Mental state and skydiving performance...

[skybytch 259]

I noticed/realized something I thought was very interesting this weekend. Thought I'd share it with all of you and see if you've noticed the same thing in your own skydiving and if maybe someone has some tips for me...
The last two days I've been jumping (last 8 jumps) my performance in the air has been way worse than how I normally fly - going low, lack of control (sliding around), bad landings, just kind of all over the place. At first I blamed the new jumpsuit/booties for my problems, but that didn't really explain the going low and bad landings... booties usually make people fall slower, the new suit is actually baggier than my old one, I was flying it fine two weeks before this and landings just can't be blamed on a suit!
After I went low on a five way yesterday the load organizer made the comment to me that skydiving is 90% mental. He was referring to how we can get into slumps at times, where no matter what we do we just can't seem to get past a certain block. It didn't really hit me until after I'd done two more jumps that maybe, just maybe, there was more to my current "problem" than jumpsuit/body position issues.
I've been in a weird kind of mental state for the past few weeks, up and down between happy and depressed; the whole cutting away from the b/f thing hit me a lot harder than I thought it would and it's been a kind of delayed reaction. Looking at the past two weekends of jumping I think I know what my "problem" is - a "bad" mental state, even something that I am conciously denying, affects how I fly. Revelation!!
Now the question is.... how to fix the problem so I can get back to flying as well as I know I can?
pull & flare,
lisa

[freeflir29 0]

Been through it....sort of in a strange time now. I had a couple bad jumps a while back where I was just trying waaaaaayyy too hard. Putting a lot of pressure on myself to always "be there" and be shit hot. All that did was make me fly like an idiot. Now...I feel sort of the opposite. I almost feel burned out. I'm getting lazy about checking my altimeter. I get to 3000 Ft and go "Oh yeah....I have to pull the handle." No I don't have a death wish but it seems I have almost gotten "too calm" about skydiving. Funny thing is...all this relaxing makes me fly pretty good.....LOL. I shouldn't be so calm in the bottom end though. Getting past these weird mental times......I don't know. Heven't really figured that out just yet. The best medicine I think is to do whats fun for you. Take a break from trying to turn 3 million points on the hill and just go launch a tube or do a naked jump or a 14,000 ft beer load. The biggest thing....remember to smile. Cause if you're not smiling you're not doing it right.
"I'm a danger to myself and everyone around me!"-Clay

[Sebazz1 2]

90% of issues in our life are mental. Keep you head up and just keep pluggin away. Things/jumps get easier and better. Getting in a funk happens to all of us. It can be tricky getting out of them...................Funny thing about booties is you just have to get used to them. I don't wear em any more and when I try to they feel real wierd. But I used to jump wearing them all the time not too long ago.....wierd..........
SEBAZZ.......

[Tee 0]

Oh, I totally agree! When I first started jumping at other dz's I wasn't as relaxed as I would have been at one of my regular dz's and that would show extensively in my abilities. Also, my first jump back after my sweetie hurt himself last year was a crappy one too. I totally agree that your mental state plays a huge roll in how your jump will turn out. Hang in there...you'll kick this in the ass soon. Tee

[Remster 24]

Lisa,
what's worked for me in the past after doing stupid moves and not performing to the level I wanted was to cut myself for the day. Sounds silly, but for me taking 1 day off, still at the DZ to think about things and regroup mentatlly helped.
Now, I wasnt in major personal "rethinking" as you seem to be going through, but it worked for me...
take care
Remster
Muff 914

[Scratch 0]

Everybody has 'iffy' days. Hell I have had iffy months.
It gets frustrating when you know you are better than this. Then you start to put pressure on yourself and it all goes to hellFor me I also take a mental day off. Go jump for fun with friends, no tasks, no challenges, no pressure, just fun and
bullshit. Take time in the jump to feel the wind and remember why you do this. Also do a couple of easy really basic RW jumps. Stuff you know you are going to get right, success breeds success.
For me I go find someone who is good and we play "patty cake" all the way down..no docks, just slapping hands and being in each others faces.
My 2c...and that is a SA 2c...not much at all
Every day above ground is a good day.

[crazymel 0]

I have no jump advise for you (it might have something to do with the fact that I only have 14 jumps Life is for the LIVING!!!!!

[bbarnhouse 0]

Lisa~
Just wondering if you received my lengthy pm? If not that is 2 of 2.
It only takes a little pixie dust......

[skybytch 259]

Quote

Just wondering if you received my lengthy pm?

Nope....
pull & flare,
lisa

[ChromeBoy 0]

=Nope....
Funny...she usually receives the ones I send to other people as well!

[TEB6363 0]

Relax, enjoy, have fun with life.
After all, if you didn't have some bad days, how would you know if you were having a "good" day??
Blue Skies
:::OK, Canopy is Open, No Traffic Around, .. Why are these "Extra" Lines Draping Down??, Damn!

[airdrew20012001 0]

Here's what I do on everyskydive to clear my head and get into that place that leaves me free to perform well:
Find someone, preferably everyone, on the dive. Start by very lightly putting your fingers together in an open hand grip kind of like launching a flower. Close the grip and your eyes. Breath in through your nose and let your hands raise up, pause, exhale slowely through your mouth and let your grip come down. Repeat this three times. On the third one, everybody starts rotating the grip as it lowers and loosens it until it falls apart naturally. This should clear your mind.
Drewfus McDoofus