Fans of extreme sports have recently appeared another way to tickle their nerves and get a huge dose of adrenaline. This sport combines skydiving and acrobatic elements.
In more detail about what skydiving is, what is the attractiveness of this sport, what are its features, is described below.
This is an amazingly spectacular, exciting and beautiful sport.
Sky and parachute
Even those who don’t really know English, understand that phrases that include the word “diving” mean diving into something. SkyDiving literally means "diving into the sky."
A little perplexity first arises when using the term “skydiving”. Its meaning is scattered after it becomes clear that in this case we are talking about parachuting. However, this is not ordinary jumping, it is a real parachuting, in which there are some features.
A bit of parachute history
Since the last century, the parachute has become most actively used as a means of rescue during emergencies occurring at high altitudes. But its principle, as a device that is designed to inhibit a physical object, was known much earlier.
The most famous of the old parachutes is a kind of tent made of thick canvas and attached to a wooden frame. A man was tied to this object with a rope, and in this way a relatively safe descent from a great height (for example, from a mountain) was carried out. The author of this amazing project at that time was Leonardo da Vinci. The drawing and small explanations to it are dated to 1495. However, such a principle of descent from a height was used by people long before the invention of the ingenious Italian artist, but he was the first to identify the optimal size of such a device (about 6x6). By the way, modern parachutes are about the same size.
Sport Features
The concept of skydiving includes a lot. The following disciplines are included in this sport: individual and group acrobatics, free fly (performing figures in a vertical position), freestyle, sky surfing (sliding and performing acrobatic figures using a special board fixed to the legs). All of the above, together with the speed of free fall and height make this sport incredibly beautiful and extreme.
It’s hard to imagine, but people hover in the sky like birds at an altitude of 1 to 2 kilometers above the ground! The air flow rate reaches 120 km / h. It is clear that communication in such conditions between people is almost impossible. With all this, athletes working in large groups make incredible figures, which are some kind of miracle.
Differences from parachuting
What is skydiving, and how does it differ from conventional parachuting? Both disciplines use an aircraft, from where the landing of athletes, as well as a parachute, the purpose of which is to provide soft landing.
The main "chip" of skydiving is the period between "diving into the sky" and landing. While the athlete is in free flight, he performs various acrobatic elements. In other words, it is a lengthy parachute jump with the execution during the free fall of various figures.
The primary purpose of parachuting was to ensure the safe descent of a person from great heights from any aircraft. Skydiving has a different purpose - creating the thrill of flying.
Training on the ground
What is skydiving? This is a huge work, the result of long work not only in the sky, but also on the earth. How can one achieve such coherence and synchronism in actions? After all, coordinating them in the sky is completely impossible!
This beauty is practiced on earth, moreover, many times. Athletes learn to calculate distances from each other to millimeters. In this sport, everything is taken into account, including the weight of a person, the rate of fall depends on this indicator. This is necessary so that the figure in the air does not fall apart, does not break its shape and contours.
The speed of the fall also depends on the pose used by the athletes during the jump. For example, with a horizontal position of a person, the fall speed is up to 120 m / s, and with a vertical (head down) - up to 200 m / s. When training athletes, many parameters are taken into account.
The main thing in skydiving is the long workouts necessary to feel not only your body, but also the bodies of partners. In the air, when there is absolutely no time for reflection and coordination, each athlete must be able to quickly rebuild the figure at the right time.
About equipment
Speaking of what skydiving is, you should pay attention to the equipment of athletes involved in this sport. Every person who has given himself over to this sport knows that the cost of even one mistake can be the injury or death of any of the group members. Modern equipment, of course, can reduce the risks for athletes. In any case, they care not only about their safety, but also about the safety of partners.
Particular attention is paid to laying the parachute, it is very important that the slings are not tangled. Moreover, each athlete has his own method of styling, his own subtleties and tricks.
Conclusion
Skydiving in Russia is quite young and one of the troublesome sports.
Despite the complexity, various obstacles, Russian athletes become winners of international skydiving competitions (photo presented in the article).
It should be noted that, in addition to the desire to engage in this complex sport, a beginner skydiver needs to undergo serious training, obtain a license, and buy expensive ammunition.