Ask anyone who’s been skydiving what the feeling is like and they may struggle for the words to do it justice. ‘Incredible’, ‘exhilarating’, ‘surreal’ and ‘breath-taking’ usually come up a lot.

Going skydiving is one of the most memorable experiences of your life, but you don’t want it to stick in your mind for all the wrong reasons. After all, you or someone close to you no doubt forked out a fair bit of money for the jump as it’s not a cheap activity.

Buy the Videos and Photos

Look, you can only make your first tandem skydive once. Whether it turns out to be a single bucket list experience, or you get hooked and keep with it, you’ll be glad you have your video of the first time.

The day of your first skydive will probably feel a bit like a whirlwind. You’ll experience new emotions and energy, which may make some things harder to remember. The skydive happens fast – a few minutes in the plane, freefall, parachute ride, and before you know it, you are back on the ground. When you look back up at the clouds, it almost doesn’t seem real.

You will have amazing memories, and you’ll want to the experience and share with your friends and family. But, it’s not like a roller coaster, you can’t simply decide to buy the photo afterward. 

To ensure that everything goes smoothly on the big day, we’ve made a list of skydiving tips for beginners. Not only should these help you enjoy the experience more, but also help keep you even safer!

TIPS FOR WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVE AT THE SKYDIVING CENTER

For the optimal experience on the Dropzone, you will want to be fully present in every way you can. Dropzone life is like an active form of meditation, and you’ll be a part of that when you join us.

To play your part (and enrich your experience immeasurably), play with the strength of your focus. You can start by paying complete attention to the tandem skydiving training brief; after that, you can shake off any feelings of intimidation by putting your focus outside of yourself–on the sport and tandem skydivers landing in the landing area; on the packers, folding parachutes; on the way the weather affects the process; on the quality of your own heart rate and breathing while you wait. Talk to people. Limber up with stretches and breathing exercises. Practice being 100% present on the dropzone, so you can be 100% present for the experience to come.

Dress Appropriately For Skydiving.

Great news! Dressing for a skydive is super-simple.

Start at the bottom with comfortable, tight-lacing tennis shoes. (Bear this in mind: if your shoes are loose, the wind will grab them right off your feet, so double-check that they’re nice and snug before you get on the plane.)

Next, wear the right pants. Ideally, the kind of pants (or shorts) you’d wear to the gym are the kind of pants you should wear on a skydive, because you need them to be reasonably stretchy, with more room to move than jeans usually bequeath.
For your top, choose to wear snug-fitting layers. (Bring a long-sleeved top layer even if it’s warm, just in case.)

In general, wear clothes without any strings, metal grommets, rhinestones, pompoms or other details that might flap around painfully or be pulled off by the wind.

Yes!!! We do have jumpsuits, goggles and helmets if you prefer.

Tips for the Plane Ride Up

You’re going to have nerves on the plane as you make your way up to altitude. Everybody does! You can approach your nerves in a couple of effective ways, depending on your personality. If you’re a classic introvert, use the time to meditate and charge your batteries. If you’re an extrovert, chat up the videographer! You’ll feel better, and you’ll love the footage that comes out of it.
Your first-time skydive is the kind of moment that will leave a lasting impression on your life. Get the photo and get the video! Plan to spend the day! You’ve never done anything like this in your life, and–as it was for all of us at Skydive Houston this first jump might be the start of a new era for you. Welcome it with open arms.

TRUST YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Requirements to become a USPA tandem instructor include a minimum number of years in the sport, a minimum number of total jumps, a training course, extensive practice jumps with a skills examiner, and written testing. Not to mention, passing a medical exam to FAA standards, and staying current on all training requirements for the United States Parachute Association and the manufacturer of the type of equipment the instructor straps you into for your jump.

Put a little more simply – the person attached to you has been trained and tested for how to handle your skydive. Not to mention, they are along for the ride with you, so have a vested interest in things going smoothly. We know you’ll have a lot of questions, and we’ll give you the information you need to know without overloading you with too many details.

Listen to what he or she asks you to do, and trust the process. That’s the most important person in your life for those 20 minutes or so.

Tips for the Freefall

Your tandem instructor will guide you through the process from top to bottom, but here’s our best crack at a skydiving tip for exit: You’ll be asked to “arch your body.” Make yourself into a banana! That’s the easiest way to remember it. Try to make sure that your belly button is the closest point on your body to the ground. That’s it! You’ll be amazed at how not-scary skydiving turns out to be. You’ll discover that skydiving feels like flying, not like falling–and, when the canopy opens overhead, you’ll get a taste of the tranquility that keeps so many people, all over the world, coming back for more.

Don’t close your eyes

You’ve gone all the way up there, don’t miss out on the view! There’s no other way to see the world quite like you can in freefall or from beneath a parachute – so enjoy it.

Tips for the landing (and afterward)

Again, your tandem instructor will break all of this down for you in a bite-size, easy-to-follow procedure, so any skydiving tips for landing are pretty much supplementary. The tip you might not get in the briefing is this: look up at the horizon instead of down at your feet. (Also, a chin-up attitude looks better in photos. ? )

Finally, stick around! Make a day of it and celebrate your accomplishment. A dropzone is a fun, interesting place to hang out. Make the rounds and collect your well-earned high-fives.

Anyone who has been skydiving multiple times will tell you that it only gets better. It’s true, and there’s no great way to communicate that, you just have to experience it. You know what to expect, you don’t have as many nerves, you truly see more (your brain can handle more inputs), and relaxing is easier.

The magic only happens a few minutes at a time, so we just have to keep going, and going, and going…

Don’t Wait!

We’re ready over here at Skydive Houston to walk you through everything you need to know in order to have the best first-time skydiving experience ever. Please don’t be shy–call us up and ask us anything you want to know! We’re stoked to answer all your questions, and to welcome you into the extended “skyfamily.” Going skydiving in Houston is an incredible thing. If you get to go, you’re one of the lucky ones. Have fun with it. Smile. The photos will turn out better!

If you’re planning to jump at Skydive Houston, that’s awesome! We can’t wait to take you to our playground in the sky. If you’re planning to go elsewhere, that’s awesome, too. We hope you have an incredible experience and see why we love the sport of skydiving so much.