Succeeding as a Tall Bodybuilder

Training
263

[quote]Zillah wrote:
6’5, 250 lbs. A 6’7 arm span is a problem, I didn’t think my arms were THAT long until recently measured. Any other 6’5 folk have ridiculous limbs?

Sumo deadlift and front squats are a must over traditional styles for my frame and I prefer dumbbell presses to barbell.

I don’t understand the mentality of some people (not in this thread but I hear it a lot) claiming that tall lifters should stick to compound exercises only to fill out. I do plenty direct leg, arm and shoulder work and would like to think that by increasing leg, arm and shoulder size I am indeed “filling out”![/quote]

Pretty much the same measurements but at 210-215lb.

I don’t look like I lift if I have a T-shirt on, I think 250lb is a good weight at out hight.

For strength stuff defecit Deadlifts have been awesome for me, front squats and box squats have also been really helpful. For me atleast I find: front squat; strength, low reps, back squat: size higher reps 20+

As for the bodybuilding stuff? I dunno, I’ll check back in when I look like I acctually lift lol.

I will say the biggest by legs ever looked was when doing 3x5 back squat, followed by leg press (5+ setsatleast 1 dropset) 3x8 front squat ended with high rep leg extension and RDL.

264

6’0" 205lbs
Deadlift: 405lbs x 2
Squat: 385 x 1
Bench 315 x 1

I have found sticking to the lower rep range for the heavy compounds ie: Squat, bench and deadlift have helped greatly with strength. My squat is still lagging behind all my other lifts but it is going up. i have found widening my stance past my shoulders lets me handle more weight without the lower back pain i normally got from squats.

As far as getting size on my frame i have found doing my main compound lifts first in the 1-5 rep like bench… then i will move to incline bench but up the reps to 6-8… then on my isolation lifts i go more for 10-12. i have learned i need to stay away from cardio becuase it will destroy my squats that week which make it a pain in the ass due to me being military and having to maintain my 1.5 mile run time.

265

im 6’1" morning weight is about 227lbs

DL - 495x3
squat - most ive tried recently is 405x5 … last night after my DL work and last set of squats i hit 405x3 pretty easy
bench - i have no idea… never maxed it in years. i hit 315x6 on last close grip bench session.
seated military barbel - 275x6

i’ve yet to find my height to be a restriction. just keep putting on weight and keep getting stronger. dont ever let that come into your head as an excuse. keep smashing food and weights.

266

6’3", 220 lbs here.

For legs I’ve found that box squats and leg press work great. Somebody mentioned it above - but heavy DB step-ups really fry my legs (but I do NOT read Men’s Health).

Pressing really stinks. Slow and steady.

I go heavy - 5 reps or less - on compound exercises, and then work in the 8-15 range otherwise.

267

I’m 16, 6’4 and 200 pounds and I lift at home. So the chances of me ever filling out my body are looking pretty small. Maybe in like 10 years of dedicated training and eating.

268

[quote]OTS1 wrote:
So let me start by saying I’m 6’ on the button.

I don’t care how tall you are or how bad your levers are, in order to grow, you need to be under heavy load. There are few exercises that allow you to do this like squat/bench/dead. If you haven’t squatted 2x bw, benched 1.5x bw, and DLed 2xBW, then you probably aren’t advanced enough in your training to decide that they don’t work for you.

I do believe that someone can not be built for a lift, but the above numbers are achievable. If you can do those, and you still feel that they don’t work to get you bigger, I MIGHT believe you, but chances are you’re eating wrong. I have never heard of a bodybuilder outside of a weider publication attributing their massive physique to sissy squats and concentration curls.

Now that being said, unless you’re a powerlifter, I see no reason to do only those three lifts. But don’t give up on them because they’re extra hard to do because you’re so damn tall :slight_smile:

The recipe for success for tall dudes isn’t radically different than it is for anyone else: lift heavy, eat big, sleep big, repeat.[/quote]

+1 6’4, 140kg. Anyone suggesting that squats and deadlifts just don’t work have problems.

269

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
All of us gangly storkmen, together in one thread. Such wonderful mutual support…now I know what it feels like when doves cry!

6’4", 240 lbs here. I’ve got some weird leverages that can be both advantages and disadvantages. My bench and shoulder press numbers are abysmal, but yet I’m able to crank out a good number of pull-ups. I also find curls, dumbbell flies and deadlifts to come rather easily.

I have to echo what has been said with squats…if you’re tall, don’t squat just because it’s “hardcore” or out of any sense of inadequacy if you don’t do it…chances are the leg press will yield far better results for you.[/quote]

NO, not even close to being accurate.

270

[quote]cryogen wrote:

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
All of us gangly storkmen, together in one thread. Such wonderful mutual support…now I know what it feels like when doves cry!

6’4", 240 lbs here. I’ve got some weird leverages that can be both advantages and disadvantages. My bench and shoulder press numbers are abysmal, but yet I’m able to crank out a good number of pull-ups. I also find curls, dumbbell flies and deadlifts to come rather easily.

I have to echo what has been said with squats…if you’re tall, don’t squat just because it’s “hardcore” or out of any sense of inadequacy if you don’t do it…chances are the leg press will yield far better results for you.[/quote]

NO, not even close to being accurate.[/quote]

How is his post “not close to being accurate?” It really can’t be argued that bb’ing training can’t be viewed as one size fits all. Sure, squats and deadlifts are great exercises (2 of my favorites), but if someone’s leverages/height doesn’t allow a squat to target the intended muscle, it makes sense to find alternatives. It’d be silly to keep doing an exercise that isn’t producing the desired results because “you have to be under heavy loads, and only squats and deadlifts can accomplish this! Yeah, hardcore!!!” If you’re going to simply post “NO, not accurate at all,” at least have something of substance to use as an argument

271

[quote]pwolves17 wrote:

[quote]cryogen wrote:

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
All of us gangly storkmen, together in one thread. Such wonderful mutual support…now I know what it feels like when doves cry!

6’4", 240 lbs here. I’ve got some weird leverages that can be both advantages and disadvantages. My bench and shoulder press numbers are abysmal, but yet I’m able to crank out a good number of pull-ups. I also find curls, dumbbell flies and deadlifts to come rather easily.

I have to echo what has been said with squats…if you’re tall, don’t squat just because it’s “hardcore” or out of any sense of inadequacy if you don’t do it…chances are the leg press will yield far better results for you.[/quote]

NO, not even close to being accurate.[/quote]

How is his post “not close to being accurate?” It really can’t be argued that bb’ing training can’t be viewed as one size fits all. Sure, squats and deadlifts are great exercises (2 of my favorites), but if someone’s leverages/height doesn’t allow a squat to target the intended muscle, it makes sense to find alternatives. It’d be silly to keep doing an exercise that isn’t producing the desired results because “you have to be under heavy loads, and only squats and deadlifts can accomplish this! Yeah, hardcore!!!” If you’re going to simply post “NO, not accurate at all,” at least have something of substance to use as an argument[/quote]

Double negatives don’t help your position.

The leverages/height argument is excuse making because they’re hard. OF course they are hard, and they hurt, but they work. That being said, if it’s a belief that they’re not hitting the quads hard enough, add some additional front squats in on another day, change up to a high bar squat. Avoiding things because “you don’t have the right leverages” is nothing more than a cop out. If they’re not having the desired effect, eat more.

Better to build that base at the start, because when the legs are weaker it’ll be easier to get the sticking point up to the same level, and then develop the whole unit.

272

[quote]cryogen wrote:

[quote]pwolves17 wrote:

[quote]cryogen wrote:

[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
All of us gangly storkmen, together in one thread. Such wonderful mutual support…now I know what it feels like when doves cry!

6’4", 240 lbs here. I’ve got some weird leverages that can be both advantages and disadvantages. My bench and shoulder press numbers are abysmal, but yet I’m able to crank out a good number of pull-ups. I also find curls, dumbbell flies and deadlifts to come rather easily.

I have to echo what has been said with squats…if you’re tall, don’t squat just because it’s “hardcore” or out of any sense of inadequacy if you don’t do it…chances are the leg press will yield far better results for you.[/quote]

NO, not even close to being accurate.[/quote]

How is his post “not close to being accurate?” It really can’t be argued that bb’ing training can’t be viewed as one size fits all. Sure, squats and deadlifts are great exercises (2 of my favorites), but if someone’s leverages/height doesn’t allow a squat to target the intended muscle, it makes sense to find alternatives. It’d be silly to keep doing an exercise that isn’t producing the desired results because “you have to be under heavy loads, and only squats and deadlifts can accomplish this! Yeah, hardcore!!!” If you’re going to simply post “NO, not accurate at all,” at least have something of substance to use as an argument[/quote]

Double negatives don’t help your position.

The leverages/height argument is excuse making because they’re hard. OF course they are hard, and they hurt, but they work. That being said, if it’s a belief that they’re not hitting the quads hard enough, add some additional front squats in on another day, change up to a high bar squat. Avoiding things because “you don’t have the right leverages” is nothing more than a cop out. If they’re not having the desired effect, eat more.

Better to build that base at the start, because when the legs are weaker it’ll be easier to get the sticking point up to the same level, and then develop the whole unit.
[/quote]

Not really sure what you meant by me using double negatives…sorry if it’s obvious but I stand by my post and don’t feel like searching back through it for a grammatical error. I agree with you that some people certainly use leverages or height as an excuse, but I’m assuming that we’re talking about a lifter who is beyond that stage. I don’t do flat barbell bench because I feel my triceps and shoulders more than my chest working throughout the movement. Choosing other chest exercises isn’t being lazy or taking the easy way out, it’s recognizing that I need to find other exercises to target my chest. The same applies to squats/quads, barbell rows/lats, or any other “bread and butter” exercise that is associated as the mass builder for a given muscle group

273

My son is 6ft 6in, he has been training on and off with me since he was 15, now he’s 20 he more regular. When first training him I worried a little bout the Squat & Dl not being suited to the taller guy (he’s been 6’ 4" or over since 18yo). He was quite flexible though, but we started with free squats, progressed to DB goblet squat and through front squat to back squat with constant emphasis on technique (DL was added in after ~6months of back squats). He recently did a 308lb Squat and a 374lb deadlift at ~250lb body weight.
I’m sure he’ll do much more!
Take away point I’m making is get your technique right (if you cant; address what is stopping good technique).