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shibu

How many skydives is too much in 1 day?

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How many skydives is too many in one day for a novice skydiver?

I usually stop when I feel tired. In the past this caused me to stop at 5. Recently I jumped 9 times in one day. I felt fine in the end & felt like I could have jumped more but I had to leave for the day.

Think I may have raised some eyebrows by one of the instructors though... although no one told me to stop.

In the past one of my coaches did tell me the 5 was a good number for fun jumpers.

I really learned alot in that one day... improved my tracking position that I think would have taken longer if I didn't get to jump so many times in a row.

Any harm in doing 10... 15... if I feel fine doing it?

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I think you've got the right attitude; if you stop feeling good, stop jumping. I think at your experience level, that's a reasonable standard. For an absolute newbie who's still on student status, the enthusiasm for jumping may outweigh the person's ability to absorb all the new information that's coming their way, so it may be reasonable to set a limit even if the student doesn't think they want to stop.

But hey, as long as you're keeping an eye on your physical and mental acuity and still feel sharp, enjoy it and jump as much (or as little) as you feel like. B|

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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>Any harm in doing 10... 15... if I feel fine doing it?

If you feel fine doing it - no. But beware; adrenalin can often mask symptoms of exhaustion.

There is something I call the 'sunset zoo load phenomenon.' It works like this:

People have been jumping all day at a boogie, often after a night of partying. They're all tired but they're going to do one more jump then hit the bar. So they get on the sunset load. It gets pushed back since, well, at boogies the sunset load always gets pushed back.

So they take off just a bit after sunset. It's finally starting to cool off! Someone flashes the pilot for extra altitude, and he gives it to them since it's his last load of the day. The organizer was tired so he didn't do too much organizing on the ground, just told people where to go. "You've been doing this all day, right?"

Now exit comes along. And now you have 12 (or 20, or 30) people who are:

-tired
-dehydrated
-a bit hypoxic from the extra altitude
-having trouble seeing (due to the low light and the hypoxia)
-poorly prepped from that quick dirt dive
-thinking about the bar and not the dive

This is generally a recipe for a dive that will not work well.

So yes, be sure to read your body and avoid that last load if you're not feeling up to it.

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I think you've got the right attitude; if you stop feeling good, stop jumping. I think at your experience level, that's a reasonable standard. For an absolute newbie who's still on student status, the enthusiasm for jumping may outweigh the person's ability to absorb all the new information that's coming their way, so it may be reasonable to set a limit even if the student doesn't think they want to stop.

But hey, as long as you're keeping an eye on your physical and mental acuity and still feel sharp, enjoy it and jump as much (or as little) as you feel like. B|



Thanks. :)

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>Any harm in doing 10... 15... if I feel fine doing it?

If you feel fine doing it - no. But beware; adrenalin can often mask symptoms of exhaustion.

There is something I call the 'sunset zoo load phenomenon.' It works like this:

People have been jumping all day at a boogie, often after a night of partying. They're all tired but they're going to do one more jump then hit the bar. So they get on the sunset load. It gets pushed back since, well, at boogies the sunset load always gets pushed back.

So they take off just a bit after sunset. It's finally starting to cool off! Someone flashes the pilot for extra altitude, and he gives it to them since it's his last load of the day. The organizer was tired so he didn't do too much organizing on the ground, just told people where to go. "You've been doing this all day, right?"

Now exit comes along. And now you have 12 (or 20, or 30) people who are:

-tired
-dehydrated
-a bit hypoxic from the extra altitude
-having trouble seeing (due to the low light and the hypoxia)
-poorly prepped from that quick dirt dive
-thinking about the bar and not the dive

This is generally a recipe for a dive that will not work well.

So yes, be sure to read your body and avoid that last load if you're not feeling up to it.



Thanks. I'll keep that in mind and be extra vigilant about it.

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For me, 7 was enough.

I was trying to hit 100 jumps at WFFC, and I stopped jumping that day not really because I was too tired, but more because I really wasn't enjoying it. It became about the numbers, about "gotta get one more in" than jumping to enjoy jumping. So I called it a day.

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For me, 7 was enough.

I was trying to hit 100 jumps at WFFC, and I stopped jumping that day not really because I was too tired, but more because I really wasn't enjoying it. It became about the numbers, about "gotta get one more in" than jumping to enjoy jumping. So I called it a day.



Ditto. 7 is the most I've done in a day and I could've done more but I'd already had plenty of fun for the day and... well that and I'm not made of money.
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...Don't Get Elimated!!

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a little self-awareness goes a long way, stop before you do one too many - check yourself before you wreck yourself

and as billvon has already said, the sunset load is rarely worth it - unless of course you are a chick and a flasher then you should definitely go

I've done 14 tandems and a couple RW jumps in a day, then on another day stopped at 10

but I'm old, and just to be perfectly clear - I've never served in the military, it's not relevant but...... ;)

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

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Too much is when you can't do any more.

Most I've done as a student was 6, on the 3rd day of jumping.

Most I've done after that was 11, all self packed, all WS jumps, got almost half an hour of free fall time that day.
Your rights end where my feelings begin.

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In the past one of my coaches did tell me the 5 was a good number for fun jumpers



That's nonsesne, you can't make a blanket statement like that. Maybe for your coach, 5 is their limit, but that's a personal thing and there are a ton of considerations.

What the weather like? Hotter days will take more out of your per jump, so fewer jumps is the way to go.

Are you packing yourself, or using a packer? How hard is your rig to pack? Again, look at the physical output of packing, and factor that into how many jumps you can make.

What about your physical conditioning? How much sleep did you get the night before? Are you staying hydrated and fed?

The list goes on, but I have to say that 5 jumps is a very light day of jumping for most. As others have mentioned, pay attention to yourself and be sure to say 'when' before you reach your limit, not after.

If you want to make more jumps, consider the above factors and account for them. Get to bed early the night before, be sure to bring drinks and healthy snacks to the DZ, and make sure you're in good shape.

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Too much is when you can't do any more.

Most I've done as a student was 6, on the 3rd day of jumping.

Most I've done after that was 11, all self packed, all WS jumps, got almost half an hour of free fall time that day.



Almost 30 min of freefall! Sweet.

I didn't pack once the day I did 9.

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In the past one of my coaches did tell me the 5 was a good number for fun jumpers



That's nonsesne, you can't make a blanket statement like that. Maybe for your coach, 5 is their limit, but that's a personal thing and there are a ton of considerations.



Yes it seems like an odd thing to say. In hindsight, I think he may have meant '5 is a good number for you'... but he was trying to be polite.

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What the weather like? Hotter days will take more out of your per jump, so fewer jumps is the way to go.



I agree. I think this was a huge factor. It was in the high 70s low 80s on the ground (~32 at altiitude). A nice cool day.

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Are you packing yourself, or using a packer? How hard is your rig to pack? Again, look at the physical output of packing, and factor that into how many jumps you can make.



I didn't pack once that day.

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What about your physical conditioning? How much sleep did you get the night before? Are you staying hydrated and fed?



I am in much better shape this year compared to last... ran a couple of 5ks & a 10k earlier in the summer.

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The list goes on, but I have to say that 5 jumps is a very light day of jumping for most. As others have mentioned, pay attention to yourself and be sure to say 'when' before you reach your limit, not after.

If you want to make more jumps, consider the above factors and account for them. Get to bed early the night before, be sure to bring drinks and healthy snacks to the DZ, and make sure you're in good shape.



All good point. Thanks.

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Personally 6-7 is comfy for me if I am packing for myself. 8-10 if I have a packer. But money is also very much a deciding factor for me as is ensuring i enjoy each jump.

When I was at the DZ this year team training, plenty of teams were doing 15+ in a day, but you could really see the exhaustion setting in after 10 or 11.

I'm off to Elsinore in Oct and expect to do 6 per day and probably pack 4 out of those 6. I think this should mean I get the most enjoyment out of the 2 week holiday.

Juz

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first of all welcome to the sport and glad to hear you are having a ball. i know you be eager to do many jumps as possible in a day, yes it is great fun and excillerating.
one piece of advice is Quality is much better than quantity, you are at the stage where you should really learn to improve the skills you have learned at the beginning and learn more and newer flying skills. my advice to a few coach jumps with an expiereinced person, i know it might cost a few bucks but it will be money well spent. you will learn a lot more and really improve your flying skills. which will stand to you in the long run.
when i started i was like you, jumped out of everything that was going, i was building on some bad habits, next thing i have 500 jumps plus, i go to a boggie got into some 20ways and found out i could not really fly correctly :$:$:$
i was a bit embarresed and had to start to get more coaching again.
so that is my 2cents worth.

again welcome to the sport and stay safe!!!

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I'm off to Elsinore in Oct and expect to do 6 per day and probably pack 4 out of those 6. I think this should mean I get the most enjoyment out of the 2 week holiday.

Juz



6 per day in Elsinore is EASY if you're keen I did 14 back to back loads with 2 rigs on a late start early finish, the first 3 loads on one rig. The Twin Otter I was on all day did about 16 loads and there was another running as well, and this was in January so the days were much shorter.:)Im largely stupid when it comes to looking out for myself so a couple of people were bringing me sandwiches and drinks throughout the day, cause i forget to eat and drink:ph34r::ph34r::ph34r::ph34r:
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?

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I did 14 back to back loads with 2 rigs on a late start early finish, the first 3 loads on one rig.



Only 14? Was it raining? :P
They shut the planes down, I went to Mel and complained, she said the Pussy locals were not jumping anymore that day. Bastads, there was still at least 2 or three more loads :P:P
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?

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In my student program, I limit students to 3 jumps per day, max (assuming they meet ground training minimums), until they are off AFF (Level 7 or CAT E), After that, it is 5 jumps per day, max, until A license. It may be somewhat arbitrary, but students are overloaded as it is and I think my limits are a reasonable balance between safety and student enthusiasm. And it is not a number . . . if the student is not prepped and ready, no jump. These are max's, not anything else.
Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

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