Quick Tip: Weight Lifting For Tall Guys w/ 7ft Matt Morgan
Weight training and bodybuilding can be tough for the taller crowd.
So when we met up with “The Genetic Giant”, we had to get some tips on how the 7 footer trains.
In this video, Redcon1 athlete Matt Morgan shares some of the training techniques he uses to target specific muscles on his 7 ft. frame.
Tip 1: Dumbbell Bicep Curls
The first technique tip Matt shows us is for the alternating dumbbell curl. Perfect dumbbell bicep curls require you to keep your elbows locked in and arms to your sides. However, Matt has noticed when he follows this protocol, he doesn’t feel tension during half the movement.
To combat this, he allows a slight swinging of the elbow. Doing so allows for a full range of motion to better target both heads of the biceps.
Tip 2: Lat Pull Down
The second tip Matt provides viewers is for the lat pull down. Most tall guys have trouble fitting into the lat pull down machine. And if they are able to, the movement is stopped short due to their long arms.
Matt combats this by leaning back slightly while performing the exercise. He also allows for his butt to come off the pad at the top of the movement so he can get a full stretch in the lat.
Tip 3: Tricep Pushdown
Matt’s third tip is for the tricep pushdown. Even with the cable pulley set at the top notch, grabbing the rope puts his arms already at parallel which doesn’t allow for much range of motion.
To combat this, Matt takes a tall kneeling position. This gives him more room to work with on the cable pulley system and also allows for larger range of motion.
Tip 4: Leg Extensions
Lastly, Matt covers a technique tip for the leg extension. The leg extension is a very difficult machine for taller guys to use.
Matt’s fix for the leg extension is to set the seat all the way back and to slide his butt slightly forward. This brings his lower back off the back of the machine, but also creates a different angle to target his quads.
For taller lifters, playing with angles (especially when using machines) is the most beneficial thing you can do to ensure you hit all of your muscle groups.