Who do you think would win in a fight? Lionel Messi (5’7″) or LeBron James (6’8″)? Both are fast, strong, amazing athletes, but we all know who would win if they ever caught themselves in a brawl.
The taller the person the longer the lever, or in other words taller people require a longer range of motion compared to people who are short. So if we take someone who is tall, and someone that is short and we have them lift the same object of size and weight; the taller person would have to move the object further than the short person. It’s basic physics, energy=rate x distance, if it takes them the same time(rate) to lift the object but the distance is increased our energy also increases. Therefore if the taller person lifts the same object but moves it farther he/she is stronger.
If being taller makes you stronger, does being taller make you faster?
Well lets take Michael Phelps (6’4″) and Usian Bolt (6’5″) for example, they are both some of the fastest people on earth, and I hate to say it but if we were to take a foot or two off of their heights, I am sure that they would be much less successful. Taller people have the advantage because of that same formula. If a tall person and a short person were to use the same energy and the same rate, the distance covered would change because a taller persons arm length and stride are much larger.
Although the taller person might be stronger, our shorter person is sure to win a game of limbo. It is true that being tall has its advantages and its disadvantages, but it seems as though the good outweighs the bad. I have meet a lot of short people in my life that wish they could be taller but I have yet to meet someone who is tall and wishes to be shorter.
So if you find yourself to be tall, use your newly found strength and speed to your favor.
