Height makes it harder to keep up?
jhmomofmany
Posts: 571 Member
Certain workouts- especially those by Jillian Michaels (for example, her yoga vid) are really hard for me to keep up with. Anybody else notice the same thing? I've blamed it on being taller- how can a six foot frame move up and down as quickly as a petite woman? WDYT?
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I have come up against this problem before, the worst cuprit being Zumba.
My opinion is that it is not the mass that matter, but the tendanncy to use fast-twitch or slow-twitch muscles (look it up, it interesting stuff). Tall, large, or otherwise people will tend to use slow-twitch (major) muscle groups and tiny people use fast-twitch. Over time this creates an "agility" complex. IT"S FALSE.
The key is that fast-twich muscles, by their nature, tire faster. So do as much as you can, and rest. Then go again, and rest. It a complex process and should be incoprorated as part of an overall training program. EG. If you do 10 min of fast-twitch and the 30 min of slow-twitch you can undo your good work. or if you leave fast-twitch to the end the muscles will already be too tired.
That's just my view.
PS. Here's one more hint that may help. Slow down the video to a speed that suits you - The beauty of digital video.0 -
I don't worry to much about being "behind" in my yoga classes. I do go with a bunch of short people. I think quality over quantity...or quality over speed. I don't want to be flying through something and miss out on the benefit of the pose.
Maybe I feel that because I am special and tall that I can do my own thing!!!
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I have come up against this problem before, the worst cuprit being Zumba.
My opinion is that it is not the mass that matter, but the tendanncy to use fast-twitch or slow-twitch muscles (look it up, it interesting stuff). Tall, large, or otherwise people will tend to use slow-twitch (major) muscle groups and tiny people use fast-twitch. Over time this creates an "agility" complex. IT"S FALSE.
The key is that fast-twich muscles, by their nature, tire faster. So do as much as you can, and rest. Then go again, and rest. It a complex process and should be incoprorated as part of an overall training program. EG. If you do 10 min of fast-twitch and the 30 min of slow-twitch you can undo your good work. or if you leave fast-twitch to the end the muscles will already be too tired.
Interesting theory. I wonder if you can give us a reference that discusses the fact that we taller people use slow-twitch muscles preferentially over shorter people.
My theory is a lot simpler. In order to move my hand from knee level to straight over my head, I must move it farther than those shorties move their hands. If we are required to do this motion in the same amount of time, my hand needs to be moving at a FASTER rate -- i.e. more feet per sec, more miles per hour than the hand of a shortie. My theory is simply that the movement requires more of me -- a faster rate of movement. So it's harder.0 -
Maybe I feel that because I am special and tall that I can do my own thing!!!
Thanks, follownocrowd. From now on, that's going to be my MO also!0 -
Interesting theory. I wonder if you can give us a reference that discusses the fact that we taller people use slow-twitch muscles preferentially over shorter people.
My theory is a lot simpler. In order to move my hand from knee level to straight over my head, I must move it farther than those shorties move their hands. If we are required to do this motion in the same amount of time, my hand needs to be moving at a FASTER rate -- i.e. more feet per sec, more miles per hour than the hand of a shortie. My theory is simply that the movement requires more of me -- a faster rate of movement. So it's harder.
Honestly, I think I agree with this. A lot of movements for a taller person tend to cover more distance, so it seems to be reasonable to assume that it would take longer to perform the movement and require more effort to keep up. I'm sure there might be a flaw in that logic since I know there are some very tall and very quick people in the world, but I'm going with it.
And I'm definitely on board with the idea that maybe we just get to be special.
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I definitely agree. I've also noticed that being taller makes me less agile and generally slower compared to shorter girls... especially when doing Zumba, dance fit and even pole dancing! But I'm working on it:)0
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Certain workouts- especially those by Jillian Michaels (for example, her yoga vid) are really hard for me to keep up with. Anybody else notice the same thing? I've blamed it on being taller- how can a six foot frame move up and down as quickly as a petite woman? WDYT?
I was noticing this, too! I do a workout called 'Breathless Body' by Amy Dixon. It's all interval training with Tabata drills. There are a lot of moves where you go from the floor all the way to a standing position. It takes me longer to complete the full range of motion of each exercise than the girls in the video. They're all small, short, compact gymnast types. I have a lot more distance to cover when doing certain moves.0 -
Wow, I thought I was alone in this. Yes, I feel it too!
And when its a Zumba class or a workout room with a mirror I also think I look more awkward and less fluid in my movements than petite people.
But at least we look fantastic when we walk across a room!0 -
Since I am definitely a clutz and have absolutely no rhythm (fast or slow), I just assumed that was why I had so many problems. Now at least I know I have something else to share the blame with so it's not all on my high-up shoulders.
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Yes, absolutely! Nice to know I'm not the only one
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Certain workouts- especially those by Jillian Michaels (for example, her yoga vid) are really hard for me to keep up with. Anybody else notice the same thing? I've blamed it on being taller- how can a six foot frame move up and down as quickly as a petite woman? WDYT?
The heavier the harder with yoga. Taller does equal heavier, generally, so you are correct.0 -
It may be the style of dance, not the dancer that is the problem. If I may suggest, in terms of dance for exercise, rather than Zumba (I an in no way, shape, or form coordinated when I take a shot at Zumba, it would be hysterical to watch if I wasn't so embarassed by it) try bellydancing.
I am the tallest in my studio (with the exception of our skinny minnie 20 year old, I've only got her beat by an inch) by at least 4 inches and I am more able to shift levels, shimmy, undulate, and move more fluidly than anyone else. I am one of the lead dancers in the studio and have only been dancing for 9 years (most of the others have been dancing for 20+ years.) My instructor says that my height is actually a benefit to my dancing, because there is more length in my person to see the movement (as she said: when you drop a stone in a puddle, the ripples only last a second, and you walk away missing the beauty of the movement, drop it in a lake you stay to watch it carry all the way to the other side because of the beauty of the motion, its the same thing with the dancer, the taller the dancer, the more beauty to the movement)0 -
I absolutely have this problem. I'm 6'2" tall and hang out in the back row of Zumba for a reason. I'm usually way behind most of the others. I've stopped caring and just do what I can do. Makes it much less stressful 0
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Yes, I have noticed this for a long time. But, if you were doing jumping jacks (for example) think of the arc of distance that your fingertips are travelling versus those of the 5'0" instructors......my arms are making a much huger circle than hers are, and of course that's going to take a few seconds longer.
Or, I guess I could just bend my arms at the elbows and flap like a chicken, so I can keep up the tempo of the rest of the class! :laugh:0
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