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Vertigo!!

Posted: Wed 10 Jan, 2007 7:26 pm
by unicorn
This may come as a very stupid question for the para forum,

But, i have just watched a para training video and saw recruits doing the high level obstical course, and noticed that some parts seemed pretty hard, even some of the recruits seemed to struggle. I was crapping myself just watching and I don't usually have a problem with heights.

Does anyone else have the same feeling?

Are you expected to have all the bottle to do this from start, or do they build you up to it through training?

The thought of a para jump sounds great, but sometimes it's the smaller things that catch you out.

Posted: Wed 10 Jan, 2007 10:15 pm
by Tab
The last thing they need in the Airborne is people that freeze in the door and wont jump. Now if you are nervous on those high bars, then how do you think you will be standing in the door waiting to jump. Everything during training is there for a purpose, and that is to test your reactions to certain events, fail these and they will show you the door. If you hesitate on them you could still fail, if you have doubts about your ability to do this sort of thing save your self the aggravation and chose your self another career

Posted: Wed 10 Jan, 2007 10:30 pm
by Paratrooper01
Dont worry about it. You will get to practice the trainasium with your platoon staff before P-Company. You even do the lower part of it (30ft) during week 1!

The shuffle bars is probably the hardest bit, but its all in your head. Everybody sh*ts themself on them, just make sure you do it properly the first time otherwise you will be doing it again. You only get 3 chances :wink:

Posted: Wed 10 Jan, 2007 11:41 pm
by unicorn
Tab, I understand your point, and agree to some extent. but that wasn't what the post was about.

Paratrooper, thought this would be the case, having watched the video, you could see that there was some hesitation with quite a few of the recruits on the high level obstacle course.

Just wanted to know if this was the NORM.

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 10:04 am
by BigStevie
I am scared shitless of heights myself, but on occasion have dealt with it:

I was working on a building site once (Stockman's Lane - if any of the old Paras remember the place) and a mate was having diffs working at the top of a high scaffold while pouring concrete - I was up the scaffold in two secs and hanging on with him until the task was done. But it took me ten minutes to get down.

The lesson is, don't think about the height - think only of the task. Concentrate totally on it, what you have to do to move on, and what is the next move from there. Don't allow yourself to be distracted.

Hope this is ok, advice from a 'hat'!

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 10:19 am
by got1
unicorn, it is "norm". Some people deal with it better than others, it is a "confidence course". I put on here somewhere before about kids playing on the one in Aldershot, mind they don't have any fear. :)
I found that most people failed on the step down jump, not on the shuffle bars which is higher still.

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 12:27 pm
by Greenronnie
Mate, I was terrified the first time I did the trainasium. I've never been too keen on heights. However, I did it no problem. 1900 jumps later and I still wouldn't be too keen on doing it now! :o

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 4:19 pm
by 81mm
when i did it one of the lads completed the whole lot, shuffle bars, jump, the lot, but when it came to leaning out and sliding down the firemans pole he woudnt do it, was asked 3 times to do it, refused ,and was then f####d off, that appeared to be the easiest part of the lot, but he found actually leaning out and grabbing the pole the scariest. he was not bothered at all about the height or anything else just that. as they say in the film,s strange but true.

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 5:19 pm
by Foley
Bit of a slilly question but whats underneath the trainasium? is there a net under it?

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 5:52 pm
by Tab
Image

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 6:25 pm
by got1
[quote="Foley"]Bit of a slilly question but whats underneath the trainasium? is there a net under it?[/quote]

Don't know about now especially with health and safety :D , but all we had was the ground, but in the old days the ground was much harder than it is now. :D :D

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 7:30 pm
by Tab
If you had a net to catch you then where is the fear factor. The Lads would walk out on it knowing that if they fell they would be safe.

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 8:16 pm
by Greenronnie
Well, guess what, there is a net now. I couldn't believe it when I heard there was, as per tab's last comment.

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 8:37 pm
by Andr3w
if you fell without a net you could have broke your neck :o

Posted: Thu 11 Jan, 2007 8:55 pm
by Foley
:lol: without a net would be more sensible as you will be jumping out of a plane, but yer i suppose they couldnt realy do that anymore because of the health and safety stuff they have