What You Must Know Before Your First Skydive
Nervous? Anxious? Excited? Completely filled with dread?! Not to worry! We’re here to give you a list of things that will help you successfully complete your first ever skydive.
Let’s face it, you’re most likely experiencing a complex concoction of all the aforementioned emotions if you’re thinking of taking your first ever skydive.
There’s no question about it - no matter who you are, the prospect of jumping out of a plane at 12,000 feet can be extremely daunting.
But have no fear, we’re here to reassure you that plummeting through the heavens at over 200 kilometres per hour is one of the most rewarding things you can ever do!
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of must-know tips before making that all-important leap of faith.
Tip #1: Choose A Clear Day
This tip may seem obvious, but trust us, it makes all the difference, especially if it’s going to be your first ever skydiving experience.
While you’re thousands of feet in the air, you want to be able to take in all the surroundings from your vantage point, especially if you’re taking your first jump in places with stunning mountain scenery.
To get the most out your first experience, it’s important that you follow this step, as you may only do this once. So, make sure to choose a day that you know will be clear and sunny (most likely during summer) to take full advantage of your first skydive.
Tip #2: Sleep Well
Before any big challenge, getting a sufficient amount of rest is a critical component to you feeling at your best.
If you’re fretting over your decision the night before this can really affect your overall experience, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to relax before heading to bed to ensure you’ll be both mentally and physically prepared for your skydive.
Tip #3: Eat Light
Although some of you may feel that comfort eating may be a good way to quench those nerves, trying to digest a 3-course meal whilst falling at 200km isn't going to work out well.
We highly recommend that you eat a light meal a few hours before your jump to ensure you don’t feel queasy during your descent. Try having a nutritious salad, or choose from our list of select quick and healthy meals that you can easily prepare a few hours before your skydive.
Tip #4: Wear Comfy Clothes
When arriving at the skydive centre, you’ll be equipped with the essential uniform for your jump. This includes the standard overalls, goggles, and sometimes a hat.
Remember, as you'll be wearing your overalls on top of your current clothing, it's important you choose something that's comfy and well-fitting. We recommend wearing a pair of joggers, a t-shirt, and a comfortable pair of tight-fitting trainers.
Tip #5: Relax & Breathe
The nerves and anticipation may be taking over, but don’t let your own mind mislead you. These feelings are perfectly natural, but and it’s important that you’re able to keep them in check.
Whilst on your way to the skydive centre, sitting in the waiting room, or during your ascent, remember to acknowledge your initial feelings, accept them, and begin to breathe. Breathing techniques, such as the 5-5-5 methods, where you breathe in for a count of 5 seconds, hold for 5, and release for 5, can significantly reduce the side effects of any negative emotion, helping to lower your cortisol levels, and keep a clear head allowing you to fully enjoy the whole experience.
Tip #6: Hire A Camera
You may not want to fork out the extra cash, but paying for a dedicated cameraman to capture your first experience on film is one of the best investments you can make.
Depending on where you're choosing to take your skydive, the options for videos and photos may differ - some places may only provide you with a GoPro to record your jump instead of a dedicated cameraman. Even if this is the case, it would still be worth the investment. The price may also differ depending on the skydiving centre, but can be anywhere between $100-$200.
Bear in mind that you may only want to skydive once in your entire lifetime, so paying up for the videos and pictures of your descent will be entirely worth it!
Depending on where you're choosing to take your skydive, the options for videos and photos may differ - some places may only provide you with a GoPro to record your jump instead of a dedicated cameraman. Even if this is the case, it would still be worth the investment. The price may also differ depending on the skydiving centre, but can be anywhere between $100-$200.
Bear in mind that you may only want to skydive once in your entire lifetime, so paying up for the videos and pictures of your descent will be entirely worth it!
Tip #7: Keep Your Eyes Open!
Now, this is a big one for those of you who will become understandably overwhelmed. It’s all too easy to close you shut your eyes tight before plummeting towards the earth, pretending that none of it is actually happening. Don’t do it!
You want to be able to take in the whole experience, from the take-off to your first ever freefall. We can’t stress enough how important it is to keep your eyes open - remember, this could be a once in a lifetime event, so make sure your eyes stay open for you to take it all in!
Tip #8: Try A Windtunnel
This may be a good step for those of you who want to experience the thrill of a skydive, without the added pressure of falling from over 10,000 feet.
Sometimes referred to as “Bodyflight” centres, these vertical wind tunnels will propel you up, down, and suspend you in the air, simulating the skydiving experience. This is the perfect solution for anyone considering booking their first skydive, allowing them to get a feel for the experience without the added fear factor.
Check out our article on indoor and outdoor skydiving.
Tip #9: Watch Footage Of Other People’s Experience
Watching the camera footage of other people's skydiving experience will help give you a full picture of what your first jump is going to be like.
Your skydiving centre is likely going to have a screen in their office showing previous jumps, but if you’re keen to do so, we recommend checking out some footage online. Make a few YouTube searches and you’ll soon find videos showing what others experience during their first skydive, helping you familiarise yourself with the event in advance, and hopefully eases easing your mind prior to your first experience.
Your skydiving centre is likely going to have a screen in their office showing previous jumps, but if you’re keen to do so, we recommend checking out some footage online. Make a few YouTube searches and you’ll soon find videos showing what others experience during their first skydive, helping you familiarise yourself with the event in advance, and hopefully eases easing your mind prior to your first experience.
Tip #10: Visualisation
This tip goes hand-in-hand with the previous recommendation. Visualisation boasts many major benefits and is frequently used by professional athletes to help dramatically improve their performances.
After watching footage of other people's skydiving experiences, close your eyes and build a clear image in your mind of what your first skydive may be like. Imagine the feeling of your initial jump, the freefall, the views you may see, the parachute pull, all the way down to the final landing. Replaying this visualisation will help you get used to the emotions you may experience and will help you feel prepared for your jump.
If you have access to a VR device, we highly recommend utilising it to your full advantage, as there are plenty of skydiving videos which have been specifically created and optimised for virtual reality gadgets.
Bonus Tips:
Interlock hands: If you’re finding it difficult to breathe during your freefall, try interlocking your fingers, and placing your hands, palms down, just underneath your mouth. This will help to stop the rush of wind inhibiting your ability to breathe.
Use arms and hands to spin: Whilst in freefall, you can position your hands and arms, allowing you to spin left and right. This will be key if you want to take in all of the views during your descent. Try placing one arm higher and one arm lower, tilting your body in the direction you want to spin. Likewise, with your hands, you can tilt them 90 degrees, either left or right, to help you rotate.
You may currently be facing a huge array of emotions, especially if you’re soon going to be making your first freefall soon. However, we can assure you that it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your lifetime, so take on board all of the tips we’ve provided in order to make sure you get the most out of your first skydive!
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Lewis is a U.K. Based writer, with a huge passion for music, travel, health, fitness, finance, and self-development. He truly believes that the pen is mightier than the sword and wants to utilize his passion for writing to help empower people with information that could help them greatly improve their lives and the world around them.