Question I've always wondered???

[DJDIGGLER]

How much of a difference does it make when you have longer arms when it comes to bench press?

For instance my arms are 32 " long from the inside of my armpit to my fingertip. I've got a really long reach.

If I'm lifting 200lbs and my buddy who is short and has 26" arms is lifting the same weight, what would he need to lift to have the same resistance.

Many people argue it's the same, but logic says if I have a long reach, I have a longer way to go till I get to the top. Plus on the negative part of the execution my arm go farther out when bringing it back to the chest. So I've always wondered how much of a difference there really is or if there is any type of formula to figure it out??

[ottorotvic]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

There is no formula by ROM, there is only what you individually can bench versus someone else.

People with smaller ROMs tend to be more suited to bench pressing. I have rather long arms for my size so this has been my problem since I started lifting (72" reach on a 67 inch tall, narrow shouldered frame=long ROM).

You should try building a decent arch in your back, retracting your shoulder blades, ****ing your wrists back and touching the bar lower down near the high point in your arch. You could probably take 10 inches off that ROM this way and add a great deal of weight to your bench.

[ottorotvic]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

In the post above, I said c-o-c-k-ing your wrists back, but it got censored out by the system.

[DJDIGGLER]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

Thanks! How far down below the nipple line should I go?

[ottorotvic]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

Most people end up strongest around their solar plexus. Maybe an inch or two below. I bench about 2 inches below now. Tuck your elbows to 45 degrees and feel where it seems comfortable to you. If you aren't used to benching this way you may be weaker at first, but give it a few weeks and you'll be good to go.

[littlebritain]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

How much of a difference does it make when you have longer arms when it comes to bench press?

For instance my arms are 32 " long from the inside of my armpit to my fingertip. I've got a really long reach.

If I'm lifting 200lbs and my buddy who is short and has 26" arms is lifting the same weight, what would he need to lift to have the same resistance.

Many people argue it's the same, but logic says if I have a long reach, I have a longer way to go till I get to the top. Plus on the negative part of the execution my arm go farther out when bringing it back to the chest. So I've always wondered how much of a difference there really is or if there is any type of formula to figure it out??

I suppose that in physics terms, work = resistance X distance . so it takes more effort to move a weight 50cm than 40cm . Im wondering if leverage or torque comes into this its a bit confusing. for example take a bicep curl if you watched two guys performing the curl from the side , one with short arms the other long and traced the line of movement of the dumbell the guy with the longer arms would have moved the dumbell the furthest distance.

but if you have noticed if you have trouble removing a nut with a spanner it is easier the longer the spanner is . it is to do with torque. you are dealing with the same torque (i.e how tight the nut is) but you are turning the spanner a greater distance, although the angle of movement is the same.

[daved150]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

Most people end up strongest around their solar plexus. Maybe an inch or two below. I bench about 2 inches below now. Tuck your elbows to 45 degrees and feel where it seems comfortable to you. If you aren't used to benching this way you may be weaker at first, but give it a few weeks and you'll be good to go.

i'm gonna try this!! my bench sucks, but i think it's in my technique. i go down right around the nipple line, try to keep shoulders back, arch, dont **** my wrist, and try to keep my elbows pointing straight out!!! no wonder that sh!t hurts!! lol. thanks for the thread dj!

[kite]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

Good post Otto!

[DJDIGGLER]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

Wait so is the solar plexus your nipple line? Sounds like some form of astrology term. I think I'm having a blonde moment!

[mick-G]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

Don't talk about boobies....

[supasaiyan99]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

How much of a difference does it make when you have longer arms when it comes to bench press?

For instance my arms are 32 " long from the inside of my armpit to my fingertip. I've got a really long reach.

If I'm lifting 200lbs and my buddy who is short and has 26" arms is lifting the same weight, what would he need to lift to have the same resistance.

Many people argue it's the same, but logic says if I have a long reach, I have a longer way to go till I get to the top. Plus on the negative part of the execution my arm go farther out when bringing it back to the chest. So I've always wondered how much of a difference there really is or if there is any type of formula to figure it out??

I'm not sure by what you mean that he isn't lifting the same resistance because his arms are shorter? If he is benching 225lbs (102kg) and you're benching 225lbs then you both are feeling the same force. Force = mass x acceleration. The acceleration is gravity = 9.98 meters/s^2. So you both are equaly feeling 102kg*9.98m/s^2 = 999.6 Newtons of Force. Now the only difference between you and your friend is that you will be holding on longer to the 999.6 Newtons because of the extra time it will take you to bring it down and bring it back up. So basicly neither of you are feeling anything different. You will just tire more because of the distance, actually now that I think about there is this another formula for work which says work= force x distance.
You say your arms are 32" = .8128 meters, your friend's reach is 26" =.6604 meters. Let's see how much work you two do:
You:
999.6N x .8128m = 812.47Nm

your friend:
999.6N x .6604m = 660.13Nm

Ok so you are doing more work due to your longer arms.
For equal work he would need to lift:
Newtons = 812.47Nm/.6604m => 1230.27 Newtons
converting that to kilograms = 123.27kg => 271.76lbs

The math is all gravy but in reality the feeling of force vs the measured quanity of force cannot be related. Lifting weights is all about how strong you are regardless of your heights or lengths. If you feel 225 is heavy for you then just lift lighter. You can't say that you are "feeling more resistance" due to the length of your arms. "Feeling" is an individual perception.

[Fit2bLarge]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

break it down supa - dayuum

[BIGFOST]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

yeah got the rocket science going on up there

[littlebritain]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

I'm not sure by what you mean that he isn't lifting the same resistance because his arms are shorter? If he is benching 225lbs (102kg) and you're benching 225lbs then you both are feeling the same force. Force = mass x acceleration. The acceleration is gravity = 9.98 meters/s^2. So you both are equaly feeling 102kg*9.98m/s^2 = 999.6 Newtons of Force. Now the only difference between you and your friend is that you will be holding on longer to the 999.6 Newtons because of the extra time it wil.........

Although the longer arm guy is doing more work , do you think the shorter arm guy has to apply more torque to move the thing due to the shorter limbs.

if you liken the two guys to the same engine they both are in different gears or the gear ratios are a bit different.

[BIGFOST]

Re: Question I've always wondered???

uh oh get em britain come on supa i know you got a formula