Comments on: Building Muscles for Tall Men vs Building Muscles for Short Men

By: Shaun

Shaun — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:33:52 +0000

By: Conor

Conor — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:32:00 +0000

I’m 16, now 6’4″ and only 200 pounds. I’ve been lifting for.about 2 years now and it us very very difficult to gain any large gains for us tall guys. As I keep growing taller and taller I just get even more lanky. Believe me, it is much more difficult for taller people. I would say I wish I was shorter but being tall is the.best. Haha just gotta work harder.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:27:47 +0000

Some good points made there. Thank you for your insight Craig.

By: Scottish BB

Scottish BB — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:18:17 +0000

Why does it matter??

I’m 17 Northern European, 172cm tall and 78KG (Roughly 5’7/8 175lbs in American terms I believe) and despite this whole bleeding hearts story taller bodybuilders propose about how much ‘harder’ they have to work in the Gym to see the same effect as a smaller man, whilst still at the same time maintaining that – most of them- are naturally stronger when they start.

This is crap. Like you mention in this piece, there are many different body types, not just short & tall. And strength is also determined by genetics, like your ability to gain muscle. Theoretically, yes it would be harder for the taller of two people, identical in genetics save their height to build muscle due to their ‘larger’ frame. However this does not mean that the shorter bloke has an easy time of it, he will still have to work hard to get to where he wants to be or he simply just won’t get there. Taller BB’s have to work >longer< not harder to get where the want to be, and although you touched on this, I don't think you were fair about it.

At the end of the day, a Short BB & Tall BB will both "Stand out from the crowd" but if one BB is your height, and the taller one will probably look more 'Imposing' even if the Shorter man is technically heavier than the other.

In otherwards, height has it's advantages and disadvantages but isn't as black & white as this article makes it out to be. Genetics is always the most important part of BB, and thee is more to it than just height & wingspan etc.

By: Graham

Graham — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:06:07 +0000

tall people can kick short people’s ass so does it really matter who can lift more weight?

By: Magnus

Magnus — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:29:43 +0000

yeah im 16 and im 6 feet tall and i noticed that it is way harder for tall people to do bench press than short people. I can only bench like 160 but my friend who is 5’3” can put up 220. I weigh way more than him and we are both fit. I can beat him at arm wrestling but he will always be able to bench more. lol

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 21:54:47 +0000

There is no grounds for your argument whatsoever…..I have 3 brothers, all of us are of different heights. We all grew our muscles at the same rate. You don’t need to “grow out” your muscles and fill it out. The muscles fibers all grow at the same rate. If you are taller, your muscle fibers are just longer. Also…shorter people have to lift the same weight the same distance in comparison to taller people have to push “farther.” Its the differences of those muscle fibers. I feel like you are bashing short people because you suck at weight lifting. I’ve been lifting for 6 years (20), and with my football team, there was no difference in size or strength among the players that lifted right. The way I lift, I promise you I can match most, if not surpass most tall people in weight lifting. That’s not cause I’m huge, frankly I just have a lean athletic build. it’s cause I know how to lift, and work on different muscles, not just benching in my chest workout. Sorry for this post. I was just annoyed with how flawed and idiotic your logic was.

By: AdamP

AdamP — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:43:59 +0000

Is there a way to calculate whether your’e endo or ectomorph? im not sure what id define my self as im 6’5” 207 lbs my arm span is about 6’7”, like alot of whats being said on here i notice have a seriously bad time on the bench, other things im comfortable with like flies i enjoy doing but i feel like my bench is about half where it should be. I work out with a friend whos not short either hes about 6′ with much shorter arms though. anyone know if i should be working on my bench differently?

By: Shaun

Shaun — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:31:44 +0000

Hi Ethan

Long arms can indeed be a killer to build. Martial arts is actually a great thing to take up along side resistance training, so that’s always a bonus. Regardless of shape size.

Keep it going.

By: Drenith

Drenith — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:04:58 +0000

Hey Shaun.
I’m a short guy, but I have arms that rival that of the longest guys i know. I am 5ft5 and my arms are 3ft each! I also have hyper mobility (just my arms and wrists). The problem i experience is I can’t gain muscle for my biceps…

One thing TALL people have a nice advantage in Judo. Also in Martial art styles that you have to fight from a distance (kicks). I myself Do Judo, Go-ju kai karate and swimming.