420 lbs and feeling the need to jump

[TheOneBigMike 0]

Hi there, new to the dropzone. I was referred here by the two dopzones closest to me (Alberta). I'm hoping someone with some experience dealing with this scenario will chime in. I'm a 22 year old, 6' 420 lb male. I'm actually in excellent physical shape considering my size I have been contemplating for some time now, and finally have said enough is enough, I want to do it. My problem has been finding equipment and instructors to accomodate. I am at the complete understandng that I will have to purchase my own custom made gear, and am willing. I'm looking for assistance locating the gear manufacturers that are willing to undertake this journey into unknown territory as well as the instructor willing to teach someone so eager to learn. Have passport, will travel. If anyone has any information to offer, that would be greatly appreciated.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Suggest you contact BIGUN on this site. He knows a lot about how to get big folks into the sky safely.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[brettski74 0]

Call the crossposting police...

Your other thread in General Skydiving Discussions is the more appropriate place to discuss this.

You may want to familiarize yourself with the forum rules.

[TheOneBigMike 0]

Sorry, I'm not going to plead ignorance on this one, I know the rules. However, "hyperobesity" is considered a physical disability, but, just as everyone else in this thread, I'm setting out to prove that said "disability" will not stop me from doing anything I put my mind to. Mike

[chaoskitty 0]

I dont mean to sound like a smartass or a mean person, but you're being kind of a drama queen about this. You're waiting for someone to tell you its OK to skydive. Nobody should tell you its OK for you to skydive at your current weight. If you consider yourself disabled, but you can do anything you put your mind to, then put your mind to losing about half of your body weight and ridding yourself of your disability. Then skydiving wont be a problem!
I have struggled with my weight my entire life, man, I know its hard and its a constant battle. But you seem to want to skydive pretty bad.. theres your motivation.

[jsreznor 0]

Quote

Sorry, I'm not going to plead ignorance on this one, I know the rules. However, "hyperobesity" is considered a physical disability, but, just as everyone else in this thread, I'm setting out to prove that said "disability" will not stop me from doing anything I put my mind to. Mike

Didn't you state that you're in great shape in the other thread?

[brettski74 0]

I never suggested it was or wasn't a disability. I said that this is a cross-post, which it is. Cross posting is not permitted. Pick the most appropriate location for your topic. Post it there, once, not in multiple places all over the forums.

[Bodhisattva420 0]

Dude you could totally jump! But you'll probably have to pay for two lift tickets and have a custom rig.

[Bodhisattva420 0]

I forgot to add this: You'll probably want a REALLY baggy jump suit if you want to jump with other people.

[Phil1111 910]

Find something else to do or think about.

If you're serious you could lose 150lbs and likely find a DZ.

[menopause 0]

Quote

I'm actually in excellent physical shape

Quote

hyperobesity

You're too fat to skydive, and in denial about it. You're not going to "show us" by trying to skydive at your weight, you're going to "get hurt" or "die" or "get someone killed". If money really isn't an object for you, hire someone to kick your ass into shape for a year and make some healthy lifestyle changes.

[TheOneBigMike 0]

Sorry, wrong thread... (first time to site, scrolling on iPhone and saw this first). Moderator please remove this thread if possible I will continue in other thread. And please if you know if a person can post a picture from an iPhone, and know how, please pm me. Thank you

[gimpboogie 0]

Hi ThOneBigMike,

Well not necessarily the 'wrong' thread-as you say, 'obeisty' in some circumstances IS a disability (genetic predisposition towards it, like some other 'situations' people find themselves in, such as heart disease, diabetes, or MS and many more).

So lets go with the fact that you have a disability, as it is what you state (and who are we to disagree with you, on wether your condition is a disability or not).


Now to the two other statements that are important in your first posting.
1) you have a lot of determination/will power when it comes to things you want to get done.
2) you are physically fit for your size of a person.

to address those, i will honestly take the 'devils advocate' position, so you can see the whole picture and not just from your position/perspective as we all tend to do, especially when we are new to a situation/activity as we do not know what is necessarity involved in that activity.

FIRST of all, as has been mentioned, there are 'rules' the tandem masters (instructors) follow, and these are two fold.
a) set out by the skydiving governing body they belong to -wether that is USPA, CSPA etc. AND FAI, FAA (yes we are also bound by aviation industry rules, so FAA or ministry of transport in canada are involved and have rules for us also to follow)

SECOND, the rules support the restrictions of weight on gear as well as jumper's weight (with weight restrictions on the gear-as mentioned sport gear-what you would be using once youve acquired solo status and are out of 'student' gear-as well as tandem gear, there are weight restrictions that must be adhered to-or the dropzone can have their 'right' to use some manufacturers gear if they do not follow that manufacturers rules regarding this gear=this is especially true with tandem gear.).

Safetly does not only include you, as a skydiver, but the plane, pilot, other skydivers, (instructors included while you are learning) and spectators (if there are any).

Some things which we do not know about, prior to becoming skydivers are things such as the weight restrictions allowed on the back of the plane during 'jump run' (the stage you are at the door=rear of the plane-ready to jump)
This is for the safety of the pilot, plane and other skydivers. As the plane will stall if there is too much weight at the exit area-(back of the plane)

If that isnt scary eough (to think one person, or a couple if they do not know these rules) could potentially take down a whole plane full of skydivers or at least get them all to evacuate the plane, including the pilot and allow the plane to crash alone-either scenario is horrible-one just does not involve loss of life.

Now during your training stage-regardless of wether you have the $ to buy special tandem gear just to fit you in it, or not-you can not skydive at this weight, regardless of how fit you are. You can be a world class athlete in some sport where your size is an asset, and be physically fit enough to participate in this sport, you still are not necessariy "ok" to skydive.

It's been said more often then not, that skydiving is "99% mental and 1% what ever" type of sport=physcial fitness did not enter that equaion. Clearly you must have some fitness abilities-even to easily lift yourself in and out of the plane, get gear on etc.

Then there is the aspect that a Tandem instructor MUST be able to manage your and their weight (not only themselves physically-be able to lift you, with their own strength, to adjust the harness prior to jumping)

This is one aspect of the reasoning why each tandem instructor has their own 'weight limit' they will take a passapger. I know one tandem instructor who will take a person up to 270 lbs-which is more then any of the other tandem instructors in our dropzone-who limi theirs to 240lbs. This is purely due to the fact that the guy taking the 270b ones is a very fit, strong (yet little in physical size) instructor as well as extremely experienced and happens to be the tandem instructor who takes on 'special' jumpers such as those of us with paralysis, MS, and other disabilities.

Having said that, I hope you can see that it is NOT because we do not want you to participate in our sport, or that we do not want to help you find a place to jump we are trying to help you by telling you the various factors affecting the reasons why you can not jump safelly a that weight.

I hope you will be able to overocme your disability to the point that you will be able to either deal with the consequences of your choices when you are of jumping weight (generally that is determined by the gear-what size is available as well as the comfort level of the dropzone you go to.

Surely we want every peron to have the option to try out the sport, but some individuals just are not able to do so, in their current life situaiton. another example may be a blind person firmly believing the can jump-well who is going o take the risk of teaching this person to jump safely?-not many instructors in the world may be willing to give that a try.

The will power you have, perhaps you can dedicate the next couple of years into figuring out how you will be able to deal with the weight, get some of it reduced, weither that is surgical stomach reduction, or other measures dedicated to those individuals for whom they are appropriate, or wether it is doing some excertize that is safe for you, until the weight starts to shed offl] yes its true often the weight comes back again, if we 'diet' but if you want to get a tandem jump in, and see what this sport is like, then decide if it is worth if for youto loose the weight, even for that one jump, then if you gain it back, you allready know what it is like to jump and hopefully that feeling, the desire to do it again, to get to the point in skydivng that you will start to seriously learn the sport and will require more individual attention as you are learning.

These are some thoughts for you to consider. I'm sorry to tell you, that I do not see any possibility for youto skydive at that weight.

To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

[Meso 38]

I'm locking this thread due to the cross posting happening on the other related thread. Let's try keep everything in one place. Those who have offered valuable advice can repost it in the other remaining thread.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3915048