Nervous About Skydiving? Here Are Our Top 6 Tips!

If you are considering – or have already booked – that first skydive, you’re probably feeling uncertain about the unknowns. It’s completely normal to be nervous about skydiving. In fact, NOT being nervous is what should make you worry! Skydiving with anxiety is something that every single skydiver, new and experienced, knows something about. You’re jumping out of an airplane mid-flight, for Pete’s sake!

We get it. You’ve got the jitters. A big factor in getting yourself to the dropzone and into that airplane is to be well informed. Here are our top 7 tips for skydiving for the first time, anxiety, and making your day at the dropzone as relaxed as it can possibly be.

1. Practice Self Care

Everyone has personal techniques and habits for dealing with nerves and stress – trust that you know how to take care of yourself best, and employ those tactics the day of your jump. But there are certain tried and true methods that you can include in your prep for the big day.

It’s extremely important to show up to the dropzone hydrated and well rested. Make sure you’ve eaten something, and pack snacks and water. Wear comfy, athletic clothing appropriate for the weather that you can easily move around in.

You can also decide before the big day if you want to purchase photos and/or a video package to relive and share your adventure so you don’t have to make that decision at the dropzone. (But don’t worry, you can also add a media package when you get to the dropzone.) And, if it helps, rally a team of friends and family to support you or, even better, have them jump with you!

Take some time to visualize your jump going well and how much you’re going to love the experience – you’ll be surprised at the power of your brain in high stress moments like this!

2. Visit the Dropzone

If you have never been to a dropzone or seen real-life skydivers in action, make the time to visit before your jump. Take in the layout and the general area, see all of the people enjoying themselves, and get an idea of the flow of a regular jump day.

If possible, spend some time at the dropzone a few weekends ahead of your jump. Being a spectator is a great way to understand that EVERYONE is nervous on their first jump. Watching the tandem skydivers getting ready as they load into the plane will help you understand some of what you will be experiencing. Even better is seeing those tandems come in for landing and feeling the shared sense of celebration and excitement on the field. That will be YOU, celebrating in just a few days or weeks!

Sometimes, just finding the location is the biggest hurdle when it comes to trying new things. Long Island Skydiving Center happens to be super easy to access – here are directions.

3. Review the Risks of Skydiving

Probably the biggest source of skydiving related anxiety for most people is the risk associated with jumping out of an airplane. That’s just natural human self preservation at work, and will actually help you make good decisions about your skydive, so use it to your advantage.

Take the time to research skydiving statistics and compare them to other things you do in your  normal life, like driving. You’ll quickly realize that the statistics are on your side for a successful and awesome experience.

Something to keep in mind is that there will be a lot of forms to fill out when you first arrive at the dropzone. Some of them might make you want to reconsider your jump. Yes, there are risks. And you will be asked to sign your name to acknowledge that you accept the risks of jumping out of an airplane. Comfort yourself with the research you’ve done and the reality that skydiving goes on all day, every day, all over the world. 

If you have questions or concerns, just ask. And if you decide skydiving is not for you after all, that’s OK too. No pressure. This is your journey.

4. Watch Tandem Skydiving Videos

In addition to visiting the dropzone and researching statistics, you can familiarize yourself further by watching videos of other people’s experiences. Make an effort to fill some of your spare time with fun videos of skydivers doing their first tandem jump and you’ll notice that your mindset will begin to change.
Leading up to your first jump, you can only imagine yourself in those scenarios. Videos help you visualize what the experience will be like – and help you calm the jitters by being in the know. There are lots of YouTube videos out there for your viewing pleasure (a bunch of them on our YouTube Channel), so dig in!

It also helps to read reviews from people who have jumped before so you can get an inside scoop on how much they loved the experience. 

5. Ask Questions

Dropzones are in the business of creating unforgettable experiences. We know you likely have zero bandwidth for understanding the regulations around skydiving, the gear, suits, and planes. You’ve got a lot on your plate already! 

But we still want to make sure you understand the process and feel as comfortable as you can about your skydive. Your first tandem skydive is designed to be a welcoming and exhilarating learning experience for you. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if something is not clear or you are just curious to know more. This is our job, and we love what we do! We want nothing more than to share our passion with you, and asking questions is the best way to connect over a shared love of the sky. 

6. Trust That Your Skydiving Instructor Cares

Tandem instructors have jumped more than 500 times (and often thousands of times), and they have a real passion for sharing this extraordinary experience. Remember that your instructor is there for you. Their entire focus is on your individual and positive experience. It’s your instructor’s job to make sure you feel completely prepared and secure before, during, and after exiting the plane and landing back on the ground.

So take a deep breath and feel the nervous tension melt away. Know some awesome human has your back (literally!). Take a second to acknowledge the intensity of this new experience and then just live the moment.

If you are ready to book your skydive or have any questions about your upcoming skydive feel free to contact us today! Blue skies!