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AFF is not going well for me

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Hey all,

I'm doing AFF and the cost is building up because I repeated levels 1, 2, and I'm still not past level 3 after two tries at it. I'm having doubts about my ability to take this on.

Has anyone failed this many times so early on? Would the more experienced jumpers have any advice? I see that most people are 7 for 7 or had to repeat only once...

Thanks...

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I see that most people are 7 for 7 or had to repeat only once...



Now that's funny. I failed 3 twice and four once. The only reason I only failed three times was because I went to the tunnel. I know a guy with 1000 jumps -- AFF took over 20 jumps. In hindsight, I just had to relax.

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

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Hey there,
Why did you fail each one, were you really unstable? Did you not pull? So far I am 4-for-4, but I have a friend who did level 3 twice, 4 three times and also had to repeat 2 other levels! But he got through it and graduated. You can too!! You are probably just tensing up so you can't get control. And then you are worrying about how much money you are spending so that stresses you out. Just really try to relax on the way up. Take big, HUGE, deep breaths. That really helps me. Don't think about anything else, just go over the dive in your mind, exactly as you want it to happen. Also I have found that if I stretch out beforehand I am more limber so I can get into my arch easier.

Everybody says it over and over.. its all about RELAXing! Like they say, its 90% mental. I have other friends who were pretty unstable until they really relaxed. Then they said everything just "clicked". They said its so much simpler when you are relaxed. I myself am not in control, either. I can't do turns right and I don't trust my arch fully yet. But I know my time will come when it will click for me. And it will for you, too!! Don't give up!! :)
p.s. I have also been told that it really helps to do multiple jumps in 1 day. Like at least 2 or 3. Then you really start feeling it.
"At 13,000 feet nothing else matters."
PFRX!!!!!
Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109
My Jump Site

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AFF isn't a race.



This is a good point. I think for a lot of folks it's a race to finish before they run out of money. Sadly, I don't think there's any way to make it cheaper - in fact, a lot of valuable training (canopy control, et al) is left out of AFF to keep the program small and inexpensive. It still costs a lot for most people.

Personally, I took 10 jumps to complete AFF, including a tandem. Edit - and that was after spending 30 minutes in a wind tunnel between levels 3 and 4. I know people that did 19 jumps. I know one student that did 26 tandems before her first static line jump. Completing AFF has more to do with your commitment and determination than it does your ability. Most students hit a "hump" at some point in AFF.
Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

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Someone else already posted a link to my student logbook. I did the static line program, but it took me 48 jumps to get off of student status! I attempted a couple of L2's during my student days and they sent me BACk to level 1! I've never heard of anyone else going backwards :-)

W

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Do post WHY you repeated levels. Personally, last fall I repeated alevel 3 times and another one 4 times. Then I did a little tunnle time, which taught me to RELAX, and i finished AFF like a rock star.
"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

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After 8 years of being an AFF Instructor, I had to send someone back from a level 4 to a level 3. I got to the point were it was a safety issue for both the student and the instructor. To make a long story short, the level 4 spun out of control, I went in to stop the spin and got swift kick in the left eye. Was able to get him under control, but my head was spinning for a while afterwards.

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Has anyone failed this many times so early on? Would the more experienced jumpers have any advice? I see that most people are 7 for 7 or had to repeat only once...



While that seems to be the case surveying people here, when it comes to other students I've met at the DZ it seems quite rare. (or perhaps the hotshots just finish the whole deal in a weekend!)

Take some consolation in the notion that 3/4 is the big stumbling block and once you're past it, the remaining levels tend to be less difficult. As long as the costs aren't suffocating, view it as getting lots of nice instructor time. Get good on the canopy while you still have attentive eyes too.

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Sorry for not being more specific -- I am not relaxed enough in my falls, which is a huge reason why I keep losing my arch, etc...I also have very stiff back/shoulder/neck problems which make the falling posture difficult to maintain. My instructors keep telling me the key is to relax, but for me it's way easier said than done. Good advice here though, thanks.

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Sorry for not being more specific -- I am not relaxed enough in my falls, which is a huge reason why I keep losing my arch, etc...I also have very stiff back/shoulder/neck problems which make the falling posture difficult to maintain. My instructors keep telling me the key is to relax, but for me it's way easier said than done. Good advice here though, thanks.

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No names but I know someone who took 42 jumps to complete 8 levels of AFF.

Stick with it if it is what you want to do. Remember you are only getting a 50 sec odd shot at it each time. The first time you learn any other sport lesson 1 is likely to be 30 mins to an hour.

Enjoy.

CJP

Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people

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Almost everyone repeats some levels. Don't worry about it.

For me the key was relaxing. I would get pretty nervous going to the door. My heart was POUNDING!!! When I told my coach about it, she told me not to worry, it was normal. We worked on relaxing on the ride to altitude. She said on the outside, I looked fairly comfortable. Since I looked comfortable she felt it was best to leave well enough alone.

Once she knew I got very nervous, we would chat on the way up. She would smile and pat her heart when we were spotting. I also learned that a big fake smile can actually work. I thought it was bullshit; but, it is true. When you smile, other people smile back. I think it fool your body into thinking everything is fun.

As far as the stiff back, talk to your instructors or a yoga instructor or doctor. I sure there are some exercises that can loosen you up a little.

Just remeber, you are doing this for yourself. Who cares what other people are doing. Have fun and be safe.

B


The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

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I am REALLY embarrassed to post this, but I will because it HAS to make you feel better. I was one one those students who I'm sure my instructors wished would have taken up bowling. Level 1: Didn't think to wear my glasses so couldn't read my altimeter, the JM pulled for me. Passed, but they made a notation in my log book that I must wear glasses on future jumps. And although I had radio for landing I was overshooting the landing area and thinking "oh shit, what do I do now" and didn't realize my JM was shouting "FLARE, FLARE, FLARE" until right before I hit the ground. Luckily I was jumping a huge canopy. My first attempt at level 4 I went spinning in a circle each time the JM released me. He had to keep flying over and catching me. He told me before our jump that he rarely failed anyone, only if they did something to scare him. I think I scared the shit out of him. On my 2nd attempt at level 4 I flipped onto my back each time the JM released me, even pulled on my back. Another fail. Then I went to the LV wind tunnel (the Perris tunnel wasn't finished yet). Made it through levels 4 - 7. Time for my graduation jump and damned if I didn't blow it. After I tracked I looked at my altimeter and thought I had another 1.000 ft. of altitude before I needed to deploy, so was just blissfully hanging out in FF until the JM flew over and pulled for me. Automatic fail. I was so upset I was in tears. And it got worse, when watching the video the instructors pointed out other things that sucked. So not only did I have to repeat that level, I had to do 2 jumps with 2 instructors before I could do my level 8 again. I finally passed on jump #13. So yeah, some people can breeze right through, but there are some who struggle every step of the way. But if you want it badly enough you'll hang in there. I've got over 200 jumps and am still struggling with body position and fall rate. I still get really frustrated sometimes, especially when I see people with half the jump numbers and twice the skills. But I'm not giving up. I love this sport too much. I'm doing everything I can to increase my skills - RW camps, coaching, tunnel time. And I am improving, a little at a time. So don't get discouraged. If I can become a skydiver, anyone can. GOOD LUCK!!!;)


Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

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Ok everyone has said relax which is honestly the best thing that has helped me...My level 5 which was a week ago went pretty good after my instructor gave me the relax symbal. It is amazing how much of a difference it makes when you relax. I felt my body just sink and it felt pretty cool...even though i failed that level it still was good that I was able to finally feel what a relaxed arch feels like. One of my instructors said that if i didn't smile in freefall she would fail me that helps a little as well as wiggling your fingers. I am on jump number 9 i think and still have level 6 and 7 left to go...I just have issues with turns..... Keep trying and don't make it a race to finish i have been jumping since feb. and am in no hurry to graduate. Hope things get better for you and don't get discouraged everyone keeps telling me that once you get off of student status and don't have the stress of doing things right you start lauging at yourself when u do things really stupidly.

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Dude, read about my AFF.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=798179;search_string=reginald;#798179

Funny thing is now I'm a respectable skydiver at my DZ, do a 4 way team, get invited to join big ways (small ones), etc. So what if you repeated a few levels, if its nerves see about doing 15 mintues of tunnel time, it will teach you to relax..
"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

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Remember - your repeats aren't just "wasted jumps" they count towards your A license 25 jump requirement.

Talk with your instructors to see if they can offer you any suggestions. Ask them if they think tunnel time might help you, if you feel its an option. Get their input and listen.

This might be stating the obvious, but remember to breathe. What helped me was deep breaths on the ride to altitude, deep breath before exit. Pushing all the stress to the floor of the plane and out.

Talk things over with your instructors and see what they say. Best of luck!!! :)

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You learn something on every jump, even if its just canopy control.

Of the people that go 7/7, I really doubt everyone was perfect. Everyone has their own problem areas. I spoke to an AFF instructor the other day and he said hes had maybe 1 perfect student in over 10 years doing AFF. He himself did loads of 5s delays, cos he kept kicking. Hes one of the best RW jumpers on the DZ now.

I know someone who did do the RAPS progression in 18 jumps (min at my dz) and now hes a little cocky (after only 60 jumps), and he hardly jumps. I feel you'll probably be a better person because of the failures.

UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

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you shouldn't be so concerned w/ how other ppl are doing on their AFF. you need to focus on you and not try to keep up or even match what someone else did. you should learn on your terms, at your own pace.

keep your chin up, you'll get through it. :)
_________________________________________
all good things are wild and free - Henry David Thoreau

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you shouldn't be so concerned w/ how other ppl are doing on their AFF. you need to focus on you and not try to keep up or even match what someone else did. you should learn on your terms, at your own pace.



I just felt that that was worthy of repetition. :)Funny that this comes from the one known as "MyOwnWay" don't you think?

Yo Maestro!

Are you having fun on these skydives? Lot's of people have to repeat lots of levels. Don't let it get to you. Just keep banging away at it, discussing as much with as many coaches as possible, shelling out the dough, jumpin' out the plane. It will all come to you in time. I'm afraid I don't have much more advice then that.

But keep having fun, that's the most important part.



My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

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