Don't Use Height As An Excuse!

[Aivin Yappy]

I realised that many people think that they're too tall for gymnastics and that they can't achieve anything great once they're past 5'7" or something. I find that to be something that can be very discouraging and I know that we all need some motivation at times (as a taller guy myself). Having said that, it's still more important to focus on the journey and doing your best. 

 

I want to make this post so that taller people can have a reference to what's achievable even when you're tall (for gymnastics) and gain some motivation. Will you end up in the Olympic team? No. Can you achieve really high levels of strength? Absolutely, especially when following the type of quality resources that GymnasticBodies offers. 

 

Alexander Shatilov - 183cm (6') - Olympic Gymnast - Inverted Cross 

Kristian Thomas - 180cm (5'11") - Olympic Gymnast - Maltese

Lachlan Walker - 185cm (6'1") - Level 7 Gymnast - Iron Cross

Roye Goldschmidt - 190cm (6'3")

Ivan Kajtaz - 180cm (5'11") - Calisthenics and Street Workout Athlete - Floor Maltese and Japanese Handstand 

Chris Heria - 183cm (6') - Calisthenics and Street Workout Athlete - Full Planche 

[Johannes Deselaers]

Hey Aivin,

thanks for the encouragement! I actually started GST by GB when I discovered Roye Goldschmidt. To see someone at 190 do these kinds of strength moves really makes you think twice when you want to say "I can't do sth b/c of my height". I've been at it for about 3 months now and I can say I never felt better or stronger than I do now. So that in itself motivates me to keep going. Particularly, I find bodyweight training using leverage or unilateral movements to be much easier on my joints compared to training with weights.

Although I must say that one cannot deny that the increased height/weight/leverage significantly slows your progress compared to a relatively smaller person (As a former physics student, particularly the Square-Cube-law comes to mind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square-cube_law). Myself I am 207cm (6'10") at around 120kg (260lbs) - you can see my abs, I am not big or skinny, but I do have a heavy frame - so from that perspective I cannot consider anyone below 190 as particularly tall ;-). But my approach at the moment is not to train any different, to stay consistent&put in the work and be ok with the fact that it will progress comparatively slower - but it will progress.

So for now I am committed and really curious to find out what will be possible for me after a year or two of consistent training.

And when I do need a bit of extra motivation I can always go for a few sets of deadlifts to feel good about my absolute strength numbers

 

[Everett Carroll]

My training parter is 6'5" tall, 190lbs, and I have never once heard him use it as an excuse during his training. He just has to work harder on the basics but knows in the end he will be far stronger for it. 

[Suzanna McGee]

9 hours ago, Johannes Deselaers said:

Myself I am 207cm (6'10") at around 120kg (260lbs) - you can see my abs, I am not big or skinny, but I do have a heavy frame - so from that perspective I cannot consider anyone below 190 as particularly tall ;-).

This man could be your inspiration, almost the same height (6'9"), same weight (121 kg, 242 lbs). He is not a gymnast here in the forums, but does all these wild "street style" movements in Venice Beach. Each time I see him, I feel like a little baby, even though I am 6 feet tall. He always says that he just has to work harder, but then it looks very impressive when a guy this big can do things like that    https://www.instagram.com/ikecatcher/

15 hours ago, Aivin Yappy said:

I want to make this post so that taller people can have a reference to what's achievable even when you're tall (for gymnastics) and gain some motivation.

Now how about some tall ladies? I am taller than 3 of the guys you listed  And oh-so bottom heavy and top-weak… grrrrr… But, I am here, to make it strong

[Alessandro Mainente]

The man in the photo it is not natural, high probability that he is under doping and if you have a good eye you can easily see this from physical qualities. for him weight it is not a problem since doping increases dramatically the strength gain.

The fact that the weight plays a big role on the relative strength it is a fact but not an excuse, I was about 84 kg when i completed my first 5x5 of hollowback press. for basic strength weight should not be an excuse.

[Francesco Pudda]

4 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

The man in the photo it is not natural, high probability that he is under doping and if you have a good eye you can easily see this from physical qualities. for him weight it is not a problem since doping increases dramatically the strength gain.

 

Could you tell us from what you understood this?

[Alessandro Mainente]

Rounded deltoids, high rounded traps and a begin of gynecomastia. the thing could be discussed more more deeper but this is not the aim of the post or of the forum.

[Jon Douglas]

An argument could be made that due to even more disadvantaged leverage, GST is more effective for the tall, when tested on measures outside of pace of progression

[Kirsten Stewart]

2 hours ago, Jon Douglas said:

An argument could be made that due to even more disadvantaged leverage, GST is more effective for the tall, when tested on measures outside of pace of progression

Why is that Jon? Does it stretch and force the muscles to work harder or something? I hope so because I'm on the tallish side :-)

[Ivan Pavlovic]

There were many discusions on this topic before, taller people will have harder times with straight arm skills especialy with skills in which body is parallel with ground. And as Alessandro mentioned above dopping will increase muscle strenght but it will weaken your conective tisue so dont count on advanced straight arm skills if your taking roids

More motivation here.

PS it is worth to mention that this Ivan Kajtaz (from first post) is also 80kg and he does most of stuff with perfect form.