Why do we skydive? Who will ever understand the beauty, the
freedom, the rush but someone who has been there?
Why Do People Skydive?
Lori Steffen
Skydivers - Most people say we're crazy. Some say we have a death
wish. Psychologists say people with an inclination to take high
risks are a necessary part of the continuation of our species.
We are people from all walks of life. Students, blue-collar
workers, engineers, doctors, nurses, you name it. What we have in
common is an infinity for a high-risk sport, skydiving. Some also
participate in other sports like scuba diving, kayaking, rock
climbing, skiing. There is a sense of camaraderie among us. A
sense that we understand a greater truth that is missed by most
people.
Mentally it is an incredibly refreshing break from "society".
Skydiving is a super stress reliever. When you are skydiving, you
focus on that skydive and nothing else. This keeps away all the
distractions of life. No room for stray thoughts or worries here.
The intense focus and the pump of adrenaline leave you feeling
mentally and physically cleansed.
And yes, the adrenaline is no doubt a part of it. Your body
responds to the rush of adrenaline into it, bringing with it a
sense of excitement and a surge of energy. Our human bodies are
made to produce adrenaline as a survival mechanism and it is
being regarded more and more as a necessary part of the human
experience and overall health. Something any skydiver could have
already told you a long time ago.
Stepping out the door of a flying airplane has other benefits
too. It makes you mentally tough. It takes a lot of mind control
to go against what you have been taught about danger since a
child, get a hold of your thoughts, and realize that yes, it is
okay to step out that door. You acquire an increased awareness of
all that is around you. You develop a confidence in yourself and
a quick response as events happen around you. The sense of
accomplishment is incredible. Knowing you met your fear, took
control, and pushed yourself to take that step flows over into
other parts of your life.
When I did my first skydive a group of us from work went. I
organized the outing. Everyone had a blast but I was the only
person who did more than one jump. Later, in talking with one of
the guys in the group he said to me - I know that whatever I face
in life, I can remember that I went up in that plane and did a
skydive. If I can summon the courage to do that, I can do
anything. It was great.
Okay, so enough of the psychobabble mumbo jumbo. What is the
sensation? When you step out the door of a flying airplane you
are in freefall until the parachute is deployed. Most skydives
are done from around 10,000 ft. to 14,000 ft. providing the
skydiver anywhere from 30 seconds to 70 seconds of freefall time.
Stick your arm out the window of a car doing 60 mph then imagine
your whole body out there going twice as fast - then you start to
get a little of the idea of what skydiving feels like.
No one I've ever talked to has been able to put into words the
sensation of skydiving. Even asking first time jumpers - is there
any way to describe what you just did - only elicits a wide-eyed,
grinning, no way.
Freefall is such a stupendous sense of freedom. You are flying
through the air, able to move your body in 3D. You can fly
forward, back-up, move sideways, speed up how fast you are
falling and slow down how fast you are falling. Yes, you are
continually falling. But during that time you are definitely
flying your body. You can do flips and twists. You can stand on
your feet or stand on your head. There are absolutely no limits
as to which direction you can move your body.
And let there be no doubt - there is not a plane around that can
give you the same view. What an awesome sight to view 360 degrees
around you - the sky, the horizon, the incredible beauty of the
world, right there for you to see with no obstructions. To feel
you are a part of that sky.
The parachute flies like a glider; responding to the pilot's
input and slicing you through the sky. It can be flown slowly and
smoothly or fast and wild. But either way, with correct pilot
input, it would bring you safely and softly to landing on the
earth.
Why do we skydive? Who will ever understand the beauty, the
freedom, the rush but someone who has been there? Truly, the sky
is our playground.
Lori Steffen is an experienced skydiver who has won two medals in
USA national skydiving championships, both in freestyle
skydiving. Visit our site devoted to tandem sky diving at
http://www.tandemskydivinginfo.com
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