Just relax and smile in freefall

[kimmer 0]

I didn't want to post this because I feel kind of dumb being so excited about my AFF jumps, but there are a few of you out there who said you were curious about how my second try at level 4 AFF went. So here it goes.
I got to the dz and Michele drove up at the exact same time. She started telling me right away to relax and all about her fight, fight, or flow thing. Not quite sure I understand, but I smiled and nodded anyways.
I requested one of my favorite JM's, waited forever, but I finally got him. We trained in the harness room and he teased me for crying after my last failed jump. I told him to shut up and he just laughed. Then I layed on those rolly things with a pole across my shoulders to get me to stop torking my body on my turns. Dude, my back hurt so much.
Walking to the plane was not as agonizing this time till my JM made me walk and sit by myself for a few minutes. Where the hell did he have to go that was so important?! Didn't he see I was freaking out? Who is going to hold my hand?! He finally came back, gave me a hug, and dragging my feet, I boarded the plane.
It was the first time I sat in front of the door. I was the only AFF and there was about 6 or 7 tandems. It was really cool but, oh my god, so super scary to see the ground just get smaller and smaller. Yeah-guess what I never realized till now?-being so close to the door means I have go first. Oh fuck. Please let the tandems go first! Why rush things, you know?
My JM was so quiet on the plane this time. He was scaring the hell out of me. Why wasn't he holding my hand and making me smile and laugh to forget about throwing myself out of a plane?! All I could think of was, well, nothing. I just sat there twiddling my thumbs for 90% of the ride.
So now I am babbling. I'll get to my point. I get to the door, say oh shit, and I'm out. Arching like a mad woman, my JM lets go of me and I stay with him. Kick ass. I'm smiling the whole way and my JM is just smiling back and giving me the thumbs up, telling me good job. Yeah-I rock (tee hee). I only started spinning once, but got control and did good. My chute pulled great (the line twists fixed themselves). I just smiled and played as much under my canopy as I could on the way down. My JM said I had to land by myself despite how much I was screaming no at him from the air. "Dammit-why won't he listen to me? I don't want to land by myself" is all I could think of while making my final approach. I landed relatively well though. Stood up, then fell, but got right back up again. I jumped up and down, did my happy dance, and screamed with joy like there was no tomorrow. My JM just started laughing. I did it. I passed my level 4 AFF. I have never been so happy.
Got back to the school, took off my gear, and hugged as many people as I could (Sin, other JM's, riggers, tandems, etc). I squeezed the living daylights out of my JM and even kissed him probably a thousand times on his cheek. My random hugging probably annoyed some, but I was too ecstatic to care. Its just level 4, I know, big deal. But I was so pleased with myself.
I go back Friday to do level 5. Lets hope those turns don't come back to haunt me and screw me up again.
Thanks again for the encouragement guys. Know what? You guys were right-relaxing and smiling really does help up there.
Happy skydiving.
Luv you all
Kimmer :)

[rainman 0]

Hiya Kimmer,
Very well done! I don't even know you, but I'm *SO* proud of you. Having only just completed my AFF myself, I really enjoy reading other people's experiences, it makes me realize my reactions weren't very strange or anything.
Thanks for sharing
Rainman

[skymedic 0]

see, what did I tell you? no worries!!!
yippeeeee for the kimmer...
Marc

[DZBone 0]

Ya know, I think it's time I thought about being an AFF instructor!
Nice, one, K!
Carl

[sinister69 0]

Isn't it so much better when you just relax and enjoy the fall? Don't worry about the spins, you know how to control it now. Like Stewie (her JM) said, be a little more aggressive in your turns, don't be timid. Once you start doing that you are going to be amazed at the amount of control you have. You can start and stop a turn exactly when and where you want. Good job!! And it was a great landing. Can't be out there on Friday, but am hoping to be out there Saturday. Gonna join the Demo program real soon so I don't have to pay 65 a day for the rig. That eats away at jump money.
Blue Skies!
Sinister69
http://home.pacbell.net/n1elson1

[Jumperpaula 0]

No matter how many skydives you have, or how many you do, there is just something very magical about SMILING.
From my first 20 way this weekend:
" Everyone smiled the entire time, in the dirt dive, in the mock up, in the plane. The smiles made me feel even calmer.
One Jumper sat next to me in the plane giving me tips the entire ride to altitude,(and after every tip, he said "and smile") I was so absorbed and intensely listening that I didnt have time to be nervous or scared...and I smiled my ass off. I kept my eyes glued to the opposite side of the formation.....still smiling my ass off.... "
MAGICAL!! KEEP SMILING !!
Fly Your Slot !

[SpeedRacer 1]

Smiling during first jumps-
This is actually a technique known as 'emotional leading', which is: When you're scared or upset, you consciously adopt the physiology of being happy: i.e., you smile, sit up straight, chest high, etc. And what happens is you suddenly find that you're not faking it anymore, because your adopted physiology feeds back on your brain and you actually feel happy and less scared. It really works, not just for skydiving, but any other time your feeling scared/upset. Try it, it works great!
Speed Racer
"I think I think, therefore, I think I am, I think!"