jumping again

[justme 0]

Hello.
I'm an aff-student..already made a few jumps but those were a while ago. I took a little break because I was short on cash. Now that I want to continu with aff I find that I have more nerves then I have ever experienced before. Even on my first jump it wasn't this bad. Actually on my first jump I was only excited..There was no hesitation. I just did it but that was probably because I received a full day of training just before my jump so I was all 'fired up' I guess. But now it's so bad that it keeps me from jumping at this point and that's frustrating. I really want to jump when I'm at home but at the DZ I just can't get myself to manifest..I've been at my DZ a few times now while the weather was perfect and had no excuse not to jump but just didn't do it. Anybody experienced this too and how did you overcome it?
Thanks

[hobbes4star 0]

i went through the same thing. the best way to get through it is to talk to your instructor, manifest and jump. my second jump i had taken a couple of months off. it was the hardest jump i have ever made. i almost rode the plane down. i had a very understanding JM, he got me out of the plane. that by far is and probably will always be the best jump i have ever made. you will not regrett it.

if fun were easy it wouldn't be worth having, right?

[tigra 0]

First, it isn't unusual to be more scared or nervous on you second or third jump than you were on your first. I can't quite explain why, but the excitement can get you through your first jump jitters, but when you go back for more, your brain starts asking you, "what the heck are you doing??" I had to do 3 tandems before I started AFP, and on my 3rd tandem, the jm had to peel me off the plane. Honest, I stared at the prop and was hanging on to the plane with a death grip! I was fine once I was in freefall, though.

How long has it been since your last jump?? And how far have you gotten through AFF? If its been a while, you might want to go back a level and sit through ground school again. Actually, if it has been a while, the dz will probably require that you do that. That should help quite a bit with the nerves, and get you back to that first jump excitement. Also, go ahead and manfest, then talk about your fear with your jump master and work through it. I think you just need to make yourself manifest and get up in the air, and you will feel better once you do.

If that doesn't work, I also know a couple of jumpers who went back and did a tandem after a scare or a long layoff, and these were newer jumpers who had actually completed their student program. It worked for them, it might work for you.

Good luck! If its meant to be, then your desire to skydive will help you overcome your nerves!

maura

[thrillseek 0]

i've got 200+ skydives and i still get nervous if i take a break from it...it's natural. If you feel that nervous, sit through training again. You'll shake the nerves...i always do

[Kirils 1]

I think everyone goes through periods of fear and hesitation during their jump career. I have more than once told myself going to altitude "I can't do this". I think it's the ol' brain giving us a reality check.

When you get the jitters, you need to talk to other jumpers about it. There is nothing better than realizing we all have gone through the same things. If the jitters continue, take some time off and come back doing a couple tandems. A friend of mine had about 150 jumps and started feeling fearful about jumping. She did a few tandems and came back strong. Breath deep, and enjoy most glorious sport in the world!

"Slow down! You are too young
to be moving that fast!"

Old Man Crawfish

[fred 0]

I did AFF over the winter in Arizona, and I came back to my home DZ and faced severe jitters. I went the first day, thinking, "Eh, once you get there you'll be ready to jump", and made up excuses the entire day (Well, I was very hung over when I got there, but felt better in the late afternoon when I still could have manifested). I sat there and watched people jump, and I was very jealous, but petrified of getting on that plane. I went home without having jumped.

I went back the next day and started to do the same thing. I pulled out my chair and sat in the sun watching the jumpers come down. I walked by manifest on my way to talk to the really hot packer chick, and Mary, the manifest lady, said, "Fred, you want to jump today?" And I hesitantly said, "Yes".

And I was on the very next load.

I was scared out of my mind, and it was a fscking static line jump. I must've gone to the bathroom 3 times in the 10 minutes I was waiting for the plane to let off it's current load before I was to suit up. I thought about just saying, "Nah, this ain't for me." But I did it.

I put that parachute on, talked to the JM and confessed how much of a wimp I was, and then climbed onto that Cessna. And I realized something on that climb to altitude: I wasn't nervous. I knew how to fall out of airplanes. Sure, it's not as easy as whuffo's might think, but it ain't that hard. First and second jumper left, and I climbed into the jumper position, and when the door opened, I leaned way out and spotted. I gave the JM a thumbs up, and out I climbed, hung onto that strut, looked over and smiled, and let go. I even turned down guidance from the radio (and had a nice little hike back to the dz after I landed a couple football fields from the peas).

The hardest part is getting on that plane. Just do it. It get's even better after you graduate.

[Snowbird 0]

Oh yeah, did that! I did my first five IAD jumps last fall, then waited six months through the winter before returning. I was buzzed and excited and so nervous that my stomach felt like lead. Actually, my entire body went into full blown rebellion.

I went down on Friday to set everything up, and just hung around to recapture that dropzone feeling. On Saturday I asked for my favourite jumpmaster, who gave me the most confidence. All the senior jumpers were very supportive and I just let myself be carried along on their determination and energy. I remember that when we turned onto jumprun, I told my jm, 'If I don't go on my own, push me! I want this!' He just laughed and made me breath.
And the jump was awesome, just like I remembered it, and now I'm utterly obsessed!

From all the stories I've heard from senior jumpers, it's totally normal to have these nerves and anxiety.

Here's a thought; do you know anyone well enough at your dz to e-mail or call them? While you're at home and feeling determined, call them and tell them exactly what you said here, and ask them to kick your butt if you don't manifest! Add beer as an incentive if necessary

[justme 0]

Hi everybody,
Thanks for all your moral support and advice. That makes me feel a little better. By the way, I have 7 jumps, am at level 5 and haven't jumped in 10 months. I already did ground school again in April but will problably have to sit through it again because I just didn't jump after that. The next time the weather is good, (probably next week) I will try again. I don't really like the idea of having a jumpmaster on your back instead of your own parachute. I like to fly all by myself..doing things myself..steer my own chute etc. But I think I will try that if I really can't get myself to do a normal aff jump. First I'm going to chat a little bit with my instructor the next time I'm at the DZ..maybe he can also kick me out of the plane..if I want to or not Thanks again guys