Lifting Leverage: arm, leg & torso length

BossArky

What kind of ratios should the arms, legs and torso be for best efficiency at squat, deadlift and bench press?

I did a quick google and did not turn up much.

I remember podge mentioning how his log arms are an advantage for the deadlift.

the drifter

my shorts arms are an advantage for benching....

Baldie

BossArky wrote: »

What kind of ratios should the arms, legs and torso be for best efficiency at squat, deadlift and bench press?

I did a quick google and did not turn up much.

I remember podge mentioning how his log arms are an advantage for the deadlift.

You could try this. It doesn't give you ratios, buy it does give you a guide on what you should be lifting in relation to your body weight.

BossArky

Baldie wrote: »

You could try this. It doesn't give you ratios, buy it does give you a guide on what you should be lifting in relation to your body weight.

I'm really looking for something which says "if you arms are twice as long as your legs(!) then you'll be a deadly deadlifter".

I could then go home with the tape measure and figure out what I should be good at and work to my strengths (not that I would... but you know what I mean).

Drifter, what defines short arms? Short in relation to what? To torso or legs, etc? What ratio?

the drifter

BossArky wrote: »

I'm really looking for something which says "if you arms are twice as long as your legs(!) then you'll be a deadly deadlifter".

I could then go home with the tape measure and figure out what I should be good at and work to my strengths (not that I would... but you know what I mean).

Drifter, what defines short arms? Short in relation to what? To torso or legs, etc? What ratio?

ok just stood up there in the office and caused a discussion on my arms...my arms stop about quater way down my quads....if that helps...

rubadub

BossArky wrote: »

I'm really looking for something which says "if you arms are twice as long as your legs(!) then you'll be a deadly deadlifter".

Yes you will, remember this guy, Lamar Gant?

His arms are so long he is in effect doing a rack pull! well his arms are lower due to his spine.

Thread on him here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=57603968

I think Colm posted a link to rippetoe talking of different "limb ratios"

ScissorPaperRock

Baldie wrote: »

You could try this. It doesn't give you ratios, buy it does give you a guide on what you should be lifting in relation to your body weight.

Are those for one rep?

DM-BM

Something like this maybe?

http://lonkilgore.com/Measure_of_a_Man.pdf

amazingemmet

If you measure your arm span it should be ideally the same as your height if it is smaller you have short arms or longer you have long arms. The distance to top of your legs should be ~1.4 the length of your torso.

Baldie

ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »

Are those for one rep?

I think so.... I'm looking to do 3 sets x 5.

Hanley

amazingemmet wrote: »

If you measure your arm span it should be ideally the same as your height if it is smaller you have short arms or longer you have long arms..

+1. Dunno what the story is with leg length tho!!!

I've SERIOUSLY short legs. An inside leg measurement of about 30 inches at 5'10 to 5'11!! Really helps with the squatting. My arms a bit shorter than average too. Which doesn't really help with the deadlifting, tho my short legs compensate.

The "ideal" build for a powerlifter is probably slightly longer than average arms, seriously short legs and a relatively normal but thick torso.

Slightly longer arms are preferable cos they add more to your total on the DL than the bench. The thick torso will compensate in part by reducing your bench ROM, and a thick torso with short legs is the perfect squat combo.

the drifter

Hanley wrote: »

The "ideal" build for a powerlifter is probably slightly longer than average arms, seriously short legs and a relatively normal but thick torso.

Slightly longer arms are preferable cos they add more to your total on the DL than the bench. The thick torso will compensate in part by reducing your bench ROM, and a thick torso with short legs is the perfect squat combo.

So basically ger mac....

amazingemmet

Hanley wrote: »

+1. Dunno what the story is with leg length tho!!!

I've SERIOUSLY short legs. An inside leg measurement of about 30 inches at 5'10 to 5'11!! Really helps with the squatting. My arms a bit shorter than average too. Which doesn't really help with the deadlifting, tho my short legs compensate.
.

I think the leg measurement is from where the crease in the hip is if you bend forward with neutral spine.

As an aside the ideal shoulder width is 2.5times your head width, your foot should be roughly the length from your wrist to the crease where your elbow bends. Your hand is is roughly the length from your chin to your hairline (baldies excluded) and it is possible to lick your elbow.:pac:

BossArky

Thanks Emmet, DM-BM & Hanley.

This is the info I was looking for. I'll figure out my measurements later :pac:

brianthebard

the drifter wrote: »

ok just stood up there in the office and caused a discussion on my arms...my arms stop about quater way down my quads....if that helps...

That doesn't sound short at all tbh! Unless my arms are way shorter than I realised (suddenly hates thread) On topic, I have fairly long legs, apparently it makes me appear taller than I am. Also makes my dead and squat move that much further. I think sumo stance might work out best for me in the long run because of this.

Baldie

amazingemmet wrote: »

Your hand is is roughly the length from your chin to your hairline (baldies excluded) and it is possible to lick your elbow.:pac:

Thanks Emmet... It's always nice to be special....

Hanley

brianthebard wrote: »

That doesn't sound short at all tbh! Unless my arms are way shorter than I realised (suddenly hates thread) On topic, I have fairly long legs, apparently it makes me appear taller than I am. Also makes my dead and squat move that much further. I think sumo stance might work out best for me in the long run because of this.

If you've a long torso measuring where your hands stop is pretty pointless!!

Best easy one I can think of is stand next to a wall and mark your height. Put the tips of you fingers where your heel would have been, and reach up as high as possible. If you don't reach the mark you've short arms, at it = normal, past it = long.

brianthebard

Will try that one in a little while, thanks.

rubadub

Hanley wrote: »

Best easy one I can think of is stand next to a wall and mark your height. Put the tips of you fingers where your heel would have been, and reach up as high as possible.

Just now I put my hand to the edge of the wall and stretched out to a point, a window frame, it measured 5'11'', I am 5'10.5''-5'11''. The problem is your chest will get in the way and shorten your arms, i.e. your arms will have to angle inwards to touch the wall, shortening them.

At first I just held the measuring tape but thought I was skewing results by bending the tape, I got 6'1''. So then I laid the tape out straight on a table and bent over the table to do it, this way your chest is not in the way as much, I still got 6'1''. Maybe measureing yourself at the edge of a doorframe like Hanley said would help, as you can keep your chest out of the way, or do it on the actual door itself.

Mickey goes to just under the kneecap

LightningBolt

Interesting, my arms stop about 5 inches above my knee caps but clenched it's nearer to ten as in that photo posted. I'm 6"4.

Is there anywhere that states ideal femur length? I'm of the opinion that the my upper/lower leg ratio stops me from squatting with good form. I've seen plenty of taller people squat fine with no problem but I've struggled to squat for years and can't get over it (tried flexibility exercises etc). It sounds daft i know.

Before anyone challenges me on this, note that I'm referring to the upper/lower ratio and not the actual length of my legs (they're only 34")

Hanley

I would hazard a guess that the longer your upper leg, the harder it is to squat!! Can't be any more use than that tho!!

brianthebard

LightningBolt wrote: »

Interesting, my arms stop about 5 inches above my knee caps but clenched it's nearer to ten as in that photo posted. I'm 6"4.

Is there anywhere that states ideal femur length? I'm of the opinion that the my upper/lower leg ratio stops me from squatting with good form. I've seen plenty of taller people squat fine with no problem but I've struggled to squat for years and can't get over it (tried flexibility exercises etc). It sounds daft i know.

Before anyone challenges me on this, note that I'm referring to the upper/lower ratio and not the actual length of my legs (they're only 34")

Does that mean you wear a 34" trouser? maybe your legs are a bit shorter than normal, I wear the same length trouser and I'm 6ft.

Also, tried the measuring thing hanley posted, my arm span is slightly longer than my height, an inch or two.

BossArky

I measured using the heel to head Hanley method, plus using a measuring tape.

My height and arm span are the same at 5ft 7in ish.

LightningBolt

brianthebard wrote: »

Does that mean you wear a 34" trouser? maybe your legs are a bit shorter than normal, I wear the same length trouser and I'm 6ft.

Also, tried the measuring thing hanley posted, my arm span is slightly longer than my height, an inch or two.

Maybe yours are longer than average? The majority of people I know at 6"4 wear a 34" leg!

Ratio of upper leg/lower leg is around 56:40. I've given up on the squats now tbh, step ups, deads, single leg squats of a bench and lunges a good job.

brianthebard

LightningBolt wrote: »

Maybe yours are longer than average? The majority of people I know at 6"4 wear a 34" leg!

Ratio of upper leg/lower leg is around 56:40. I've given up on the squats now tbh, step ups, deads, single leg squats of a bench and lunges a good job.

Yes that's quite possible because I've been told they are long a good few times, but I still would've thought a person who is 6'4'' would have longer legs. Who knows. Out of interest why have you given up on squats, is it because of your leg ratio being unfavourable for squatting?

LightningBolt

The amount of work I was putting into stretching the glutes, lower back, ankles etc just wasn't worth it as I was seeing very few results. I figured why waste time in the gym doing that when I could be doing other stuff that'd hit the legs nearly as much. It also felt very, very weird trying to move all that weight that far back <---- Very hard to explain but even as I was leaning forward I felt as if I could fall backwards at any moment. I'd have decent core strength so I don't think that was the problem.

To be honest, I've done very little the last five or six months so I think I may just use all my free time in the summer to try take another stab at them properly.