Is skydiving a worthwhile experience? Our bias may be strong, but we consider skydiving the most rewarding sport of all time! Hands down Perhaps there is no more rewarding sport than skydiving! Among the many benefits of skydiving are the physical and psychological benefits, as well as the diverse and supportive community. Here’s the 411
HOW SKYDIVING CAN (AND WILL) GIVE YOU THAT POSITIVE BOOST
Among the many things that make skydiving so unique is its ability to promote personal growth and enrichment. When skydivers commit to never becoming complacent and to never stop learning, they reap heaps of empowerment, humility, and soul-nourishing self-actualization.
It is crucial to put safety first and learn from every experience to grow in this sport. And when has learning something, no matter how hard the lesson, not been rewarding?
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
Skydivers basically have 99 problems after a weekend of jumping... and they all have sore muscles. You know, like the hurts-so-good and healthy sore?
Skydiving exercises muscles that can't really be exercised in any other way. Perform a muscle up, a backflip, and some sit-ups simultaneously. Obviously, these exercises would be a lot easier to do from the sky than they would on the ground. The point is that skydiving (while incredibly fun) is definitely a workout. As a solo jumper, you are also carrying about 25 lbs of gear with you, so imagine doing the aforementioned maneuvers PLUS 25 lbs of weight. Surely skydivers are crazy, then, cright? no way …
MENTAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS
There are several positive effects of skydiving on the brain. Contrary to the popular belief that skydiving is a horrifyingly exciting, near-death activity created by adrenaline junkies, it is actually a super positive, mega enjoyable, and highly-regulated experience. And during happy and exhilarating experiences, our brains release a lovely cocktail of serotonin, endorphins, dopamine, and (yes) adrenaline. These chemicals mix together to create an anxiety-free and psychologically deep and rewarding experience. It is a truly remarkable feeling. (The remarks often sounding something like: WOOOOHOOOOOO!)
SOCIAL BENEFITS
The only social downfall of skydiving is that your non-jumping friends will most likely get annoyed with your incessant talk of skydiving! They just won’t get it until they experience it themselves! And that’s okay; it’s not for everyone.
Fortunately, the skydiving community is there to support you on and off the dropzone. From conversations about your latest dive flow to relationship advice! (Fun fact: a ‘dive flow’ pertains to the maneuvers you’ll complete during the freefall portion of the jump. It’s critical to establish a dive flow before the jump to determine an agreed-upon breakoff altitude. Plan the jump, jump the plan.)
A MENTAL WAKE-UP CALL
One of the most powerful things that skydiving does for people – whether you jump once or thousands of times – is change their perspective.
Somehow, being physically above all of your problems makes them seem much smaller not only after each jump but also for the remainder of your life (it’s essentially magic)! Maybe it’s because jumping proves that your ability to overcome such a great mental feat means you can overcome anything else thrown your way. Whatever the reason, skydiving is truly, madly, deeply life-changing.
SKYDIVING BOOGIES AND GROUPS
Imagine a block party with all your pals … but way more fun. That’s what skydiving with your besties from sun up to sun down feels like! And we have a fantastically funky, swinging 60s name for these epic gatherings: a boogie.
Many boogies are held to raise awareness for particular causes or are centered around specific themes. Some events are based around specific groups in the skydiving community, such as Skydivers Supporting Sobriety (SSS) or Sisters in Skydiving (SIS). Women make up less than 15% of all skydivers, and SIS is intended to encourage novice female jumpers to be mentored by a “big SISter.” There are also events for beginners in certain disciplines that encourage growth within the sport. Some boogies even have hot air balloon jumps and other specialty aircraft.
DON’T BE INTIMIDATED
Remember our “never” advice from above, never be complacent, and never stop learning? Beginners in the sport are often intimidated by the more experienced, but this simply shouldn’t be the case. It’s important to remember that everyone started at stage one.
Experienced skydivers are passionate about advancing the sport and encourage newer jumpers to delve deep into the ‘whys,’ ‘how’s,’ and ‘what ifs’ of their progression to learn as they grow. When you join the skydiving community you become a part of something that, while much bigger than you, appreciates and values you – which, quite frankly, are some of the most rewarding feelings out there. With skydiving, you’ll never get that “picked last in gym class” feeling. Positive vibes only here, guys.
We can’t wait for you to join our tribe and experience the many rewards of skydiving! Blue skies!
~Skydive Orange
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