My 1st AFF jump I stood outside the door with my 2 instructors, said NOPE & took the plane ride down. Next day I went back & JUMPED. Now I have my B-license & 98 jumps.

I still vividly remember 4 years ago, when I started. I'd never believed I'd ever overcome the door fear. Now it's over, but it took time...

Great stuff ,been jumping 35 years 2300 jumps and still get a bit of door fear.....that’s part of the fun.. I still say in my head”oh shit ...here we go” as the door opens. And I’m glad I still do..

Looking to do AFF in the near future and literally been searching for this type of thing the past day or so. Cheers Brian

I skydived in my 20s for a few years. would love to do it again one day (47now) i found it a powerful tool for making changes in your life and that moment of mental release, going out the door, was what kept me coming back for more. that said i found this vid helpful from a general life pov.

hey man. thanks for these informative videos. for people like me who are barely starting, it helps alot! its soo cool to have many people like you in the sport who takes the time to educate. cheers

The wisdom in this video is over 9000 what a day ! thank you

Thanks for this really helpful video. I’m between AFF and my A license. I seem to have a bigger problem getting in the door on the ground than I do getting out of it on jump run. I love every second of skydiving. I dislike the lead up to it. The best advice that I’ve been given is to just get in the damn plane. Works in not only skydiving but in every facet of life.

Awesome video, i thought its just me, i recently started my AFF (5 Jumps so far) everytime the door opens and it gets really loud the noise of the wind and propeller stresses me hard, but as soon as im in the air and reached terminal velocity everything feels pretty smooth. I hope to reduce this with an full face helmet.

I do the car thing, and I get the same rush as I do when I used to jump, had a 4 year break after 9 jumps and I'm keen to get back to it!!

Oh wow... Just stumbled on this video. My dad gave me two of your books. He took me skydiving. He says good things about you. ;)

Thanks Brian, I am currently doing my AFF and have been looking forward to it for years. It’s honestly one of my life goals. 4th jump today and I have nearly crippling door fear to the point where I feel like I am gonna puke as soon as I get to 13,000ft and I see the green light turn on I freeze and all I think is I hate this sport and it’s not worth it. The millisecond I let go of the plane and go to free fall everything goes away. I am just scared now that the door fear is going to stop me from doing my lifelong goal and I really need to get over it.

I remember my first jumps, and the door is a place where no one really goes. But, I always concentrate on what my instructor taught me, and most of all, have fun.

This is sage wisdom. Very grateful for the impartation to help others. The perceived calmness of seasoned divers helps remind me that I'm there to learn and have a good time. I have learned to apply mindfulness meditation to this process since TL1 and 2, and now STP 1. Deep breathing to override the fight or flight response has allowed me to focus on what I plan to do when I get out. My brain and body know "we are doing this and doing this right. We asked for this moment." It's a choice. Acceptance is all.

Really good stuff. The exit is my favorite part of the skydive too.... except for the landing

Thank you for the advice!

The sound of opening doors or jumpers go "puff" is the worse :D

Hey i’m a new skydiver and your videos are so different from everyone else’s. You speak about things that I don’t hear enough of. Like the example about getting used to breathing in that environment. Everytime I jumped I would breath through my mouth which would make it very hard to breathe. But really calming down and taking breaths only through the nose was key. Once I got used to that, you can kind of breathe however you want. Breathing should be talked about more. I’m just really happy you brought it up.

Amazing advice. Thank you

Wow, Brian, incredibale enegry, text, and the video overall. Thank you!

I like what you are saying. I’m 60 and have two tandems after my birthday. One for my birthday and one for a friends birthday. Scheduled third with my grandson but feel almost bored. OMG!!!! The door was the worst absolutely. The first jump was just about getting through it but I scheduled the next one. (?) still don’t know why. But it doesn’t feel like falling but like flying. Open heart, surrender and be a dragon. I think AFF is where I’m going next but keeping a halo tandem for my next birthday. Feel sad that I have to wait. No Halos in the winter. I can’t believe I’m doing this.

Beard game is getting strong Brian! Awesome work as usual.

Beautifully explained mate. When people ask me how I’m not afraid of skydiving I always say I am, and I try my best to explain what your trying to say here in one way or another. Yew

Never had door fear. I had spotters fear. I would wake up at night from dreams of spotting loads where someone got injured from a bad jump run. Never had door fear though, from the first 'climb out and hang' I was on board.

Haha omg my first tandem when in turned 18 and I got near the door I turned to the TI and said “hey uhh hang on a sec I just need a second “ and that dude acted like he didn’t hear me and just scooted fowaed and the next thing I heard was” out , in, OUT!”

I chose to go up.

I didn't have any door fear. I had sheer excitement because of how incredible it is. Even on my first AFF Jump that wasn't the case, the only thing I was nervous of was controlling a canopy for the first time. Then I pitched for the first time and learned how the canopy works and it was all okay :D

Sitting on the door was one of the greatest things with skydiving, but I was a bit nervous when the door came up. This is the part where it gets serious, this is the subject of all skydiving jokes. I am glad it was included on my video. I do not know what the percentage is who just refuse to jump. I guess it is pretty low.

What are the two main fears we are born with.. One,, fear of falling out of the cradle. Two, loud noises. So, pretty much, we have both on jump run. So,, what to do... Well, imagine the wonderful machine, you are flying in.. two, think about how much fun its going to be once we get out of the door. Being of age, and just have fun, both on jump run,, and knowing you are jumping with some one,,,, Well, this is the most fun you will have, ever. !! The other, thing is suck, air... Actually , take deep breaths, and let your mind forget about going out that door, and concentrate , on having fun out side of the door. I know, one , I used to teach was in the early days at Elsinore, was to pass a raw egg, in free fall,, which takes your mind off of all these things..... The trick is two open, and equalize the force of the egg, and then gently stash it in your jump suit, and then,, the real challenge is to hand it to your instructor, in one piece, and un cracked. sincerely scr 53 I just do not like jumping by my self...

There is a door fear?!! This is what I imagine when I'm thinking about the best moment of my life.

I'm doing my AFF now and my 1st jump . I did hesitate for about 1 sec and then was pushed out. So then I did lost my my sense of awareness good arch and everything but that hesitation got me... and then I cried because I didn't do what I needed to do. I was so upset

Getting ready for my 3rd jump. I forgot to do my check in and out on my 1st jump because of nervous but i did my jump count. 2nd jump. I remember to do my check in and out but this time i forgot to do my jump count. ( nervous) I'm hoping I'll put the 2 together for a proper exit for my 3rd jump

The exit is the most fun, imho

Doesn't help when that DOOR is so small with one instructor occupying space, nothing to really grasp and the wind trying to push you back inside. Tough to have a clean exit and begin jump well; your brain has processed that way ahead of you and is throwing flags everywhere.

Hi there from Australia! Im going for my first tandem jump in 1 day from now and I’m scared but kind of not, I don’t know whether that fact of what I’m about to do just hasn’t hit me. I hate flying and I’m terrified of heights so it’s a double fear for me. Im scared of the chute failing, I’m afraid of hating experience, I’m afraid of the expertise of my jumping instructor and my life is in their hands. So many things - but I still want to do it! Wish me luck!!!! 😝😝😝

I get what your saying about the door being open on the way up but I have a couple issues with that, as a tandem skydiver beginner they put you on the floor too because the seats fill up and the instructors do not want to be strapped tight to you the whole way up. You don’t tighten your gear typically until your at the top but if you have a tandem jumper sitting on the floor right next to the open door and he’s not strapped tight ready to jump with the instructor, then how is that safe with the door open on the way up ? There’s so many complications that could easily go wrong. If I’m not hooked to my instructor and plane banks , then what I’m out the plane with no parachute and this mans landing safely cause he’s the one rigged up and if he’s not willing to tuck you in on the way up maybe he doesn’t understand how reality works sometimes. I know he cares and all instructors care but the Pilot could have a health issue and plane banks left, pilot can accidentally sway the plane, gust of wind sways the plane(although unlikely because skydive facilities are hardcore on safety about when its too windy to jump), the plane could have a technical issue, and on top of all that the plane isn’t stalled like it is before you jump, so why have your door open on the way up unless your fully tucked in , (if your squared away than it’s A-Okay and you can have the door open just have your tandem man/woman hooked in and ready to go if your gonna open the door. I don’t like this last minute lock in there’s no double checking the hook up no partner or other leader looks at gear to double check it they all tighten it last minute. I’m not comfortable with it period but who wants to tell the instructor that when he’s taking you out of the plane with him, better tell him you had a great time and if your balsy enough give him your opinion. But either way I’ve been through two tandem jumps and when I’m taking people out with me in the future as a certified skydiver I swear to not risk their lives like the two others I’ve seen on the floor tandem jumping not fully hooked it next to the open door on the climb up to the last second. I agree though it did acclimate me to getting the feel for the real ness that was about to be with the door open. Skydiving is an amazing experience and a dream but one of the sketchiest things I’ve seen in my life was those people not be hooked completely, even that close to the open door. Hook them all the way in if you have the door open.

I go on with number 28 in end of July and my heart beats like hell only to think about it ... before door open think about nothing, door open last deploy check, my heart beats shake the plane ... don't think about it, spoting, door, yeaaah, out .... Joy, Air, Space ... I'm 51, why I didn't begin as a Teenager with Skydiving?

Nice beard, Brian!

Fun things, to do about this door..... What you do, is wait till Easter,, and bet your instructor, that you will carry a raw egg in free fall.. During the week before,, you die your eggs,, and make sure you go out the door with a hard boiled one.,, and he will never know,, until, you come clean, at the bar,, and by him a beer, and Put some salt and pepper on it and eat it.. Going out of the door is Just Fun.. scr 53