After more than 2,900 jumps, Mike Talerico has plenty of stories about what happens between leaving an airplane and reaching the ground.
Mike joins Jay Hicks to talk about life as a competitive skydiver, the appeal that keeps him jumping, and how the sport changes when you're training for a competition. He shares experiences from international events, unusual jumps, and a close call involving an old-style round parachute.
They also discuss how parachute technology has evolved, how Mike thinks about risk and equipment checks, and what repeated time in freefall has taught him about himself. The conversation closes with his perspective for people considering their first jump.
What We Explore
* Getting started and becoming a competitive skydiver
* What happens in a skydiving competition
* A close call with a round parachute
* Equipment, preparation, and assessing risk
* The stranger moments across thousands of jumps
* Freefall, perspective, and lessons from the sport
* Mike's thoughts for first-time skydivers
About Mike Talerico
Mike Talerico is a competitive skydiver who had completed more than 2,900 jumps at the time of this conversation.
Resources Mentioned
https://uspa.org/ • https://www.skydivecity.com/
The Tragedy Academy
Candid conversations exploring the human experience through tragedy and triumph.
Hosted by Jay Hicks.
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