How to overcome fear before the first parachute jump

“To fly like birds” – isn’t this one of the main desires of a human being? If we turn to history, we can find countless examples of daredevils trying to descend from heights using devices of completely different design. Naturally, it did not end well, the laws of air resistance were not particularly known to the brave men.

Vladimir Gurny

honored master of sports of the USSR

Fear goes away when a person learns more about the object he is afraid of.

It is believed that the first drawing of a device for descending from heights was created and described in 1485 by Leonardo da Vinci. From that moment on, it all began. The designs of “parachutes” changed, so did the materials. Felix Baumgartner’s jump from a height of 39 km in 2012 can be considered the apogee of sky conquest. His free fall lasted almost four and a half minutes, and he also exceeded the speed of sound, accelerating to 1342.8 km/h. Haven’t seen it? Sit down and grab some popcorn.

After that, we’re sure everyone will ask, “God, how did he survive that, what happened to him during the flight?”

How might the body react?

Look around and you’ll see how extreme sports continue to become more and more popular in today’s society. And parachuting is no exception.

People who practice jumping or want to try something new on themselves, at every stage of preparation, whether it is parachute packing, boarding, jumping or landing, feel significant changes in their body.

Changes in atmospheric pressure, increased strain on the vestibular apparatus and respiratory system, fear response – all this is a big stressor. According to researchers, constant practicing of this sport causes changes in the work of internal organs and systems. At the same time, the impact of jumping on heart function continues to be insufficiently studied. Note that the fear factor affects even more than the others. This is the first thing that a beginner encounters.

Sometimes during the flight people experience a lack of oxygen. Beginners note that it becomes more difficult to breathe. If you understand, the air does not become less, and the pressure does not prevent full breathing. All to blame for excessive excitement and fear. As soon as they pass, normal breathing is restored. In the case of a nervous spasm instructors advise to scream, but stronger.

Regarding the vestibular apparatus. If the descent will be neat, without sharp turns, spirals and not like Felix Baumgartner’s (still remember who it is?), you will not get dizziness and the feeling of “falling insides”. A few seconds before the opening of the parachute you may be disoriented and spinning in space, having not the most pleasant effect on the body.

How to overcome the fear of jumping?

Vladimir Gurny, a legend of parachuting sport, notes that scientists, doctors, psychologists, philosophers and pedagogues have been studying fear for a long time, and they all talk about the same thing in different words.

Fear is a very important emotion, a basic component of the instinct of self-preservation, passed on with the genetic code in the form of an unconditional reflex. This type of emotion has been continuously formed throughout all times of struggle for survival, development and perfection of all species of living beings, including humans.

Fear is an emotion, a signal of actual, real, probable, supposed or imagined danger.

Vladimir: Fear is necessary as a signal to us, living beings, about possible danger in the struggle for survival, for development and realization of necessary actions. “Scary” situation is a signal to mobilize the body, which causes a sharp release of adrenaline and other hormones into the blood for rapid decision-making and physical effort. In the absence of life experience, mobilization can be either insufficient or excessive. Moreover, both positive and negative emotions can be equally destructive to the vital functions of the body.

Let’s summarize

To date, make a jump with a parachute can absolutely everyone. Look on the Internet availability of airfields in your city. Regarding Moscow, it is about a dozen jumping locations within 100 km from the city. The word “everyone” should be understood literally: from a child to a pensioner. People with health limitations also have such an opportunity. The main thing is to understand the principles that will apply in the air.

From the foregoing about fear is obvious – the main way to overcome it is information, simply put, “forewarned is forearmed”. Therefore, if you want to cope with fear and enjoy the process, come to places for jumping, study information on the web, ask questions to experienced skydivers, and then the fear will recede.