Height and Weight Standards

[Kevin Perry]

I found thread on the CF boards, it's a very interesting topic to think about especially if the better Crossfitters come from backgrounds in Gymnastics and Olympic Weightlifting.

An interesting observation about my own weight i've noticed over the past few years.

Back in High Shool my weight class was 130 and I weighed 128 I think, moved up from 125. After boot camp my weight settle at 135 where I noticed my performance was very optimal. A few months later I was averaging around 148 and when my lung infection hit I dropped to 123 and only managed to get to around 125 at the most. When I jumped onto CF and later SS I hit 143 but my weight dropped down between 133 and 135 after going back to CF and my second go at SS landed me at 141 which dropped me to 135 again where I have maintained despite the flu a couple weeks ago.

135 seems to be where I perform optimally especially in Strength training and CF. Now my numbers are not impressive but they are significant when compared to my previous numbers. But 135 seems to be where my body is "telling" me to stay and I think that weight may probably be the optimum weight for performance between CF, Oly, and Strength training.

Of course my height is short, only 5'5'' and no doubt genetics and body type play a role in this im sure. But if the body has a specific weight it prefers to be at and like you said Rob in the CF thread, a "sweet spot" then it maks me wonder about absolute strength to height and weight abilities if there is such a thing.

Im thinking different from strength to weight ratio but instead how much of a monster you can make someone at their sport for their bodies "prefered" weight that it want's to be at.

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

All I know is I'm "morbidly obese" according to life insurance companies. Sucks balls because I couldn't get the bigger policies. Finally found one that would look at my body instead of my weight and I ended up getting the lowest rate (John Hancock). The fact that my chest is 52 and my waist is 40 helps make the fact that I'm 5'10" 260ish a little more palatable.

I was born big. My wrists are over 8" and I wear a 13.5 dress shoe. Big foundation for a short stocky building. :-D

I was 5'7" 185 in the 8th grade. I was near 200 for Freshman football. I dieted down to 167 to wrestle because I had the chance to be on varsity. Made the squad and got my butt kicked all year. My weight hovered around 200 for about 8 months out of the year throughout highschool.

Got into powerlifting during high school, did bench meets until I graduated. Then when I went off to college, I started three lift meets. I swear I gained 30 pounds during my first semester of college from squatting and deadlifting along. When I competed in three lift meets, I either dieted down to the 198s or lifted comfortably in the 220s. After I turned 20, something happened. I gave away powerlifting because I was hurting from all the bouts with heavyweights and I wanted to do something more healthy. So I started into my sport. I gained 20 to 30 pounds within about 6 months. Not all good weight, but weight.

For me, it's all about comfort. I honestly feel my best when I'm around 250ish. I feel a little chubby when I get over 260. I've been about this weight since I was in graduate school (22-23). I lost down to 230 when I started law school because I traveled the world and did the lumberjack circuit and didn't get to weight train. But as soon as I started lifting (and eating) again, I was back up in the 240s. I got really silly and did some stuff I shouldn't have when I was 30. Got down to 240 and was really lean. Got hurt (karma is king) and then got really heavy (280). Spent the past six years battling the endochronolgical nightmare. Finally got it straightened out and now I feel great.

No more heavy weights for me. Too old and don't wanna get hurt. I love oly lifting. I'm using weights that don't scare me and I'm learning how to do it right. Who knows, someday I may do a master's meet for fun.

All the best,
Arden

[John Alston]

I remember when I was boxing I used to walk around 160-165 but fought close to 151, 150 for my last fight. We used to say 147, the next lower class, was my "true" weight. But around 150 was my best ratio for power, endurence and strength. I'm almost 5'11".
Not I'd like to be a full, lean 85kg lifter. I'm a soft 80kg these days, but I have a goal.
It's a ~35lb difference (increase) from my weigh in numbers.
Pick your sport, modify your body to it....