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Thread: How Can I Measure and Assess Anthropometry

  1. #1
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    Default How Can I Measure and Assess Anthropometry

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    Hi, sorry if I've missed something obvious in the many resources available, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could direct me to information on:
    1) How to measure torso, femur and tibia length according to some standard, like, from what point to what point, etc., and
    2) Once I've done that, how to determine whether I have long/short femurs, torso, etc., in other words, I need some standard of comparison.
    I see lots of references by coaches to clients with long femurs, short torsos, etc., and I would like to determine my own proportions; there must be a usable reference somewhere.

  2. #2
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    Why is this important? Do you intend to have yourself adjusted?

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Why is this important? Do you intend to have yourself adjusted?
    No, I'm maladjusted and might as well keep it that way. But I have some squat struggles and although my working assumption has been that I'm just a physical idiot who can't get it together enough to follow a few simple cues, I also gather that to at least some extent anthropometry is destiny, and I would very much like to know mine.

    Specifically I gather that different people might have different optimal back angles at the bottom of the squat depending on their proportions. (Specifically, I'm wondering if the only way for me to get the bar at least in the same zip code as midfoot is to have somewhat more vertical back angle, even though I've been properly conditioned to abhor anything involving verticality. At all weights the bar always sweeps forward to my toes or further, even when I'm cueing myself into oblivion.)

    Even in the blue book you make several references to people with short legs/long torsos or whatever, and that that can effect certain approaches to the squat, and on form checks and lots of other places coaches will comment on someone's short femurs or something. I realize that many coaches have seen so many thousands of torsos and femurs and tibias that they just know. But there must be some standardized way I can measure and figure out on my own where my own proportions fall? Couldn't hurt to know, and might help.

    Still searching, but so far I can't find anything useful, so I thought I'd go to the source.

  4. #4
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    Post a deadlift video.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Post a deadlift video.
    Will do, thanks.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by SquareOne View Post
    Hi, sorry if I've missed something obvious in the many resources available, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could direct me to information on:
    1) How to measure torso, femur and tibia length according to some standard, like, from what point to what point, etc., and
    2) Once I've done that, how to determine whether I have long/short femurs, torso, etc., in other words, I need some standard of comparison.
    I see lots of references by coaches to clients with long femurs, short torsos, etc., and I would like to determine my own proportions; there must be a usable reference somewhere.
    It would be racist to have a standard to compare against.

  7. #7
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    Hi, sorry it took me so long to put up this deadlift video, I hope that somehow you will return to this thread to see it. I assumed that you meant for me to post the video here and not the technique forum, but I can do that too if that's what you meant.

    I have never video'd my deadlifts before, so I am ready for any lacerating comments about my form, in addition, hopefully, to any observations about anthropometry.

    YouTube

    On a related issue, you might notice significant kyphosis in this video - because of that my upper back always looks rounded on the deadlift no matter what I do - and I'd like to add another question to the one about general anthropometry. My most significant challenge since starting this program has been thoracic flexion in the squat which, combined with the kyphosis, causes the bar, once I reach a certain weight, to roll forward almost onto my neck at the bottom of the squat, which causes a very undesirable situation. I am starting to understand that this situation is not uncommon for people with kyphosis.

    Do you have any general observations about common effective adjustments people with kyphosis often have to make? I have been experimented with putting the bar even lower on my back, we'll see how that goes. Obviously I have to fix my thoracic flexion, but so far attempts at that have not been enough. It seems to me an obvious fix might be to have a more vertical back angle so the bar is less likely to roll forward, but I have been well trained to be allergic to anything with the word "vertical" in it, and I am afraid that might compromise my ability to be in my hips, etc. Any observations from your experience might be very helpful.

    Let me add to that, that at all weights I am pretty much unable to keep the bar above mid foot (on the squat). No matter what I try it drifts forward, almost to my toes, or further. Possible anthropometry explanation, or am I just a physical idiot?

  8. #8
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    You have long arms, and should be a good deadlifter. But I see absolutely no effort being made to finish the pull in full thoracic extension at the top, i.e. you are not lifting the chest at lockout. You do have an anatomical kyphosis --so do I, and so do lots of people, but that doesn't keep you from doing the last 5% of the work at the top of the pull. As far as the mid-foot shit is concerned:

    Understanding the Master Cue | Mark Rippetoe

  9. #9
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    Yes, exactly, even I noticed that lousy lockout - I think the knees didn't lock out either. I know I've locked out better at even at higher weight, so am not too worried - a good lockout at the end seems a lot easier if I focus on it than the work it took getting there! But point very well taken.

    How about the femur/torso thing, notice anything? Especially as might relate to squats?

    Will re-read that article: I have master-cued myself into oblivion with dubious results but will try more.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Sorry, nothing's really wrong with you.

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