Disadvantages or Advantages to being small??

[UDSkyJunkie 0]

I'm not quite as small as you, but I'm pretty small for a guy... 135 lbs and 5'7".

You may struggle a bit during AFF and it may be hard initially to find canopies that don't make you go backwards on a windy day, but once you get into the experienced jumping world, don't worry!

Personally, I find my small stature to be a HUGE ADVANTAGE over the big guys! Why? I don't have to contrort myself as much in the door for exit. I never have to worry about going low, but I can always add weight to my belt if I need to fall faster... it's ALWAYS easier to go faster than slower! I can (and in fact, have to) wear a skin-tight jumpsuit, which gives much greater control and faster response than a floppy suit. Reduced mass means it's easier to turn, easier to track, easier to stop. Everything in the air is easier!

The only time it's been a disadvantage is as an AFF jumpmaster, when I'm trying to keep a guy twice my size stable... but honestly that's more about skill than mass.

One big word of caution: be conservative on canopy size and wing loading... small canopies perform much more radically than larger canopies of the same wingloading, so while some brand-new jumpers find that they're very comfortable at a WL of say 1.2, but with a large 210 sq ft canopy, a small jumper loading a 120 at 1.2 would be a recipe for injury.

"Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission."

[virgin-burner 1]

he must gliding (?) like a leaf in in the wind in fall..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[skibumhass 0]

being small would be sweet i am 93kg with out a rig makes it harder to slow down frree flying you will be able to fly any dimension sweet when you get more jumps. and if you were ever pound in under canopy you dont carry the same inertia hence less likely to get injured.

[heavydude 0]

You have no problems, I am on opposite end of spectrum @ 6.0, 240 lbs. You can get one of those cool small rigs that look like a small daypack.....I carry a rig that looks like an Everest assault. I just got an extra slow fall suit, have yet to try it. W/ my free-fly suit I drop like a rock !

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

Quote

Landing with weights. A butt slide landing is preferable to running out a landing while wearing 12 lbs.

Landing with weights is a complete non-event as long as you stay within an appropriate wing-loading for your size/experience. I wear that much weight all the time and don't think twice about the landing..

Heck - at the CRW record the guy on top wore 90!!! lbs of weight and still stood up his landings..

True. My ex was wearing up to 17 lbs on a 105 lb frame at one point. She could barely walk with it on.
She was flying a 105 or 120, can't remember.

Anyway, it was her decision. A combination of landing skills, physical strength, extra weight, and knee problems. She chose a butt slide.

[pinkfairy 0]

Landing with weights is a complete non-issue for me too, I'm about the same weight as the OP, and I actually like my huge Silhouette 150 better with a little more weight on it. With weights, slicksuit and proper technique, I can match even heavy people. Advantages of being small must be that if you jump with people like me, you'll get more freefall time.

Also to the OP, don't worry about your instructors asking about your weight, it's only a technical question to help them dress you and themselves for success. Anyway, you'll be telling everyone your weight later if you get your own gear and tell people your wingload.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[ElJosh 0]

Being short makes my junk look bigger.
~El Josh AKA Ruby

DS #149
Yes I only have 3 jumps...it's the magic number dude.

[bradk04 0]

Quote

... but for some reason during free fall, my body position is all messed up, I swear I feel like a total spaz, I have no idea what my legs are up to. haha I have issues with the whole lower body positive 45 degree deal. Never realized arching is so difficult. I need work, I hope it gets better...

i had this problem when I did tandem. The instructor had to keep forcing my legs up until it clicked in my little peanut brain that i had to keep them up and back. Apparently they were hanging funny which put us in to a turn or something. it was really funny to watch the video.

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

I'm 5'0" and about 97 lbs. It's more difficult to find used gear, and if you focus on RW, you'll probably eventually use weights. Don't worry, your flying shouldn't be an issue. If you have any specific questions, just PM me.

[Toastie 0]

Quote

You have no problems, I am on opposite end of spectrum @ 6.0, 240 lbs. You can get one of those cool small rigs that look like a small daypack.....I carry a rig that looks like an Everest assault. I just got an extra slow fall suit, have yet to try it. W/ my free-fly suit I drop like a rock !

ahh... it is nice to see people of all shapes and sizes in this sport!

[Toastie 0]

Quote

...Advantages of being small must be that if you jump with people like me, you'll get more freefall time....

sounds like a great advantage to me...

[Beer 0]

I wouldn't recommend intentionally sliding in landings on you butt. Flare a little late and you're just asking for a spinal injury.

Learn to be happy. You can't be there for anybody else in life if you can't learn to be there for yourself.