The Sky's the Limit...or so they Say

Sorry for the delay on getting this post up for you guys but been a bit of a nightmare month or so...Let me explain ALL

Well I signed my self up last month for something new "The Advanced free fall skydiving course" or AFF to those in the know. The course is set over a number of levels but in essence you can go from never jumping out of a plane in your life, to skydiving solo doing somersaults and turns and all at the dizzy height of 12000+ feet

"Dave & Dick my smiling Instructors"

Anyways the first day was with a guy called john Horn a man with a lifetime of experience in instruction and jumping. The first day was all theory and if we where lucky a jump at the end of it. Unfortunately it was to windy so we would jump first thing in the morning. Next morning we were ready to go and all kitted up for our first jump. There was a number of maneuvers and signals you had to remember all done with sign language as when your falling at over 100mph you cannot hear a thing ...........(try putting your head out of the car window at that speed thats the sensation and noise).

I was a little nervous of failing the level rather than the jump itself as you have to pass each on to move onto the next. Anway's I was ok and and passed and the experience was amazing you just cannot stop smiling when you hit the ground. They always warn you of something called "sensory overload" where the experience is so intense you forget your name and all else for a few moments. Mine lasted a few senconds but its know to happen for longer, and to the point where the instructors have to open you chute....

OK fast forward 4-5 jumps and we are now doing turns and feeling confident but that was all about to change when I let someone new packed my chute for this next jump. I did the level but when the parachute opened, it opened way to fast and something didnt feel right around my chest, but with the adrenaline pumping you really feel very little pain. I had one more jump left after landing that one and I would have passed all levels. The last jump was no maneuvers just to get you parachute open in 3 seconds following a solo jump. I did it but by the time I hit the floor my chest was hurting even more from the strain of the chest strap against my ribs when it was pretty obvious I had injured them earlier.

The next morning I woke up and BOOM, I was instantly transformed into the old man, could hardly breath and every breath was painful. It was time for a trip to the ER and after an XRAY I was 2 fractured ribs worse off. I was told I needed total rest and no training at all for at least 2-3 weeks, and possibly up to six.

That was great news "not" after spending some serious graft trying to get my self to 100kg and was just about to start my cut. Anways I bit the bullet and gave it two weeks of no training and although I still had pain I headed back to the gym (with my anti-inflams, paracetamol and codein at the ready). I thought a light session on the bike would be OK.

DARN was I wrong and the next day my body new about it, I was took right back to where I started and the pain was back in full effect. After a good 2 more weeks away from the gym (and a handful of codein) I finally managed to get back with light weights and aerobic work, but no bench press or squats as these really hurt. I am 7 weeks past the injury now and just had first weeks real training and down to 93 kgs and picked up some bodyfat. YEP REAL HAPPY ABOUT THAT...

So the moral of this story yep the sky's the limit, but remember what goes up must come down and in my case with a BANG (or should that be snap). I wont give up the skydiving as its fantastic fun and would recommend it to any one out there looking for something new and extreme. It really does make you consider your life's direction and whats really inportant to you when you are looking out of that plane door at 12000 ft. I will be heading out to a beautiful place in the USA called Elsinore (Southern California) later in the year for a little holiday and some jumpin!

Hope you guys are having a great month and training is going fantastic.

Until next month DOC T ;-)