]

I tried to keep this post as short as possible, but it ended up being longer than I expected. If you guys read it and throw in your two cents I would really appreciate it

Last night my friend and I were slightly drunk, and we got into an argument that really heated me and him both.

Originally, out of the blue, he asked me how much it would cost to go skydiving, so I told him $100. I offered to cover the rest of his jump. I really wanted him to go jump, so $100 would be fine.

Then he decides $100 is too much money and backs out of it. I'm like whatever. A while back I had offered him a free jump and he had still backed down because he didn't feel like going.

He said that he goes to jiu-jitsu and that costs him $100 a month, and if he liked skydiving it would cost too much to get licensed and he would have to give up jiu-jitsu.

I explain that it's really worth trying even if it's just a one time thing, because the rush and thrill of skydiving is unlike anything down here. I tell him that there's nothing down here for either of us that compares to a skydive.

He then gets mad and says I have no basis to say that because it's just my opinion. He says I can't say that because I've never been in a jiu-jitsu competition, I've never been white water rafting, and I've never surfed, and that those people probably feel as much adrenaline if not more than skydivers.

I explain that I've never done any of those activities, so I don't know what they're like, but the average person can't just get up and surf a big wave, or hop into a jiu-jitsu competition, or do anything that would bring a serious adrenaline rush.

Now keep in mind he's never even been to a jiu-jitsu competition, and the only waves he's ever attempted to surf are beginner waves, but he's stil blabbing like an authority on the subject.

I state that for the average person a skydive will present the biggest adrenaline rush he/she could ever experience.

Now, I imagine in order to feel a rush equal to a skydive while snowboarding, surfing, or any of those activities, one would have to take them to extreme levels, and a first-timer would not be able to surf a big wave or skii the serious slope required to feel that kind of adrenaline rush, but an average person CAN get up and do a tandem skydive and experience the rush for all it's worth. Again I tell him that the biggest adrenaline rush accessible to the average person is a skydive, because the other activities require lots of training and practice to reach extreme levels, and that the average person won't go through all of that.

This argument goes in circles for about an hour and a half (I can't believe it actually lasted this long). He ends up really mad and never really gave in to the topic even though my logic made perfect sense. He thought I was demeaning his jiu-jitsu, and suggesting it wasn't fun or rewaring, which I wasn't, as I was talking strictly about adrenaline.

This particular friend always mocks skydiving and claims it's an easy thing that anyone can do and supposedly isn't a challenge. According to him he would only skydive if he could jump on his own without instructors and so on. He says he can swandive and keep his stability fine during the dive, and that skydiving is no different and is overrated.

So I realize he's a tool, but because he irritates me and constantly downplays skydiving (and never accepts my generous offers to jump) I'm not going to drop this argument. Today that he's sober, I'm going to bring it up again, and I want him to acknowledge I'm right.

I wonder if there's some kind of study that shows adrenaline levels reached in different activities, or perhaps someone can provide a more solid argument than mine?

[AggieDave 6]

I've been in Tae Kwon Do competitions, fighting and katas, sure they were a rush, but nothing compared to nailing a perfect swoop, or your first jump or many of the other random skydives people do. Doesn't even come close.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[piisfish 135]

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He said that he goes to jiu-jitsu and that costs him $100 a month, and if he liked skydiving it would cost too much to get licensed and he would have to give up jiu-jitsu.

he already knows one of the greatest risks is that it's very addictive and he won't be able to afford it...

Great from you to offer to pay for part/totality of his jump. And he still doesn't wan't to do it... He is the exact definition of a WHUFFO

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

[jumpinfarmer 0]

Most people don't understand and never will. So the best answer is to drop the subject and let him think about it on his own. If you stick with skydiving long enough he may eventualy come around. If he doesn't well just except him for the WUFFO he is. Not every one is cut out for this sport.

[dtthorne 0]

OK, first off it doesn't matter what your friend says or thinks. We know what feelings skydiving gives us and ultimately, no matter how much we would like to share with others, they really won't get it unless they try it for themselves. Your friends actions speak much louder than his words and it seems that he doesn't really want to see what it is all about. It could be because of fear or it could be he just really isn't interested in it. But I find it hard to believe that someone who would claim to like adrenaline producing activities wouldn't give skydiving its due, unless he needs to diminish it in his own mind so he doesn't feel like less of a man for being afraid of doing it. The arguement you entered in really won't have a right or a wrong, and instead of pushing someone to agree with me I think I would just let it go. As a skydiver you have a reference that most people can't possibly relate to. You had the desire, and the balls to try something that we are all taught to be afraid to do and you happened to love the feelings and sensations it gave you. I love watching skydiving videos and have a lot of respect for how easy experienced jumpers make it look. We know how much skill skydiving requires to do well, and we as a community share the excitement and challenges amoung ourselves. Your problem is typical with wuffo friends and outside of my skydiving friends, I will very rarely talk about it. Let it go and let your friend come around on his own. Don't push him, he knows your a skydiver and if he really wants to try it he will come to you when he is ready. In the meantime, enjoy your airtime!!

[DeNReN 0]

Just smile and nod

[wingnut 0]

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I state that for the average person a skydive will present the biggest adrenaline rush he/she could ever experience

for me bungy jumping scared me more thanskydiving ever has..... i'd think i got the bigger rush out that, but it's diffrent than skydivng.... all depends onthe person..... that's why after a tandem we ask for the video "was that your first or your last skydive" normally it's a mixxed answer of first or last.......

______________________________________
"i have no reader's digest version"

[gordy 0]

Hey dude, I don't see that there is any argument to have, he likes his thing and you like yours, its all good.

[livendive 8]

Let him believe what he wants. What do you care? Everyone that doesn't try it just leaves more air for us, and shorter wait times between loads.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[BoostedXT 0]

Honestly.....skydiving is a great rush, but its not the biggest rush out there. At least for me it isnt. I skydive to relax *shrugs*.

I have experience more of a rush, or out of control feeling freeride mountain biking. Jumping off of something 20ft by 30ft on a pedal bike is a huge rush for me, or racing motorcycles even. Dragging knee through a left hander at 120+.

To each their own. I think jumping is a huge rush, but for me its not the pinnacle.

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.

[flyangel2 2]

Wait till you get some more jumps under your belt to continue that argument. With age (jump numbers) comes wisdom. Right now you are on a high, you eat, drink, sleep, wake, and dream skydiving. It's because you are still a "tourist." Let other people enjoy what they do in their live, each person has their own enjoyments and finds excitement from them. Besides, if you drag your friend into the skydiving world, that's one more person standing in front of me at the manifest window.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[bigway 4]

I have been in Karate tournaments and Rugby finals playing in front of 40,000 people before a major match in NZ. I think with Karate tournaments, there is alot of adrenaline if you are any good.
Rugby, gives you adrenaline in a similar way. For me though with skydiving i dont think there is much adrenaline on the first jump as there is way to much concentration and things to do. Now where i found adrenaline is opening the canopy after you have pulled off a sucessful formation dive or what you planned to do on your jump or a mean swoop.
I quite often find myself pumped after a really good jump but do not feel the adrenaline during the jump.
Your mate sounds like my best mate who argues with everything i say just to have a debate, kick hime teeth a couple times i then argue about who won the fight...i am lucky, my ass of a mate learnt to skydive on the same loads i did. we argue about everything else though.

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[bigway 4]

oh, come on fly angel, eat drink and sleep skydiving at this moment.......and what you done after all the jumps you have? I am sure when you get out of bed and it is not jumping weather you log into DZ.com, i reackon you even have a sponge bob parachute mug for your coffee in your hand right now

I enjoy when i have the bounce dreams and walk away, skydiving does not go away, that is why we are all on dz.com.

But you are right about not dragging the friends into it, my mate that i just sold a starter skydiving package to has just done AFF -2 and never flared on landing ripping his calf muscles and screwing his ankles, i feel terrible for the bloke, i kind of feel guilty as i was the one who just sold him 170 jumps before he even did one AFF. Before anyone asks he gets a refund if he wants it on the jumps owing.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[LouDiamond 1]

I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet. HELLO PEOPLE!!!?? How about the movie titled ADRENALINE RUSH??? And you call yourselves skydivers

Buy the DVD and show it to your friend, even if it doesn't change his mind you will have a cool DVD in your collection and it's under $20 bucks from Amazon or Barnes & Nobles


If you want actual medical study data there was an article I linked to awhile back that had actual field data of peoples vitals prior to and after a jump.The title of the thread escapes me but it was about deceleration devices.

If you want to really stick it to him just tell him if he's scared just say so. After all even old grandmas regularly go on tandem jumps



edit: the article mentioned is actually titled "GRAVITATIONAL CHALLENGE but it doesn't have the data you would need. There is however a medical study somewhere out there that does have the type of data you are asking for. Get to googling

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[flyangel2 2]

What!? This is a skydiving website

Nope, no Sponge Bob coffee mug, I just set up and IV with coffee in it.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[Monkeyb 0]

Interesting.

Yes I actually purchased Adrenaline Rush, but it doesn't really prove any of my points.

All I want to point to him, is that for a first timer, a skydive is going to provide a bigger rush than ANYTHING else.

A first-timer can't do crazy hops off a dirtbike, or race a formula one car, or ride a steep ski slope. It seems like all other activities require training and a build up of skill for you to reach extremes where the adrenaline really kicks in. In a skydive, a first-timer can just go tandem and feel a serious adrenaline rush he probably won't get ever again in his life.

A study that logs the vitals of people in various activities would be great for my argument. I googled up and couldn't find anything, but I'll keep looking.

Thanks :)

[bigway 4]

did anyone here feel a serious adrenaline rush on their first jump? all i felt was an extreme surreal feeling, i dont think adrenalie came into it until i did my first rel work dive or maybe my first hop 'n' pop.
That is just me though, i am interested if others felt adrenaline on their first jump. My first jump was AFF1


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.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Monkeyb 0]

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did anyone here feel a serious adrenaline rush on their first jump? all i felt was an extreme surreal feeling, i dont think adrenalie came into it until i did my first rel work dive or maybe my first hop 'n' pop.
That is just me though, i am interested if others felt adrenaline on their first jump. My first jump was AFF1


_

Perhaps not so much on my first tandem, but on my next jump (AFF I) I had so much adrenaline in me that my hands were really shaking and I couldn't write in my logbook when I got back down.

It was very frightening to jump with my own parachute for the first time.

[Monkeyb 0]

I don't want this to be a pissing contest. I couldn't care less if he enjoys other sports more, and I'm not trying to take anything away from other activities.

I need to prove my original statement right. Not because I want him to jump, but because I'm right, and after him acting like such a d*ck about it I don't want to "just forget about it".

I mean the word adrenaline is almost synonymous to skydiving. The two go hand in hand. Any time someone mentions skydiving, adrenaline rush is the first thing people think about. This suggest something doesn't it?

[bigway 4]

who says skydiving has more adrenaline than any other first time sport? have you ever tried bridge swinging? or bunjee jumping for 300 meters? or white water rafting? or vertical bunjee? you say you want to prove it just because you are right? i take it you have done all these other sports then and know that you get more adrenaline from skydiving, have you ever gone up as a passenger in a pitts special? that is the same as doing a tandem and you will find more adrenaline there on your first time.
You seem to think you are right when in fact you may not be. Adrenaline is different for everyone, i get more adrenaline from 300 foot bridge swings than i do from jumping out of a plane. Can you taste the adrenaline skydiving? if so good for you but you are not everyone. You sound like a dictator! get over yourself.

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I state that for the average person a skydive will present the biggest adrenaline rush he/she could ever experience.

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.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[flyangel2 2]

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I don't want this to be a pissing contest. I couldn't care less if he enjoys other sports more, and I'm not trying to take anything away from other activities.

I need to prove my original statement right. Not because I want him to jump, but because I'm right, and after him acting like such a d*ck about it I don't want to "just forget about it".

I mean the word adrenaline is almost synonymous to skydiving. The two go hand in hand. Any time someone mentions skydiving, adrenaline rush is the first thing people think about. This suggest something doesn't it?

I just want to point out the highlighted parts of your post.

You don't want it to be a pissing contest, yet you have to prove you are right

Also, when skydiving is mentioned, most people think "crazy."


Just let it go. If you get a huge adrenaline rush, good for you. That doesn't mean everyone else will. Let it go, you don't want it to be a pissing contest.

Like I said before, ask that same question after you have some more experience. Please don' take that as me putting you down, it's not meant to be. It's just right now you are very excited about the sport, and is your friendship worth loosing just to prove your point?

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[The111 1]

I can't say from experience, but if I had to guess, big wave surfing (BIG) sounds like an extremely large adrenaline rush. Something I want to do one day but also something that has more pre-requisites than most variations of skydiving even... so I'm not sure I'll ever make it, without abandoning the rest of my interests at least, which I won't do.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[Monkeyb 0]

Yea... you guys are right. I didn't even realize how deep I got sucked into this stupid debate. Way to shove it in my face.

I hadn't thought those points bigway. I assumed skydiving was the biggest first-time thrill because it was the only one that came to mind. Everything my friend had pointed out required some kind of training and skill development to do, so I didn't think of those particular activities.

Well, I thought I was right. Now you guys made some good points and I see I'm not. I'll let the argument go.

Thanks for the posts, at least now I won't look like an ass by bringing it up again.

[bigway 4]

you may not be right.....but your mate is definetly wrong

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[flyangel2 2]

You are a very special person that you can admit that your friend just might have a different view, and that you are willing to accept it.

You will go far in this sport with that kind of attitude.

Now, go share a with your buddie, and have a good time. Oh, and remember; balance.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey