What to Do with Your Hands When Skydiving: Beginner’s Guide

Where should your hands go when you’re skydiving? There isn’t one fixed pose. Knowing what to do with your hands when skydiving depends on the stage of the jump and the instructions your operator gives you. If you’re worried about forgetting a position or making the wrong move, take a breath. Your tandem instructor will brief you and guide you through the experience.

Your hands may not stay in the same position from the aircraft to landing. Instructions can vary between jump phases and operators, so you don’t need to memorise hand signals before your first tandem skydive. Listen during the pre-jump briefing, ask about anything that isn’t clear, and follow your instructor’s directions in the air.

This guide explains how hand positions fit into the different stages of a jump, why your instructor may cue you to adjust, and what to ask before boarding the aircraft. At UK Skydiving, tandem passengers are securely harnessed to a professional instructor who guides them through the experience. Your job is to listen, respond to their cues and take in the view.

What should you do with your hands when skydiving?

There isn’t one hand position that applies to every stage of a skydive or every operator. If you’re wondering what to do with your hands when skydiving, start with the guidance in your briefing. On a tandem jump, listen to your instructor and follow their directions rather than trying to memorise a pose from a photo or video.

Phase-specific hand positioning means following the hand and arm instructions given for each part of the jump, rather than holding one position throughout. Your body position and your instructor’s directions may change as the experience moves from leaving the aircraft to freefall, parachute opening and canopy flight. Exact guidance can vary, so don’t assume a movement described elsewhere is right for your jump. For a general overview of the jump sequence and the basics of body position, Wikipedia’s parachuting article offers background. Your instructor’s briefing takes priority.

First-time tandem passengers are securely harnessed to a professional instructor who guides them through the jump. You’re not expected to work out the sequence on your own. Listen to the briefing, ask if an instruction isn’t clear, and follow the cues you’re given. That’s more useful than worrying about getting every movement right before you’ve even boarded.

Why hand position can change during a skydive

Each phase has its own context. The position that’s appropriate around the aircraft exit may differ from what your instructor asks for during freefall or under the parachute. Directions may also depend on the operator’s procedures. Rather than practising a position you’ve seen online, ask when to change position and listen for the instructions that apply to your jump.

Tandem passenger or solo student: whose instructions should you follow?

On a tandem skydive, follow the directions of the instructor you’re attached to. You’re their passenger, not responsible for controlling the exit or parachute. Someone learning to skydive through a course, such as Accelerated Freefall (AFF), has a different role and follows the training and supervision provided for that course. Don’t assume advice for a solo student applies to a tandem passenger. If you’re new to tandem jumping, read this tandem skydiving first-jump guide for more about what to expect.

How hand positioning fits each stage of a tandem skydive

Think of the jump as a sequence, not one long pose. What to do with your hands when skydiving can change as the experience moves from the aircraft to freefall, then to parachute opening, canopy flight and landing. Your instructor’s briefing is the guide for your jump. Follow their directions instead of relying on a position you’ve seen in a photo or online.

There isn’t a universal set of hand movements for every tandem skydive. Cues can depend on the operator and the phase of the jump, so a generic stage-by-stage chart could make general advice sound like a procedure. Use this overview to understand why instructions may differ, then ask your instructor to explain the positions you’ll be asked to follow.

Before exit and during freefall

Your operator’s briefing is where to learn what they expect from you, including any hand or arm cues. Don’t assume you should hold a particular part of the harness, reach for equipment or copy another jumper. If a position isn’t clear, ask your instructor to show you before the jump. A demonstration on the ground can help you recognise the cue when it’s given.

As a tandem passenger, your role is to listen and respond to your instructor’s directions. You’re securely harnessed to them, and they guide you through the experience. You aren’t responsible for controlling the aircraft exit or deciding what happens next.

Parachute opening, canopy flight and landing

After the parachute opens, your instructor may give different guidance for the next part of the jump. Don’t assume that a freefall hand position still applies, or that you should reach for or operate any equipment. Follow the instructions you’ve been given, and ask during the briefing what to expect after deployment and as you prepare to land. Your instructor, not a generic online guide, should give you specific landing directions.

You may come across references to the FAA parachute regulations. These are United States regulations, not UK-specific guidance, and they don’t set a universal hand position for tandem passengers. For your jump, the practical guidance comes from your operator’s briefing and your instructor’s cues.

If you’re considering a first tandem jump, you can explore UK Skydiving’s tandem experience and keep your questions about hand positions ready for the briefing. Once you know what your instructor expects at each stage, you can focus less on your hands and more on the view.

Common hand-position worries and what to do instead

A skydiving photo can make one pose look like the obvious answer, but a single image doesn’t show what happened before or after the shutter clicked, which phase it captures, or what the instructor asked the passenger to do. Treat it as a snapshot, not as instructions for your tandem skydive.

Copying another jumper’s hand position may not match your briefing. They could be at a different point in the jump, following different operator guidance or taking part in another kind of skydive. If you’re wondering what to do with your hands when skydiving, use online images to picture the experience, not to plan your own movements.

Use general advice to prepare questions, not to decide your hand position. For the movements during your jump, follow the instructions your operator and instructor give you.

What if you forget the instruction or feel nervous?

Tell your instructor about any uncertainty before the jump. The briefing is the time to ask them to repeat a cue, explain when it applies or demonstrate what they mean. You don’t need to pretend you’ve understood. Asking on the ground is more useful than guessing what to do in the air.

Feeling nervous doesn’t mean you’ve failed to prepare. Focus on taking in one instruction at a time and follow your instructor’s directions during the jump. On a tandem skydive, you’re securely harnessed to a professional instructor who guides you through the experience. If you’d like a better sense of the sensations involved, read this guide to what skydiving feels like.

Should you copy a skydiving photo or video?

Use photos and videos to imagine the excitement, not to rehearse a specific pose. Perspective can make someone’s arms look higher, lower or further out than they are. The image may also show freefall when your question relates to the aircraft exit, parachute opening or landing. One frame can’t tell you what instructions led to that moment.

Instead, bring your question to the briefing. You could ask, “What should I do with my hands at each stage?” or “Can you show me the position you’ll ask me to use?” Your instructor can explain the cues for your jump, so you can respond to them rather than trying to copy someone else.

How to prepare your hands and questions before a skydive

A little preparation can help you feel ready without trying to memorise a set of poses. Online advice may describe another operator’s process or a different phase of a jump, so don’t practise movements based on a picture or video alone. Use your briefing to understand what your instructor wants you to do, and ask for clarification before the jump if anything is uncertain.

A simple plan is enough: listen to the full briefing, ask about any cue you don’t understand, then follow your instructor’s directions. You don’t need to work out what to do with your hands when skydiving by piecing together conflicting advice online. Your instructor can explain the guidance for your tandem jump.

Questions to ask during your briefing

Use the briefing to get clear, practical answers. You could ask:

• “What do you want me to do with my hands at each stage of the jump?”
• “How will you communicate instructions to me during the jump?”
• “Will the instructions change between freefall, canopy flight and landing?”
• “Could you demonstrate that cue again?”

You don’t need to know the answers in advance. The point is to understand the instructions before you leave the ground. If a demonstration or explanation still isn’t clear, say so. Asking is better than guessing or improvising.

A simple confidence checklist for first-time jumpers

Before the jump, take a moment to check that you know what to do next:

• Listen to your instructor’s briefing instead of trying to memorise poses you’ve seen online.
• Ask when to move your hands and whether your instructor’s directions change by phase.
• Make sure you understand how instructions will be communicated during the jump.
• Tell your instructor if you’re still unsure about a movement.

Keep the key idea simple: general advice can help you prepare questions, but your instructor’s directions are the ones to follow. If you’d like to read more about broader safety questions, explore this fact-based skydiving safety guide.

To find out more about the jump itself, explore UK Skydiving’s tandem experience and bring any questions about hand positions to your instructor’s briefing.

Your first tandem skydive: follow your instructor and enjoy the moment

The main answer to what to do with your hands when skydiving is simple: listen to the briefing and follow your instructor’s cues. There isn’t one pose to hold from the aircraft to landing. Your instructor will explain what they want you to do for your jump, so you don’t need to build a routine from online photos or anticipate every movement.

What a tandem passenger can expect

A tandem skydive is designed for beginners. You’ll be securely harnessed to a professional instructor who guides you through the experience. UK Skydiving operates from a base in Cambridgeshire, with tandem jumps from up to 13,000 feet. Your instructor’s briefing is the place to learn what to expect and ask about any hand or arm cues you’re unsure of.

You don’t need to arrive knowing a particular position. Guidance may vary by phase and operator, so avoid treating general online advice as a personal instruction. If you’re uncertain before booking, contact the operator with your questions. You can ask how the briefing covers hand positions and how instructions will be communicated during your jump.

Turn uncertainty into a question before jump day

Questions are part of preparing well. If you’re unsure when to move your hands, whether instructions change after the parachute opens, or what a cue means, ask before the jump. You can also request a demonstration during the briefing. A clear answer from your instructor is more useful than trying to memorise conflicting advice from different sources.

For a fuller overview of the experience, read UK Skydiving’s complete tandem skydiving guide. Then take any remaining questions to the operator and focus on the instructions for your own jump.

Your first tandem skydive is a big moment. Listen, follow your instructor’s cues and give yourself room to enjoy the experience. Discover tandem skydiving with UK Skydiving.

Get ready to enjoy your first jump

There’s no single hand position for every stage of a skydive or every operator. The best answer to what to do with your hands when skydiving is to listen to your briefing, ask about anything that isn’t clear and follow your instructor’s cues. You don’t need to copy a photo or memorise movements from online advice.

UK Skydiving’s tandem skydives are designed for beginners. You’ll be securely harnessed to a professional instructor who guides you through the experience. From its Cambridgeshire base, UK Skydiving serves North London and beyond.

Ready to explore your first tandem jump? Discover tandem skydiving with UK Skydiving. Ask your questions, listen to the briefing and follow your instructor’s guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should your hands be when skydiving?

There’s no single hand position for every skydive, phase or operator. If you’re asking what to do with your hands when skydiving, follow the instructions in your briefing and your tandem instructor’s cues. Guidance may differ between the aircraft, freefall and parachute descent. Don’t use a photo or general online advice instead of instructions for your jump.

Do tandem skydivers need to move their hands during freefall?

Your instructor may ask you to adjust your hands or arms, but the exact instructions depend on the operator and the jump. Listen and respond to their cues rather than moving based on something you’ve seen online. If you’re unsure what a signal means, ask for an explanation during the briefing. Your role is to follow your instructor’s guidance, not to manage the skydive yourself.

What happens if I forget what to do with my hands?

If you’re worried you’ll forget, tell your instructor before the jump and ask them to repeat or demonstrate the relevant cues. During the jump, focus on following the instructions they give you instead of recalling advice from different sources. It’s fine to ask questions during the briefing. If you’re uncertain about a movement, say so before boarding so you understand what to expect.

Can you hold your instructor during a tandem skydive?

Don’t assume you should hold or grab your instructor. On a tandem skydive, you’re securely harnessed to a professional instructor, and your role is to follow their directions. Ask during the briefing where they want your hands at each stage and whether you should touch anything. Unless your instructor specifically tells you to do something, don’t reach for them or their equipment.

Should you copy the hand position in skydiving videos?

No. A video shows one moment and may not reveal the jump phase, the operator’s briefing or the instructions given to that jumper. The person may also be doing a different type of skydive. Treat videos as a glimpse of the experience, not as a guide to your own hand position. On a tandem jump, ask your instructor what they want you to do.

Do hand positions change after the parachute opens?

They can. The jump moves into a different phase after the parachute opens, and your instructor may give different directions. Don’t assume your freefall position still applies, or that you should reach for or operate equipment. Ask during the briefing what guidance to expect after deployment and during the descent. Follow your instructor’s instructions for your jump rather than applying a general rule.

What should I ask my skydiving instructor about hand position?

Ask what they want your hands to do at each relevant stage, whether the instructions change after the parachute opens, and how they’ll communicate cues during the jump. If an explanation or demonstration isn’t clear, ask them to repeat it. You can also mention any concerns about remembering what to do. Clear answers before the jump can help you focus on following your instructor’s guidance.