5 Ways Indoor Skydiving Is Good Preparation For Skydiving

Are you the type of person to jump feet first right into every new and exciting activity? Or do you desire a more controlled approach? If you’re interested in skydiving – and prefer the latter method – you may be wondering: is indoor skydiving good preparation for skydiving?

The answer? Absolutely. 

Although indoor skydiving only emulates one portion of the outdoor skydiving experience (the freefall), indoor skydiving is good preparation for skydiving. 

Dearest reader, we understand you can’t simply take our word for it, so allow us to provide a bit of evidence: check out these 5 ways indoor skydiving is good preparation for skydiving.

Set Yourself Up For Success

Needless to say, flying is a little outside of our biological comfort zones. We don’t sport feathers, hollow bones, or wings, and so the fluid mechanics of flight might not be “second nature” to us bipedal folks who are used to strutting about on good ’ol terra firma. 

And that, our friends, is where indoor skydiving comes in! 

Indoor skydiving is good preparation for skydiving because it allows you the chance to learn stability and proper body flight form in a regulated environment before launching yourself into freefall two miles above the earth. The muscle memory you develop by indoor skydiving is invaluable. To say it gives you a leg up – or wing up for that matter – on the real thing is an understatement. 

Get Fit As A Fiddle For Flight

Skydiving is going to bring into play muscles you didn’t even know you had. You probably wouldn’t run a marathon without any training right? So, why would you skydive before building up the requisite strength? Indoor skydiving is good preparation for skydiving because it’s the best way to workout the muscle groups that you will utilize on a skydive. Proper physical preparation is also one of the best ways to ensure that you avoid preventable skydiving injuries.

Do A Test Run

The worst time to find out skydiving isn’t for you is when you’re already in freefall! Naturally, there will be a marginally higher level of stress during the real thing. But, it’s far better to find out whether you like the sensation of freefall before spending the time and money on a skydive. 

Indoor skydiving lets you get a taste of the “real thing” to see if the feeling of flight really appeals to you. As the closest simulation that currently exists, indoor skydiving is good preparation for the sensations of skydiving.

Study Up

Kinesthesia, or body awareness, particularly in skydiving, is a skill which must be developed. Those with backgrounds in dance, gymnastics, or other sports tend to be fairly adept. Even if you have this sort of experience, there are still certain aspects of skydiving form that will need to be developed. 

Indoor skydiving is good preparation for skydiving because you can receive and reference video of your flights in the indoor tunnel to study exactly what your body is doing while you fly. For example, while you may believe that you are arching and extending your legs simultaneously, you may discover that your legs aren’t as engaged as you thought. Proper body position is key for stable flight. By examining what your body is doing in the tunnel through video, you can be aware of the additional adjustments you will need to make the next time you fly in order to improve your flight performance.

Cost Effective Confidence Builder

Through your skydiving progression, you will have to demonstrate certain competencies and body flight maneuvers. Indoor skydiving is an investment in your development as a skydiver. 

Many learn throughout their skydiving experience just how humbling and costly the journey can be. On a skydive, the pressure to perform is on. You only have 45 seconds to demonstrate your abilities. With indoor skydiving, you will usually fly a rotation of 1.5 to 2.5 minutes. The uninterrupted working time allows you to really hone in on the particular skill you are trying to develop. This is why many turn to indoor skydiving as a cost-effective way to improve body flight abilities. 

Furthermore, as you gain flight experience, you will subsequently gain confidence in your body flight skills. Instead of flailing, failing, and having to repeat levels in the sky, you can perfect your skills in the indoor wind tunnel before demonstrating them on a skydive. Shaking off your nerves while improving your flight competency is yet another reason why indoor skydiving is good preparation for skydiving. 

What do you think? Is indoor skydiving good preparation for skydiving?

We wholeheartedly believe it is, and the numerous skydiving teams and recreational skydivers who travel from far and wide to train in our Paraclete XP indoor wind tunnel would certainly agree. Ready to begin your journey? Book your indoor skydiving flight time today!