Does Height Matter?

[prcg345]

I'm currently 8 weeks out from my first competition. Yesterday I posted a check-in to r/bodybuilding and got a very mixed response: some saying I lack size, but some encouraging comments as well saying I look good for a 6'4" natty.

So that got me wondering how much of a difference does height actually make in bodybuilding?

Any tall nattys in here (or any that you know of) that have found success competing? I am aware of a few 6'4"+ enchanced guys with impressive physiques, but would be cool to see what is the natural ceiling for someone my height.

Personally, I try to avoid using height as an excuse and just do the best that I can anyway. The one aspect where I know it makes a difference is in the amount of food I need to eat. My maintainance calories are at 3700-3800 kcal/day, which I bump up to ~4500 kcal/day during bulk. It just gets expensive to bulk if I want to maintain a high quality diet.

 

[leena2016]

@prcg345 Two things, firstly it's easier to look jacked proportionally when you're short, secondly, if you look about the same as a shorter guy but you're just taller, you're beating him every time. Even if you've got say 2% less muscle mass, but you're 4 inches taller, it'll probably go to you if proportionality is equal.

For Mr Olympia, it seems roughly 5'9 is a great height, tall enough to not look like a midget next to a 6 footer but short enough to get some of the 'short stack' benefit. How easy or difficult your height will make natural bodybuilding really depends on your federation and how they judge different types of physiques.

 

[sehnsucht9]

@leena2016

For Mr Olympia, it seems roughly 5'9 is a great height, tall enough to not look like a midget next to a 6 footer but short enough to get some of the 'short stack' benefit.

That fact has helped affirm my gratitude for being incredibly average in height and everything else. I've joked before I'm like the guy from idiocracy. The most average person to exist. But average isn't bad and gives you a lot of opportunity to improve.

I was also never particularly jealous of taller dudes because I never saw height making any consistent meaningful difference growing up in sports or dating, the areas young mem are usually most comcerned with regarding height. My best friend is like 6'5 and while he may have been a bit shorter back in highschool he was always way taller than me and better looking and funnier and cooler and more athletic and everything else in general. But I had more success with dating back then. And my other friend who is like 5'7 had even more success with women, in part because his standards were lower and he was pretty promiscuous, but I never really felt down about my height growing up and I'm thankful for that.

About the question, yeah shorter guys can look jacked quicker, but I personally think taller guys have more potential to look massive even if it takes longer. I think it can give more room to work with or create that illusion at least in terms of body fat. At least for me being average height with an average or I think below average sized torso and with how I store fat, the lower stomach and especially the love handles are pretty not great even at 10-12% body fat. There's benefits to storing more fat there, like my arms and shoulders are always relatively lean and don't seem to gain much fat during a bulk because I don't seem to store much fat there. Sometimes I just feel like I look goofy af, like a misproportioned caricature of 'the gym guy.'

But at the end of the day I don't really and have never really seriously worried about these things to an extent that negatively impacts my wellbeing. I can't change it. And overall I'm pretty happy with my height and genetics and build anyway, even if there's some parts I don't love. Even if I'm perfectly average, an average dude who works out and takes care of himself will look better than the vast majority of people. Maybe not looking juicy af and ripped and jacked and stacked and lean and shredded and peeled, but at least looking really good compared to even most gym goers as long as you stick with it a few years.

An average dude, or a dude with pros and cons to his build and physique and genetics like everyone else, will look better after 5 years of training than the guy with great genetics that stopped training after 2 years. Far and away, the most important variable is consistency for the vast majority of people.

 

[prcg345]

@sehnsucht9 Different heights definitely have their pros and cons. I used to play basketball where being tall is a huge advantage. But no point worrying about it since you can't change it anyway.

 

[sehnsucht9]

Just gonna reply to myself to ask @prcg345 what your training is like for your erectors? And abs?

 

[prcg345]

@sehnsucht9 Abs - used to not train them at all. Started doing 6-10 sets/wk of hanging leg/knee raises about 3 months ago.

Erectors - deadlifts, squats, RDLs, bent-over bb rows

 

[lorenasa]

@leena2016 Eh...not if you're like me and have broad hips. No matter how good my back is my waist minimizes it somewhat. But for chest and legs it's great.

 

[dawn16]

@prcg345 Just saw your pictures and i just wanted to say, from a fellow natty, that you look incredible and you inspire me! Please remember that you are competing which by default means you are in .000001 percent tier of human bodies and .00000001 percent tier of all human beings ever created! Good luck out there!

 

[godofreason]

@prcg345 You look great! I can imagine how huge you are with higher BF%, definitely should try the competition.

As tall guy like you are I would not expect much cause its almost impossible to fill your frame up as someone shorter can. If you train 10y+ there is not much muscles to put on to be able to successfully compete without some substances.

But again, you look great and huge, you can definitely be proud of yourself and keep working hard! Wish you best of luck!

 

[prcg345]

@godofreason Thanks!

As tall guy like you are I would not expect much cause its almost impossible to fill your frame up as someone shorter can

I used to have this mentality but realized that it's only detrimental to my progress, and I was using my height as an excuse. I truly believe that I can keep making progress if I keep my training, diet, and recovery dialed in. Aiming to put on 5 kg of lean mass over the next 2-3 years.

 

[cbrooks624]

@prcg345 I saw your post in r/bodybuilding yesterday and found it inspiring even with some of the more negative comments. I'm also 6'4 with similar proportions although you're more muscular and I have longer legs/shorter torso. I go through the same self doubts of thinking I'm too tall to compete etc but it is a goal that I aspire to in a couple of years time. I'm keen to know how you get on when you do compete and would also be interested in comparing notes on training if you are too.

I believe one of the UK federations has what is basically a super tall category, I will try and find it.

 

[moni079]

@prcg345 What I can tell you is that r/bodybuilding is always a mixed bag for us natural competitors. Some people get so used to seeing NPC and IFBB physiques over there that they forget what a natural physique looks like.

I can also tell you that being tall and having longer limbs definitely makes it difficult to present the silhouette of a bodybuilder when you're natural. There's so much more space to fill and it's extremely difficult to have enough mass to fill it. I would really dial in the posing as much as possible to try to close up any gaps in your poses, and that will help give with the impression that you're filling out your frame.

Lastly, as an OCB competitor myself, they will usually have multiple groups in each glass that they divide by height. So, if your open class is relatively large, there's a good chance that you will have a tall class and a short class, which will help put you on an equal footing.

In any case, you look solid man. Conditioning is really great with time to spare. Just focus on dialing in your posing and finishing out your prep strong. You've got this!

 

[rolotron5000]

@prcg345 6"3 myself and before my lifting Journey incredible skinny, you know the type.

I think height seriously matter because long muscle bellies need more growth to look equally impressive 16" arms on a 5"5 guy looks completely different as 16" arms on a 6"4 guy.

as a taller guy you will need to pack on more mass to look equally impressive as a shorter competitor, i'll never be a mass monster myself scince i've always been very skinny.

i imagine if you're a well build 6"4 guy who never was skinny but more husky you probably can look incredible and dwarf the shorter competitor next to you

 

[bandr]

@prcg345 There’s a reason there are so many 5’10” champs. At 5’6” I look strong af, but even being quite lean, I look “stubby” and “thick.”

I look strong af, but I won’t ever place in a BB comp. I would have to reduce thighs and lats to have a balanced look…not so awesome imo.

Similarly, at 6’4” you have to gain so much mass to overcome your proportions. It’s hard natty.

Humans favor the norm. The most attractive people are also those with the most “normal” features. Not a big or small nose. Not a big or small chin…etc.

In an aesthetic competition, outliers won’t place well.

 

[gioiamit]

@prcg345 I’m 6’3 and competed around 200lb. Been lifting on and off, mainly on, for 10 years now. Definitely feel skinny at times, and I definitely don’t look ‘huge’ in every single pose. It’s harder to fill out a tall frame and I always tend to think shorter guys look jacked more easily, but my coach tells me my frame has a more imposing presence on stage next to short guys. You look great, good luck at your competiton!

Also yes the eating required to bulk is crazy, I’m bulking right now at around 4200-4300cal and keep having to up the numbers as I just stop gaining weight. It’s tiring and expensive to eat so friggin much

 

[prcg345]

@gioiamit Very impressive physique! What poses do you think work best for you as a taller competitor?

Also just curious, what is your wingspan?

 

[pinbackbsc04]

@prcg345 Idk the answer to your question but I wanna say you have a great physique

 

[fireflyrainy]

@prcg345 You look jacked. I’m 6’4” and trying to figure out my lean bulk calories. Currently at 4300 but seeing that you’re 4500 makes me wonder. How much do you weigh now? I’m currently 177 and dream of 200.

 

[prcg345]

@fireflyrainy I weigh 207 lbs atm, at probably just under 10% bf. The way I figure out my calories is just by tracking daily weight and aiming for about 0.5-1 lbs/wk weight gain and adjust calories from there

 

[fireflyrainy]

@prcg345 Has that calorie amount remained same throughout your bulk? What was your starting weight?