# Taller People vs. Shorter People



## NorthernSoul (Nov 7, 2011)

Ok I'm not so much a begginer in the gym but when it comes to the biology and physics of things I suck big time.

I have many friends shorter than me and they can lift heavier than me, if i try the same weight i might be able to do one or two reps but thats it. I mean im chunky, not a tall stick thin kinda guy but my arms are a few more inches longer..

Should that make a big difference?

I understand the concept as well about if a bigger person gained 10lbs of muscle it might only show a little but if a smaller person gained 10lb of muscle it will definately show. So I'm just wondering in this theory it's kind of the same for what you can lift


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2011)

yes, shorter people with short limbs often will have a mechanical advantage over tall people with longer limbs and be able to lift more weight.

People who say long limbs = long levers = more weight are stupid.

However, this is not an excuse to slack. Pull your finger out!


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## NorthernSoul (Nov 7, 2011)

thanks mike and thats what i get told all the time not to slack LOL  btu i try my very bestest


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2011)

Yeah, being tall can be a cnut in this game mate. im 6'3"-6'4" myself, depending on how much heavy lifting ive been doing lol


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## MrO2b (Aug 19, 2010)

Work= force*distance

so a longer limbed person will move a weight a greater distance than a shorter limbed person. therefore to achieve the same amount of 'work' they won't need to move as much 'force'

short limbed person 30cm ROM bench press with 150kg is same amount of work as long limbed person with 45cm ROM and 100kg.

whether it is 'work' or weight which contributes more significantly to hypertrophy is down to many other factors.


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

But the strongest men in the world are not short! The biggest squats, bench presses and deadlift have been done by guys 6 ft or over.

Get stronger, no excuses


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## Wardy211436114751 (Jan 24, 2011)

My dad reckons taller people are generally better at the deadlift...?


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2011)

martin brown said:


> But the strongest men in the world are not short! The biggest squats, bench presses and deadlift have been done by guys 6 ft or over.
> 
> Get stronger, no excuses


More size, more muscle, more power! lol


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## deep85 (Aug 11, 2010)

me and my gym buddy started training together. He is 6ft 2 i am 5ft 6.. we both lift virtually identical weights. However my muscle defination is much better, and appeared much quicker much to his annoyance!

It doesnt matter what size your are there is no point making excuses being short or tall. Eat, sleep, train and put the muscle on to whatever size body you were blessed/cursed with at birth lol


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## Little_Jay (Feb 6, 2006)

small people do show it alot better, but i cant wait to get to being big and tall, will look mean then! thats what i tell myself


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## Readyandwaiting (Mar 20, 2011)

depends on the bio mechanics of ones body, some people my height 6'4 can squat a bundle then some cannot,

perhaps due to a long thigh bone perhaps/ back i dunnno really


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## JoePro (Aug 26, 2009)

Hmm... In some ways I disagree because you can have different proportions e.g. Short legs, but a huge upper body with long lanky arms, or long legs, a shorter upper body and short arms..

It depends how you're built IMO not on your height.

If someone 6"5 had small legs and a bigger upper body, will they not be stronger than a shorter person with long legs and shorter upper body on squats?


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## The Ultimate Warrior (Dec 20, 2010)

All I can say at 6'3 is...


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## DiamondDixie (Oct 17, 2009)

B0llocks short people have an advantage when it comes to powerlifting, squatting couple of inches to parallel, deadlift lift your head up you're there, bench there little t-rex arms aren't far from there chest. Lanky people have more work to do.


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## JoePro (Aug 26, 2009)

DiamondDixie said:


> B0llocks short people have an advantage when it comes to powerlifting, squatting couple of inches to parallel, deadlift lift your head up you're there, bench there little t-rex arms aren't far from there chest. Lanky people have more work to do.


Go me and my 5"6 self.


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## Readyandwaiting (Mar 20, 2011)

taller people have to work harder i feel, their range of motion is great therefore more effort i feel


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## comfla (Feb 26, 2013)

I hope you ******s have to work harder, now you know how every short dude who ever had to run anywhere feels. Gits.


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## WilsonR6 (Feb 14, 2012)

I think height has absolute zero to do with anything and it's all about how bulky you are naturally

Could be a 6 ft 10 guy with a skinny build and never be able to deadlift over 200kg, could be a 6 ft 10 absolute natural unit and be worlds strongest man

Same applies for a 5 ft 4 guy


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## b0t13 (Jan 3, 2013)

It's all proportional, the distance stuff makes no difference as with longer arms comes longer muscles, however I do believe if a short person lifts the same as a tall person they will look bigger because once the length has filled in for that weight it'll go out wards, it takes a lot more muscle to go outwards on a longer limb,

For example lets say 5kg of tricep muscle lifts 50kg dumbells, 5kg has to fit onto a smaller frame therefore goes out, but on a lanky person it's got more room to spread,

I think the natural power comes from body shape ecto/meso/endo, not from height, I'm 5'8 ish and out bench a lot of tall guys but believe I'm a meso/endo


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## silver (Feb 18, 2010)

mikex101:2134768 said:


> yes, shorter people with short limbs often will have a mechanical advantage over tall people with longer limbs and be able to lift more weight.
> 
> People who say long limbs = long levers = more weight are stupid.
> 
> However, this is not an excuse to slack. Pull your finger out!


I agree with thid. Im 6ft and i managed rack pulls at 300kg for 7 rep..


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## boxer dog (Jul 16, 2010)

Arnold, toney freeman, Gunter all 6 foot plus. All look/looked great IMO. I'm 6'2 and yes hack squat and deads have more travel but so what? Train smart and the muscle comes through regardless of height.


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## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

Defo easier for short people, when dead lifting they only need to lift it a few inches off the floor, with bench a few inches off their chest (maybe lieing a little bit ????) but I do think that tall people Look better when they do have size on them


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## smaj210 (Aug 1, 2009)

taller people are closer to god


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## NorthernSoul (Nov 7, 2011)

No joke this thread was years ago now so stop embarresing me by bringing it up. Ama gold member


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## SirStrokeUrEgo (Sep 27, 2012)

I don't think overall height has to do with anything but limb length.

Extra height = extra muscle mass = makes up for being a tall muthafcka


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)




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## cuggster (Aug 3, 2011)

I'm 6'4, and the worst thing about being tall for me (which is also down to genetics) is i have long, thin muscle head (i think their called). l have thing biceps and quads and hamstrings naturally so from the front i look like a dweeb but look better from a side on angle


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## TJ_ (Jan 16, 2013)

SirStrokeUrEgo said:


> I don't think overall height has to do with anything but limb length.
> 
> Extra height = extra muscle mass = makes up for being a tall muthafcka


So you think 2 stone of muscle on someone who is 5 foot 5 would look the same as 2 stone of muscle on someone who is 6 foot 5? Your joking right?


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## eezy1 (Dec 14, 2010)

im 6`1 so not the tallest but what i do have are long as fcuk limbs. flat bench can be a nightmare


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

6'2..very long limbs.....wouldnt change it & never used it as an excuse. big build on a tall guy is maybe harder to achieve than the shorter man proportion wise, but its so much more impressive imo


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## kingdale (Nov 2, 2010)

Most of the people in worlds strongest man are 6 foot plus. I would kill to be taller.


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

at the end of the day. You can only become a better version of yourself. That should be goal in whatever you do. No where is this more relevant than in the gym.

Lift heavy. Train hard! OOOOOOOSSSSHHHH


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