Does height matter when selecting a weight class?

Huffdogg

So, in a development that should surprise exactly no one, I hit the weight class I have intended to compete at for the first time in years today...and immediately started to wonder if maybe I shouldn't have bothered trying to make 198. I'm curious if there's any good science out there describing whether there is an ideal weight at which to exert strength based on height. I can imagine leverages dictating what might be possible with a certain amount of mass based on limb lengths (which would be proportionate to height), but it may just be me looking for an excuse not to cut any more because natty fatty.

JeffseekingV

Interesting question. Has your strength significantly decreased at your current weight? If your goal is to win the class you compete in, then you'd have to try to determine what totals you need in any particular weight class and try to determine if you can lift those types of numbers. I know I was weaker when cutting but I wasn't significantly weaker to where it was a waste of time cutting to the next lower weight class. FWIW, I wasn't too worried about it as I wasn't particularly competitive anyway.

If you just want to lift at your maximum potential, I'd probably not worry about weight and just complete in whatever weight class you fall into that day.

Huffdogg

I'm primarily interested in being able to maximize my potential without putting on much size. I'll be able to perform my job more easily without putting on a ton of extra weight; I'm actually pretty comfortable right around my current size in terms of overall mobility and whatnot. I just hit this current weight, and I don't think my strength has increased, but since I haven't really rested and retested, I can't know for 100% certain. I still have a few more pounds to go before I'm ready to start bulking back up to where I am now.

I'm just curious if it's very realistic for a person of my height/frame to be strong at 198 lbs, or if I'm looking at needing to take the longer road view of slow bulking back to around 220 in a couple of years to be able to do much of anything noteworthy.