Trainings | Surfing Skydivers

Gearing up for Safety

Extreme sports used to be a niche market (favored primarily by thrill-seeking young adults chugging down liters of Mountain Dew and various energy drinks, if the commercials are to be believed); that’s no longer the case.

Consider that senior citizens are living longer and healthier lives and not necessarily slowing down throughout their golden years. Forget shuffleboard and bingo – let’s talk about skydiving! Or think about the professional baby boomer who just participated in a paintball tournament as part of a morale building exercise – they’ll tell you what a thrill it was.

Regardless of age, profession or status in life, you may enjoy the exhilarating allure of extreme sports. But if you do, it’s important to be prepared and come equipped with all of the safety gear you need. No matter what the sport, there is some basic gear worth investing in if you’re going to pursue an “extreme” lifestyle.

Helmets

The last thing you want to do is risk head trauma, so the first thing you’re going to need is a good, sturdy helmet. There are plenty of online retailers that can give you tips on selecting the helmet that’s right for you.

Pads

No matter the sport, the risk to get banged up exists. Elbow and knee pads are a worthy investment and can spare you some uncomfortable injuries.

Water Bottle

You don’t want to risk dehydration ruining your day, so be sure to pack a water bottle, the sturdier the better.

First Aid Kit

Any extreme sports enthusiast will tell you that being prepared is key. Make sure you have a well-stocked first aid kit available.

Filed Under: Games, Trainings Tagged With: Gearing, paintball, Safety

Things to Remember While Landing Your Skydiving Jump

Landing is one of the most important part of skydiving. If you don’t know how to properly land you could face the possibility of injury or harm to other skydivers. During your training for skydiving the skydiving instructor will go over the proper landing procedure so that your risk for injury and injury to others is minimized. Here are some things to consider when landing on your next skydiving jump so that you are prepared and know what to expect.

Landing Patterns. Before you go off for your skydiving jump your group and your skydiving instructor will go over a pattern for landing your skydiving jump. This will include jumps first as well as who lands first. It is important that you follow these guidelines as all the other skydivers will be waiting in following this predetermined pattern. This pattern ensures the safety for yourself and others.

Following the Lead of the Instructor. It is important that you pay attention to your skydiving instructor as you land because sometimes your predetermined pattern might change. Your skydiving instructor will offer you guidance as you fall and are about to land should changes need to be made.

Windy Conditions. It is important to note the weather conditions around you as you are landing. If it is windy you do not want to land in the same exact spot as the previous person. This is because the wind could take your parachute and yourself and drag you into that person which could cause injury in a collision try to find a location that is away from the person who just landed.

Filed Under: Skydiving, Trainings Tagged With: Drop zone, Parachuting, Skydiving

How to Move and Turn While Skydiving

Skydiving and freefalling are often described by those that take part in it is feeling as if they are flying are falling through the sky. Although there is no way that you could actually fly skydiving is probably the closest you’ll get to the feeling of flying. While many skydivers could fall from the sky and feel as if they’re falling straight to the ground, many skydivers like the ability to feel that they are flying. Here’s a look at how skydivers can achieve the feeling of flying by using their body during the jump.

The Turns. The skydiver has the ability to move right or left while they are falling from the sky. To do this the skydiver must assume the proper skydiving position and then slowly tilt their shoulders in the right or the left position. This will allow them to move in the direction that they indicate almost as if they are car.

Forward Motion. The skydiver has the ability to move themselves in a forward motion. This is achieved by straightening the legs out as the person is falling. The legs must be strengthened slowly and not too quickly so that the skydiver is able to maintain the speed and velocity as they fall. The arms will also be pulled from front to back almost as if it’s a swimming motion and this allows the body to move forward.

Backward Motion. The skydiver has the ability to move themselves and backward motion. This is done by bringing the legs closer to the body as if you’re tucking them in. This allows the body to have a lot of weight on the front and allows the body to be propelled backwards.

Knowing how to properly do these motions will allow you to move freely throughout the sky and feel as if you’re flying.

Filed Under: Skydiving, Trainings Tagged With: Free fall, Parachuting, Skydiving

Hand Singals Your SkyDiving Instructor Will Use

The proper body position while skydiving is important. Many skydiving schools do not allow you to skydive unless you go show that you know how to properly assume the skydiving position while jumping. This position allows you to control the speed at which you are falling and maintain a maximum velocity so that you not only have fun while skydiving but are also safe while doing it. While many begetter skydivers know how to properly assume the skydiving position sometimes while they are in the air it can be hard to keep and maintain this position. That is why many skydiving instructors as they are jumping with their begetter skydivers will show hand signals to the skydivers which will allow them to correct their position.

Here’s a look at the hand signals that many skydiving instructors will use.

Thumbs Down. The thumbs down signal indicates that you need to have more of an arch in your back or you need to push your hips further down.

The Peace Sign or Two Fingers. This is a skydiving instructor signal for legs out. This usually means that the skydiver is talking their legs too close to the body. If you see the signal you want to move your legs slowly downwards so that you are properly assuming the correct position.

Bent Two Fingers. This means that your legs are too straight and require that you bring them in to the body slowly.

Shaking the Hand. This is one of the most important hand signals your skydiving instructor will exhibit. This means that you need to relax the body as your body has a rigid format. Relaxation is crucial to your skydiving jump. When you see this signal try to and relax both the upper and lower body.

Filed Under: Skydiving, Trainings Tagged With: Parachuting, Proprioception, Skydiving

A Look at Your First Skydiving Training Course

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Before you are able to skydive you are required to take part in a training course that teaches you the basics of skydiving. These training courses are intended to ensure your safety while you are skydiving. The majority of these courses will teach you the basics of skydiving and the safety rules for skydiving so that everything will go smoothly on your first jump. If you have already decided that you are going to go skydiving here’s a look at what some of the training courses includes so you are prepared when you enter your first training session.

Medically Able To Jump. On your first training course instructors will inquire whether you are medically able to skydive. There are some things to consider about your medical conditions which allow you to decide if you’re medically able to skydive. People who have a history of heart attacks or other heart related conditions, history of blackouts or have physical disabilities may want to consider skydiving is not right for them. You will be required to sign a legal form wavering any rights and declaring that you are medically able to skydive.

Initial Training Course. There is minimal training that goes into learning how to do a tandem jump. You will learn the basic safety rules, what to do with the instructor and what to expect. If you are considering learning the harder skydiving jumps you will be required to take extra training lessons.

Choosing a Drop Zone. During your first training course you will choose which drop zone you wish to use on your skydiving jump. Many drop zones are known for their lovely views and difficulty. It is important that you take into consideration which drop zone you wish to use during your first training course. Most skydiving schools will have specified drop zone for those that are skydiving for the first time. However, some schools allow you to choose where you wish to jump for the first time.

Filed Under: Skydiving, Trainings Tagged With: Drop zone, Parachuting, Skydiving

Selecting a Skydiving School

If you are a keen skydiver and want to learn more about the sport, or are simply a beginner who needs a few lessons before your first jump, joining a skydiving school is a great way to get an education and meet people who are interested in the hobby. There are hundreds of skydiving schools across the US and picking the correct one is an important step to becoming a better skydiver.

Skydive Perris is based in California. The center provides a range of facilities for skydivers including a number of different jumps to go on and training classes. The largest turbine plane on the western coast of America also belongs to the center, while around 100,000 jumps are completed by instructors and divers every year. If you are looking to increase your number of accelerate free falls you can do so here, while any jumper completing more then 25 dives will receive an A license from the U.S Parachute Association.

Chicago has its own skydiving center with the Freefall University Skydive School. Budding jumpers can also complete their A license here, while the school boasts the largest skydive setup in the country, offering jumps of up to 18,000 feet. There is also a dedicated classroom with lessons taught by world record holder Matty Wright.

Freefall Adventures, based in New Jersey, is another excellent skydiving school offering a range of facilities for users. Over 250,000 people have learnt to skydive at the center, which also holds a world record for the largest group of people completing a tandem jump in history. The place is also an excellent facility for beginners, with a number of jumps designed for those new to the sport on offer. Divers can also have their jumps recorded by a professional cameraman.

Filed Under: Skydiving, Trainings

Safe As Skydiving

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As an extreme sport, skydiving remains top of the heap. Who can deny the thrill of a plummet from airplane altitude to the ground? Covering that much airspace is a superhuman experience, an exhilaration that thrill-seekers will recall gleefully for their whole lives.

Compared to the devil-take-all thrill of that first step out of the aircraft, the reality of skydiving is rather tame. Your fall from the sky is controlled, well-tread, and safe; your guide is an experienced professional. Altogether, there is only a 0.0003% chance that anything out of the ordinary will happen during a dive—statistically speaking, that’s a number so small that it’s hard to tell whether it’s even accurate.

A common myth among aspiring skydivers (and their concerned loved ones) is that skydiving incidents are caused by faulty equipment. According to Skydiving magazine, this is almost never the case: dangerous situations arise from ignoring the time-tested procedures of skydiving. This is good news for new and experienced divers alike. By being vigilant and following the procedure outlined by your guide, you can keep yourself out of harm’s way and focus on enjoying your dive.

As Freakonomics economist Steven Levitt explained, people tend to disproportionately fear dangers that are unusual to them. Skydiving’s entire appeal is its illusion of danger and unfamiliarity, which puts it squarely within the realm of this illogical fear amplification. For comparison, your controlled, parachuted fall is a safer thing than your daily commute, safer than your swimming pool, safer than the “danger” of winning the lottery, and definitely safer than living in general, which has a guaranteed perfect mortality rate.

As you prepare for your first jump, your adrenaline rush should come from the anticipation of speed and weightlessness, not from a worry about safety. Pay attention to your guides, jump smart, and jump safe—and above all, don’t worry. Enjoy the adventure.

Filed Under: Fitness, Sports, Trainings Tagged With: Recreation, Skydiving

Three Tips to Get Back in the Game

Joining a soccer league this summer? Or are you just trying to lose some pounds for summer? Here’s a few obvious tips that maybe you didn’t think about so that you can speed your way to your goals:

1. Make Goals
Making goals is the only way you can achieve them. Be sure to make them finite, something that can be achieved in a short amount of time. Also, make it something concrete. Don’t just say “I want a better body” but “I want to lose four pounds.” Finally, be sure to be realistic. Wanting to lose four pounds in a month is reasonable. Four pounds a day is most likely going to be unachievable and potentially dangerous.

2. Prepare Meals
Limit eating out. Don’t just get healthy alternatives at the fast food restaurant. Don’t go to the fast food restaurant. First of all, the temptation to order the burger instead of the salad is too great for most people. Second, even the healthy options are healthy in comparison. The portions sizes are still very large and unnecessary. In the long run, it is better to plan your own meals and stick to a diet uninterrupted by fast food restaurants. Do research and plan meals ahead of time. Prepare snacks that are healthy and portion controlled.

3. Don’t Overindulge
Getting healthy is going to call for a lifestyle change. Smoking, drinking and other excesses will need to be severely limited. If you are smoking and drinking everyday, seek a way to cut back to every other day. If your health is important, then it’s the least that you can do. You can overindulge on meals too. Try not to eat to the point of bursting, but only enough to sate you. Eventually, these things will become new habits. A commitment like fitness takes sacrifice.

There you have it. It may be a hard and you may get frustrated. Don’t kill yourself over a slip up here and there. Just rest assured that by following these measures, you’ll be having more fun than pain in no time!

Filed Under: Fitness, Games, Trainings Tagged With: Dining Guides, Health, Nutrition

Training All Year Round: Tips to Train Even When you Can’t

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The human body is often compared to a machine. Like a machine, constant use is truly what keeps it in shape. But you don’t have time for the gym you say! Well, don’t let yourself “rust” with uselessness! Follow these steps to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle without

The best way to keep yourself active is to incorporate activities into your daily lifestyle. Instead of driving, try walking. If the distance is too far or you have too many things to carry, try biking. At home, instead of sitting in an uncomfortable office chair, try replacing it with a fitness ball! This strengthens your core and your back muscles. Replacing common luxuries that give you more than you bargained for is a great way to maintain an active lifestyle.

Even though you may not have time for the gym everyday, try getting involved in a team sport that meets once or twice a week. You’re not the only one with a busy lifestyle, and a lot of intramural sports understand this fact! Even if you can meet your friends at a local park for a few hours of kickball, try to find something that keeps you active and social!

Another even more crucial way to improve general health is to maintain a healthy diet. Most people understand the basic principles of nutrition, such as limiting sugar intake or limiting heavy starches. However, other principles, such as portion control, are not as available to everyone. Portion control is a concept in which the athlete understands how much a serving size is and how many calories that serving size contains. Be sure to contact a nutritionist or a specialist in pursuing portion control. He or she can advise and assist you in your quest to find the plan that is right for you. They may also be able to help you stick to that goal as you journey to better health!

Filed Under: Trainings Tagged With: Fitness, Health