AFF NO. 5 redo

[rslavick 0]

Hey everyone,

I'm doing a redo of aff no.5 tomorrow, i kinda freaked out and got way unstable for the entire fall (it was 25 days after aff no.4) .

Does anyone have any advice on how to get my confidence back and have fun again? the first 4 jumps were SO much fun, but i'd have to say no.5 was kinda hairy, i'm still a bit freaked.

Thanks - Ron

[jeremy556 0]

Relax, arch - if you are getting unstable click your heels to make sure your legs are in the same height and arch.

Dirt dive the dive tonight a few dozen times until it is automatic, everything from the count to opening. Go over the dive in your head on the way to altitude, take deep breaths in through your nose, out through your mouth (you may need to adjust this technique for flatulence on board).

Ask your instructors for advise tomorrow as well. The jumps get much more fun after AFF5.

[Andy9o8 2]

A lot of people will give you a stock answer: "Relax". That means both in mind and in body, since a relaxed body will give you stability, while a stiff body...usually won't.

Having said that, I can tell you that when I was having stability problems as a student, I thought "relax" and "don't get tense" was the most useless advice I could be given. It was like telling me,"don't think of a purple giraffe."

For me, before I was able to relax my body, I had to learn to relax my mind. The fear factor, as well as sensory overload, obviously makes that a challenge. The way I learned to relax my mind - which meant to lessen my fear factor - was to jump frequently, without too long of a break between jumps. (Which was a lot less expensive back then than it is for you now.) The idea is that as the mind acclimates to the foreign environment, the sensory overload dissipates. Once I learned to relax my mind, my body learned to relax as an after-effect, and that cured my stability problems.

[Reginald 0]

>Home DZ: Perris Valley

Go spend 5 minutes in that big, loud, tall thing in the parking lot on your right when you drive in. I had stability problems as a student until I spent a little time in a wind tunnel. It let me realize that I can control my body which allowed me to relax.

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[firstime 0]

look up at the plane... it works but don't look up for a long period of time then look down and around

[Bradley77 0]

On my AFF 6 - first rear dive out exit and first unassisted exit I flipped over 4 times in the air until I gained stability. My instructor said he was just about to come after me to assist until I gained stability.

I've since done two more rear dive exits. I flip over more slowly now and only do a single flip before landing on my belly in a stable position.

The entire key for me was to ARCH...and I mean really ARCH. On my first dive exit I only stabilized because I made myself arch.....I could feel myself arching hard. My instructor said he could see me arch after the 4th flip. But before that he said I was stiff as a board...lol.

Arching hard was the key for me. Once I am on my belly I am very stable including flips and barrel-rolls. But that AFF 6 exit really taught me something. But I dove out on my solo dive an it all went fine...except for the off landing but that is another story.

And if I relax I sort of dearch.....so I just arch! It really works.

Damn, this is fun!

[jeremy556 0]

On a diving exit, stick your arms out, and pull your legs in, feet almost to your butt and arch hard and you can avoid the flips.

[JoeG 0]

On my AFF 5 jump, I was unstable for probably 10 seconds until I arched like crazy. I had to say it in my head, ARCH (expletive deleted) ARCH!! After that it was a good jump.

Besides that, if you can, jump more often. I agree with other posts here that you need to aclimate yourself to the freefall environment.

C'mon now! its just falling out of a plane!

Also, don't think of it as you "failed" your AFF 5 jump. You learned on that jump, right? You are just doing it again to perfect your technique.

Let us know how your AFF5.5 jump goes. I am sure you will do well. Heck, if I could pass AFF anybody can.

_________________________________________
"Knowledge is Power!"

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

Also, don't think of it as you "failed" your AFF 5 jump. You learned on that jump, right? You are just doing it again to perfect your technique.

I think it's best to have a 'fuck up' dive during the learning process - of course, I had many of them! But it's nice to experience that sort of stress with the potential to cause panic when not alone.

[Hayfield 0]

Everybody always says arch! They are right. How do you remember to arch and not be stiff? I was told to remember to breathe in freefall. Think about breathing in and out as you exit and you wont hold your breath and be stiff. Breathing is the key to relaxing which is the key to a good arch.
But as always: Take any real questions to your instructors!
Oh yeah, above all, remember this is supposed to be fun!

"Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!"
-Crusty Old Pete

[AFFI 0]

Ummmm, how about talking to your instructor?

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[rslavick 0]

hey guy, thanks for your help. In particularly Reginald, Andy9o8, and jeremy556.

I did 5 minutes in the wind tunnel in the morning then my jump afterwards. Everything went great!!

you're right, its all in the head. i'm going to be back out in parris sunday morning for aff no. 6. - i hope to meet a few of you, and please keep sending the advice, everyone is so helpful in this sport i now see why its called the worlds largest fraternity.

Thanks again!!! - Ron