Why are A Lot of Bodybuilders so Short in Person?

[rudolph]

That's fascinating!
This means that people like Lee or Shawn aren't really short but they only think they are short while they could be much taller if they stood right up. Incredible! It's mind games. I always knew it. Mind over matter. Most likely during their childhood somebody told them that they are short and this thought was implanted into their mind causing them to appear short.

[bxbombers]

This is fascinating! This means the shorter the people are the more likely and also the earlier they get into bodybuilding. Absolutely fascinating! Most likely they already got beaten up at an early stage which then made them start lifting weights.

you could say the same thing for a person being in the red.

[Test-Freak]

Well I've always known pro bb's to be short because they used juice early in their life. Steroids stop a person's growth plates from letting them achieve their full height potential. Age 21 is usually the time that growth plates stop shifting, so if steroids are used before the age of 21 then a person will be shorter then they potentially could have been. This may not be true for everybody, some people are naturally short, but I bet it's true for alot of pro's.

Yep, keep tellin yourself that buddy.

[AdonisMagnus]

not always the case look at Lee Priest he is short as hell...and he never won an olympia...(thats a shame too) there is a happy medium between 5'8"-5'11" i would say

Though I kind of like lee priest and he is obviously dedicated and great at building muscle, I really hope no one with a personality anything like his ever wins an olympia

[stealth_swimmer]

Well I've always known pro bb's to be short because they used juice early in their life. Steroids stop a person's growth plates from letting them achieve their full height potential. Age 21 is usually the time that growth plates stop shifting, so if steroids are used before the age of 21 then a person will be shorter then they potentially could have been. This may not be true for everybody, some people are naturally short, but I bet it's true for alot of pro's.

They're short because muslce shows better on a short to medium frame. Why do you think so many bb'ers above 6' have trouble? They have a much bigger frame to fill out. So many of them either take forever to fill out their frame or just retire that the ones you see are shorter, like I said, because muscle shows more easily on a shorter frame. Being short is not a disadvantage unless you're really a lot shorter than everyone else. Look at Lee Priest, one of the top pros in the world and he's short. He's also extremely full at a relatively low bodyweight so it actually helps him.

[Oh_Riginal]

I think that a lot of pros look shorter in person because:

1. They, like a lot of athletes, are listed as taller than they actually are.
2. The way the pics are taken and/or edited gives one the perception that they are "bigger." A lot of shots in the magazines are either close-up, taken from odd angles, or only have one person in them.
3. I think that we generally associate big muscles with a lot of misconceptions. For example, how some think being big means you can kick anybody's ass, being big and muscular associated w/ being tall, etc.

[thatsdefyo]

I think the correlation between being short and becoming a bodybuilder is simply fear of being beaten up by taller guys. When you're short you simply cannot afford not to be big. This is also why you won't see many tall bodybuilders. They don't have the problem of being beaten up by taller guys, unless of course there are guys which are even taller than the tall guys. But such a scenario is very rare.

Is it just me or has rudolph been a lot funnier lately?

[DiamondDelts]

Is it just me or has rudolph been a lot funnier lately?

It's just you.

[Buff_Daddy]

I dont think any of them are really over 6' , even the supposed 6'2 guys... most of the "taller" bodybuilders are actually 5'11 to 6'... There is alot of lying or hype like in most sports and WWE etc...


you can see what I mean here... Everyone knows stallone aint the tallest actor and just check out this pic ...yet levrone is quoted from 5'9 to 5'11 ?

http://www.kevinlevrone.net/Images/Sly%20kev.jpg

[cmore]

Yea, when me and my friend met Ronnie the first thing we both thought was.. "He's a midget, wtf???". It looks a lot better in the mags/on stage.

[zaxx19]

...Yeah and Stallone also wears heels alot of the time and probably lifts also so that may account for the pic......so funny to watch short guys wear big heels in clubs and even to the gym and think nowone notices....we know your ass is a midget dude, give it up. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George cant see the girl without wearing the Timberlands. That was friggun hillarious. Short men just accept your height and youd be alot better off. It like a bald guy doing a combover who would look better just shaving it off and getting a goatee. Just be confident and do you.

BTW, the greatest BBer of all time was 6"1 Arnold. And Victor is a legit tall guy also isnt he? Ronnie is also above average in height anything above 5"9 is actually. Basketball players are notorious for lying about their heights. I met Barkely in Vegas at the Mandalay Bay once just playing some poker he was like 6"4 1/2 at most. Probably closer to 6"3 1/2. Jordan is like 6"5 I used to know his caddy. Im almost exactly 6 foot in a doctors office and once met Warren Sapp in Miami....he was at most an inch taller than me probably only like 3/4 of an inch.


Ive always wondered to myself why someone like 5"7 would want to get really big....it just makes them look shorter and stumpier...am I alone in seeing this? Priest looks pretty weird to me and his chest is like WAY too small and high genetically for him to be one of my "top physiques"/.

[asuguy]

I wish I was shorter. Im 6' or 72inches but my armspan is 74 inches, I'm built kinda like a tall bipedal chimpanzee, and almost as hairy, lol.

and Arnold is not 6'1. I was taller than him when I briefly met him (more like quickly shook his hand as he speedily walked past me, lol) at last years classic.

[zaxx19]

Well Arnolds not under 6 foot...so you either were wearing some big heels or he was barefoot brother.

Ive seen enough pics of him next to other guys to know he is 6 1/2---6 1 1/2


Not the 6-2 he claimed as pro bodybuilder. But over 5-11 man....

[jonbodin]

The listed heights are 'generous' at the very least (just like football & basketball players). I went on vacation to Venice and lifted at the Mecca for a week and was shocked at the size of the bodybuilders in person. In the magazines they seem so big, but being a legitimate 6'3" I felt like a giant next to them. Dillet was about the tallest and I would say he's a little over 6' (but as wide as a person I have ever seen!!). Ferrigno was legitimately 6'3-6'4". Also, Arnold is over 6' only when he has lifts or heels on!

[spirit3530]

bodybuilders are short because thats the population that wins shows. If someone could be taller and fill out their frame likewise then it would happen. The generally population of america average height is 5'8 to 5'10 why wouldn't bodybuilders be average height. There are many pro athletes what would rather be a football/basketball/baseball/hockey player than be a bodybuilder. My guess is thats where the height is.


references for height
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/taller.htm
http://www.livescience.com/humanbiol...rica_size.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Average_height


Just because you are taller than the average guy doesn't mean that you are the norm for society.

[oggie]

Yep, keep tellin yourself that buddy.

ok, well if your not going to tell me different then i guess i will

[Flex500]

I think the correlation between being short and becoming a bodybuilder is simply fear of being beaten up by taller guys. When you're short you simply cannot afford not to be big. This is also why you won't see many tall bodybuilders. They don't have the problem of being beaten up by taller guys, unless of course there are guys which are even taller than the tall guys. But such a scenario is very rare.

jeeze man where did you grow up??? I am short and certainly never worried about getting beaten up.

[CloudSurfer]

if this article is true then levrone is pretty short guy

http://www.celebheights.com/s/Sylves...llone-347.html

compared to stallone in that picture unless stallone is in those elevator shoes either way stallone and levrone are both probably either 5'8 or 5-9" at the absolute most

[Jake57]

I think that when we see bodybuilders in photos or from a distance, we automatically believe that if they have big muscles, then they must be tall, too. I would bet that if we did a random survey, we would find that the average height of bodybuilders are similar to that of the population at large.

[Flex500]

I think that when we see bodybuilders in photos or from a distance, we automatically believe that if they have big muscles, then they must be tall, too. I would bet that if we did a random survey, we would find that the average height of bodybuilders are similar to that of the population at large.

wow a post that actually makes sense and is probably the correct answer and it only took two pages for someone to post it...

[DaHooligan]

if this article is true then levrone is pretty short guy

http://www.celebheights.com/s/Sylves...llone-347.html

compared to stallone in that picture unless stallone is in those elevator shoes either way stallone and levrone are both probably either 5'8 or 5-9" at the absolute most

lol I have met stallone in person and he wasnt short thats what shocked me...people always making up stuff like this guy is short its how rumors spread he is actually closer to 5 feet 10 ...suprisingly taller then expected the reason he got the rep for being short is cause he loves tall ass long legged women....like bridgette nielsen and his current wife...he used to date angie everheart and those women with heels are well over 6 feet.

[ferrarimonaco91]

Those numbers arent their height, its their width

[SDFlip]

playing basketball makes you taller...... i mean, look at all those 7 footers in the NBA.

[rudolph]

Is it just me or has rudolph been a lot funnier lately?

it's the coffee

[CloudSurfer]

This pic Stallone looks a good 2 maybe 3 inches taller than Levrone
then again he is notorious for wearing elevator shoes lol

also Levrone has said many times in interviews that he is not 5'10" as they list him that he is 6' wow the if that pic is true Stallone must be like 6'2 or 6'3" .......somebody is lying

even still height is not that big of a deal in general but to some it obviously is



also Arnold is supposedly 6'1/6'2" and the Rock is listed at 6'3"/6'4"
either way they are both in a smilar position in this pic and Arnold is a good 4" shorter Arnold at the most is 6' tops

[rudolph]

I don't think that Sly wears elevator shoes. This would be so awkward and childish. People would also notice it. I rather think he simply stands on tiptoe whenever they take a photo. This also explains his muscular calves.

[CloudSurfer]

I don't think that Sly wears elevator shoes. This would be so awkward and childish. People would also notice it. I rather think he simply stands on tiptoe whenever they take a photo. This also explains his muscular calves.

yeahhh lol riiight

[DaHooligan]

I don't think that Sly wears elevator shoes. This would be so awkward and childish. People would also notice it. I rather think he simply stands on tiptoe whenever they take a photo. This also explains his muscular calves.

lol

but seriously he doesnt wear lifts I met him on the beach he was wearing sandals...he was with his wife this was like in 1999. he was not 5 feet 5 like people claimed lol.

he loves tall women though his wife was a giant.

see look at his shoes.


Tom Cruise on the other hand is about 5 feet 6 inches tall he wears lifts and heels...peep the shoes. The actress next to him penelope cruise is only 5 feet 3 or 4.

[lweftball88]

No s**t, where do these kids come up with this crap?? And that goes for Kyle too...just because somebody is tall, it doesn't always mean their frame is harder to fill...that comes down to genetics and body type ie ecto, meso etc

Guys 6'3 or over who can fill a frame like an IFBB pro has the ability to (I'm talking genetics and the ability to put on size) are in a league of their own. It's called the NFL.

[IronMogul]

Personally I think a guy under say 5"10 who gets super wide looks kinda funny in real life even though he might look good on film or in a picture. Its kind of like he is compensating....width for height. I dont think from a aeshetics POV it looks good and I know from having frends that are good looking women it isnt attractive to MOST women. Also friends of mine that are around my height or taller 6"0+ kind of laugh at really "stubby" types who work out for width while being shorted than average and having short limbs.

Dont NEG me or be mad it is ONLY MY OWN OPINION and I dont speak for anyone else except the women i know and their friends and my taller male friends.

I also dont think guys look better as they get much under 10% body fat so my sense of aesethetics is certainly very different than many bbers.

Whatever your goal and/or height I say go for it. Im just giving some insight into how some taller/normal heighted people perceive things.

Well, your perception is garbage. Normal heighted? Do you think the average height is above 5'10? And just because a few of your so called "good looking women" friends don't find them attractive does not mean "MOST" women feel the same way. By the way, being over 5'10 to 6' and above means nothing. If anything, it's your friends who sound like complete losers who should be laughed at.