do you guys ever get frustrated at yourself......

[guineapiggie101 0]

when you see other AFF students who started the program after you, get their "A" license, and you are still struggling with AFF?

Don't take me wrong, I am happy for them and a bit sad for myself. It is nice to share in the struggles of the AFF program and solo stuff with people who are going through it with you.

I can't wait till I get my license. It's been an uphill battle. Saw some light at the end of the tunnel last Thurs (when I had the best jump so far, stayed stable and even landed on my own with minimal radio assistance).

Since then, I have backslid again. Did two AFF 5 dives this weekend and botched both of them up. Went into nasty spins. Couldn't get out of them and even went into panic mode and made it worse, and the AFFI had to redock to help.

Only good thing was that I landed on my own.

I know how to do everything. I have been taught well by the instructors at my DZ and I have learned well. The only thing left is something ONLY I can fix myself, my anxiety. My performance anxiety is SOOO bad that I will start amping up about 15 min BEFORE I even jump. Then as the plane climbs, I get even more anxious and I try to counter that with breathing and such. I know I can do it, since I was able to do one "picture perfect" AFF 4 jump. Light bulb came on then. Now to make that happen again.

I have A LOT of tenacity and drive. I think that is what is keeping me going. Plus the fact that I want to share in this with my friends down the road.

Is it good to be tenacious and stubborn when it comes to not giving up on jumping? I'm the type of person that if I falter, I get up, brush myself off, and keep going.

I love my DZ and I have made many friends there. I can't wait till I get my license and can jump with them. This sport has brought a lot of joy into my life, something that was missing for a long time.

[skybytch 259]

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Is it good to be tenacious and stubborn when it comes to not giving up on jumping?

As long as your instructors aren't giving you the bowling speech and your wallet can handle the cost, then tenacity is a good thing. I know of a guy who did like 25 AFF jumps; he couldn't stop a spin but he was altitude aware, pulled on time, landed safely and had the money to spend - and eventually he figured it out.

[guineapiggie101 0]

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As long as your instructors aren't giving you the bowling speech and your wallet can handle the cost, then tenacity is a good thing. I know of a guy who did like 25 AFF jumps; he couldn't stop a spin but he was altitude aware, pulled on time, landed safely and had the money to spend - and eventually he figured it out.

The cost could eventually be an issue.

I just need to tone my performance anxiety down because that is the only thing that is blocking me from kicking butt in my skydives. I just get really dialed up as it gets closer to the jump. And then I get really amped up as the plane climbs.

I've fixed my pulling on time (for a while there I was having issues with that). I even got over my landing fears, and now I can land with minimal radio assistance, and have no problems flaring the landing.

My biggest obstacle is my anxiety. For a while breathing exercises helped, but not sure now. I don't know what else to do.

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[thrillstalker 0]

smoke a joint, it'll make you feel better

really though, you just need to relax. it really is that simple.

it also sounds like you need to go do a fun jump. talk to your instructor and see if you can go do a skydive and just enjoy the view. a nice relaxing skydive might just do the trick for your nerves.

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[guineapiggie101 0]

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smoke a joint, it'll make you feel better

really though, you just need to relax. it really is that simple.

it also sounds like you need to go do a fun jump. talk to your instructor and see if you can go do a skydive and just enjoy the view. a nice relaxing skydive might just do the trick for your nerves.

I wish it was possible to take prescription anxiety meds when skydiving, because I would do that. Conventional ways don't seem to work with me right now.

I'm not really looking for technical, jumping advice, just venting a bit. I know I CAN'T do a fun jump for the hell of it. I am still on AFF.

I probably will hit the tunnel again and get good there before I go jumping again.

[Squeak 17]

Dude i have nearly 1200 jumps and for my jump numbers I SUCK, i have been trying for 4 years to get good and freefly and i still suck.
Im not dangerous or anything but i'm by no means good at it.
We dont have a tunnel here in OZ and i have had to travel a LONG way to get good coaching but i used to get so frustrated at my seemingly lack of ability. I'm kinda used to it now.
But i have booked 7 hours (often read as 18months) tunnel in December hoping that this will sort out my shite.
If not there may well be a micron up for sale.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[rippedbx 0]

I'm a newer skydiver working on my A right now. I've experienced a lot of frustration learning to fly on my back in the wind tunnel. I worked on somethings a lot on my own that helped a ton and I think they'd help you too.

I'd lay on my back (you'd lay on your stomach) and imagine your spinning to the right. then position your shoulders, head, arms, legs etc. to correct it. then imagine spinning to your left and correcting. then imagine correcting any instability (arch, for example). I practiced this for 5 or 10 minutes 2x a day for 2 weeks. Now my body can correct problems without thinking about them. Probably saved me a lot of money in tunnel time/skydiving.
just my inexperienced $.02

[LDiCosimo 0]

Do you know what is causing your spin? Is it consistantly the same thing? If your with an instructor they may let you do a relaxation jump, i'd at least ask.

Relax relax relax.

When I was on AFF i had a case of the spins because my legs were uneven. We have a small table and a big morrir in the training room so I laid onthe table facing the mirror closed my eyes, arched, looked at the mirror fixed my legs as needed and repeated until the muscle memory built to where I consistantly had an even and symetrical arch every time I opened my eyes.

Also tap your toes together in free fall. If it is your legs that will help evel them out.

A good instructor should be able to identify what is causing your instability. Talk to all the instructors you've jumped with and get their .02

[cantstandya 0]

I feel for you mate. I had troubles on my AFF stage 4. Instructors kept telling me I just need to 'relax', and it kind of started to stress me out trying to 'relax'.

Then someone gave me this tip and it fixed everything: After you exit and get stable, maintain eye contact with your instructor, check your alti, then give your arms a bit of a wiggle/shake to get the tension out, kind of from the wrist like you are shaking water off your hands. Repeat until you feel comfortable, then worry about passing the level. For me, I had my arms incredibly stiff, and just shaking them out a bit reminded me to relax, then I felt myself just melt into the air and that's when it all clicked and I haven't looked back.

Stay positive, listen to your instructors, and remember the order of importance on any exam-type jump is: 1. Stay safe; 2. Have fun 3. Try and pass.

Good luck.

PS: the fun relaxed jump mentioned above is a great idea to just work on shaking out the tension without the stress of trying to pass.

[crotalus01 0]

Talk to your instructors because you probably CAN do a fun jump to relax you - its just a jump with your instructors where you have nothing to do on the jump except be altitude aware and pull on time. I know a few people that were in the same boat as you and this helped them tremendously - I even know one girl that was stuck on level 4 and ended up doing another tandem to get her nerves out.
You have nothing to lose by asking your instructors - it may help.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...

[Joellercoaster 6]

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when you see other (X) students who started the program after you, get their (Y), and you are still struggling with (X)?

Hey... in the words of Baz Luhrmann (yeah, I know): "The race is long. And, in the end, it's only with yourself". This is even more true of skydiving than many other sports.

As someone upthread said, as long as you aren't getting the bowling speech (and sometimes even if you are), don't sweat the petty things

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[skybytch 259]

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I know I CAN'T do a fun jump for the hell of it. I am still on AFF.

Sure you can. Talk with your instructors about doing a no-pressure relaxation jump, one where the only things you have to do are exit, smile, pull and flare. Have two instructors jump with you. One can stay docked so you don't have to worry about spins while the other flies in front and makes you smile. If you look good, they can let you go, but that's not the point of the skydive. The point is to have fun without the stress of having to "perform."

One of my students was ready to give it up because she couldn't stop a spin. We took her up on a relaxing "fun" jump and it did the trick; she nailed her next attempt at Cat C. Might work for you too.

[thrillstalker 0]

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I know I CAN'T do a fun jump for the hell of it. I am still on AFF.

Sure you can. Talk with your instructors about doing a no-pressure relaxation jump, one where the only things you have to do are exit, smile, pull and flare. Have two instructors jump with you. One can stay docked so you don't have to worry about spins while the other flies in front and makes you smile. If you look good, they can let you go, but that's not the point of the skydive. The point is to have fun without the stress of having to "perform."

One of my students was ready to give it up because she couldn't stop a spin. We took her up on a relaxing "fun" jump and it did the trick; she nailed her next attempt at Cat C. Might work for you too.

the above is what i was referring to as a fun jump, with your instructor. just hang out and enjoy it with no added pressure to preform, which is your problem. you take the pressure away, you take your problem away.

"Never grow a wishbone, where your backbone ought to be."

[Ron 7]

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when you see other AFF students who started the program after you, get their "A" license, and you are still struggling with AFF?

So??????

This is not a race. And yes it is normal to want to compare yourself to others.... But it will never actually do any good.

You want to compare yourself to people?

How about the SL student that took 25 jumps to get stable enough to be taken up to full altitude.... That later won SEVERAL Wold Championships?

How about the AFF student that took 20 jumps to get off of AFF... That later went to win a World Championship?

Fact is that it does not matter how many jumps it takes to get a license.... Do you know how many jumps it took ME to to get of SL? Nope, and since it was 19 years ago don't expect to be able to find out either.

Point is that it does not matter.

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My performance anxiety is SOOO bad that I will start amping up about 15 min BEFORE I even jump.

Try hypnosis. I never really bought into it, but I know folks that swear by it. (and it is fun to make them cluck like a chicken on command )

Another option is to try and find a place that does Static Line. Much less expensive and feeds you a little bit of information at a time.

You only have to perform a little extra on every jump.

Just something to consider... Might be less stressful and it should be less expensive.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[guineapiggie101 0]

Ron, I'm probably going to take more than 20 jumps just TO get off AFF. I'm still on AFF 5/6 and have 18 jumps . I know, I know, it's not a race. I just get frustrated that backslid AFTER making some really good progress.

Hypnosis could be something to consider, although to me, it seems a bit creepy.

I'm happy with the AFF program at my DZ. It isn't anybody's fault that I can't do this. I just have a mental "block" that I have to overcome.

I am thinking of just going back to the tunnel to hang for a while, to get my turns down pat.

[Ron 7]

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I'm happy with the AFF program at my DZ. It isn't anybody's fault that I can't do this. I just have a mental "block" that I have to overcome.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

The problem is not with AFF. But it might be solved by another method that works better for YOU.

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I am thinking of just going back to the tunnel to hang for a while, to get my turns down pat.

Might help, but the tunnel is not going to help get over the fear and anxiety of jumping from a plane.

I have had students with fear like you are describing... It is normal after all to not think that jumping from a plane is the best idea.

I have taken them on tandems so they can get used to the idea and I have changed them over to SL so they can conquer one issue at a time.

When they are sick of tandems, we put then on AFF again. Or when they are sick of just doing an exit, we let them start hop n pops.

I'd just hate to see you slamming your head against the same wall using the same methods and getting the same results and getting frustrated. Frustration is not going to help, but rather just add more emotions to the mix.

I suggest you change methods and see if that works... You can always go back to banging your head against the perceived wall later.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[billvon 2,425]

>My performance anxiety is SOOO bad that I will start amping up about 15
>min BEFORE I even jump.

If that starts to get really bad, you might want to go back and do something you know you can do, like a level 4. Might help you deal with the anxiety by removing some of the performance pressure.

[guineapiggie101 0]

Ron, that could be an idea, maybe doing a tandem and having that help me with the fear.

I'm not sure, but maybe I could do a tandem and have me practice the stuff for AFF 5, while attached to someone. It could help me with the fear and overwhelming anxiety I get when in the sky.

Thanks for bringing up this idea.

I don't want to give up yet, but sometimes I feel like I am hitting my head against the wall, and its starting to hurt

[nigel99 144]

I can't give you any advice, but like some of the others here I really struggled.

I had a love/hate relationship with jumping, on the way up I would swear I would never do it again, on the way down I would swear I would never stop!

In my case I could not afford currency, and was bumping along with 1 or 2 jumps a month. I was always terrified. Coming back into the sport after a very long break, I have none of the original terror. I can't say whether it is the time in the tunnel, better equipment or just age. In fact I can guarantee that my re-currency jump after a 15 year layoff was less stressful than my last few jumps before I quit.

One suggestion is to look at what parts of skydiving you really enjoy and if possible focus on that for a while. I loved canopy flight and used to regularly volunteer to be a static line dummy for trainee jump masters. It made for very low stress jumps that I loved doing (especially when I could do a SL exit at 6 or 7k).

I realise that at your level options are very limited. I can't stress enough how much currency helps though. Personally 4 jumps a day is perfect, the first 2 dial things in, 3 and 4 I make progress, then I am tired and start to lose the edge.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[hokierower 0]

I'm not in the same exact boat with you, but I'm similar. I haven't had any problems getting through levels but I am restricted to jumping only on the weekends and so far this year the weekends have been absolute garbage. All of the really nice weather takes place on the weekdays so all of the students who start after me and can jump during the week quickly pass me while I sit on the weather days.

If you can, I'd recommend some tunnel time so you don't think of free-fall as the great unknown. It'll help with controlling your body and you'll find yourself much more relaxed during freefall.

My first solo jump was a floating exit from 13.5k ft, then a stable fall until pull @ 4k ft. 9.5k ft of free fall takes a LONG time!

[JerseyShawn 0]

One thing that helped me through the anxiety of AFF was to jump during the week verses the weekend. I hated the feeling of how busy everything was during the weekends, packed planes is what got my anxiety up (which I used to hate, now I like resting on someone).

I just found it easier to focus when it wasn't so busy. Plus some days we got to go over the dive numerous times waiting for enough people to get the plane up, and time to bullshit. My best AFF was on the c182, just my instructor and I when there were no other jumpers to take the PAC up.

Good luck, glad you're hanging in there!

[guineapiggie101 0]

I should go back to jumping on the weekdays, when I can. It is a lot less crowded and easier for me (mentally).

Honestly, I am not sure what I am going to do next. I want to continue and to get over this hump. My success last Thurs, shows me that I CAN DO IT. I just wish the "light" would stay ON for once.

For those of you who suggest hypnosis, is that something that is covered by medical insurance (aka like seeing a therapist). Also, has anybody gone through the hypnosis method and has it worked for them (not necessarily for skydiving things).

I really want to get to the bottom of this.

[david3 0]

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I should go back to jumping on the weekdays, when I can. It is a lot less crowded and easier for me (mentally).

Honestly, I am not sure what I am going to do next. I want to continue and to get over this hump. My success last Thurs, shows me that I CAN DO IT. I just wish the "light" would stay ON for once.

For those of you who suggest hypnosis, is that something that is covered by medical insurance (aka like seeing a therapist). Also, has anybody gone through the hypnosis method and has it worked for them (not necessarily for skydiving things).

I really want to get to the bottom of this.

You get to the bottom of it by jumping. It takes as many jumps as it takes. Passing levels or not you are learning and gaining valuable experience. Enjoy every one. Some day you will look back on these difficulties and smile. You will get past this.


You will get past this.

You will get past this.

[emmiwy 0]

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I just need to tone my performance anxiety down because that is the only thing that is blocking me from kicking butt in my skydives. I just get really dialed up as it gets closer to the jump. And then I get really amped up as the plane climbs.

I've fixed my pulling on time (for a while there I was having issues with that). I even got over my landing fears, and now I can land with minimal radio assistance, and have no problems flaring the landing.

My biggest obstacle is my anxiety. For a while breathing exercises helped, but not sure now. I don't know what else to do.

Performance anxiety isn't easy to overcome, there are entire areas of research (i.e. sports psychology) devoted to understanding it, so your frustration is perfectly natural and understood.

Maybe it is worth considering the true source of your anxiety, and what particular aspects of it really make you nervous. Separate yourself from everyone else because when you're up in the sky, up in the plane on the way to altitude, you're not doing it for anyone but you. Its your jump, its your time. Tom used to say to me when I was preparing for an AFF jump with another instructor "go show 'em what you can do" thereby implying a level of performance, yes. I know it was his method of encouragement, to take the challenge by the horns and believe in your own ability. So I want to say instructors aren't there to judge how good you are, they just want you to be safe, and want you to succeed. If anything the instructors are thinking about everything and anything that can go wrong, not whether you'll perform for them. We all want you to succeed.

If you perhaps think of it like that you won't be so nervous? If you believe that you can do it, overcome the fears, and have the goal of overcoming the fear for yourself then you only have yourself to satisfy. I believe in you :)

[guineapiggie101 0]

Emmiwy, thanks for believing in me.
I think my anxiety stems from not wanting to fail and have to repeat the level. Usually, I get amped up thinking of all the stuff I have to do to pass the level (aka: "I have to do the 90 deg turns, make sure I don't spin, relax, counter the spin if I do, etc., etc"). Yes, that IS the thought process that goes on inside my head as I am prepping to jump. I know people can tell that I am tense, because they joke with me to try to get me to relax. Even my instructors joke with me to try to get me to relax. But I am soooo focused on the end goal, that I don't have fun and I mess up.

On the AFF 4 jump that I passed I actually, for once, WAS able to relax, via breathing with my mouth, that I was able to jump and STAY STABLE. That made me sooo happy that I stayed relax and was able to pull on time, and even gave me the impetus, to make the successful attempt to land on my own.

Since then, I haven't been able to repeat that calmness, BUT I have been able to land on own on and flare at the correct altitude, which is a great improvement from before, when I was sooo radio dependent.

I feel like I've hit a brick wall, but I'm not giving up yet. I have been given some suggestions on how to deal with this situation, and I am seriously considering them.

I will see how things go.