Height : Bodyweight ratio?
Height : Bodyweight ratio?
Hey guys, I'm just curious about something. Have you seen any studies that say what the ideal height to bodyweight ratio is for the tactical athlete? (Disclaimer: I'm not and never will be a tactical athlete. I'm a 43yo guy trying to stay fit, but if I had to pick a body style that I would emulate it would be the tactical athlete who is able to do a lot of things well.) The reason that I ask is that I'm a small guy (5'5" and 140 lbs). I don't overeat, but I also don't undereat, and I pretty much hang at the same weight regardless of what I eat. I'd like to be stronger, and sometimes I wonder if I should be eating more. Like I said, I never starve myself and I'm as fit as I've ever been using the TB 1&2 strength and conditioning system. End of the day I would like to get stronger (and it's coming very slowly), but I also want to stay fit. Just curious if you have seen any research or standards on what the successful tactical athlete height:bodyweight ratio looks like.
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Green2Blue
- Posts: 651
- Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:17 pm
Re: Height : Bodyweight ratio?
First question would be which type of tactical athlete? Green? Black? They'll have different ideals.
I'd focus less on your specific body weight and more on your performance. An increase in body weight would likely increase your strength. But is that increase in body weight slowing you down in your sprints/runs/gymnastics (by gymnastics I mean stuff where you manipulate your own body weight like pull-ups)?
Also, how functional is your body mass? By that I mean your lean mass (muscle)/fat mass ratio. You don't want too much fat so as to slow you down, but on the other side of that coin excessive focus on low body fat will decrease performance. Ask any bodybuilder/physique comepetitor how weak and lethargic when they lean out for competition.
If you're a green tactical athlete, you may not want super high levels of hypertrophy. But if you're black, I don't think you can have too much natural muscle.
In my opinion when it comes to emulating ideal builds look to top level gymnasts, Olympic weightlifters, sprinters, and (gasp!) Crossfit athletes.
I'd focus less on your specific body weight and more on your performance. An increase in body weight would likely increase your strength. But is that increase in body weight slowing you down in your sprints/runs/gymnastics (by gymnastics I mean stuff where you manipulate your own body weight like pull-ups)?
Also, how functional is your body mass? By that I mean your lean mass (muscle)/fat mass ratio. You don't want too much fat so as to slow you down, but on the other side of that coin excessive focus on low body fat will decrease performance. Ask any bodybuilder/physique comepetitor how weak and lethargic when they lean out for competition.
If you're a green tactical athlete, you may not want super high levels of hypertrophy. But if you're black, I don't think you can have too much natural muscle.
In my opinion when it comes to emulating ideal builds look to top level gymnasts, Olympic weightlifters, sprinters, and (gasp!) Crossfit athletes.
Re: Height : Bodyweight ratio?
At 5'8" (on a good day) and 195lb, I'm not allowed to have an opinion on this topic. 
Re: Height : Bodyweight ratio?
'Tactical Athlete' is a very broad term. Patrol cops, firefighters, Tier 1 SOF, fighter pilots, air marshals, medics... and I could go on. 'Successful' is another vague definition. Operational athletes don't measure success in terms of numbers or times in one particular skill, but in overall performance. Even that 'performance' is measured differently depending on what segment of operational athletes we're talking about.mikhou wrote:Hey guys, I'm just curious about something. Have you seen any studies that say what the ideal height to bodyweight ratio is for the tactical athlete? (Disclaimer: I'm not and never will be a tactical athlete. I'm a 43yo guy trying to stay fit, but if I had to pick a body style that I would emulate it would be the tactical athlete who is able to do a lot of things well.) The reason that I ask is that I'm a small guy (5'5" and 140 lbs). I don't overeat, but I also don't undereat, and I pretty much hang at the same weight regardless of what I eat. I'd like to be stronger, and sometimes I wonder if I should be eating more. Like I said, I never starve myself and I'm as fit as I've ever been using the TB 1&2 strength and conditioning system. End of the day I would like to get stronger (and it's coming very slowly), but I also want to stay fit. Just curious if you have seen any research or standards on what the successful tactical athlete height:bodyweight ratio looks like.
The short answer is there is no ideal. There are tier 1 operators that look like they've never seen the inside of a gym (and probably haven't), and SWAT teams that look like the Denver Broncos just switched uniforms. Physical fitness is a box that needs to be checked off, but it isn't the be all and end all of being operationally proficient.
That's why it's important to focus on your goals - trying to match your goals with a specific tactical community can actually be limiting. For example some tier 1 units have to spend a significant amount of time doing and training endurance based activity. They have no choice. Their lifestyle will bleed over and sap strength and other things. If you're a civilian struggling with strength and don't foresee yourself having to ruck for 20-30 miles a day anytime soon, then by taking on a Green based protocol you're actually giving yourself a training handicap. So while certain tactical athletes may not have a choice, you do. If you're a civilian or in an operational position that gives you some flex, then use it to your advantage. Don't take this as me saying you shouldn't train any endurance (or other) skill - just adjust the dial. Don't turn it all the way up, and don't turn it all the way down.
Re: Height : Bodyweight ratio?
That's helpful. I've never thought about it in those terms because I've never been a "tactical athlete." Having never served, I just didn't have all of that information available to me. I"m happy where I am with my fitness so I'll just keep doing what I am doing.
Re: Height : Bodyweight ratio?
Tactical athletes come in all shapes and sizes. Depending on what kind they are, they'll all have different physical priorities. That's why TB offers a range of programming options.