What Kind Of Tips Can You Give A First Time Skydiver?
Woohoo, now that you’re thinking of taking a leap of faith towards one of the best experiences of your LIFE, here’s the inside track from our seasoned skydiving professionals on how to prepare for this milestone event to make it even more spectacular!
Nine Pro Tips for First-Time Skydivers
Relax Your Body and Your Mind
We get it. Anticipating your first skydive can be nerve-wracking, but you don’t want any anxieties or fear to get in the way of all the awesomeness. Trust us, you won’t feel out of control and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. Try and calm the jitters by taking long, deep, slow breaths and do some basic stretching exercises to loosen up your limbs.
Wear Appropriate Clothing
Keep things simple and comfortable – with no strings attached. Anything loose and dangly will flap around and may hurt you or even get pulled off by the wind (after all, you are freefalling at around 200km per hour!) Fully enclosed sneakers that fit your feet snugly, stretchy active wear, jeans or tracksuit pants (why do you think loose-fitting pants have the name ‘parachute’ pants huh?!) plus some tight-ish layers for the top are the best options.
If you want more info on what to wear when you go skydiving, have a read of this article.
Eat Like a Champ
Fuel up for this adrenalin ride, but don’t overdo it. A moderately-sized meal a few hours beforehand is great, but if you’re feeling too nervous to eat, grab a couple of muesli bars or a nutritious fruit smoothie. The important thing here is to eat something – even a banana – because skydiving on an empty stomach isn’t ideal. A good tip is to bring some snacks with you to nibble on at the airfield before you jump.
Hydrate Adequately
You don’t want to overdo your liquid intake, but a decent level of hydration in the hours before you jump is important. Pre-jump nerves may mean you sweat a little extra, so it’s good to keep your fluids (non alcoholic of course) up in the lead-up to the jump.
Aim for a Good Night’s Sleep
We know how tempting it is to share the excitement and anticipation with mates, but having too much of a good time before you jump isn’t recommended. Try and get a decent night’s sleep so you’re in peak condition for the experience of a lifetime. You can celebrate your achievement afterwards!
Visit the Bathroom Before You Suit Up
Nature can come calling at the most inopportune time and you want to try and avoid having to unravel your gear once you’ve been harnessed up for your jump. Having said that, our instructors are very understanding of all situations and will go out of their way to make sure that everyone is 100% comfortable before they get on the plane.
Be Like a Banana
Again, your experienced instructors will give you the low-down on what to expect and what to do, but a good tip when you’re airborne is to push your pelvis forward, extend your arms down to your sides and keep your chin in a high position with your eyes to the horizon. Arching your body like a banana allows for a stable freefall.
Lift Your Legs Before Landing
Picture yourself landing with your legs bent up towards you. Of course, full training will be given before you climb on the plane and your instructor will provide a comprehensive explanation on what to do ahead of the landing. Remember, you will also be able to hear them speak when you’re floating gently back to your beautiful beach landing zone too, so you’ll have plenty of reminders.
Sign Up for the Photo Package
This is a priceless moment – one you’ll never forget and one which you’ll want to share with friends and family forever. It’s your choice, but anyone who’s skydived before will say that the photo and video package was worth every cent!
Good to Know
Nothing can really prepare a first-time skydiver for the ultimate thrill they are about to have. Yes, you can read the hype, watch the videos and listen to other people’s stories, but until you’ve personally experienced the mind-blowing multi-sensory adrenalin rush for yourself, there’s no knowing the full story.
These tips will help any first-timer get the most out of this momentous occasion and will help prepare you for the time of your life! For even more info on preparing for your jump, take time to read Skydiving Perth WA – Preparing for Your Rottnest Island Tandem Skydive
Book your Rottnest skydive today. Our friendly and highly experienced team at Skydive Geronimo will be right behind you every mindblowing minute of your sky-high adrenalin rush over what is arguably the most spectacular beach landing zone in Australia.
