anthropometry

[tweakxc03]

I'm a little confused on what anthropometry is preferable for deadlifts vs. squats.

I have long femurs, a shorter torso, and long arms.

I imagine that short legs and long arms/torso is optimal for deadlifting.

But, I can't see how having long femurs and a short torso would be preferable for squatting. Is this because the short torso allows you to stay more upright?

[Gary Gibson]

I'm a little confused on what anthropometry is preferable for deadlifts vs. squats.

I have long femurs, a shorter torso, and long arms.

I imagine that short legs and long arms/torso is optimal for deadlifting.

But, I can't see how having long femurs and a short torso would be preferable for squatting. Is this because the short torso allows you to stay more upright?

Because it's not. You have it backwards.

The shorter the torso and the longer the femurs, the more bent over the torso has to be to keep the bar over the midfoot. People with short torsos and long femurs are not going to be upright back squatters.

In your mind's eye, picture a short torsoed, long femured person squatting. Now shorten his femurs and lengthen his trunk...do you see how he will be more upright as his proportions change with the bar remaining over midfoot?

[tweakxc03]

right, this is what didn't make sense to me.

so really if you have long femurs and a short torso, you're going to be shitty at both deadlifting and squatting?

If you have long arms, then you'll also be shitty at the press and bench, and i imagine the clean.


So i'm pretty well fucked, arent i? haha

[PVC]

You'd be a good rower.

For the deadlift, your long arms kind of cancel out the short torso and long femurs. For the squat and bench, yeah, you might be screwed.

[Alyion]

This is pretty much me as down to a T, and yes it's a body more built for rowing/swimming

Never noticed much problem with really though (squat 360/deadlift 405 for a single) but I have a pretty sucky bench

[MazdaMatt]

how long is long or short for a femur?
how long is long or short for a torso?

Is there some %-height that is considered normal for each of these things?

[coreJack]

The shorter the torso and the longer the femurs, the more bent over the torso has to be to keep the bar over the midfoot. People with short torsos and long femurs are not going to be upright back squatters.

And it would seem that the more bent over the torso, the greater the likelihood of lumbar flexion injuries. And if that's correct, it begs the question as to whether long femur/short torso guys would be better off, from the perspective of low back health, doing high bar back squats or even front squats.

Of course, there are tradeoffs - e.g., increased knee stress as you take some of the load off the hips by moving toward a more back vertical squat.

[dankid]

ideally you would have long shins, short femurs, short torso, long forearms and short upper arms.

You'd look funny as hell but would certainly have an advantage

[gzt]

ideally you would have long shins, short femurs, short torso, long forearms and short upper arms.

You'd look funny as hell but would certainly have an advantage

Ideal for what? It's not great for the bench because forearm length dictates how far down the bar has to go, and short upper arm means short lever length, which is bad. Long upper arm, short forearm would be better.

(I say this because I have normal forearms and comically short upper arms).

[PVC]

(I say this because I have normal forearms and comically short upper arms).

But I bet this makes your bicept peak look hyuuuuge!