Is Skydiving Like A Workout?

Is skydiving like a workout? Would you consider maintaining a stable, arched body position while applying positive pressure with both legs and arms against the force of air produced from falling 120 mph a workout? Why, then, yes! We’d definitely say skydiving is a workout! In fact, all things considered, skydiving is a creative way to burn calories and have fun while doing so. 

Just because swimsuit season may be coming to an end, doesn’t mean you have to quit working on your fitness! All in all, exercise slumps between the seasons are pretty common. It’s easy to start strong when you have a clear goal in mind, but as you mosey along a case of the “why bothers” can set in. That is why it is important to search for new and engaging ways to get in a workout.

Interested? Let’s peruse a few health benefits of skydiving, shall we?

Physical Health Benefits of Skydiving: Calorie Burn

The Compendium of Physical Activities* provides a list of the Metabolic Equivalents (MET) for various activities ranging from home repair to an afternoon spent toiling in the garden. It also includes the MET for skydiving, which is an MET of 3.5. 

To determine the amount of calories burned for a person of your size while skydiving, you can use the following equation.

Calories burned per minute = (MET x body weight in Kg x 3.5) ÷ 200

For example, to determine the number of calories a  person who weighs 150 pounds (or 68.04kg) will burn while skydiving you would insert the values where appropriate in the equation above.

Calories Burned from skydiving (per minute) = (3.5 x 68.04 x 3.5) ÷ 200 = 4.17

To figure out how many calories are burned by skydiving per hour, take the answer from above and multiply it by 60. 

Calories Burned from skydiving (for 60 minutes) = 4.17 x 60 = 250.2

This means an individual that weighs 150 lbs can burn 250.2 calories per hour of skydiving!

Physical Health Benefits of Skydiving: Full Body Toning

Skydiving is a full-body workout. When you consider that you will be carrying an average of 20lbs of gear onto the aircraft and off of the field, engaging your back, core, arms, and legs in freefall, and using your arms to apply pressure to steer the parachute and land, you can see how skydiving can quickly become a full-body workout. As with any workout, over time your body will become accustomed to the level of physical exertion required, and you will build up stamina. Where 3 jumps a day might have had you whooped, you’ll find you can knock out 6 or 7, easy peasy! Many professional skydiving athletes even complete as many as 16 skydives in a day. Talk about a real skydiving workout!

Mental and Emotional Health Benefits of Skydiving

Skydiving is not only a physical workout but a mental one as well. As you begin to delve deeper into skydiving, you will see that there is so much to learn. From fundamental facts like cloud clearances and basic safety regulations to fine-tuned flying specifics like dive flows (p.s. there are over 30 formations that can be built-in competitive 4-way alone!), you can easily see how skydiving gives your mind-muscle a healthy little workout!

In addition to the mental health benefits of skydiving, there are emotional benefits as well. Skydiving is a “feel good” activity. Much like going to the gym after a little time-off, after you push through the first bits of discomfort you’re left feeling accomplished and, in some cases, even elated! Oh, and did we mention, the experience of skydiving actually creates an increase of the feel-good hormones within the brain!?

Pump iron or play with a parachute? We know which one we’d prefer! 

References

Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, Meckes N, Bassett Jr DR, Tudor-Locke C, Greer JL, Vezina J, Whitt-Glover MC, Leon AS. The Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide. Healthy Lifestyles Research Center, College of Nursing & Health Innovation, Arizona State University. Retrieved [14 September, 2021] from the World Wide Web.

https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/