RevvyAiny

Hi, Dan! I'm a newbie, too. Four tandems under my belt, hooked after the first one. Intending to work through AFF, etc. in the Spring. You probably won't learn anything from me, but its nice to know someone else whose journey is somewhat mirroring my own. Welcome!

What a lovey looking friend! He may well have a good bit of time ahead of him. Enjoy every moment.

Now THAT's what I'm talking about!

Thank you for the link to the earlier discussion. Very helpful. I've spent a lot of years learning how not to limit myself by other folks' expectations. Will review my notes on the subject.

Thanks to all. I AM feeling confident and comfortable. Just wanted a reality check.

So, after being told I needed to wait until next season for my second training tandem, I got to do it yesterday. Learned good stuff, reinforced some other stuff, identified a particular growing edge. Not insurmountable, just a matter of more jumps. I was feeling good about the whole experience. Then I overheard one of the instructors gently trying to discourage someone who had not performed well in a first training tandem. The things he said made sense, until he said he didn't like to train students over 55 because their thought process is slower than is safe (or something like that). I am 53, but you would never know it to look at me. By the time I do AFF next year I will be 54. In good health, and working on improving. As far as I can tell my thought processes are fine, and may even be superior to some (I'm just saying). My question: How old is too old to learn to skydive?

I get one every year. In the course of my work I am around sick people a lot. I get the shot to help me stay healthy enough to keep on keeping on.

That's a great idea. Thanks!

Not 'til spring, I'm afraid. But I'll be making good use of the interim time. Windtunnel work, lots of reading, strength training. I'll be a monster!

Thanks for the kind words. I hesitated before I posted it. Don't want to be the only one in town all gushy and emotional. But I will continue to post....

I find I come to this site when I am experiencing withdrawal. Got my winter plan solidified. And when one's life is arranged around the Christian calendar, and ministry plans, goals and objectives, time flies by. Christmas was last week and Easter is tomorrow. So even though the season is ending, I'll be back in the air before I know it.

I never "always wanted" to skydive. Thought it looked crazy and dangerous. But, with my 25th wedding anniversary approaching this past summer, I started looking for a way to celebrate with my husband that would be memorable and extraordinary. Considered hot air ballooning. Considered white water rafting. A random news story on our local station showed by a local DZ that was having a day of fundraising skydives for some cause or another. "Honey!" I said, "Skydiving!" He said ok. That first tandem was a mixed experience. I am afraid of heights, but don't like letting my fears conquer me. I loved the DZ, loved the people, had confidence in my TI, had my husband with me as well as the couple who had been with us on our first date. So I was calm until the moment we were standing at the door of the plane. Knew I'd never leave if I didn't close my eyes. So I closed my eyes. Which meant the TI had to haul me out of the plane with him -- which he did. But in the air I opened my eyes and was enthralled. After the freefall ended we chatted and he showed me the terrain, turning us with compassionately gentle maneuvers so I could see the setting sun and the coastline, etc. By the time my feet were back on the ground, I wanted to do it again right away. So here is the thing: It was all I talked about for days and days and days. I began to study my video and did not like that I had not been a full participant in the jump. THEN, I began to reflect on how being in the air made me feel. I am introverted and reclusive; the most quiet person in my group of friends; all my hobbies are solitary, quiet hobbies. But in the jump I was something else. I felt empowered to be something I had never thought of before (don't ask me - I don't know what that means even now). So I took a training tandem. Got the same TI. Redeemed myself in the full participant to the jump department. Met my goals. Felt even more exhilarated and empowered and strong and confident. I was hooked, then, I knew. This post is long, but I want to include here a FB post I left after that first training tandem: My instructor asked me why I decided to do this – to not only jump tandems, but to commit myself to learning. I wanted to tell him; and I tried... "But the words are limiting, you see. As soon as I begin to explain how it feels, and what it means, the expansiveness of the experience automatically diminishes and the explanation seems incomplete. "Pithy sound bites of words cannot do justice to the thing: the pleasure of watching others’ joy; the confident preparations that make sparks crackle the air; the way apprehension mixes with gleeful anticipation when I take the step out; the opening of my heart when I look at God’s creation as I am falling; the smiling tears that want to flow because the perfect, peaceful enormity of “it all” has come clearly into view; that itchy, achy longing to return to the air that starts to inhabit my body as soon as my feet are on the ground; even the gorgeous peace of the place at the end of the day and few are around... "How’s this? Transcendent. Sydiving is transcendent! And I do believe that every jump is as potent a prayer as any saint has ever uttered." Thanks for listening...

Had my third tandem yesterday. Deep leg cramps this morning that woke me up. Same thing happened the first two times. Can someone tell me what this is about and how I can address it?

I appreciate the wisdom. Am taking it to heart. Its easier said than done, however. Feel like I'm in love, engaged, but cannot get the fella to set a date. Or maybe like a kid waiting for Christmas morning? Don't know which analogy is most accurate. Anyway, guess I'll just take a few breaths, do what I can do for now and let the future unfold.

LOVE your stuff. I am a minister of the gospel and a new skydiving student and you managed to speak to my whole heart. Just wanted to say I think you are awesome. Blessings and peace to you.

Just fell in love with skydiving in August. Have had one training tandem and scheduled another. Now it seems I may not be able to take my first jump course until next season. It has been suggested that I should therefore defer the second training tandem until next season as well. In the meantime, the other jumps I have schedule will be purely for fun (this seems counter productive to me; but that is my problem and I am working on it). I have a plan for how I will spend the off-season months: Gonna continue to lose wight (dropped 9 pounds once I realized I wanted to seriously engage this sport). Gonna do resistence training to build strength and flexibility. My question(s): Is there something I can/should do during off season to better prepare me for next year? I have been reading on this forum about safety issues, etc. Is there something else I should be reading? Should I periodically drive from NY to VA (where I believe there is no off season) in order to get my sky groove on? I would love to hear any suggestions you may have.

Hi, everyone. I am a brand new skydiving student (just did my first training tandem last week). A United Methodist minister currently assigned to a supervisory ministry, I am enthralled about the way the disciplines in skydiving relate to a life of Christian discipleship. I don't consider myself a thrill seeker; all I know is that the last time I was this in love I got married.