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kmg365

really need advice-long post

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Okay, so I attempted AFF twice. I REALLY want to get my license. I love the rush and love flying a canopy. So here are the problems: 1) I get door anxiety and 2) I become so fixated on performing the requisite tasks in the dive flow, I don't relax. On my last attempt, I was cleared to Cat E, but it took me 10 jumps to get that far. Wrt the door anxiety issue, I'm okay for the first part of the ride up, but when the door opens and the fun jumpers begin to exit, my heart starts to race. The tension is palpable and as much as I want to do the jump sometimes I wonder if I will panic enough to want to ride the plane down. Every time I managed to overcome my fear and step out but I wonder how much impact that has on my ability to relax in free fall. To be honest, I'm not scared once in free fall, I have always had good altitude awareness and pulled on time--but I get so fixated that I will not be able to perform the tasks. On a few of my jumps, I did well, but others had to be repeated. So I guess my question to all of you is whether this is normal and if I should take up another sport. For the record, I do pretty well under canopy.

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Two things~

1) Be clear in your mind what you will do and how, visualize the whole thing a LOT prior to doing it. Know you gear and your EP's, you alleviate a lot of fear/apprehension when you take that stuff out of the equation. And BREATHE slow & deep ...part of your reaction is just the snowballing effect of what adrenaline does.

2) It's really not a very long post.


;)











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

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When door anxiety goes away it can be magic. I really remember the moment, it was my first freefall (on the static line progression). Incredible difference.

As far as progression is concerned, if you're overamping on getting too much done, maybe you should talk that over with your instructor, do a couple (or even more) hop and pops, where your only goal is to exit stable and open your canopy.

Or a higher jump, where, again, your only goal is to stay stable and open your canopy on time. Your jumpmaster can go with you if necessary.

You may well be the kind of student for whom the static line progression works better, with fewer goals per jump. But if that's not offered, then it's up to you to work with your jumpmaster. While he or she is the instructor, you're the student, and you know yourself best. If you need time to decompress, take it. It's your jump.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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Don't know if this helps, but one thing I tell whuffos I know that I think is cool about skydiving, is that when I am holding on by a finger and a toe in rearfloat out of the plane, I have the power to climb back in the plane IF I wanted to....but I don't.;) I know that once I let go, do my skydive, I can deploy a flying apparatus and land myself safely on any reasonable flat surface below me. It's rather powerful and gives you confidence.

How's that for "door anxiety"! If it too you 10 jumps, doesn't that mean that you have landed under your own parachute (i.e. not a tandem) and are now getting comfortable doing so? See if that helps!

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wmw999

When door anxiety goes away it can be magic. I really remember the moment, it was my first freefall (on the static line progression). Incredible difference.

As far as progression is concerned, if you're overamping on getting too much done, maybe you should talk that over with your instructor, do a couple (or even more) hop and pops, where your only goal is to exit stable and open your canopy.

Or a higher jump, where, again, your only goal is to stay stable and open your canopy on time. Your jumpmaster can go with you if necessary.

You may well be the kind of student for whom the static line progression works better, with fewer goals per jump. But if that's not offered, then it's up to you to work with your jumpmaster. While he or she is the instructor, you're the student, and you know yourself best. If you need time to decompress, take it. It's your jump.

Wendy P.



I too got door anxiety...but now I dont...that too can be bad right? Some level of fear is good but when im at the door I dont get anxious or scarred.

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I am still very new... as in two jumps! Both times, though, the exit has been my favourite part of the jump. There is a certain joy in releasing yourself... letting go of the safety of the plane... jumping into the air. And I was astonished to find this out, but the air, when you get into it, is not the same as when you look out into it. The air feels like a powerful medium. It is like water. It feels real and immersive. The ground is more like the bottom of a clear lake. I don't feel like I am jumping out of the plane, destined to plummet 14k feet (though that is in fact what is happening).. it feels more like I am just jumping into an ocean of air. Perhaps if you do not focus on the far away ground, but rather on the immediate medium of the air, you may feel less stressed.
I cannot speak about exit anxiety, not enough experience. But my life experience has taught me that when I am feeling anxious or nervous about a thing, I try to find the joyful aspects of it and look forward to them.
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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Totally normal. Door fear is very common. As long as you do ok once you are out, and as long as you do ok under canopy, you are not a danger to yourself or others.
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

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once I admitted to myself that this stuff scared me silly, I started making good progress...well, *better* progress, anyway. The fact that you can talk about how scared you are is a big plus, in my book. Speaking of books, Transcending Fear by Brian Germain is a very good book on the subject, it helped me alot, and reading the Skydiving Duck was also helpful (google it)...it's OK to be scared, in fact, it's a good thing, just keep it under control, don't let it control you. You've done this 10 times so far? I think you are worrying too much - I know a guy that needed 22 jumps to finish AFF and he does just fine, and I personally needed 13 to finish AFF...chill out, relax, cut yourself some slack - you'll be fine!

Breath, smile, and make a conscious effort to relax on the ride up. BTW, the best way to get over door fear is to learn how to spot the plane. You are sticking your head out the door like a dog in a pickup truck - pretty soon, you will *want* to sit by the door so you can do just that!B|B|


Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

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Door anxiety! It's perfectly natural. Jumping out of an airplane is the unnatural thing! You have to have perseverance I didn't start jumping till I was 55 had a background in law enforcement, defensive tactics instruction and firearms instruction. I did 6 level four jumps! I had all kinds of trouble relaxing in the air, I just wanted to beat the hell out of it and make it do what I wanted it to!! It doesn't work that way! I actually had hypnotherapy done to help me relax. I finally got it and now have my coach rating and am jumping a brand new system with a 139 crossfire 2 in it. I love this sport, but as a good friend, firefighter, army flight medic and one of my coaches told me, the day you go to get on the plane and you aren't at all nervous, don't get on the plane. Nerves keep us sharp, aware, and help keep us safe. Good luck and blue skies!!

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I was only nervous about the door when I first soloed (no instructors), for the first few times. People throwing themselves out before me makes me smile for some reason, maybe cause its our idea of fun :D

I asked when I first soloed to help with the spot a few times. Kept my mind off the door by putting myself in the door. Shouldn't make sense, but it gave me a job to do and a partial responsibility with the aid of another experienced jumper.

If your comfortable with your dive flow, checking your handles (way up, right before you climb out), checking altimeter against others altimeters, blah blah, ask if you're able to help out with jump run. Own the door. I got over it rather quickly.

Be safe, listen to your instructors!

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NorrinRadd

I am still very new... as in two jumps! Both times, though, the exit has been my favourite part of the jump. There is a certain joy in releasing yourself... letting go of the safety of the plane... jumping into the air. And I was astonished to find this out, but the air, when you get into it, is not the same as when you look out into it. The air feels like a powerful medium. It is like water. It feels real and immersive. The ground is more like the bottom of a clear lake. I don't feel like I am jumping out of the plane, destined to plummet 14k feet (though that is in fact what is happening).. it feels more like I am just jumping into an ocean of air. Perhaps if you do not focus on the far away ground, but rather on the immediate medium of the air, you may feel less stressed.
I cannot speak about exit anxiety, not enough experience. But my life experience has taught me that when I am feeling anxious or nervous about a thing, I try to find the joyful aspects of it and look forward to them.



bro, come out to the western side of the great United States mang. Year round diving. Plus you'll get to know me and why i'm called GooniesKid B|

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GooniesKid

***I am still very new... as in two jumps! Both times, though, the exit has been my favourite part of the jump. There is a certain joy in releasing yourself... letting go of the safety of the plane... jumping into the air. And I was astonished to find this out, but the air, when you get into it, is not the same as when you look out into it. The air feels like a powerful medium. It is like water. It feels real and immersive. The ground is more like the bottom of a clear lake. I don't feel like I am jumping out of the plane, destined to plummet 14k feet (though that is in fact what is happening).. it feels more like I am just jumping into an ocean of air. Perhaps if you do not focus on the far away ground, but rather on the immediate medium of the air, you may feel less stressed.
I cannot speak about exit anxiety, not enough experience. But my life experience has taught me that when I am feeling anxious or nervous about a thing, I try to find the joyful aspects of it and look forward to them.



bro, come out to the western side of the great United States mang. Year round diving. Plus you'll get to know me and why i'm called GooniesKid B|
That could be cool! First up.. I need my A license. Hopefully get that done this year.
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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Exit anxiety?
Well, now. Let me tell you about anxiety. The anxiety you deal with when a heavily pierced and tattooed man stands over you while you lie on a medical style examination bed, pants and underwear around your knees, and he with a long, stainless steel, very sharp metal needle pointed at your man-parts, telling you to get ready and count to three... there's some anxiety for you.
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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NorrinRadd

Exit anxiety?
Well, now. Let me tell you about anxiety. The anxiety you deal with when a heavily pierced and tattooed man stands over you while you lie on a medical style examination bed, pants and underwear around your knees, and he with a long, stainless steel, very sharp metal needle pointed at your man-parts, telling you to get ready and count to three... there's some anxiety for you.



I usually gotta pay EXTRA for that! :$










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

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NorrinRadd

Exit anxiety?
Well, now. Let me tell you about anxiety. The anxiety you deal with when a heavily pierced and tattooed man stands over you while you lie on a medical style examination bed, pants and underwear around your knees, and he with a long, stainless steel, very sharp metal needle pointed at your man-parts, telling you to get ready and count to three... there's some anxiety for you.




Wouldn't that be entrance anxiety?






:P
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

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