Is it harder for taller people/longer limbs to gain muscle?
jiggyj9
Posts: 90 Member
This is a topic I've been wondering about lately, especially after reading on other threads how genetics affect weight gain/muscle growth.
I'm 5'7 and a half and pretty lean (18-19% BF) and I have particularly long arms and legs (especially my arms which extend midway down my thigh when standing). I'm not a 'hard gainer', but in comparison to shorter people that I've observed I feel like I have a harder time putting on muscle mass (at least past what I've already put on).
I also feel like I'm not very strong on a lot of lifts and have plateaued at around the same weight over the years. My back squat, for example, has never been strong (currently I'm at 95 lbs for my 1RM). This could also be due to terrible ankle and hip mobility, but I'm wondering how my genetics play a role. I've always exceeded more in stamina versus strength. (Too bad I hate long distance running!)
I'm 5'7 and a half and pretty lean (18-19% BF) and I have particularly long arms and legs (especially my arms which extend midway down my thigh when standing). I'm not a 'hard gainer', but in comparison to shorter people that I've observed I feel like I have a harder time putting on muscle mass (at least past what I've already put on).
I also feel like I'm not very strong on a lot of lifts and have plateaued at around the same weight over the years. My back squat, for example, has never been strong (currently I'm at 95 lbs for my 1RM). This could also be due to terrible ankle and hip mobility, but I'm wondering how my genetics play a role. I've always exceeded more in stamina versus strength. (Too bad I hate long distance running!)
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Replies
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I have also observed that it is easier for shorter people to gain visual mass. I think the muscles are shorter, so when they grow, they look bigger. Plus, it's easier for us to lift heavier because we have less distance to move it.
It is pretty much similar to how taller people can weigh the same as a short person, but the short person with the same weight will look fatter.10 -
I would say your ability to gain muscle will mostly depend on genetics, plus your lifting experience, leanness, training, calories, macros, etc. When you are taller it typically can take more muscle to make an aesthetic difference (how the muscle looks and insertion points make a difference too). If you look at bodybuilders at different heights, you can see this. This goes for fat gain too, a taller person can typically gain 5lbs and it may not be as noticeable if a shorter person does. There are exceptions I'm sure.
I am a bit shorter than you (just under 5'7) and I feel like I am in the middle. I have run 3 bulks and it is kind of hard to tell I've actually gained muscle, but I definitely have.
When you say you have a hard time putting on muscle, do you mean weight overall or are you gaining weight fine but feel like a higher % of that is fat?
In terms of strength, it could be your form (perhaps due to your mobility), or your workout programming. Are you progressing overall with time? If you are not, then that could be an issue as to why you might not be gaining as much muscle to fat as you would like.
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I would say your ability to gain muscle will mostly depend on genetics, plus your lifting experience, leanness, training, calories, macros, etc. When you are taller it typically can take more muscle to make an aesthetic difference (how the muscle looks and insertion points make a difference too). If you look at bodybuilders at different heights, you can see this. This goes for fat gain too, a taller person can typically gain 5lbs and it may not be as noticeable if a shorter person does. There are exceptions I'm sure.
I am a bit shorter than you (just under 5'7) and I feel like I am in the middle. I have run 3 bulks and it is kind of hard to tell I've actually gained muscle, but I definitely have.
When you say you have a hard time putting on muscle, do you mean weight overall or are you gaining weight fine but feel like a higher % of that is fat?
In terms of strength, it could be your form (perhaps due to your mobility), or your workout programming. Are you progressing overall with time? If you are not, then that could be an issue as to why you might not be gaining as much muscle to fat as you would like.
I gain weight just fine (I would almost say easily), but I feel like a higher percentage of that is fat.
I am progressing with time, but I seem to progress very slowly. Tracking it and progressing with intent is also not my strong suit, so I'm sure that has something to do with it, along with not having the patience to consistently work on mobility issues thus sacrificing in form.0 -
It would be great to just have a 24/7 team of trainers! Lol1
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Genetics play a huge role. A tall guy who's genetically slender/thin won't put on muscle like a tall guy who's built thick. That's not to say you can't put on muscle at all, but a genetically skinny guy will never look like that guy who's naturally built like a brick house. And height plays a role in how body proportions look, too - 16" upper arms are going to look a lot bigger on a short-armed 5'7" guy than they do on a 6'4" guy with longer arms.
I'm about the same height as JJ Watt (Houston Texans defensive lineman), but we're built completely different. I don't carry anywhere near the muscle mass he does, and no matter how much I lift I'll never look like him.
Taller guys are also at a mechanical disadvantage when it comes to certain lifts (bench press and squats being among them). Our levers aren't as advantageous and we have to move the weight further than a short guy with shorter limbs.6 -
I would say your ability to gain muscle will mostly depend on genetics, plus your lifting experience, leanness, training, calories, macros, etc. When you are taller it typically can take more muscle to make an aesthetic difference (how the muscle looks and insertion points make a difference too). If you look at bodybuilders at different heights, you can see this. This goes for fat gain too, a taller person can typically gain 5lbs and it may not be as noticeable if a shorter person does. There are exceptions I'm sure.
I am a bit shorter than you (just under 5'7) and I feel like I am in the middle. I have run 3 bulks and it is kind of hard to tell I've actually gained muscle, but I definitely have.
When you say you have a hard time putting on muscle, do you mean weight overall or are you gaining weight fine but feel like a higher % of that is fat?
In terms of strength, it could be your form (perhaps due to your mobility), or your workout programming. Are you progressing overall with time? If you are not, then that could be an issue as to why you might not be gaining as much muscle to fat as you would like.
I gain weight just fine (I would almost say easily), but I feel like a higher percentage of that is fat.
I am progressing with time, but I seem to progress very slowly. Tracking it and progressing with intent is also not my strong suit, so I'm sure that has something to do with it, along with not having the patience to consistently work on mobility issues thus sacrificing in form.
As a female, this can also put us at a disadvantage in the muscle to fat gain department, unfortunately.
What kind of programming are you running? How long have you been lifting? How many bulks have you run?1 -
I'm taller than you (5'10"). I think it could just be perspective. Maybe the muscle you have gained isn't as apparent because you have more area for it to spread out. I think being tall puts me at a disadvantage in some ways. I feel like I look worse than a shorter woman who has the same amount of body fat because I'm so lanky. Lol. Although it's probably just me being my own worse critic.0
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It would be great to just have a 24/7 team of trainers! Lol
Wouldn't it?!
I'm short, but have VERY long arms proportionately and I feel they look very lanky. I have a good amount of muscle on them, but because they are so long, it doesn't show as much as it would on someone with shorter arms as well as someone with shorter insertion points.
So while it's not harder for a long limbed person to put on muscle, it DOES probably take more to LOOK the same as a shorter limbed person. But as others pointed out, you have the advantage where weight gained also probably doesn't show up as much as it would on a shorter person.
As far as your strength lagging, it sounds like you already have a good idea on that front. Lack of programming, lack of consistency, lack of mobility and longer levers.
You can't do anything about having slightly longer levers, but you can definitely address the other three areas. Mobility especially I've found you have to be extremely consistent about working to make lasting changes.
Don't be too hard on yourself either. It's HARD to put on substantial muscle as a female.0 -
It isn't harder to gain the muscle, but it takes more time for the aesthetic ratio to change and make a noticeable difference. The ideal ratio is expressed as 1:1.618.
The longer your arms the greater the dispersion of tissue, so while the mass may be greater - the ratio will not be as great at full contraction in comparison to an individual with shorter arms.6 -
I would say your ability to gain muscle will mostly depend on genetics, plus your lifting experience, leanness, training, calories, macros, etc. When you are taller it typically can take more muscle to make an aesthetic difference (how the muscle looks and insertion points make a difference too). If you look at bodybuilders at different heights, you can see this. This goes for fat gain too, a taller person can typically gain 5lbs and it may not be as noticeable if a shorter person does. There are exceptions I'm sure.
I am a bit shorter than you (just under 5'7) and I feel like I am in the middle. I have run 3 bulks and it is kind of hard to tell I've actually gained muscle, but I definitely have.
When you say you have a hard time putting on muscle, do you mean weight overall or are you gaining weight fine but feel like a higher % of that is fat?
In terms of strength, it could be your form (perhaps due to your mobility), or your workout programming. Are you progressing overall with time? If you are not, then that could be an issue as to why you might not be gaining as much muscle to fat as you would like.
I gain weight just fine (I would almost say easily), but I feel like a higher percentage of that is fat.
I am progressing with time, but I seem to progress very slowly. Tracking it and progressing with intent is also not my strong suit, so I'm sure that has something to do with it, along with not having the patience to consistently work on mobility issues thus sacrificing in form.
As a female, this can also put us at a disadvantage in the muscle to fat gain department, unfortunately.
What kind of programming are you running? How long have you been lifting? How many bulks have you run?
I have been lifting for about 5-6 years. However, I do not have an athletic foundation; I was an overweight kid, never played sports, knew nothing about form, lacked mind-muscle connection. I've learned a lot over the years through injuries (started my lifting journey through CrossFit so I had quite a few lol), PT, trainers, reading, etc. and am a million times better compared to where I began, but I think I still have a long way to go as far as my personal progress and weightlifting experience is concerned.
Right now I'm on my second week of Strong Curves (inspired by you, actually!) but I've been having a hard time adapting mentally to full body training because I've been doing my own upper/lower split for the last few years. So I'm probably going to tweak a few things so I can add more isolation and upper body work.
I have done one bulk, but I wouldn't even call it a full bulk because I put on 8-10 pounds over a few weeks and then kind of gave up and started to cut because I wasn't liking how it felt (too much bloat, clothes not fitting right). I lost about 5 of those pounds so now I am 5 pounds over baseline and have been maintaining here.
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I'm taller than you (5'10"). I think it could just be perspective. Maybe the muscle you have gained isn't as apparent because you have more area for it to spread out. I think being tall puts me at a disadvantage in some ways. I feel like I look worse than a shorter woman who has the same amount of body fat because I'm so lanky. Lol. Although it's probably just me being my own worse critic.
That's true. And I feel you on that one! I hope at some point I can accept my body for what it is and just keep working towards being the best possible version of myself.0 -
I'm doing strong curves too! I am starting week 9 today
I've had good results so far! 1 -
I would say your ability to gain muscle will mostly depend on genetics, plus your lifting experience, leanness, training, calories, macros, etc. When you are taller it typically can take more muscle to make an aesthetic difference (how the muscle looks and insertion points make a difference too). If you look at bodybuilders at different heights, you can see this. This goes for fat gain too, a taller person can typically gain 5lbs and it may not be as noticeable if a shorter person does. There are exceptions I'm sure.
I am a bit shorter than you (just under 5'7) and I feel like I am in the middle. I have run 3 bulks and it is kind of hard to tell I've actually gained muscle, but I definitely have.
When you say you have a hard time putting on muscle, do you mean weight overall or are you gaining weight fine but feel like a higher % of that is fat?
In terms of strength, it could be your form (perhaps due to your mobility), or your workout programming. Are you progressing overall with time? If you are not, then that could be an issue as to why you might not be gaining as much muscle to fat as you would like.
I gain weight just fine (I would almost say easily), but I feel like a higher percentage of that is fat.
I am progressing with time, but I seem to progress very slowly. Tracking it and progressing with intent is also not my strong suit, so I'm sure that has something to do with it, along with not having the patience to consistently work on mobility issues thus sacrificing in form.
As a female, this can also put us at a disadvantage in the muscle to fat gain department, unfortunately.
What kind of programming are you running? How long have you been lifting? How many bulks have you run?
I have been lifting for about 5-6 years. However, I do not have an athletic foundation; I was an overweight kid, never played sports, knew nothing about form, lacked mind-muscle connection. I've learned a lot over the years through injuries (started my lifting journey through CrossFit so I had quite a few lol), PT, trainers, reading, etc. and am a million times better compared to where I began, but I think I still have a long way to go as far as my personal progress and weightlifting experience is concerned.
Right now I'm on my second week of Strong Curves (inspired by you, actually!) but I've been having a hard time adapting mentally to full body training because I've been doing my own upper/lower split for the last few years. So I'm probably going to tweak a few things so I can add more isolation and upper body work.
I have done one bulk, but I wouldn't even call it a full bulk because I put on 8-10 pounds over a few weeks and then kind of gave up and started to cut because I wasn't liking how it felt (too much bloat, clothes not fitting right). I lost about 5 of those pounds so now I am 5 pounds over baseline and have been maintaining here.
Yea 8-10lbs in a few weeks (not counting an initial jump in water/food weight) is pretty fast. Some of it was probably water weight though, I'd imagine unless you were really eating in a high surplus!
I go by my trend weight, so even if the scale jumps up 3lbs in a week, I know it's not actually 3lbs of muscle/fat.. so I let the trend get sorted before I make adjustments. I usually gain 0.5lb or less per week. I try to keep food volume and fibre at the minimum, otherwise I get bloated and my workouts suffer.
Here the thing. Strong Curves is a fantastic program... but.. keep your preferences and adherence in mind too. If you aren't enjoying the way it is designed, that can affect your performance. If you want you can always run his lower body program with upper body on separate days, or he has a template for an upper/lower split in this link, it can give you an idea on how to design your programming to fit your preferences.
https://bretcontreras.com/how-to-design-an-optimal-glute-training-program/1 -
mom23mangos wrote: »It would be great to just have a 24/7 team of trainers! Lol
Wouldn't it?!
I'm short, but have VERY long arms proportionately and I feel they look very lanky. I have a good amount of muscle on them, but because they are so long, it doesn't show as much as it would on someone with shorter arms as well as someone with shorter insertion points.
So while it's not harder for a long limbed person to put on muscle, it DOES probably take more to LOOK the same as a shorter limbed person. But as others pointed out, you have the advantage where weight gained also probably doesn't show up as much as it would on a shorter person.
As far as your strength lagging, it sounds like you already have a good idea on that front. Lack of programming, lack of consistency, lack of mobility and longer levers.
You can't do anything about having slightly longer levers, but you can definitely address the other three areas. Mobility especially I've found you have to be extremely consistent about working to make lasting changes.
Don't be too hard on yourself either. It's HARD to put on substantial muscle as a female.
All makes perfect sense! I've also always felt my arms are very lanky. The day I could finally do a pushup was one of the greatest days of my life! Lol.
I guess knowing the issues are the first step, right?! It's just overwhelming with all the information out there to figure out how to implement the solution.
I am very hard on myself as well and I'm sure I lack perspective because of that. Instead of appreciating the progress I've made, I tear myself apart for where I'm lacking. Never good enough for my own standards.0 -
It isn't harder to gain the muscle, but it takes more time for the aesthetic ratio to change and make a noticeable difference. The ideal ratio is expressed as 1:1.618.
The longer your arms the greater the dispersion of tissue, so while the mass may be greater - the ratio will not be as great at full contraction in comparison to an individual with shorter arms.
This.
Also some things that hint easier muscle growth and a good responder to training for females generally speaking is if you have a athletic background and lean towards a male build e.g. wider shoulders, smaller waistline, more testosterone, etc...
If your lifts haven't gone up, I would point towards programming or lack there of coupled with form correction and not mobility. Mobilty is fairly easily achieved over time as the weight goes higher and you adapt to the movements.0 -
Im 6’7 and gaining has been **** through most of my life lol
the weight gain is the same, but u have to consume a lot of food, plus gains don’t show early. Mine won’t show for another 6 months probably 2 -
I feel like it is a little tougher. For one, the taller you are the more you have to eat just to maintain. The main thing though is, 5 lbs of muscle is going to look a lot different on someone 5'6 than 5 lbs of muscle spread of someone a foot taller than that.
It can be a little harder for taller people to lift as much just because they are having to put out a larger work capacity for the same weight as someone with smaller limbs than them. Hopefully, this also means that you are able to stimulate more growth at that same weight by have a larger ROM though.1 -
Cannot change insertions or shape of muscle bellies. 2 People could be the same height, one with "heart" shaped/peakier looking biceps (arguable/subjectively looks more impressive) the other person with longer, more extensive biceps with less gap between the forearm (not as impressive of a peak bicep, but overtime with more development might look more complete...very subjective matter).
Looking @ & comparing specific bodyparts can be a bit misleading (genetic/skeletal structure determined)...not much one can do except live up to one's given potential for what he/she is given1 -
Can I also add that squats just suck if you have long femurs? I thought I just couldn’t do squats very well, until I learned about modifications for long femured folk. 😭
http://thestephaneandre.com/adapt-your-training-to-your-morphology-part-2/0 -
Can I also add that squats just suck if you have long femurs? I thought I just couldn’t do squats very well, until I learned about modifications for long femured folk. 😭
http://thestephaneandre.com/adapt-your-training-to-your-morphology-part-2/
That's an interesting read. How do you know where you you fit? I'm 5' 6" and I have issues with always feeling like I'm leaning too far forward in a low bar back squat. A bootcamp instructor told me to sit farther back with my torso more upright, but then when I get low I just fall backwards, I can't balance like that. I always chalked it up to bad dorsal flexion, but could it be femur/torso length?0 -
As has been said, it isn't necessarily "harder" to gain muscle but you may need to gain more of it (compared to a shorter person) for it to be "noticeable."
I'm 5'9" with about a 6' wingspan. I understand the frustration.
My neck is over 16 1/4" with decent shoulders but my arms look small in comparison.
My loving wife seems to prefer the term "weird" when referring to my neck thickness and how out-of-proportion it looks...
Just keep training hard and lifting heavy.
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Can I also add that squats just suck if you have long femurs? I thought I just couldn’t do squats very well, until I learned about modifications for long femured folk. 😭
http://thestephaneandre.com/adapt-your-training-to-your-morphology-part-2/
I agree, I have long legs (long femurs I assume too) and my squats never look as pretty as other peoples
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I follow @lankyprogresstv on Instagram. You can see what he has achieved with a long body.0
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Can I also add that squats just suck if you have long femurs? I thought I just couldn’t do squats very well, until I learned about modifications for long femured folk. 😭
http://thestephaneandre.com/adapt-your-training-to-your-morphology-part-2/
I'm 6'6" with a 38" inseam and 37" sleeve length. I fold up like origami when I try to squat.0 -
Long legs, put a 2 inch or 4 inch piece of timber under your heels. More if you need it. Maybe dont squat to parallel, do a 3/4 squat. Depends on the person.1
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I’m 6’3” and struggle with squats. I’d like to blame it on being tall, but there are two guys over 6’6” at my gym who squat really well - like starting work sets at more than 315 and working up from there (compared to my one rep max of 285). I think both of them are pro athletes, though, so they probably have a bit of a leg up genetically.0
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There are a lot more things than just height and femur length that can influence whether or not one is good at squatting. Ankle/hip flexibility, pelvic bone structure, shoulder girdle mobility, etc.I’m 6’3” and struggle with squats. I’d like to blame it on being tall, but there are two guys over 6’6” at my gym who squat really well - like starting work sets at more than 315 and working up from there (compared to my one rep max of 285). I think both of them are pro athletes, though, so they probably have a bit of a leg up genetically.
Sure, with enough work/practice, just about anybody can do some semblance of a squat. But it won’t be the most beneficial exercise (in terms of hypertrophy) for everybody, and not everybody will progress the same. The only people that squats are essential for are powerlifters.3
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