Standard Rodeo Trick

The rodeo trick is a great trick for beginners to attempt when they are trying to gain experience and confidence (or just when they really want to have some fun!) It can be done at any skydiving level and is a wonderful way to explore the great things that skydiving has to offer. The rodeo requires at least two divers, although three can be even more fun. One diver will play the part of the horse and one the part of the cowboy. 

The trick can begin in the plane with the cowboy climbing onto the back of the horse just before or shortly after leaving the plane. However, the horse can be mounted during flight as well if the cowboy glides up along the side of the horse and then gets on as he would if the horse were standing up. Once on, the trick has been accomplished and not only have you just completed a trick but you’ve also experienced a little bit of fun flying!

Freestyle Diving

Many people, especially inexperienced skydivers, believe that freestyle skydiving simply means jumping out of the plane and enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing against your face. While it’s true that this is the main benefit of freestyle skydiving and something that you should definitely take some time to enjoy, going into freestyle skydiving without having at least some basic moves under your belt could mean spinning out of control or getting caught in a position that is difficult to get out of. Here are some basics that you should know before attempting the awesomeness that is freestyle skydiving.

First, you always want to practice in a skydiving tank before trying it out from a plane. These tanks are simulators that will allow you to experience what it will be like up there without any of the danger, should you make a mistake. The first position you should try to attempt is the face-down position. With this technique, the diver’s entire body is facing the ground. It’s a very stable position and easy to get in and out of. A jumpmaster may actually get you into a position where you start to lose control so that you will be able to regain control in the air should that happen. If you don’t actually practice it in the tank, prepare yourself simply by talking it through with the instructor and visualizing it in your head so you won’t panic in the air. If you feel confident enough to get really fancy, try doing a back loop. You can do this by lying on your back and then slowly turning your head and body backward. Don’t worry if you only make it halfway through the loop, it’s still a freestyle skydiving move!

Standup Surfing

Whether you are just starting out in skydiving or have been doing it for some time, it is always fun to try new tricks and standup surfing is one that is the very most fun to try. To attempt standup surfing, you must first be able to hold a standup position while in freefall mode on your own. You can then attempt to try it on someone’s back or belly, whichever gives you the most kicks!

The hardest part about completing a standup surfing position is to get on the platform, which would be your partner. The important thing is that when you start out in position, you are both belly-down with the surfer about 3 feet above the platform. Once you are ready to complete the position, the platform can gently spread their arms and legs and point them up while the surfer points their toe until it hovers above the point of the back or belly that they want to maintain the position. They can then slowly allow the rest of their body to enter the platform’s gurgle.

Skydiving Myths

Besides the actual fear of chutes not opening, or simply facing the fear of moving through the air so quickly at such heights, many people choose not to partake in skydiving simply because of things they have heard about the extreme sport, most of which is not true. Here are some of those myths and the truth behind them.

1.) You can’t breathe while freefalling. While the sheer beauty may take your breath away for a few seconds, you can absolutely breathe during freefall.

2.) Having a conversation during freefall is possible. This is not possible as you are simply moving too quickly and the wind is too loud to be able to hear anything else.

3.) You can hold onto somoene with an open chute and land safely. The person with the open chute will land safely but the body jerks a lot when the chute opens and the person hanging on would be thrown off.

4.) Freefalls take about 5 minutes. Freefalls actually only last about 35 seconds due to the fact that skydive planes don’t travel high enough for anything else.

Knee Positions

Some may wonder why you would ever want to fly through the air on your knees but for beginners who want to get comfortable not only being in the air but doing cool stuff while you’re up there, this is a great, easy trick to begin with. Being on your knees also allows you more control as your knees actually provide a surface for the wind and allows you to move just about wherever you want to go!

To get into knee-flying position, hold your torso straight up with your knees slightly bent. Make sure that your thighs are almost horizontal to the ground and that the knees are spread almost as far apart as you can get them. Your knees should be tucked back far enough to almost touch your rear or they can be spread out by your thighs, whichever is easiest. Keeping your arms outstretched or up in the air will help with balance and again, it’s whatever’s most comfortable.

When getting into the knee position from the air, try to pull the torso vertical to the ground and think about something pulling you up from your arms. Don’t lean too far into the wind as this will cause you to fall backward. To change direction, point your knees in the direction you want to go and pull your torso in the opposite direction. It may take a few tries but you’ll get the hang of it and will soon have mastered a new skydiving trick!

Cherish the Memories

There are some things in life that only happen once and although they are truly unforgettable experiences, you want to get them down on film so that you can truly cherish the memory forever. Skydiving is one such experience and not only is having your first jump videotaped doable, it’s completely encouraged by most sites that provide skydiving jumps, especially the places that serve clientele that are mostly coming for a once-in-a-lifetime experience rather than clientele that do it as a regular hobby.

There are generally two types of videos offered and the site you jump from may offer one or both. One video includes on-ground interviews before and after the jump and videotapes you from the ground as you jump and then land in a group of all your friends and family. The second type of video requires that the videographer jump with you and they have a special camera that can tape you in the air. Whichever you choose will depend on your own preferences but this is definitely a great way to always have something to remember such a great experience with!

Go! Sports Skydiving

The game Go! Sports Skydiving brought by Playstation 3 this past February has been getting rave reviews ever since its release. This game allows one to experience just about everything you can with skydiving including group formations, battle modes, solo jumps, team match, and landing techniques! There are so many ways to play this awesome game including four different ways to play online and two different ways to play offline. The graphics in this game are truly incredible and not only are the colors vibrant but the detail is so great that, combined with the rushing feeling you get only when jumping, you will truly feel as though you’re falling through the air!

The Very First Skydiving

Although many think that skydiving began during World War II, it’s history can actually be dated back to a much earlier time than this. It was in twelfth century China that the very first documentation of skydiving was recorded. Of course, the lack of planes made it impossible for this form of skydiving to be thought of as what we know of it today but there’s evidence that groups of people would at this time form themselves in a fashion that would allow them to fall safely to the ground. Leonardo da Vinci, among all of his other famous work, was also known for creating the first design of a parachute. The parachute that he had designed showed a wooden design.

Skydiving is a sport that is constantly evolving as enthusiasts and skydiving manufacturers continue to make great advancements. One has to wonder after considering these early forms of skydiving how long it will take for our descendants to consider our equipment and methods ancient?

Skydiving and Life Insurance?

Many people who are thinking of taking up skydiving may be hesitant because if the unthinkable happens up there and they need to make sure their loved ones are covered, will their current insurance policy cover them? Well simply put, if you get the insurance before you skydive, yes it will and if you get it after you take up skydiving and didn’t disclose your hobby, most likely not. However, if you were up front with the agent about your tendency to jump out of planes, you will most likely be fine due to an addition that was most likely in your policy.

This addition, with most major insurance companies, dictates that the policy holder will pay a certain amount per year to cover the additional risk to the life insurance company. Generally this is a flat rate extra fee, usually about £100 but some companies will charge per number of times that you go skydiving in a year. What it all comes down to is making sure that if you are a skydiver looking for life insurance, be honest about your needs and situation with insurance companies and see who can give you the best deal. If you already have life insurance and want to jump out of a plane, strap on a chute and enjoy the ride!

Skydive your way to I Do!

Every couple wants their wedding ceremony to be something unique that they and their guests will remember forever. There is no better way to do this than to take the plunge into marriage by plunging through the air. A couple has a number of options when they decide to have their wedding ceremony performed this way. They may choose to have the ceremony in the airplane before they jump or they could have a land ceremony in front of a few guests before heading up into the clouds. Even couples who have never attempted skydiving before can fulfill this dream. Tandem jumps will then be taken and each person will jump with a certified instructor. Imagine how great it would be to have all your guests waiting for you on the ground while they watched you sail through the air with your new spouse to meet them at the reception site!

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