Are Shorter People better at benching??

[semperfi442]

Im 5'4 145 pounds and benching 225. People always tell me that "its because your short,and thats why you can bench more then me" So my question to you guys is, Do shorter people have an advantage at the bench??? If so Why ???

[Juelz919]

1.) that is pretty dang strong
2.) I would imagine you have a shorter ROM which would make it easier you would think.

thats all i got

[ThanksIKnow]

Im 5'4 145 pounds and benching 225. People always tell me that "its because your short,and thats why you can bench more then me" So my question to you guys is, Do shorter people have an advantage at the bench??? If so Why ???

Well yes, but I woudn't use "YOUR SHORTER SO THAT MUST BE THE ONLY REASON YOUR STRONGER" excuse.

Maybe your just stronger (Your CNS recruits more muscle fibres)
You have a better routine
etc,etc,etc,.
Lots of variables

But the shorter your arms are, yes, that does serve an advantage for bench press.
Is it the only reason your stronger? Not at all

EDIT: strong chest for your weight btw

[Everse]

Taller people has a longer ROM. So they have to push the bar further.

[zemba1212]

Yeah, I think that's just because since your arms are normally shorter you don't have to make the weight travel as far.

It's the same thing with deads and squat

Squat especially, if you have good form, the bar shouldn't be moving that far. It's the people who lean forward and stuff that are making the bar have to much of a ROM.

[NewbieX2]

Your arms are shorter so the bar doesn't have as much distance to travel. Their arms are longer so they have more room to load muscle.

Tell them to stop being weak and making excuses.

[ThanksIKnow]

Your arms are shorter so the bar doesn't have as much distance to travel. Their arms are longer so they have more room to load muscle.

Tell them to stop being weak and making excuses.

This

[Ka0s]

Your arms are shorter so the bar doesn't have as much distance to travel. Their arms are longer so they have more room to load muscle.

Tell them to stop being weak and making excuses.

Winner

[kenethleclair]

It's because ur strong!!

im 5'4 145 pounds and benching 225. People always tell me that "its because your short,and thats why you can bench more then me" so my question to you guys is, do shorter people have an advantage at the bench??? If so why ???

[Dawes]

I get called out for this.
They just jelly and don't train as hard.

[MrB1g]

I get called out for this.
They just jelly and don't train as hard.

Lol...?

[Dawes]

Lol...?

Lol...?

[MrB1g]

Lol...?

I think short people have an advantage at benching.

Does that mean I don't train as hard as you?


What a dumb comment to make.

[Dawes]

No I should have made that clearer then.
I should have said: 'When I train with my friends that have been going for the same amount of time as me I get called out, for instance I go with someone who joined exactly the same time as me and can just get out 154lbs. His excuse is that im shorter and have an advantage, however if you see the way he trains you will realise he never puts in the same effort and quits as soon as it starts getting hard. The only thing he works out is his mouth. Then again I have another friend who joined at the same time again who is about 6ft 3 and he can do the same figures as me but he trains with as much effort as me.'
I can tell Mr.B1g that you train hard and most probably alot harder than I do.
I didn't really want to write an essay, but I guess I had to clear that one up.

[MrB1g]

No I should have made that clearer then.
I should have said: 'When I train with my friends that have been going for the same amount of time as me I get called out, for instance I go with someone who joined exactly the same time as me and can just get out 154lbs. His excuse is that im shorter and have an advantage, however if you see the way he trains you will realise he never puts in the same effort and quits as soon as it starts getting hard. The only thing he works out is his mouth. Then again I have another friend who joined at the same time again who is about 6ft 3 and he can do the same figures as me but he trains with as much effort as me.'
I can tell Mr.B1g that you train hard and most probably alot harder than I do.
I didn't really want to write an essay, but I guess I had to clear that one up.

Alright no worries mate.


I don't like people making excuses like your friend, but raising the point fairly doesn't necessarily say how anything about someone's training.

Thanks for clarifying.

[Dawes]

Alright no worries mate.


I don't like people making excuses like your friend, but raising the point fairly doesn't necessarily say how anything about someone's training.

Thanks for clarifying.

Haha thats alright fella

[Bate8473]

A friend (5'6 asian) and I use to work out together in high school during football and wrestling, and we pushed each other pretty hard, but his lifts always were higher than mine... for example he only had a rom on hang clean, and bench that was about half of mine.

don't forget about squats as well.

[Precision14]

So all muslcles pull right? When you pull, the longer the bar (your bone) the more torque you have, the more torque you have the more force there is that can be applied. Think of it like using a short wrench and a long wrench, you would always choose the long wrench when something is on very tightly (I may have used a few terms wrong, but I think you get the idea). Therefore the TALLER you are, the more you can bench. ROM is just a bull**** excuse that tall skinny people use when they want to feel better about themselves

[MrB1g]

So all muslcles pull right? When you pull, the longer the bar (your bone) the more torque you have, the more torque you have the more force there is that can be applied. Think of it like using a short wrench and a long wrench, you would always choose the long wrench when something is on very tightly (I may have used a few terms wrong, but I think you get the idea). Therefore the TALLER you are, the more you can bench. ROM is just a bull**** excuse that tall skinny people use when they want to feel better about themselves

...

What?



I'm going to go grab some popcorn and wait as you try to explain how the hell leverage has anything to do with a bench press.

[Precision14]

...

What?



I'm going to go grab some popcorn and wait as you try to explain how the hell leverage has anything to do with a bench press.

If 2 muscles r both exerting equal forces, the one with the longer bone will be producing more torque. (if I have completely failed here, explain to me how I am wrong)

An idk y u bolded "all muscles pull" .....because they do

[markp1]

everyone is better at benching

[mmafighter1294]

So all muslcles pull right? When you pull, the longer the bar (your bone) the more torque you have, the more torque you have the more force there is that can be applied. Think of it like using a short wrench and a long wrench, you would always choose the long wrench when something is on very tightly (I may have used a few terms wrong, but I think you get the idea). Therefore the TALLER you are, the more you can bench. ROM is just a bull**** excuse that tall skinny people use when they want to feel better about themselves

leverage? when your lifting a weight straight up, the same force must be applied no matter how long the supports are. on lifts that dont travel strictly vertically, leverage would be an excuse, such as lateral raises or front raises. even then, it would be harder for a tall person because the weight is farther away from the fulcrum of the lever.

[Got_tickets]

...

What?



I'm going to go grab some popcorn and wait as you try to explain how the hell leverage has anything to do with a bench press.

I think he's staying; all muscles pull =/= muscles contract, which is not really correct. Contracting is more of a stacking movement. As bench is in essence an up and down press distance (ROM) does play a part.
Work = Force X Distance, which means that someone with shorter arms has a lower rate of work than someone with longer arms. I think this is true to some extent but someone with longer arms has the potential to build bigger triceps and delts so it balances out in the long run. The idea of having longer arms that will produce more torque would be true in terms of hammer throw and discus, assuming the rate your spinning at is the same as a person with shorter arms.

Edit: the lateral raise is a better example of torque

[MrB1g]

If 2 muscles r both exerting equal forces, the one with the longer bone will be producing more torque. (if I have completely failed here, explain to me how I am wrong)

An idk y u bolded "all muscles pull" .....because they do

What do you even mean 'all muscles pull'?


Just going to go with good old Wikipedia for the second point:

'Torque, also called moment or moment of force, is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist.'


You're pushing the barbell up and down.

Stop trying to overcomplicate this.

I think he's staying; all muscles pull =/= muscles contract, which is not really correct. Contracting is more of a stacking movement. As bench is in essence an up and down press distance (ROM) does play a part.
Work = Force X Distance, which means that someone with shorter arms has a lower rate of work than someone with longer arms. I think this is true to some extent but someone with longer arms has the potential to build bigger triceps and delts so it balances out in the long run. The idea of having longer arms that will produce more torque would be true in terms of hammer throw and discus, assuming the rate your spinning at is the same as a person with shorter arms.

I don't know why you quoted me, it seems like you're correcting him.


Edit: And I don't agree with some ballpark statement saying they have the potential to build bigger triceps and deltoids therefore strength balances out.

In that case, I should be stronger at benchpress then anyone with smaller triceps then me, which is obviously not true. Muscular size is not a good indicator of strength. At all.

[Got_tickets]

Sorry I meant to quote him my bad

[StylesOfBeyond]

If there was a 5'6 guy and a 6'2 guy, and they were both perfectly proportioned in terms of weight to height ratio, surely there'd be no real difference in their strength? By this I mean if each man was working to '100%' or some theoretical bull like that, he'd logically be able to bench more due to being taller, having a larger frame and having filled out more than his smaller friend.

No?

[Xamine]

Longer arms will have a larger rib cage most of the time so the ROM will be around the same.
Tell the weak ****s that.

[CajunPballer]

If there was a 5'6 guy and a 6'2 guy, and they were both perfectly proportioned in terms of weight to height ratio, surely there'd be no real difference in their strength? By this I mean if each man was working to '100%' or some theoretical bull like that, he'd logically be able to bench more due to being taller, having a larger frame and having filled out more than his smaller friend.

No?

This. If they were equal height:weight ratio, the tall guy would without a doubt be stronger because he would have more muscle. Any tall guy who can't bench as much as a short guy is just weak and lacking muscle.

$

[MrB1g]

This. If they were equal height:weight ratio, the tall guy would without a doubt be stronger because he would have more muscle. Any tall guy who can't bench as much as a short guy is just weak and lacking muscle.

$

Just like how professional bodybuilders are stronger then competitive powerlifters because they have more muscle mass.



Wait...

[Exezy]

in4 manlet vs man war