"Short people got no reason... to live..." Just kidding. But short people, in general, do have an advantage to taller people when lifting weights. And that makes taller lifters crazy. really.
As Dr. Wayne Westcott reports in the latest edition of ACSM's Certified News, "Leverage has a profound effect on our effective muscle force as measured by the amount of resistance we can lift... While we might expect two individuals who have biceps muscles of equal strength to curl the same amount of weight, this is true only if the biomechanical factors also are equal, including limb-lengths and tendon insertion points."
For example, a person with a 10 inch long forearm who can produce 120 pounds of biceps muscle force during a 90-degree isometric contraction has a maximum 12 pounds that he can hold in that position. A person with a 12 inch long forearm who can produce the same force can only hold 10 pounds in that position.
And, as far as tendon insertion points, all other things being equal, a person with a tendon insertion point farther away from "the joint axis of rotation provide a leverage advantage over tendon insertion points closer to the joint axis of rotation.(Wescott, ACSM's certified News, April-June, 2013,vol.23:2,pp 9 & 12).
You can clearly see evidence of the limb-length disparity in the gym when evaluating rowing and pressing exercises where a shorter humerus is a distinct advantage. And curling and triceps pressing exercises where a shorter forearm is an advantage.
But, don't despair taller lifters! As TC explained in his seminal "Why Lurch Can't Grow" article, there are some modifications that can help taller lifters maximize their efforts. One example he supplies is having taller lifters perform squats with a powerlift-style bar position lower on the traps. It helps take stress of the spinal erectors and places more emphasis on the quads, where it should be.
Clearly, it's great to be tall, but if you're having trouble maximizing your strength or muscle gains, contact us at the Fitness Asylum and we'll design a custom program that will help you reach your potential. Stand tall!
(Short People, Randy Newman, "Little Criminals,1977)
They got little baby legs that stand so low, you got to pick 'em up just to say hello
Short people got no reason to live
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