🏋️ 5 best exercises for tall lifters

Author

Jason Serafino
September 28, 2022

September 28 is National Good Neighbor Day. And in the spirit of the day, we're doing our neighborly duty by offering you some sage workout advice and bringing you the best content that the fitness world has to offer.

We recently caught up with pro wrestler Matt Cardona — formerly known as Zack Ryder from WWE — to talk about how he keeps fit while dealing with a hectic schedule and cramped hotel gyms.

We’re still not over all the world records broken at last weekend’s Arnold Sports Festival UK. And we're certainly not over powerlifter Prescillia Bavoil breaking three of them in a single day.

Being tall may be a plus for reaching shelves at Costco, but it could also be a detriment in the gym. We’re here to help by picking the best exercises for our vertically gifted readers.

Interview

Pro Wrestler Matt Cardona on What It Takes to Stay Fit on the Road

Image: @themattcardona on Instagram

Pro wrestlers lead busy lives. They're on the road year-round, performing choreographed acts of brutality on one another before driving to the next town to do it all over again. And in between it all, they have to stay fit. And not just regular fit — they have to look TV-worthy in their underwear in front of thousands of screaming fans.

Matt Cardona knows all about this lifestyle. After more than 15 years in the wrestling business, he's figured out a way to stay in peak shape, despite the endless hours spent in rental cars and dealing with a new gym in every town.

We recently caught up with Cardona to find out how he trains with such a hectic schedule and if his recent biceps tear has changed his fitness routine.

Powerlifting

More Records Fall at the Arnold UK

Image: @kingofthelifts on Instagram

This past weekend’s ​​Arnold Sports Festival UK was packed full of world-record lifts, and some of the most memorable came courtesy of French powerhouse Prescillia Bavoil. After her performance on Saturday, she now holds the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world records for the back squat, deadlift, and overall total for the 63-kilogram category. Here’s a summary of her best lifts of the day:

  • Squat: 213 kilograms (​​469.5 pounds)

  • Bench Press: 112.5 kilograms (248 pounds)

  • Deadlift: 231 kilograms (​​509.2 pounds)

  • Total: 556.5 kilograms (1,226.8 pounds)

Of the bunch, only her bench press failed to break a world record. And the squat was arguably her most impressive lift of the day, surpassing the previous world record that Bavoil set in September 2021 by seven kilograms.

Training Tips

Best Exercises for Tall People

Image: Photology1971/Shutterstock

It’s a matter of simple physics: If you’re a tall person with longer limbs, you’re covering more distance every time you lift in the gym. This means your body is going through more work than your shorter counterparts, and certain compact lifts — like squats and deadlifts — could be adding extra stress on your joints.

That being said, there are plenty of moves out there that actually play to the strengths of a taller frame. Though it may sound like sacrilege to get rid of staple exercises like the bench press, we’ve got alternatives that you can do for a better, safer workout.

Everything Else

Will Tennyson Embarks Upon an Arm Workout With Phil Heath

Image: Will Tennyson on YouTube