I failed Tandem level 2

[jigneshsoni 0]

I have signed for AFP program which has 4 Tandems and 8 solos.

1st Tandem is just a fun tandem. So technically I failed the 1st level of Tandem. Felt so stupid about it, extremely frustrated. repeated the level same day and passed it.

Lot of things makes you frustrated and angry on yourself when you fail. I mean especially in my case. It was just a tandem and all I was reuqired to do is arch,check altitude, check arms. and PULL when time comes. I could not do any of it. I remember how I was feeling while the freefall, but have no clue why I did not pull. When back to ground, felt so stupid about it. Never hated myself so much ever in my life. There was also a lot of shame and embarassment too. Not to mention even the money factor which is also extremely important since this is such an expensive sport.

Since I ever decided to get into this, I am thinking about it day and night. I see and feel sky diving in my dreams. I wake up several times at night thinking about it. Nothing in my life has been so scary and so challenging. Never in my life I have been so much into love with something. Never in my life I have felt how I am feeling these days. finally nothing in my life made me feel as nice as when I pulled the parachute for the first time in my life. The feeling that "I PULLED" made me feel so good. I am sure most of you feel whats such a big deal about this.

I am so glad to have this place to write down my thought process and get your valuable feedback.

Thanks a lot
Jignesh

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Congrats on progressing, dont be hard on yourself, tandems are tandems for a reason, As far as feeling stupid or embarrassed, DONT , I learned when I landed in the plane on level 5ish that different people have different levels of comfort, also the sensory overload of a first can screw with your mind, dont set yourself up for failure, just remember and learn from your mistakes.... so said the girl who looks at the jump master in the plane with a shocked expression and while picking up her pilot chute off the floor asks "What do I do with this?"

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[Orange1 0]

Jig

I battled at first with my exits on SL (freaking 207 sitting-in-the-door stuff!!) I went through phases where I felt just like you described - stupid, wasting money, frustrated, love-this-so-much-why-can't-I-just-DO-it - etc

After a number of jumps I was chatting to some of the more experienced folks at that DZ. What was interesting was I discovered many, many of these guys had been through something similar at some stage. The guy who briefed me for my first freefall, for example (and a really good instructor and jumper) had botched up his first f/f enough to be put back on dummy pulls.

Just remember what's been said a number of times on these forums - every jump is a learning experience. You didn't "fail" level 2 - you just had to repeat it. (We don't get 'fail' written anywhere in our books - just 'do another'...) And - you obviously learnt on the first one cos you passed the second. There may be some people who sail through all the courses and get every single thing right on every single jump, but I rather suspect they're in the minority.

Keep going and have fun!!!!

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[Nickkk 0]

Dont get discouraged, just remember any skydive you walk away form is a good skydive!

Now get back in the air!

What do you do when someone throws a big planet at you?
Throw your pilot chute in defense!

[krkeenan 0]

Your desire to succeed will overcome your mistakes. Feeling bad about a failure is a sign of your drive to be better. Don't let it tear you up too much, but remember the feeling as a motivation to improve.

People who pass of their shortcomings with, "It's all good", or "It doesn't really matter", are only showing the weakness of their will to improve.

The only real failure is giving up.

Kevin K.

======================
Seasons don't fear the Reaper,
nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain...

[rendezvous 0]

Take it in steps and don't sweat too much about it. If those drills were as simple as they sound they wouldn't have been part of the training program. May be you were just expecting too much out of yourself. Learn from your mistakes and enjoy what you are doing. Being hard on yourself will just make you that much more anxious on the next jump and that doesn't help. Talk to your instructors about your performance. They will definitely have seen something possitive that you can't see for yourself. Feel good about what they compliment you on and focus on what they expect you to fix or repeat. Give the process a chance. Don't try and over analyze it.

[jigneshsoni 0]

Thank you very much guys. I really appreciate all your good replies. I am trying very hard to get over this. Upon recommendations I have also ordered "Mental training for Skydiving and Life" and "Jump" books from amazon.com. I hope they will be helpful.

I think when you expect too much out of yourself and those things are not met you become extremely disturbed. I was expecting to finisht the whole course within 2-3 weeks. Now I think If Ican do it within 2-3 months, I will be the happiest person.

Thanks a lot again for all your replies.

[kelpdiver 2]

Most of the reason I did the second tandem (5 years after the first), is that I couldn't really remember a thing about it. I still have a pretty vivid recollection about having to get my feet out on the 206 step against the harsh wind, but once we exited, it's pretty much a blur.

You get much better at dealing with the sensory overload very quickly.

[tsampson 0]

A month ago, I was ready to quit this sport. I had sailed through AFF, and was getting compliments about my skills in the sky, but I couldn't get a stand-up landing for anything. I was so frustrated, and feeling the same way you were.

I took a step back, went and got some additional training (Thanks Scott!), and I'm back to loving skydiving. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Enjoy what you are doing, and know that you will get there eventually, and if it takes a few extra jumps, well, hey, they are still skydives!

Blue skies.

[AggieDave 6]

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I was so frustrated, and feeling the same way you were.

Everyone hits the wall skydiving at some point.

For some its on student status, for others its when they have 40 jumps, for me it was when I had about 300 jumps.

The difference is not quitting, getting good instruction/coaching and driving on. It'll make you a better skydiver in the end.

However, hitting the wall and just going on how you are without any help, will lead towards crappy skydives and possibly injury/death (especially with canopy stuff).

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[tso-d_chris 0]

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Everyone hits the wall skydiving at some point.

Just a reminder:

Please don't be loading your canopy at 2:1 when you do this!

For Great Deals on Gear

[tbrown 26]

Everyone hits the wall skydiving at some point.

[Michele 1]

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The feeling that "I PULLED" made me feel so good.

Yes, isn't it?

So, when are you going to get into the sky so you can PULL again?

Look, we all reach points in skydiving where we wonder what and why we are doing it. For me, it was the horrific battle with fear; the absolute win-or-lose fight which went on in my head, pulling me back and forth. I fought - wrestled and battled and scrabbled and just plain fought - my fear, and I thought I had conquered it.

And then I ended up with 6 months off. My recurrency jump was about as difficult a jump as I've done; I was ill, sweating profusely, hot and cold by turns. I had no idea if I was really going to make it out the door until I was in the air...you can ask my instructor (SharK). He didn't think I'd get out the door, either. But once in the air, all was well again.

It's about saying "yeah, I can do this" and then not listening to self when self shrieks "don't you dare!!!" It's about disciplining yourself to say "hello, fear, now get lost" and learning about how things go, and how your brain works, while in freefall.

It's about doing it anyway.

You pulled. You did it. How cool is that? Look at that rather than focus on what went wrong on your very first jump...when you had no idea if your brain would work, or what freefall was like, or anything at all about skydiving...once you had a grasp of what it was like, you were able to pull. Good deal, you know? Good deal.

Hang in, get back out there, and go make a skydive.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[jigneshsoni 0]

Thanks!!!!!

Guys, thank you so much for all the nice things you have posted. I will be doing my tandem3 and hopefully tandem4(last tandem) this weekend.

Thanks a lot for all the support.

Jignesh

[Shark 0]

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He didn't think I'd get out the door, either. But once in the air, all was well again.

It crossed my mind, but then you woke me up in your haste to set up and exit. Then all was perfect and you flew beautifully. And did I mention your great landing?!?!

[mdrejhon 8]

I think that on first tandems, people RARELY pull, if ever. I heard some of the best skydivers here, didn't pull on their first tandem. Just make sure you're pulling by your 3rd and 4th tandem

[Michele 1]

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It crossed my mind, but then you woke me up in your haste to set up and exit. Then all was perfect and you flew beautifully. And did I mention your great landing?!?!

Thanks, my friend. And yes, that landing was sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. I was pretty proud of myself.

I couldn't believe I had to whack you to get you to see the green. And then blammo, we were in the sky.

Jigs, good for you for getting back out into the sky. I am looking forward to hearing about your next two jumps, and then all about moving on to your license. You can do it, I've got no doubt.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[jigneshsoni 0]

Jigs, good for you for getting back out into the sky. I am looking forward to hearing about your next two jumps, and then all about moving on to your license. You can do it, I've got no doubt.



Michele, Thanks a lot!!! that was the sweetest thing to read.

[jigneshsoni 0]

I did my Tandem3 day. Failed again

Repeated today itself and passed it. I am just so frustrated why I just go blank and not able to perform very simple things.

My instructor was really great. He made me feel OK all the time. Thanks sooo much Damian. Can you send me a PM if you are reading this. I would like to touchbase with you about a couple of things during the week, So I am absolutely ready mentally for my next jump.

I exactly know what I have to do in my final tandem4. I will make sure I practice it a lot at home. I do not want to fail this one. I really can't afford to fail this one.

Just wish if this sport was not costing so much. Do you guys wonder so? I am just waiting to get the traning done so I can have my jumps only for 18$. Hope to get there soon.

Thanks a lot for all your support.


Jignesh

[Michele 1]

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I did my Tandem3 day. Failed again

Drat.

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Repeated today itself and passed it. I am just so frustrated why I just go blank and not able to perform very simple things.

Brain overload...it sucks, it's real, and it can be overcome. And you can overcome it - you already did, by passing Tandem #3 the second time.

I don't think there are too many people who breeze through learning to skydive. Flying our bodies is a completely alien thing - our minds fight it, our bodies scream against it, and then - the switch comes on, and you accept that you're doing this insane and lovely thing called skydiving.

It took me a while to learn; I failed several levels too. I've talked to my instructors and all of them failed levels. There's a wonderful thread somewhere on here about one of my favorite people who is an incredible skydiver; he tried to climb back into the plane a time or two (I'll see if I can't find the thread for you...). He stuck to it, like you are, and now he's a greatly accomplished skydiver. I know the same can be true for you.

And yes, it's very expensive...just keep on giving it the go, and you'll get to the $18 per jump...and then the costs increase (buying gear, beer, and jumping enough...that depletes the pocket book...).

You just keep on...after all, you could've failed it twice. Instead, it was only once, and you nailed it the second time 'round.

I'll see if I can't find that thread for you...just to show you that this is NOT "natural", and that you can do it too...


Edit to add thread link: SonnyChiba/Natural Skydivers
Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[Orange1 0]

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I will make sure I practice it a lot at home

From personal experience I find this helps, and thoroughly knowing the dive also makes you more confident going up, which also helps!

fwiw... i went through static line where all you have to do on the first few jumps (before the canopy opens) is count (from "arch-thousand" to "5000"). simple, huh? i think i only managed to do the count properly by jump 4!! it took me that long to overcome the sensory overload enough to do a simple count of 5 seconds...

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[jigneshsoni 0]

Oh I am so happy today. I just wanted all you guys to know and share this happiness. I passes my last and final tandem4 today. I am very excited to finally be doing solo next weekend.

Thanks a lot all of you for all the support.


Jignesh

[Zennie 0]

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Everyone hits the wall skydiving at some point.

Just don't hit the wall BASE jumping...

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[rendezvous 0]

Awesome ! now you can have fun with AFF. You'll find it to be more rewarding than the tandems since you'll have a bigger role to play. Don't worry too much about repeating a few levels. It's all part of the fun.

[jigneshsoni 0]

Thanks a lot!!!! I do not think I could have even done this much without the support I have got from this forum. I still have to go a lot further then this. But even to complete the 4 levels of tandem gives me so much of satisfaction.

I am just imagining how I would feel after I have complete the AFF problem. OH MY GOD!!!! would be such a nice feeling. Just waiting to get there.

Thank you very much to all of you in the Forum, Thanks a lot STL, Thanks a lot Damian, Thanks a lot Ankur. I love you all.


Jignesh