pre-jump rituals

[daremrc 0]

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so that when the door opens and you fart it blows into the back of the plane really quickly

Dave

Yes. That's precisely the technique I use.

Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement.

[Gato 0]

I'm a total geek, so I use this:

"I will not fear.
Fear is the mind killer.
I will face my fear, and I will let it pass through me.
When the fear is gone, there will be nothing - only I will remain."

I do this during gear-up, to remind myself that nothing is happening that is dangerous yet.

I do it on the ride to altitude, to calm myself down. Seems to work well for me. Your mileage may vary.

T.I.N.S.

[Baksteen 84]

Yes, the Bene Gesserit rock

Apart from the local Secret Handshake-thingy I do not really have a ritual. I just think about what exercises I want to do on the jump, or simply enjoy the view.

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[Peej 0]

As we climb into the plane i say out loud "kick the tires and light the fires". I also say a small prayer for my protection and the protection of the other jumpers on the load.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[dupmaronew 0]

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I normally start looking around all crazy like and start yelling, "Who just grabbed my ass?"

its sad but true....

i normally make the sign of the cross and throw god and everyone else up there looking over me the peace sign....then grab justins ass

[airathanas 0]

I go to the bathroom before gearing up-
In the plane:
I pray to myself-
picture the dive flow over and over-

http://3ringnecklace.com/

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I touch my handles and rehearse making my right hand move before the left.
Oh and I try to do the skydiver handshaking with as many people as I can.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[keka 0]

Quote

I go to the bathroom before gearing up-
In the plane:
I pray to myself-
picture the dive flow over and over-

I do the same.... and also kiss my sweetie

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
PMS#551
I love my life :)

[morten 0]

Funny thing that handshake business.
I do it, mainly because other people seem to need it, and who am I to ruin their skydive?
I wonder how many do it on their own accord and how many just do it for the others' peace of mind?

[Andy_Copland 0]

I check my gear 3 times.

I spin my 3-rings, check behind them and look at my loop and lanyard. Then my chest strap, then my handles, BOC and legstraps.

Then i do my practice cut-away 3 times.

The handshake is not for peace of mind for me, its more of a comradery gesture in my opinion.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[millertime24 8]

Some of us pass around one of those little fresh breath spray things and each take a hit.

Muff #5048

[Jeth 0]

I totally have a ritual.

At 10k I sit up and put my goggles on and then my helmet. After I put my helmet on I always press on my goggles, and pull on the chip strap to make sure it's locked. (Which of course it is cuz I just put it on LOL But hey, it's my ritual. ) Then I touch my hackey and do my EP's at least twice.

Then I ask for a pin check and give my teammates a pin check. Then I give my teammates the 'ol skydiver handshake, and also give it to anyone else in my vicinity. Then right before exit I push on my googles one more time. (I wear contacts and am totally paranoid about too much air getting in there.)

I like the whole handshake thing. It's a camraderie thing and reminds us to have fun. It especially makes rookies feel great and helps relax them. (At least it did for me.)

"At 13,000 feet nothing else matters."
PFRX!!!!!
Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109
My Jump Site

[countzero 7]

at 10k (3k on a 5k H&P) i take a few deep breaths and as i let the last one slowly out i close my eyes and do a meditative thing i made up to center and calm myself before the jump.

diamonds are a dawgs best friend

[kootmando1979 0]

I don't know if you would consider them rituals, but I have things that I am weird about. I always wear the same shoes. I tried wearing different shoe on like my 10th jump, but I was too nervous to jump in different shoes.

And I have to eat a mint...I use to smoke so the mints now replace that action.

[steve1 5]

I had a friend who upon gearing up, and walking toward the plane, would look at the sky and let loose with this really loud, crazy, yell that would scare the crap out of you if you weren't ready for it. Then after the door openned he would cut loose again with this really loud YEEEHAAW! At that point we all knew that he really was nuts! All seemed to go well after that.....Steve1

[Lastchance 0]

I look and make sure the fuel caps are on the wings of the Cessnas and that the fuel feed is turned to the on position when I get on the plane.

I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

[Bill_K 0]

Ah, if I'm by the door... I open it!!

[tbrown 26]

At Perris, our RW groups will usually all join hands for a little inspirational pep talk by the LO, with all the usual bromides about taking your time, if you don't want to go low don't fly there, don't hurt the LO, and for God's sake improvise. then we all take a deep breath and shout a ready-set-go count. After that, lots of slapping skin all around.

If we're opening the door, we like to look at each other and ask, "WHAT CAN POSSIBLY GO WRONG ?!?"

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[skydance1954 0]

Damn dude, you are a geek. What's worse is most of us know that chant.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

[airtwardo 7]

With my right hand I shoot the bird to the guy next to me...then wipe the extended finger across his upper lip asking....this smell like FISH to you ?!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[skydance1954 0]

Mine is pretty boring. On camera dives I snooze most of the way to altitude, then do gear check, skydiver handshake, internalize and focus.

On RW dives, I'm totally internalized, rehearsing the dive and focused all the way to altitude. Then gear check, skydiver handshake, and back to internalization & focus.

Not much for socializing or fun and games in the plane. Like I said - really boring.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

[Butters 0]

I stare out the window, think what the altitude is, check altimeter, think what the altitude is, check altimeter, think what the altitude is, ... you get the drift.

Edit: I also check my handles and straps before I board the plane, after I board the plane, and before I jump.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[blacksha 1]

Usually the morning of and a couple of days before, I don't drink coffee...I've noticed in general coffee affects my nerves more at work and other things, sometimes makes me more alert but other times more jittery...I see other skydivers drink it so I assume after a while its not such a big deal anymore but for me still its too much.

I eat a tiny breakfast. I've only seen one person (on a tandem) puke, and i've heard other stories of tandem passengers puking and it hitting the tandem master in the goggles.

The feeling of freefall, even the initial exit, has never made me feel like puking but I don't eat much just in case. One time I bungee jumped and I could feel it come up my throat on the way down...Recently I laxed this a bit and ate a slice of pizza before a jump and didn't seem to do anything. I've noticed others eat some pretty awful junk food.

I pray and make myself right with my Maker before every jump. I deep breathe on the way to altitude, close my eyes and try to relax myself as much as possible, rehearse the dive flow.

Definitely fist and high five as many pals as possible in a gesture as a way of saying, "Wow! This is for real, we're gonna jump! Right on!" Camraderie and to try to keep attitude positve.

[steve1 5]

I think a many jumpers, with a lot of jumps, forget how truly scary your early jumps were. There may have been many rituals you did back then just to try to stay calm. Like checking your gear over and over. Or saying prayers. Or not eating breakfast because you might puke. Although I don't have all that many jumps I can still recall those pre-jump butterflies. Man those were scary times!

But the day will come when things are no longer very scary, just really really fun. And then the day when this is fun, but not scary at all.

I can now actually fall asleep on the climb to altitude. Maybe I shouldn't let that happen, but it has at times.

The summer before last, I had been working out in the hot sun all day, and then went to the airport to jump. I was really tired. We were on jump run with the door open, and I just about fell back asleep. I didn't think that could ever happen, but it did on that jump.

So, get a few more jumps under your belt, and you may find yourself doing far fewer pre-jump rituals....Steve1

[elias123 0]

haha, never forget the 'pre-jump dump'

"In a mad world, only the mad are sane"