What Jump Did The Nerves Go Away

[ypelchat 0]

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I could have written this myself! It's just the way I feel, when I jump.

Super, then we need to get together and do some skydives.

I'd love to!



Yves.

[betzilla 56]

As a student, the more that was expected of me on each jump, the more nervous I would get. But it also made me more excited. At 50 jumps, I think it was 30 jumps where I realized I actually WAS self-sufficient, as opposed to just being unsupervised.
I found then, and still do, that the more frequently I jump, the less nervous I get. The first jump of any day, I tend to be a little edgy and over-cautious. Of course once the door opens, all the nerves vanish, and it's like riding a bike (but much more fun)...

I was so scared after my first winter lay-off, that I drove to the DZ, drove right past it (seeing canopies in the air) and back home again. Twice.

[bodypilot90 0]

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The "I could easily ride this plane back down" kinda nervous went away for me around 50 jumps. I still have to make the butterflies fly in formation if I haven't jumped for a month or so, or if I'm doing something new/different/big.

what lisa said

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Can't say...
I think that's why we all do this..for the adrenalin rush. If you're not a little nervous, you need serious counseling! That's what keeps you focused and ready for the Plan B..cutaway and pull reserve, right?

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[Reginald 0]

Interesting question. I've only got 12 jumps but #12 was the first time I could breath normally (or close to it) in the plane.

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

[AdD 1]

Jump #2, cool as the flip side of a pillow.

Life is ez
On the dz
Every jumper's dream
3 rigs and an airstream

[steve1 5]

I've heard the magic number is 100, but this depends a lot on the individual. I remember having a couple hundred jumps in the old days and having major butterflies. I've only got a hair better than 600 jumps now and there just isn't much fear involved. It's just really really fun. Even after a long winter lay-off, I enjoy that first jump back. But, yes, I still remember those first few, terror filled jumps. I just refused to wimp out and kept coming back for more. After about ten jumps I started to enjoy the adrenaline rush it gave me. Thirty years later I'm still hooked.....Steve1

[Zoso 2]

50 jumps was the magic mark for me.

Before that I was asking lots of people the same question. More than one mentioned getting diarrhea on jump days. That made me realize that my bowels got a little "loose" on jump days too. I'd always get nervous right as I turned into the town the dropzone is in. I'd ask myself the classic question in the plane - "Why am I doing this?"

After about 50 jumps that kind of nervousness went away. I've loved almost every jump but my enjoyment definately has gone up now that I'm not nervous like that any more.

I still do and always will get very keyed up if I'm under pressure to execute something I don't have mastered.

[champu 1]

yes, definitely rid of the "holy crap I'm jumping out a plane" butterflies, but they left behind the "gee I hope I don't funnel the exit or crash into the base sending everyone to opposite ends of the sky" butterflies

[sdgregory 0]

I have 22 jumps and come to think of it, there is about 30-60 seconds when we hit about 11,000 that I feel nerves kick in. Once that door is open though . . . watch out cause here I come!

[Lee03 0]

Don't think they ever go away. I've talked to allot of jumpers, everyone says the same thing, it the day ever comes where I'm not just a little nervous before I jump, that is the day I'll hang it up for good. I believe that

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To put your life in danger from time to time ... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities.

--Nevil Shute, Slide Rule

[jumpinfarmer 0]

i've made 22 ju7mps so far and noticed that on the last few i wasn't nervous.the first few were bad i always wondered what i was doing in the plane,until i exited, then i knew why i was there.as soon as i landed i couldn't whait to go again,and the second jump of the day is always less nerve racking.

[Brian425 0]

They have not gone away yet. I still sit there and wonder what the hell am I doing. The fear goes away as soon as I leave the plane. It's strange I would have expected it to be the exact opposite.

I hate the ride up. I asked a guy next to me on the way up if he still get a little nervous. He smiled and said yes. Then he smiled more and said he was a little nervous right now and farted. I have to admit I never go out the door so quick. I spotted, got in the door and was gone!!! Fresh air was neverr so nice.

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

[ZoneRat 0]

I got some false confidence at about 15 jumps. I started getting nervous again after about 50. Had 3 close calls, each about a month apart from one another and considered dropping the sport. Decided to wait and see if they were anomolies. Seems that they were...

I still amp when trying the unfamiliar. Night jumps get to me. New DZ's always rattle me for a jump or two. Anytime I can't quite lock in the dirt dive, I get over amped. The time I forgot to wear my altimeter I got nervy. CReW jumps felt like my first skydive all over again.

Here's a tip for younger jumpers:
I am really really glad I resisted the urge to buy a fully elliptical canopy early on. Someone wanted to sell me a stilleto at about 100 jumps, but I just didn't feel right about it. I spent a lot more money on a new, medium performance 9-cell instead. Very glad I did.

It's a very comforting feeling knowing that when I'm on a short call, I can pack fast, with half my stow- bands looking about to break and even if there are line twists or whatever, I'll likely have a nice, slowly opening, fully inflated canopy up there giving me time to solve problems.

One less thing to get nervy about.

“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies.”

[daveb 1]

I was pretty nervous in round 10 at Nationals....

I still get somewhat nervous after a break of longer than three weeks without jumping, or if I'm doing something out-of-profile like a hop-n-pop, high-altitude, or night jump. It goes away much quicker now (1800 jumps) than it used to, but really, if you stop to *think* about what you're about to do, it should give you pause. It's normal, and it's healthy...to a point.

[freefaller76 0]

I just started this summer and I must say that every jump still makes me nervous. I have about 30 jumps in total. I find that I get really nervous in the plane but once the door opens I'm fine (too late to turn back!). It's probably good to be nervous. You're more likely to be cautious when you are nervous about it. I think that little bit of fear each time I jump makes me respect the sport that much more....

[crwmike 0]

Interesting question.

I started feeling relatively relaxed around jump #9. Then, on jump #31, was filled with a sense of fear and dread that almost got me. Got over that and enjoyed a bunch of jumps but two or three more times till somewhere around 300 jumps, I would get this strange feeling of dread (this is the jump that;s going to kill me kind of thing).

After almost 30 years of skydiving and talking to others, this seems quite typical. You get over the fear, it comes back, you get over it ...it comes back. What cues it? I don't know. My fear reoccurance jumps were nothing special ...aside from the fear, that is.

I've trained a few thousand students. Occasionally, you get someone who says they feel no fear what so ever. These people made me nervous. I felt they did not appreciate and respect what they were doing. Of the ones that continued and I kept track of ...my suspicions were confirmed. Two are dead, one will spend the rest of his life moving laboriously with a walker. I will admit, one other is still around, still skydiving and doing well.

BSBD,

Michael

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I'm curious, on what jump did you really notice that you weren't nearly as nervous as you once had been before, or did your nerves just sorta tapper off over the course of time?

I've only made five jumps, and I (as does most any student), get pretty nervous before each jump, and I wanna know when that's gonna go away.
Thanks.

-Kramer

[LearningTOfly 0]

When you guys talk about nerves...is the fear that of leaving the aircraft...or the possible end result of a very unlucky day?...I just turned 18 and have done one tandem (even went out with a smile on my face)...but that was when I was young and dumb(er)...now, after some research...I'm more...concerned...I mean, just the mention of a d-mal has me re-contemplating getting into the sport. I have had some experience packing (summer job)...packed student gear and tandems...but I'm not sure that I trust my self to 'save my own life'...I could go on, but I'm getting off topic.... any respose is greatly appreciated. -Thanks

[desertsky 0]

I don't ever remember feeling "nervous" - even on my first jump. But, I have to say that I didn't start really feeling relaxed and comfy - and much more aware of everything going on around me, until close to a hundred jumps.

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lookin' for that old time, friendly, club-like dz

[jumpinfarmer 0]

I've thought a lot about it, everything that can go wrong. The way I look at it I know a lot of people that have been hurt or worse killed doing anything but skydiving. That doesn't make it any safer but you get the point. You need to learn all you can that will help to build confidence, and plant your emergency procedures in your head.

[SAMPLEKSample 0]

i just did #200, and i was more nervous than the tandem, and my friend has almost 800 and still gets nervous....

[towerrat 0]

*** I was completely confident when I got out there, I was very aware or altitude, and my awareness of surroundings came with time and is still increasing every jump

[McDuck 0]

You know, I've only got 46 jumps in, but all my instructors say the same thing: The day you're no longer nervous at all before each dive is the day you should take up bowling instead. At that point, you're a danger to yourself and others. Nerves are good, they make you THINK about everything several times to make sure you have it correct in your head.

Kevin - Sonic Beef #5 - OrFun #28
"I never take myself too seriously, 'cuz everybody know fat birds don't fly." - FLC
Online communities: proof that people never mature much past high school.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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*** I was completely confident when I got out there, I was very aware or altitude, and my awareness of surroundings came with time and is still increasing every jump

Do you know what confidence is? It's that cocky feeling you get right before you get knocked down.