best weight class

[ad3000]

What do you weigh right now?

230lbs. I am guessing, from your previous comments, I should weigh more.

[BigA]

In your honest opinion Jordan, would tall guys (over 6 ft 5 in) be better off doing a different sport (such as strongman or something non strength related) if they wanted to be competitive? These are some pretty disheartening statistics for someone tall. There is only so much muscle mass you can build naturally before you just have to get really fat? Granted, competitive athletics do not include "health" but holy crap, 6 ft 7 in and be almost 400 lbs is a feat in and of itself eating all of that food. Whereas, a 5 ft 5 in lifter can be totally ripped and still excel in powerlifting. For the first time in my life I am jealous of someone's short stature. Damn.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

230lbs. I am guessing, from your previous comments, I should weigh more.

Depends how strong you want to be, but yes. Also, there's no way you're making it to 400lbs otherwise you would be much closer already secondary to your genetically and environmentally influenced structure. So just keep gaining weight my friend.

In your honest opinion Jordan, would tall guys (over 6 ft 5 in) be better off doing a different sport (such as strongman or something non strength related) if they wanted to be competitive?

Yes. But hey, being tall is cool I imagine.

[ad3000]

Depends how strong you want to be, but yes. Also, there's no way you're making it to 400lbs otherwise you would be much closer already secondary to your genetically and environmentally influenced structure. So just keep gaining weight my friend.

I don't know if it makes any difference to my being able to get to 400lbs, but I used to weigh about 290lbs until I dieted down.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. It has been very informative.

[fourgate]

In your honest opinion Jordan, would tall guys (over 6 ft 5 in) be better off doing a different sport (such as strongman or something non strength related) if they wanted to be competitive?

Strongman? I don't think you are going to avoid putting on a lot of weight in that sport. Brian Shaw is 6'8 434lbs. Looking at the other top guys will show similar numbers. Interestingly enough Shaw's wiki page says he only weighed 240 after high school.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Strongman? I don't think you are going to avoid putting on a lot of weight in that sport. Brian Shaw is 6'8 434lbs. Looking at the other top guys will show similar numbers. Interestingly enough Shaw's wiki page says he only weighed 240 after high school.

Ding ding ding!

[Adam Skillin]

In your honest opinion Jordan, would tall guys (over 6 ft 5 in) be better off doing a different sport (such as strongman or something non strength related) if they wanted to be competitive? These are some pretty disheartening statistics for someone tall. There is only so much muscle mass you can build naturally before you just have to get really fat? Granted, competitive athletics do not include "health" but holy crap, 6 ft 7 in and be almost 400 lbs is a feat in and of itself eating all of that food. Whereas, a 5 ft 5 in lifter can be totally ripped and still excel in powerlifting. For the first time in my life I am jealous of someone's short stature. Damn.

Manlet privilege is real. But even we little guys benefit in the sport of strength from putting on gobs of bodyweight and slabs of muscle. Case in point, the entire lifting career of Ed Coan.

[BigA]

Strongman? I don't think you are going to avoid putting on a lot of weight in that sport. Brian Shaw is 6'8 434lbs. Looking at the other top guys will show similar numbers. Interestingly enough Shaw's wiki page says he only weighed 240 after high school.

Yes, you are absolutely right. I realized that as soon as I posted. I was thinking of the smaller competitors like Bill Kazmaier and Mariusz Pudzianowski but I realized they weren't that tall afterwards. So, basketball it is then.

[JukkaM]

I found this article from Greg Nuckols very informative.

Which weight class is best for you?