Is skydiving a sport?

You’ve probably heard about physical activities that aren’t common in daily practice getting a bad rap. One of the most typical judgements is to question whether skydiving is a sport. Of course at iJump we are ready to defend our passion, that we love to make you enjoy as much as we do!

What kind of sport is skydiving?

To settle this matter immediately and without further ado: it is confirmed that skydiving is a sport, in particular it is even considered an extreme sport. Those disciplines, which are also known as adventure sports or controlled risk sports, are characterised by the exposure of the participants to conditions that are more challenging than usual.

Skydiving as we normally know it or tandem skydiving are two of the most representative examples of extreme sport activities that aim to overcome fears and stretch your limits. However, bear in mind that it is necessary to be in good physical conditions in order to jump out of planes.

Yes, skydiving is a sport, but the professionals at iJump value the health and safety of our customers before everything else. Therefore it is important to point out, that although it is a discipline that can be practised by virtually anyone, there are risks for people who have certain health conditions which could be aggravated through skydiving. Especially those who suffer from spinal injuries or recent spinal operations, pregnant women or people whose doctor has advised against this type of activity, should not skydive. If in doubt, ask us and we will clarify it for you.

How is skydiving carried out?

Skydiving is a sport that can be done by jumping from a plane, helicopter or hot air balloon. When tandem skydiving, you don’t have to worry about knowing what to do after jumping from the aircraft, as you will be accompanied at all times by one of our highly qualified professionals who will be in control of the entire activity, including the opening of the parachute.

It can be said that skydiving consists of five phases in total:

• The first step is to get all the necessary equipment for the descent and prepare for the jump. In case of a tandem jump, the preparation will be a short briefing and the equipment consists of the appropriate clothing, passenger harness, jumping goggles and of course the tandem rig including the parachute. But don’t worry about the more technical specifications as those will all be taken care of by our team.
• Next, as you can guess, is to get into one of the planes we have at iJump and fly to a height of over 3,000 metres. At this point our instructors will repeat the instructions to follow so that everything runs smoothly and safely.
• It’s time to jump! The door of the plane will open for our instructor to jump with you. At this moment, an exciting free fall awaits you, in which you will reach more than 200 km/h. An unbeatable adrenaline rush that you will hardly be able to experience in other activities.
• Skydiving is a sport of contrasts in terms of sensations, and the exhilarating speed is followed by a peaceful Once 1,500 metres above ground, it’s time to open the parachute and relish a gentle glide that will guarantee you the best views of Gran Canaria when skydiving with iJump. Can you think of a more privileged position to enjoy this paradisiacal island?
• Finally, all the stimuli experienced in these minutes draw to a close, the journey through the skies comes to an end with the landing, even though we would love to spend much more time flying over the island. Shall we repeat?

How long does the free fall last?

We have already clarified that skydiving is a sport and how it is done, but there are still a couple of common questions that we get asked often by our customers: How long does the free fall last? And how fast is the landing?

We have already mentioned the high speed you reach in free fall. When doing a tandem skydive from 3000m you will be in free fall for just under 1 minute, however, we are sure that when the moment arrives you will forget this fact, as you will only be enjoying the experience and time will be irrelevant.

Are you interested in knowing how long the flight on the parachute is? Once the parachute is open, it takes about 7 minutes until you reach the ground, a wonderful time gliding peacefully over Gran Canaria. We recommend you to just focus on experiencing every moment to the fullest and you will discover that skydiving is a sport so enjoyable, you can literally fall in love with it at first sight =)

In answer to the second question, it depends on the winds but there is nothing to worry about the landing speed as our instructors are in charge of making sure that the whole process is carried out smoothly. When you reach the ground, all you have to do is lift your legs for the instructor to land for you.

Your skydiving experience in Gran Canaria, with iJump

Are you going on holiday to Gran Canaria and want to take the opportunity to live a unique experience? Skydiving is a sport that allows you to challenge your limits and experience something that is totally out of the ordinary. With iJump you can be sure that everything goes perfectly.

In case you hadn’t thought about it and you need an idea for a birthday gift, we offer skydiving gift cards which is a great present for that person with whom you would like to share special moments like this.

In addition, we accomodate for all kinds of celebrations, even marriage proposals and bachellor parties! And with the option to record it on video to remember it forever.

Don’t hesitate to contact us for any further information or to make your reservation, we are waiting for you with open wings!