You have seen them on TV and in the movies taking leaps from bridges, cranes and platforms. Plunging headlong into what appears to be a catastrophic encounter with the ground and then being “saved” at the last second by the bungee cords tied to their ankles. You may have shaken your head and called them “fools”, or worse, or you may have said to yourself, “Wow! I've got to try that!”
If you are one of those who is ready to try it yourself, ready to feel the rush, then you will be happy to know it's not that hard to get started. There are permanent bungee jump locations in many of the larger cities where you can go most any time of the year to 'take the plunge'. In addition, there are roving bungee experiences that will sooner or later come near you.
Once you get associated with the place, you may be astonished how simple it is to take your first jump. Bungee, for the informal jumper, does not require a lot of facts of the sport or any private gear. All it requires is the bravery to jump. The operators of bungee concessions are skilled professionals who know the gear. They have done the “mathematics” and can tell precisely how long a bungee rope needs to be for each individual high jumper. Your 'preparation' will be quite short, just a simple clarification of the procedures and you will most probably be required to sign a disclaimer that explains the parks liability, their limits of liability, and admit that you have no known medical circumstances that prohibit you from bungee jumping. Your height and weight will then be recorded and you'll be attached to the proper length bungee cord (depending on your size) by a harness.
Depending on the bungee concession, you may get a selection between harnesses. There are two basic types of bungee harnesses to choose from: the ankle harness (both ankles are usually harnessed) and the body harness. Jumping with an ankle harness is what might be considered 'standard' bungee jumping (in roughly every case you will also have some type of body harness as a backup but the real jump and the bounce(s) back up will be by virtue of your ankle harness. If you are pulled back up or lowered to the ground, the body harness will be used). The body harness (lacking an ankle harness) will no doubt be less traumatic on your ankles and legs and will 'feel' safer for most novices. The body harness may have the bungee cord affixed at your abdomen or at your back. Then at the end of your free fall, when the bungee cord starts to apply its pull, you will need to be facing up or down depending on where it is attached. Not to be concerned, the jump hand will carefully clarify this procedure for you before the jump.
The bungee concession will definatly have policies about 'how' you are permitted to jump but just for your edification, here are some of the various types of jumps:
The “swallow dive” is performed by leaping away from the platform with your arms extended out like a bird.
The 'back dive' is much like the back dive you would execute off the high dive at a swimming pool. Jump back and elegantly go into a nose-dive.
The 'bat drop' is something you will never be permitted to do at a bungee concession but just for your information, it is a tactic where you get yourself dangling upside down (like a bat sleeps), hanging from your toes or having a pair of friends hold your ankles and then just drop straight down.
The 'elevator drop' is a feet first jump -- you keep the feet first position until the harness takes over. Word of warning: If you are jumping with an ankle harness, the 180-degree flip (when the bungee cord takes over) could apply a lot of force on your ankles and legs and could injure you).
The 'pogo' is actually a risky maneuver to be attempted by only the most skilled jumpers. By means of an ankle harness, you jump feet first (the elevator drop) but you are holding onto the bungee cord, near the ankle harness. Preferably, when the bungee cord is fully extended, you will still be in an upright position and will “pogo“ up and down a few times. The certainty is, this maneuver makes it very simple to get hurt (and in addition, the bungee concession operators ask you to never touch the bungee cords with your naked hands.
