Anybody else have long, monkey arm syndrome?

Yep, I've got it. My reach is much longer than I am tall, and having these really long arms makes it hard to look "filled in" so to say. My question is: Does anybody else have this problem? and if so, do you think its harder to pack on arm size? I've been having some troubles. It's almost as if I'm a hard gainer on my arms... but that doesn't sound right. What do you prefer for packing on the arm mass? My arms are rather small in comparison to the rest of my body, so i've been trying to hit up close grip benchs and other compound movements.. what do you think?

Having long arms would not affect actual arm size (measurements), but it can make them LOOK smaller.

my arms are pretty long but I'd rather them be that way, plus its great for sports! If you arms are technically longer than the average person your size then wouldn't you have slightly a larger potential for muscle growth

sounds like Michael Phelps syndrome, haha....he is like 6'4'' but his arm span is 6'6''....so maybe become a swimming, that has obviously worked for him...but for gaining mass you just have to eat hard, work hard, and rest hard...i am 6'5'' and i have a 6'5'' arm span, and i have 17'' arms, so it's possible to gain and fill out your arms, but like previous posters, they dont look as big as they would if you were only 5'8

I have that and its pisses me off. Its gonna take so long for me to fill them out.

:(

OP....Keep working hard on them. Don't give up. Use "direct" arm exercises for both biceps and triceps. Utilize different rep ranges and weights. It may take time but you will be rewarded provided you keep putting the hard work in.

People with shorter limbs may gain quickly and look good but people with longer arms who have patience and fill them out will look far more impressive in the long run.

[QUOTE=670Represent;280714351]I have that and its pisses me off. Its gonna take so long for me to fill them out.

:([/QUOTE]

word

Yes, height is 5'9, wingspan is about 6'2.

Bench pressing is a bitch.

just a random theory in regards to long arms... wouldn't the inefficient leverage created by exceedingly long arms cause "normal" weights (for normal people) to result in MUCH better workouts because your long muscles have to work much harder to achieve the same movement?

so in a way, yeah you might look lanky, but just lifting in general is going to stress your muscles a whole lot better than if you were stumpy?

Are there any other tips people can offer up? I've got a 6'7" armspan. Call me Michael Phelps anyone? Haha Would be nice if I was at least as tall as he is... I need to fill these things out though. I'd post a picture however the site won't let me.

Pretty impressive bump. IMO, focus on extra armwork at the end of a workout. I perform a compound routine, rest an hour or so, then do an arm-specific workout for about a half hour. I'm 5'9" with a 6'4" wingspan.

I have an arm span that is about 11 cm greater than my height so about a 6% difference between the two. It has both its advantages and disadvantages but I think the former outweigh the latter:

Cons:
- Weak bench press due to massive ROM. I've seen so many people outbench me but I have seen very few outsquat or out deadlift me.
- Hard to pack on some circumference onto the arms because even though I'm gaining muscle there, it is spread out over a wider area than it is for a person with shorter limbs and hence it makes it seem like I don't have that much muscle on my arms.

Pros:
- Pretty good to be able to reach all sorts of high and far away places in everyday life.
- Useful in sports: I play volleyball and this is great for blocking and hitting the ball.
- Strong deadlift

having arms that are long proportionate to your body is great for Basketball: dribbling, stealing and jump shots, but just terrible for bodybuilding.

I agree with SQUATTILYOUDROP that if well developed, a long arm can look superior, but the key word is IF.

also: I find that people will long arms will often have underdeveloped pecs because their arms do most of the work in bench presses...plus, they will often complain about their bench weight, since they have to move the bar a greater distance.


what it comes down to , I guess, is, we have what we have, so , apply yourself fully and let nature balance out as best as possible....

[QUOTE=matjusm;580506721]I have an arm span that is about 11 cm greater than my height so about a 6% difference between the two. It has both its advantages and disadvantages but I think the former outweigh the latter:

Cons:
- Weak bench press due to massive ROM. I've seen so many people outbench me but I have seen very few outsquat or out deadlift me.
- Hard to pack on some circumference onto the arms because even though I'm gaining muscle there, it is spread out over a wider area than it is for a person with shorter limbs and hence it makes it seem like I don't have that much muscle on my arms.

Pros:
- Pretty good to be able to reach all sorts of high and far away places in everyday life.
- Useful in sports: I play volleyball and this is great for blocking and hitting the ball.
- Strong deadlift[/QUOTE]I bet it makes it easier to do cartwheels, too! :D

Straight bar barbell curls, hammer curls, spider curls

[QUOTE=SquatTilYouDrop;280719401]OP....Keep working hard on them. Don't give up. Use "direct" arm exercises for both biceps and triceps. Utilize different rep ranges and weights. It may take time but you will be rewarded provided you keep putting the hard work in.

People with shorter limbs may gain quickly and look good but people with longer arms who have patience and fill them out will look far more impressive in the long run.[/QUOTE]

this. Cedric McMillan (potential) > Brach Warren (potential)

I wish I had long monkey arms.. would probably help my deads

having long arms for me affects most of my pushing lifts.i cant go too heavy or my bad elbow angle will just put too much strain on the shoulders.but because of my long arms i must have larger triceps in comparision to others because i can dip a lot of weight.
because of this my arms are the first thing that grows.you take the bad with the good and you work with it.sometimes i wonder if i get more work in on my chest with dips than anything else i do.

tom

[QUOTE=T150;281571591]Yes, height is 5'9, wingspan is about 6'2.

Bench pressing is a bitch.[/QUOTE]

you have wings bro

take up deadlifting and never look back:)