squats for tall people

[pact]

i do ass to floor squats and know that they are better, but i need to explain to someone why it is harder for tall people to squat. i know it has something to do with fulcrum and levers but i can't recall exactly. so can someone please help me out so i can pass this on?
all help is appreciated
thanks

 

[frorider6]

Quite simply, you're lifting the weight higher than someone shorter. I believe (Work = Weight x Height) so you're doing more "work".

 

[Lord_Suston]

Pretty much the only difference is the disatnce.... But short guys get the short end of the stick cause they can only pack so much mass on compared to taller individuals.

 

[pact]

bump

 

[erickthegreat11]

Being fairly tall myself, I used to go to the floor on squats. That was when I weighed about 160#. I find it pretty hard to go to the floor now. I just can't seem to find a groove for not falling over. Maybe it's my physique that changed. I'm a lot stronger in my upper body, but about the same in my legs. I was the same height though. I've tried putting a board under my heels like some suggest, but that makes me fall forward.

 

[DR. NOE]

Being 6 ft tall and not very flexable, makes it very hard for me to do rock bottom squats without coming up on my toes. If you point you toes out at more of an angle, it will help. Dr. Squat recommends buying shoes and having a extra heal placed on the shoes, to keep your balance, when doing rock bottom squats.

 

[Liberator]

I have the same problem, I have to concentrate on really getting the form perfect or I am forced forward

I dont use a block under my heels

ive heard that this is extremely bad for the knees since you are forcing more of the pressure forward onto them

 

[Skizac]

There is more to it than the fact that a taller person has to move the weight farther.

1. At the bottom position, the weight, which is distributed through the hips, is farther away from the fulcrum (the knees). Think of it like this: Which is more difficult, picking up a 10 pound hammer with a 2 foot shaft, or picking up a 10 pound hammer with a 5 foot shaft? The longer lever (the thighs) make getting out of the hole more difficult.

2. Taller people tend to weigh more than shorter people. When you squat, you are squatting bodyweight in addition to the weight on the bar.

That said, it is possible for taller people to make up the difference by getting bigger than the shorter guys. Ed Coad can squat over 1000 pounds about about 5'5", and so can Gary Frank at 6'3". The difference is that Ed only weighs 242 by Gary is around 350.

 

[Skizac]

Also, I think proper form is more important for taller guys. I'm 6'1", and I've managed to put about 100 pounds on my squat just by moving my bar position down and keeping a tighter arch. I'm now up to 600 for a single.

 

[pact]

thanks, that's what i was looking for skizac!!!
anymore input or analogies??