Why am I still Nervous???

[MJG 0]

Alright, on my 9th jump, level 4 AFF & five tandems, and as the days go by between actually jumping I start to get nervous....When I am in the car and put my hand out of the window....not even close....but my blood boils and I get excited, but soon I get like anxiety over the jump especially since my last landing kind of sucked....Whats weird is on the way up I will become completely relaxed by picturing my jump step by step in my head, and I will execute it that way and have an awesome time...its just not doing that I freak out....Any Ideas, comforting words or nasty remarks are appreciated

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Im still nervous after 25...

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

[juliebird 0]

I'm also AFF 4 and I'm still nervous. I think it's normal to be nervous and maybe the answer is not in trying to make the nerves go away, but learning how to relate with them (i.e. for me, deep breaths in the plane, remembering how much fun I have, remembering it's not half as scary as I'm making it, remembering how good it feels to be in freefall). I have experienced new nerves throughout the course of what I've done so far... first I was just plain scared shitless to even jump tandem. Then tandem wasn't so scary anymore and I went for AFF1. Then I knew I could do that, but it scared me to try to move around up there. Then I was scared because they were going to let go of me. Now that I know I'm relatively stable in freefall, I feel better... but I'm scared for the next level because I know I'll only have one instructor. I think skydiving is going to continue to introduce new, scary things for a while. It's the nature of the sport. The nerves will naturally get better with time. We're still REALLY new. ;-)

[Brian425 0]

You are nervous because you are normal. I still get a little nervous on a first jump back if i have not jumped in a few weeks. Don't worry so much. It will fade.

What is strange is that most people get nervous in the door or on the ride up. You get nervous on the ground. So you are a little strange.

The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

[FrogNog 1]

When I had about 10, 15, and 25 jumps I asked every experienced jumper who visisted our DZ when this sort of thing would go away. The consensus answer I got was "it's all about how many times you get into the plane."

Some said it would take about 50 jumps, give or take. I got to 50 jumps and found I was still scared of something every time, usually at least the plane ride. But by jump 45 I loved skydiving enough that I wouldn't let the fear stop me from going out and getting in the plane again.

By jump 100 I wasn't much scared again.

By jump 200 I was sleeping in the plane.

Then I took 4 forced months off (hint: read the downsizing threads) and when I came back, I was scared of the plane ride again for 50 jumps or so.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[nate_1979 9]

I would shake in the plane ride up, SHAKE, thinking "why do I put myself through this time and time again!" as the plane went to altitude... This lasted through my 19th jump... On jump 20 something just clicked and I wasnt that scared anymore... But even today, sometimes, I get a bit nervous, not as bad, not near as often, but sometimes I get a little scared.. Untill I exit

FGF #???
I miss the sky...
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

[shall555 0]

My first skydiving instructor told me a great way to look
at this:

"Being nervous is your body's way of telling your mind to pay attention."

So, use that

shall

[hexadecimal 0]

I was nervous through most of the AFP... though more about not performing well on the jump.

I still got a little bit of door fear on my first hop&pop, and again on my first solo after I finished the AFP... but now I'm to the point where I spend most of the ride up wishing the plane was climbing faster so I could get out the door and into freefall

[demoknite 0]

I stopped being nervous after my AFF8 or so. Being nervous is healthy as you are putting yourself through something unnatural. Plus, once you convince yourself that it is safer and better regulated than most "extreme" sports you can simply enjoy yourself.

[AdrenalineBluez 0]

120+ jumps later I still get nervous. I have even gone through a stage where I could not make myself get on the plane. I think everyone deals with a certain amount of nerves when they enter the sport. Even now I still get a case of nerves every now and then. So in my short time skydiving I have rationalized the nerves and fears. They are there, they will probably always be there. However, I wont let them take the joy of flight away from me. It is mine, I earned it, and I will keep it...

Keep jumping, have fun, learn all you can every time you visit the DZ, stay focused, stay safe and sooner or later the nerves will go away, or be less invasive in your thoughts.

"Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

[kelpdiver 2]

if you're not at least a bit nervous, why would you do it? Fear is part of the package, like with other similar risk sports.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Yeah. You'll be relaxed later.

I was really relaxed before breaking my ankle.

Honestly after my last 2 reserve rides I have a bad feeling almost before every boarding of a jump-plane and its going away when I get back to the packing area after landing.

[The111 1]

Very often on the drive to the DZ, when I get close, I get butterflies in my stomach. But I think that might just be excitement or anticipation.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[rhoni_renee 0]

I can't answer this from experience. But when I did my tandem, I asked my instructor if he still got nervous. He answered "The day I don't feel a few butterflies on the ride up is the day I stop jumping. Being that complacent will get you killed."

That has stuck with me for four years and will be something I remember when I actually start jumping.

Renee

Now is the time to take possession of my life, to start the impossible, a journey to the limits of my aspirations. For the first time to step toward my loveliest dream...." -- Hugh Prather

[RumBum 0]

I have only made one jump so far, but I will compare this with SCUBA. I have been a diver for 3 years and still get anxiety sometimes while underwater. I just tell myself, "I know what I am doing, I have studied what to do if anything does go wrong, and I have taken all the necessaray safety precautions. I need to calm down." It helps me.

[MisConFit8 0]

I completely agree with this. When I began, 2 months ago, I was so afraid to get in the door - partly due to an EXTREME case of "fear of heights" and partly because IT'S AN AIRPLANE for God sakes ... anyway, it was haunting me at all times of the night/day/work/etc. between jumps. I finally had the discussion with myself that this thing I was calling "fear" was actually why people do this. I found that once I embraced the feelings when they showed up, thinking that I was getting everything there was to this jump - even the "funny feelings", I stayed aware and there was just as much "anticipation", but not 1/2 of the "fear".

And still today, after spending 8 weeks to accomplish 50 jumps - weekends only - I will get EXTREMELY nervous on that first one of the weekend. Why? Because you are JUMPING OUT OF A MOVING PLANE ... it's not normal - it's FANTASTIC, but not normal

In any case, I think the resounding tone is that it is normal ... you are feeling just how you are supposed to ... learn to enjoy it - you'll want it back when you start feeling "normal" about jumping!

"Dream as if you'll live forever, and live as if you'll die tomorrow." James Dean

[Andy9o8 2]

Total number of jumps has a lot to do with it, but so does currency. If it's been at least a week or 2 since my last jump, I almost always feel a little bit of butterflies in the stomach on the drive over to the DZ, and a bit on the ride up on the 1st jump of the day. The rest of the day I usually don't notice it much. The more time since my last jump, the more the jitters return, and the longer they last. When I was a student, a couple times I'd arrive at the DZ, casually walk out of sight behind one of the hangars, discreetly barf a little, and then I'd be good to go the rest of the day. So you're in good company, and you'll be fine.

[jtlmd 0]

This is refreshingly honest comment and most reassuring. You are a credit to your class of jumpers (the D people) and obviously mature. Thanks.

JTL

[Reginald 0]

I still get nervous sometimes. Sometimes I just get scared. Other times I think nothing of it. I can sleep on the plane ride up on occasion and other times I spend the ride wondering what the hell I’m doing. The fear is less the more jumps I get and the calm days are more and more frequent. I don’t know that I’ll ever be totally over the anxiety. An instructor with about 10,000 jumps told me when I was a student that his heart rate still goes up in the door. Sooo, don’t think that at 5 or 10 or even 50 jumps you will be totally over it. You will probably never be over some level of fear or apprehension and if you do ever get to that point than you’re a fool. Just my opinion.

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

[Vertifly 0]

Just a thought:

In skydiving, shouldn't you get nervous if you stop getting nervous? Anxiety is not the same as fear; it is a catalyst that can save you.

[ntrprnr 0]

27, still nervous. But I think that's good. It makes me check, check, and recheck myself, my gear, my attitude. It makes me make someone else gear-check me. It makes me stop for a second before forgetting something basic, or forgetting to put on a piece of equipment.

Your brain knows what you're doing. And although it knows that everything will work out fine more than likely, it's the logical side of your brain that's saying, "I'm getting nervous because what you're making me do isn't quite normal, and I want you to use that nervous feeling to make sure you're safe."

If you weren't nervous, THEN you'd REALLY have something to be nervous about.

At least, that's how I justify my nervousness to myself. :)

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[sundevil777 102]

Quote

When I was a student, a couple times I'd arrive at the DZ, casually walk out of sight behind one of the hangars, discreetly barf a little, and then I'd be good to go the rest of the day.

Sure you barfed, we had to really want to jump to strap ourselves into that shit.

For me a big part of early nervousness was gear fear. I hated the idea of opening shock on a chest mount reserve, then the landing under a tiny little high porosity rag did not sound attractive.

To MJG:
My advise for the gear fear part of it (to whatever extent that applies for you) would be to check out the old shit to remind yourself how lucky you are, and get your own gear and/or watch the packing of a reserve by a respected rigger. Knowing your equipment can go a long way to settling nerves.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[Foggy 0]

I get nervous everytime. I teach my students that the relax signal comes in a pack of three - one for them and the other two for me
One thing I was told was that "the butterflies never leave, you just teach them to fly in formation". That probably links directly into the barfing thread

Foggy

[skydivefive 0]

It is funny that you say you get nervous in the car on the way to the DZ. I have not yet experienced 'door fear' or anything like that. By the time we get to jump run I just wanna get out and fly, since jump one....

....but in the car on the way... butterflies! Definitely depending on currency. Cheers to everyone saying that. The first couple weekends out this season I was so nervous I was shaking. I hid it well, but wow, I was nervous and anticipating and everything. But once I get to about 8K, it starts to get calm.

I haven't jumped in two weeks, and I bet the next time I get on the plane I will be scared again. It doesn't go away, it just moves to the back of your brain.

It is harder to fit the fear in when you are trying to remember how to sit fly, or the different points you are doing on the four way.

Blue ones,
Lori

It isn't what it could be, or it what it should be, it is what it is.

[mdrejhon 8]

I'm somewhat nervous of performing in front of instructors. Or landing downwind accidentally (I did once.) Or zero winders under my new Sabre 170 (This will go away with pratice, only 9 jumps on this canopy). And a little nervous when trying new things with other people in RW (I'm still a floppy bellyflyer, since my RW-specific coaching is somewhat random and opportunistic at the moment). And at 10000+ feet during the jumprun pin check, and before the door opens. The door monster used to scare me until around the jump 40's or so, but not anymore, the air now relieves me and I'm anxious to get out of the Cessna!

The airplane ride is boring. I'll yawn a few times sometimes. Solo freefall's and canopy flight don't make me nervous anymore, nor does normal landings in medium winds in an empty landing area.

I particularly enjoy canopy flight and want to do high altitude hop-and-pops more often. I'll probably enjoy freefall more once I'm invited along on hoop jumps, 20-ways, and other novelty jumps though