are squats harder being tall
jepatton22
Posts: 25
I started doing squats and struggle a lot with them. I noticed shorter girls doing a lot more weight with ease. I'm 6'4" and have to bend my knees a lot more. Any other tall ladies struggle with this or do I just have weak legs lol
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Replies
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Well I struggle with them and I'm only 5'9". It makes sense with longer legs that it would be tougher. How much weight are you doing?0
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I'm 6'. I thought it was just me.:embarassed:0
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I'm 5ft 2in and I struggle! Could be to do with your centre of gravity.0
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Body proportion more than height will have an effect.
Typically it depends on the ratio of upper and lower leg length and the ratio of torso and leg length.0 -
Height shouldn't affect it much. It's all about dem muscles. You just started as well, work on proper form to start and they start getting easier.
**Interesting article. According to Men's Health. Shorter Legs will be able to squat more on average but the different is very small. It still comes down to hard work and genetics. According to a scan posted on bb.com. ** Another guy posted that femur size would also come into play..0 -
Height has nothing to do with bending more...x degrees is x degrees be it tall or small. But if you have less muscle mass or are newer or other factors can make it harder (I'm hypermobile and get down way to far...if thats what you mean with bend more then yes that can cause weight to feel heavier.0
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My 5'11" fiance insists they're harder because he's tall. My 6'2" trainer says "Nah. It's all good." I'm 5'2" and have no issues. :happy:0
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I don't think height has anything to do with that.
I go to a karate class where there's mainly kids and they struggle to a few reps with no weights whereas I breeze through them. I think it's more to do with your own strength.0 -
I don't think height has anything to do with that.
I go to a karate class where there's mainly kids and they struggle to a few reps with no weights whereas I breeze through them. I think it's more to do with your own strength.
Agreed!! I am 6'2" and I have issues with them. My legs used to be really strong but once I got out of school and stopped walking everywhere, I lost quite a bit. I lost even more after I stopped dancing every weekend. Its all about the strength in your legs. I also have bad knees so that causes a little bit more of an issue, even when I am doing them right.
GOOD LUCK!! We'll get there...I am already starting to see a difference and feeling much better doing them.0 -
I couldn't say. I'm short. If you're all legs, and have a comparatively short torso, it might be a little more difficult just because of where your center of gravity is. In any case, the problems you're having probably come down to being a newbie at doing squats. Make sure your form is good and keep working at it, they get much easier over time. I remember the first squats workout I did, I was walking funny and my thighs hurt for days afterward. After the second, I was just a little sore the next morning, and that's as much stiffness from not moving for 6 hours as anything else.0
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I already mentioned proportions, but for all those of you who say height has nothing to do with it, think about this:
Let's assume its a perfect world, and everyone has no mobility restrictions, and can squat butt to heels.
Are you saying the distance between a short persons butt and heels is the same as a tall persons? Typically taller people have to move the weight further.
This is why in weightlifting, among other sports there are weight classes, which effectively are height classes. The lower weight guys and girls will lift less absolute weight than the bigger classes, because they have less muscle mass, but relative to their bodyweight, they will lift much more, because of the leverage and distance they have to move the weight advantages they have.0 -
THIS.I already mentioned proportions, but for all those of you who say height has nothing to do with it, think about this:
Let's assume its a perfect world, and everyone has no mobility restrictions, and can squat butt to heels.
Are you saying the distance between a short persons butt and heels is the same as a tall persons? Typically taller people have to move the weight further.
This is why in weightlifting, among other sports there are weight classes, which effectively are height classes. The lower weight guys and girls will lift less absolute weight than the bigger classes, because they have less muscle mass, but relative to their bodyweight, they will lift much more, because of the leverage and distance they have to move the weight advantages they have.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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This is one of the major reasons as to why I am here, as want to move up to the 105kg weight class, because then I have less shortasses to compete against, it's not because I want to get fat!0
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I'm 5'8 with very long femurs compared to rest of my body >>> watch this ....helps clarify why it is more difficult to squat when you are tall......
https://youtu.be/UmknaFEFcF0 0 -
Strength and mobility/flexibility play roles.0
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I'm 6 feet and I do believe it's harder for taller people. It makes since taller people have to bend down farther0
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hotasfire36 wrote: »I'm 6 feet and I do believe it's harder for taller people. It makes since taller people have to bend down farther
That was my first thought too. A 5" foot persons butt is a lot closer to the ground than a 6" person...
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90 degree angle is a 90 degree angle
If they have longer limbs they have longer muscles
Squats are just generally hard..they're supposed to be ...look at all the muscles they're using...and if they get easy, add more weight and adapt them0 -
Yes, squats amd bench pressing are generally harder with long limbs, but you can't do anythink but keep working hard. Generally tall, long limbed lifters have a mechanical advantage doing deadlifts though.0
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Its not just about the angle. It's also about leverage and proportions and how far the weight has to be moved.90 degree angle is a 90 degree angle
If they have longer limbs they have longer muscles
Squats are just generally hard..they're supposed to be ...look at all the muscles they're using...and if they get easy, add more weight and adapt them
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Ha ha ha. I never thought about this.
With longer levers, it may be harder. The best approach would be to strengthen your quads, hamstrings and glutes so you don't put so much stress on your knees. 0 -
Yeah, length is proportional to force if you're looking at moments from a physics point of view, so of course the taller you are the more force you have to push. Don't listen to the 'angle' brigade hahahaa what the hell does that mean?
You put the same weight on a see-saw in the middle of one side or at the end, which is harder to push down? It's all relative.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »
Its not just about the angle. It's also about leverage and proportions and how far the weight has to be moved.90 degree angle is a 90 degree angle
If they have longer limbs they have longer muscles
Squats are just generally hard..they're supposed to be ...look at all the muscles they're using...and if they get easy, add more weight and adapt them
What about relative size of muscles though ...surely that's compensatory?0 -
In an absolute sense, but not in a relative sense. People don't scale up precisely. An adult isn't just a larger sized child. A 6'9" guy isn't just a scaled up 5'9" guy. It's sort of the square-cube law and why ants are so relatively strong compared to humans but are much weaker in an absolute sense. Just having more or bigger muscles isn't enough to keep relative strength the same because they don't scale quickly enough relative to body size/volume.DeguelloTex wrote: »
Its not just about the angle. It's also about leverage and proportions and how far the weight has to be moved.90 degree angle is a 90 degree angle
If they have longer limbs they have longer muscles
Squats are just generally hard..they're supposed to be ...look at all the muscles they're using...and if they get easy, add more weight and adapt them
What about relative size of muscles though ...surely that's compensatory?0 -
Yes, but you're still lifting through a larger range of motion, with longer lever arms, so the force would be larger.DeguelloTex wrote: »
Its not just about the angle. It's also about leverage and proportions and how far the weight has to be moved.90 degree angle is a 90 degree angle
If they have longer limbs they have longer muscles
Squats are just generally hard..they're supposed to be ...look at all the muscles they're using...and if they get easy, add more weight and adapt them
What about relative size of muscles though ...surely that's compensatory?
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
In an absolute sense, but not in a relative sense. People don't scale up precisely. An adult isn't just a larger sized child. A 6'9" guy isn't just a scaled up 5'9" guy. It's sort of the square-cube law and why ants are so relatively strong compared to humans but are much weaker in an absolute sense. Just having more or bigger muscles isn't enough to keep relative strength the same because they don't scale quickly enough relative to body size/volume.DeguelloTex wrote: »
Its not just about the angle. It's also about leverage and proportions and how far the weight has to be moved.90 degree angle is a 90 degree angle
If they have longer limbs they have longer muscles
Squats are just generally hard..they're supposed to be ...look at all the muscles they're using...and if they get easy, add more weight and adapt them
What about relative size of muscles though ...surely that's compensatory?
I've seen your burns ...I'd swap you for my squatting ability :bigsmile:0 -
Oh, no. There are some disadvantages to being tall, but I'm not trying to impress anyone with my mad squatting skills anyway, so that wouldn't be a good trade.DeguelloTex wrote: »
In an absolute sense, but not in a relative sense. People don't scale up precisely. An adult isn't just a larger sized child. A 6'9" guy isn't just a scaled up 5'9" guy. It's sort of the square-cube law and why ants are so relatively strong compared to humans but are much weaker in an absolute sense. Just having more or bigger muscles isn't enough to keep relative strength the same because they don't scale quickly enough relative to body size/volume.DeguelloTex wrote: »
Its not just about the angle. It's also about leverage and proportions and how far the weight has to be moved.90 degree angle is a 90 degree angle
If they have longer limbs they have longer muscles
Squats are just generally hard..they're supposed to be ...look at all the muscles they're using...and if they get easy, add more weight and adapt them
What about relative size of muscles though ...surely that's compensatory?
I've seen your burns ...I'd swap you for my squatting ability :bigsmile:
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I'm quite short but can squat quite well. But I have issues with my knees. I've found definitely strapping them helps and getting tips from PT's on technique and positioning of feet. Also found I can squat better without shoes on. All down to personal opinion on height and whether other things work. Try changing technique slightly, including straps, moving the bar from top of your shoulders to a couple of inches further down your back (Apparently taller people find this easier as it keeps your body in more of a straight line)0
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jepatton22 wrote: »I started doing squats and struggle a lot with them. I noticed shorter girls doing a lot more weight with ease. I'm 6'4" and have to bend my knees a lot more. Any other tall ladies struggle with this or do I just have weak legs lol
I don't know. I'm 5 ft 5, which is not tall or short, and I do them fine, but they're not easy.
You're a girl and 6 ft 4? That is so cool! 0
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