Being a tall woman might make you feel pretty conspicuous, especially if you’re at the gym and you hear someone ask “Hey, how’s the weather up there?” Sometimes the gym equipment doesn’t seem to fit quite right. Having a short torso and long legs can be a disadvantage in strength training. But don’t fret, because there’s hope. A few tips can help you get a good strength training regimen going that fits well with your body type.
Lat Pulls
A taller person who is doing strength exercises and wants to build her lat muscles may need to modify her lat pulls. When doing these exercises, an average-sized woman would pull the weight all the way to her chest if she wants to contract her lat muscles completely. A person with longer arms and a shorter torso, however, only needs to pull the weight close to her chest in order to fully contract her lat muscles. If she pulls all the way to her chest, her grip strength can decrease and she might accidentally start using her trapezoid muscles instead of her lats.
Squats
Squats are a good muscle-toning exercise for tall women. However, keep in mind that as a tall woman, you’ll have greater lower body strength than upper body, since your legs are long and your torso is shorter. Front squats in particular will be tougher for a tall woman because these exercises rely more on upper body strength, so start with a lower weight on these and work your way up.
Reverse Hypers
Reverse hypers are a good exercise for tall women because their short torso and longer legs make the exercise more difficult, focusing on their weaknesses. These exercises use a specialized weight machine where you lie on the machine chest down, holding onto bars underneath the padding your chest is on. Lift your legs up, bending your knees toward your body. Start out by just lifting your legs, focusing on using your own body weight as resistance. As you get stronger, add more weights to the machine. Ask a personal trainer or fitness consultant for tips on doing these exercises correctly.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are another good strength training exercise for tall women. In fact, deadlifts are one of the weight lifting exercises that tall women can do best, because the exercise relies more on lower body strength, including glutes and hamstrings, while also toning your back muscles. While it’s important for tall women to focus on building their upper body, they shouldn’t neglect their lower body. Deadlifts have the added benefit of not only building muscle, but also accelerating fat loss because of the number of muscles involved in the exercise.
Considerations
Tall people tend to have more joint problems because of how long their limbs are. This means that when doing strength training, you’ll likely experience sore joints more frequently. For example, squats may cause your hip joints to hurt, resulting in more stress on your knees and back. Open your legs wider when squatting to decrease the range of motion on your hips. Tall women need to pay close attention to their form, wear joint support if necessary and make sure they’re wearing the proper shoes for their workout. Wearing shoes that don’t support your body properly can result in joint pain.
Conclusion
If you’re tall, simple modifications can improve the results you get from strength training. But remember to consult a doctor before starting any new exercise regimen. It’s best to make sure you don’t have any physical conditions or illnesses that could make certain workouts hazardous for your.