What happens when a reporter with no prior training attempts the ski jump portion of Nordic combined? I found out firsthand when Team USA Nordic combiner Erik Lynch agreed to teach me the basics of this challenging winter sport. "You didn't even do a landing hill ride and you're just sending it," Lynch said as I prepared for my first attempt. "I'm just going to send it," I replied, channeling whatever confidence I could muster. Lynch and I started in the training gym, where he broke down the fundamentals of ski jumping technique."This is a lot of drag, so it's a lot less drag if your arms are here. From here, it's as simple as this, where you're just pushing vertically like you're doing a leg press or a deadlift and jump practice," Lynch explained during our training session. "When somebody hasn't ever gone before or they're preparing to go up on a little larger hill, then they'll practice from here and then they'll jump and then try and land in their telemark." After practicing the basic movements, it was time to suit up. The specialized equipment used in Nordic combined is heavily regulated for safety reasons."They regulate these very heavily because a certain amount of air has to pass through this material. If it holds too much air, it's too easy to fly out and away from the hill, which is extremely dangerous," Lynch said about the suits. "The suits are not flattering," I noted."Yeah," Lynch agreed."They should fix that," I added. Once properly equipped with skis, Lynch guided me through the proper stance and positioning.Getting on the skis took some practice."Angle your foot, angle it, angle it even more. There it is. Now you are ready. And then arms can be back here. Yeah, nice, right on your hip, nice. All right, and control those, control," Lynch instructed. The jump I attempted was much smaller than the ones you see in the Olympics. Lynch usually conquers much larger jumps, but as a beginner, I started with the basics.ALSO READ | Century-old Olympic sport faces elimination over gender exclusion at 2026 Winter GamesWhen I finally made my attempt, Lynch's relief was palpable."She nailed it. Thank goodness. Oh my gosh. I was nervous. Thank goodness," Lynch said after my landing."That doesn't make me feel good. It's like you were actually terrified I was going to die!" I responded.Despite the nerves, even landing one jump felt like a major victory. Even though my second attempt ended in a fall. "I hope you're proud," Lynch said."It was so fun. I am proud. I mean, I can't believe I did it! My mother would be scared. She'd be like, Olivia, what are you doing?" I replied."That was impressive," Lynch said."Huge respect," he added.The experience gave me newfound appreciation for the skill and courage required in Nordic combined, where athletes must master both ski jumping and cross-country skiing at the highest levels._______Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching. ...read more read less