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i have basejumped for almost 4 years now..but after a cliffstrike 1 years ago i have struggled to deal with my nerve for every single jump..., this was never a problem before...i`m not nervous when i go to the exit and geared myself up..but when i do the countdown..you now the standard 3,2,1 cya..EVERYTHING STOP`S... i can`t move my feet..sometimes i standing at the exit for 15-20min before i jump....I don`t want to quit BASE..i`m not a quitter, but this is starting too annoying the hell of me..
So is there any people who dealing with the same problem as i do??? solution....??

If you don't want to jump, don't force yourself.

If you really want to jump, but something inside you is stopping you, I'd recommend taking a break. Go skydiving, or scuba diving, or hiking, for a while. Clear your head, get away from BASE jumping, then come back in a year or so for a fresh start.

Dont worry about your nerves, and do not rush your progress to much! Dont be embaressed to walk down, and dont get angry at your self if you cant control your nerves! Go skydiving for the summer, and come back in the fall if you still want to base jump! Uncontrolled nerves can be fatal one day, when you need to be on the top of the action!

I have world record in turning a jump down for any reason. Many times I reached the exit, and did not feel for jumping, and went back down, no problem. But I never had any near misses in my history, so I can not really compare. But I believe if you force yourself on bad feeling nerve jumps (I have good nerves, that pump you up, and get you on the top, and bad ones that empty your energy) you will only remember the bad thing about the jump!

Take it easy you are supposed to live long, so take your time!!

This is VERY normal. My 11th jump was a cliff strike in Mexico, took 2 years off. My 77th jump was a wicked building strike, took 2 months off but returned a VERY different BASE jumper. That was all 300 very nervous/fun jumps ago and I now pick and choose what,when and where I will jump VERY carefully. It is occasionally frustrating to see my "300 jumps with no problems" buddies huck gainers effortlessly and without care while I go handheld and freakout. Don't try and compare where your comfort level is to some idea of where you think it should be. Fear levels vary from situation to situation, and person to person. Like folks are saying, the option to walk off is ALWAYS an option, and is a sure fire way to stay alive. This fear may not ever totally go away, in fact, if you spank an object and it doesn't wake up your senses, you might then need to really think about quitting BASE. Good luck, and good topic as well.

Just find a nice low profile object, and stay at exit until you're comfortable with it. talk to yourself about the fears you have. imagine the worst possible thing that could happen and go through how you would deal with it.

I stood at an exit point for 3 hours once, just talking to myself about it.

i think my "luckybucket" is empty now..haha

no offense..but do you have a great life if you not doing what you love most of all?? just wondering..

You never need a reason 'not' to jump...

...but you really should have a reason for jumping if you're going to jump.

Otherwise your jumping is pure risk. That is to say risk without any potential benefit.

-=Raistlin

johan,
the solution is so close u dont even see it.
find exits points that correlate to 420
420 + 55
420 less 25
and change ur exit count 4-2-0 seeya

thank god, you are alive... answer ur phone ...

ahhh..i try that next time

Well said Raist!

We all need to sit back and think about what drives us to the edge occasionally. Sometimes you might come to the conclusion that its time for a break, or it may be time to quit and peruse some other sort of adventure. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Tom Dancs

I say pretty much the say thing to new jumpers.

If your terrified out of your mind and your not having any fun, why do it? If you walk down, you'll feel better but your ego may be bruised. If you jump and everything goes OK, the experience won't be rewarding. If you jump and get hurt, you're going to tell yourself that you a complete idiot for not listening to your feelings.

Ummm, you left out the fourth scenario.

Whatever you resist will persist.

This is very true so I would first suggest not trying to get rid of the fear but rather just notice that it's there - dont try to to resist it - just own it and let it run whatever course it takes. You may find that as soon as you "go with" your fear and allow it to be then it will immediatly take a lesser importance, just don't have an expectation that this will happen - just give it a go and see what comes. One thing I can guarrantee is that if you try and resist your fear you will give it more validation and importance and it will just get stronger.

Fully experience your fear, own it, get fully in present to it- but most of all allow it. Do this and you may be surprised at the results. It will definitely be a different approach to dealing with your fear than your current approach of resisting it and wishing it wasn't there - 'cause it is.

Also - Brian Germain's book "Trancending Fear" may be of help.

g.

awesome.

my jumps are sporadic at best and i'm the master at not even getting to the exit point, i think this will help.

i was at the bridge when shannon went in and for a couple of hours my friends thought it was me. for the last year my own mortality has nagged at me and i find myself questioning my motives and desire to BASE on a regular basis. to date i can't bring myself to consider taking a conscious break from the sport, maybe i'm afraid that if i do i'll never go back. fucking catch 22.

Very true.

When I'm at an exit I know what the "normal" level of fear is, and allow it to be... I've come to find it strangely comforting. If the fear is far more intense, I walk down.

Don't beat yourself up over it buddy. Just heading out with your gear already makes you a retard. Don't jump when your instincts tell you not to and prove yourself to be.

Drugs and alcohol always worked for me! Sometimes I can't even find the exit point, so it makes things even safer!

Maybe...?


I couldn't resist

Hi Johan420,
The major advice I can give you is that if you do not have power in your legs, don't jump. It is ok if your legs are shaking but one must have power in the legs. There is a door that one has to open to jump sanely. It is called the "Fuck-it-because-it-is-worth-it" door. The door is always locked. One must only find the key. The key is in you. You must only find it. If you can't find it (key), then it is a no go. You must search for the key. You must be agreeable to die as a result of your decision and that will give you the key to the door to jump again. If you don't want to risk your life, the door will remain forever closed. I abide by this philosphy on every jump. I can't help you more other than to say that a BASE jump starts when the alarm clock wakes you up for the hike. That is when you need the key.
take care
space

wow.........you just give me something too think about,

thank you Tracy
I will think about these words next time i`m standing on a exit..

Hello johan420....How is your fight going?
I've heard this track and this words from Peter Gabriel and i must think, (realy don't know why....)on this Thread.

"When I allow it to be it has no control over me,
I own my fear so it doesn't own me"

Peter Gabriel, Darkness

hi,
actually...it`s starting too rolling now
i have started too do 2way jump and it feels much better to be 2nd jumper, because i have a object(person) too look on..not only a empty edge..
thanks for all good advice...specially you BASE283
the last 2 week i done about 10jumps...and some solo`s...but i`m still working on it..

Re: Looking out on an empty edge.

Early on I used to find that sometimes on exit I'd tend to focus so much on looking out at a heading reference point that I'd get tunnel vision and lose my spatial reference - that is the awareness of 3-dimension that is needed to get aware of my body position throughout exit and into freefall.

Also the demons in my head would start chattering and going over the gear and the what-ifs.

What I found helps is after referencing the "straight-ahead" I look around before checking back straight ahead before exiting (this helps with 3D perspective) and also I find that talking or saying something as I exit brings my mind back to earth and into the present.

It may be something like "Cya guys" or "Aussie BASE" or "Oh Shit, My Bridle" or I may chose to count down in a different language like German, French or Greek - I just find this really helps take away the chatter of the mind and stops unnecessary mental energy used - after all, it doesn't relly require that much mental effort to do the physical things required to exit correctly and enjoyably - too much focus to the given task I find is detrimentral.

g.

Johan420,

I am going through the exact same thing as you right now. All through my career of jumping I didnt have any major problems. Last year in KL I had a strike--no injuries. About a month ago I had a VERY low pull in Eskensdal and only had about 1 sec. canopy ride before crashing into the trees----no injuries. A few weeks ago, I had a 180 on the already dodgy Euromast tower in Rotterdam. Got hung up in the ropes used for rappeling and had to be rescused down----again no injuries. My luck bucket may be running out as well.

Although it may not sound like it, I am normally a very conservitive jumper. I just made a few bad decisions that nearly cost me my life. With that said, I am taking an indefinite break from the sport until I "feel" it again.

Since I am dealing with the same things you are, my best advise is to not push it too hard. Get your head straight then you will be back into your groove.

You should know the old saying, "there are bold BASE jumpers and there are old BASE jumpers however, there are no old, bold BASE jumpers".

Cheers my friend-

wow....1 sec CP-ride, close call.....hope you get back on your horse again...take care!
thanks for caring