Let’s cut to the chase: skydiving looks intense. It sounds extreme. You’re hurling yourself out of a plane at terminal velocity—so it must be hard, right? Well… not really. In fact, one of the biggest surprises for first-timers is just how easy skydiving actually is. Not because it’s boring or simple—far from it—but because everything is designed to make your experience smooth, safe, and unforgettable, even if you’ve never done anything remotely adventurous in your life. Let’s break it down.
Short answer
Skydiving, especially tandem jumping, is surprisingly easy and requires no special skills or fitness. Your instructor handles the technical parts while you enjoy the ride. The hardest part? Saying yes.
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Tandem skydiving: you’re not doing this alone
If you’re doing a first-time jump, chances are you’re doing a tandem skydive—which means you’re securely attached to a highly trained instructor who’s doing all the technical stuff.
You’re not packing your own parachute. You’re not piloting the canopy. You’re not calculating altitude or wind speed. Your job? Enjoy the ride.
The instructor handles the jump, the freefall, the parachute deployment, and the landing. You just need to follow a few simple instructions (like how to position your body), and let them take care of the rest.
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Basic body position: easy to learn, easy to do
So what do you have to do? Before your jump, your instructor will give you a short briefing—usually around 20 minutes—where you’ll learn how to:
- Arch your body during freefall (like a banana 🌙)
- Keep your legs and arms in the right position
- Lift your legs for landing
That’s pretty much it. There’s no complicated technique. If you can follow basic instructions and stay calm (or even slightly excited), you can skydive.
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Physical requirements? less than you’d think
People are often surprised by how inclusive skydiving is.. As long as you’re in general good health and meet the weight and age guidelines (usually 18+ and under a certain weight limit), you’re good to go.
And yes, we’ve seen people in their 70s, 80s—even 90s!—making their first jump with huge grins on their faces.
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Mental game: it’s all in your head
Now, let’s be real—the biggest “difficulty” for most people isn’t physical. It’s mental. The nerves. The anticipation. The whole “I’m about to jump out of a plane” moment.
But here’s the truth: those nerves fade fast. Once you’re in the air and the door opens, adrenaline takes over. Your instructor cues the jump, and boom—you’re flying. And once you’re in freefall, most people are shocked at how natural it feels.
The hard part was never the jump—it was getting to the door.
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What about solo skydiving?
Okay, so tandem jumping is easy. But what if you want to jump on your own?
Yes, learning to skydive solo takes more time and training. You’ll go through a program like AFF (Accelerated Freefall), where you learn how to control your body, deploy your own parachute, and land safely.
But even then, you’re never thrown in unprepared. You’re trained step-by-step, guided by instructors, and supported the whole way. Like learning to drive, it might seem overwhelming at first—but becomes second nature with time and practice.
And the reward? Absolute freedom.
It’s easier than…
To put things into perspective, skydiving is probably easier than:
- Surfing (way harder balance)
- Rock climbing (physical strength + mental focus)
- Running a 5K (stamina required)
In skydiving, the hardest part is saying yes. After that, everything is designed to help you succeed.
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What if something goes wrong?
This is one of the most common concerns—and an important one. The good news is, modern skydiving is backed by incredible safety systems.
- Parachutes are packed by certified professionals.
- There’s always a backup parachute (automatically deployed if needed).
- Instructors go through rigorous training and hundreds of jumps before taking someone tandem.
The systems are reliable. The checks are constant. And the industry is all about safety first. So no, you’re not being thrown into a wild situation with no backup. You’re jumping with pros, using equipment built for exactly this.