Weight Training for Tall Guys

Today we're talking about Weight Training for Tall Guys. It's no secret that the weight training can be unkind to tall guys like us, and bad form or performing the wrong exercises can often lead to injury. So, without further ado, here are some of our top tips to stick to when your training! 

Tall Guy Back Problems? Use the Trap Bar! 


Deadlifts can be a bit of a sore subject for us tall guys. The time it takes to finish a rep can feel like a lifetime, simply because of the distance we have to move the bar. And navigating around our long shins can be a nightmare! That's why using a trap bar for your deadlifts can be a lifesaver. 

As a result of our height, some of us will have a bit of extra length in our backs and torso. This means that exercises such as deadlifts can put extra pressure on our back if our form isn't completely perfect. The trap bar allows us to grab the handles at the side of our body. This means our centre of gravity can shift back and put less pressure on our back than performing a barbell deadlift. Less risk of injury - happy days!
 

       

If you do suffer from lower back pain, check out these stretches for lower back pain. Andy does them every morning before work and he swears by them! 
 

Barbell Deadlifts? Watch your Form!


If you're keen to keep going with traditional barbell deadlifts, make sure your form is perfect!

Bending your back during deadlifts is a definite risk of injury, even without tall proportions. However, you can stay away from injury while performing a traditional barbell deadlift - make sure you keep that back straight.

Bending your back through a lift can put unwanted pressure on your spinal disks and result in unwanted back injuries.
 

     

Up: Back straight, chest out, bent knees, drive through the floor and stand up, keeping the bar in contact with your legs all the way through. 

Down: Lower the bar by shifting your hips back, then bend your legs more when the bar comes past your knees. 
 

Long Arms? Incline Curls!


Is it harder for tall guys to gain muscle?

Weight training for tall guys can be a pain when trying to increase muscle mass. With longer limbs, it can sometimes be difficult to make your body look as big as smaller lifters, simply because we have more surface area for the muscle to cover.

Incline curls are a great isolation exercise for the biceps and prevent any muscle groups from assisting the biceps in this lift.

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  1. Set the incline bench to around 45 degrees.
  2. Sit back on the bench with your arms by your sides, grasping the dumbells.
  3. Turn your wrists slightly to face away from your body. 
  4. Flex and curl upwards! 
     

Don't Worry about Lifting Massive Weight


As tall guys, we naturally have to travel further during exercises. This means we exert more energy on each weight training exercise than our short 5'9" training buddies. 

We can often get frustrated watching those shorties lifting more weight with apparent ease, but don't let this get to you. Concentrate on your own weight training instead of focus on keeping up with others. 
 


 

Wear the Right Gear!


Admittedly, this won't stop you injuring yourself, or perform any better (unless you wear super skinny jeans and a leather jacket to the gym). But our gym clothes for tall guys will help you look and feel great while you work out. 
 


 

Kit yourself out with our extra long training tops and sweat pants, and we'll see you at the squat rack.

Until next time,

#team2tall