What Does Skydiving Feel Like?

What does skydiving feel like, and is it really as spectacular as they say? Yep, it sure is! Skydiving feels like flying, freedom, and a surge of pure happiness. To help ease the inevitable nerves of jump day, it can be beneficial to prepare by getting some insight into that sought-after skydiving feeling to give you a taste of what to expect. Let’s dive in!

How does skydiving feel to your body? Skydiving is a bit unnatural for the body! Humankind has achieved some pretty neat feats and, incredibly, we’re capable of hurling our bodies from airplanes miles in the sky and landing just to go up and do it again! Let’s take a glance at the five senses when experiencing a skydive:

Sight.

The views! A major reason people love skydiving is the views they can’t experience anywhere else. Think about it … where can you suspend yourself under a parachute thousands of feet above the earth and soak in all the natural beauty below? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime! On the other hand, you’ll get to see how skydiving operations work for the first time. Experiencing the configuration of a jump plane, seeing what tandem skydiving harnesses and the specifics of a skydiving rig look like, and so much more is a lot to absorb, and it’s all very engaging.

Sound.

Skydiving is a loud activity! The roar of the airplane engines, the camaraderie of fellow first-timers and experienced skydivers, and the rush of the wind in freefall is exciting. Then, when the parachute opens, it all comes to a peaceful halt. Suddenly, the breeze is light and you’re soaring the skies in sweet serenity. Flying the parachute is the favorite part of many first-time skydivers!

Taste.

Hmmm, we’re not sure skydiving tastes like anything … other than FREEDOM!

Smell.

Jet A, nylon, latex (from the bands used to pack parachutes), and sweet, untouched air in freefall are all smells our schnoz’s take in during a skydive. Can you breathe during freefall? Absolutely – it’s an all-you-can-breathe buffet up there!

Touch.

Besides your lovely instructor, the tandem skydiving harness will become your best friend and is something you’ll be aware of during the skydive. Skydiving feels close – you’ll be sitting snug in a plane with your instructor and other skydivers, and although everyone is respectful, personal space can be a bit hard to come by.

What about after the exit? What does freefall feel like? From a more sensory view: Brisk wind, gravity pulling you down, and your heart racing inside your chest! Hold up…do you feel your stomach drop when skydiving? Skydiving doesn’t give you that infamous tingle in your tummy that you get while riding a roller coaster! Then how does it feel falling in skydiving? Like you’re truly flying!

Is skydiving as scary as it seems? Nope, not even close! Skydiving brings feelings of happiness, autonomy, and inspiration. Once you’re in the air, the initial apprehension quickly melts away and is replaced by a surge of exhilaration and joy. The mental clarity from free-falling creates an overwhelming sense of liberation, and people often see the experience as a release from the stress and worries of life on the ground.

Happiness.

Why do we skydive? Because it’s fun! Skydiving gives us a big ol’ rush of dopamine and makes us feel (literally) on top of the world.

Autonomy.

Yes, we know that tandem skydiving entails having two people, BUT, making the decision to jump is yours and yours alone. You sign paperwork ahead of your jump that affirms your decision and prior to your skydive your tandem instructor will ask, “Are you ready to skydive!?” This acceptance of the challenge to leap is HUGE for your confidence!

Inspiration.

What do people mean when they say, “The best things in life are on the other side of fear”? When we conquer a fear, our confidence increases. Our brains say, “Hmm … that wasn’t so bad, I bet we could also conquer these other fears we’re having.” Neuroplasticity – the process of our brains adapting and evolving to new experiences – happens when we show our fears about who’s boss. In other words, overcoming one fear creates a ripple effect and makes other fears easier to defeat in the future.

The feeling of a skydive is a bit hard for us to accurately put into words and for you to grasp without actually having experienced it. It’s one of those things that you just have to do – book your jump today! Blue skies!

Related Article: How Do You Feel AFTER Skydiving