# Question about GSP's reach.... and reach in general



## jasonc84 (Nov 9, 2007)

Ok so this fight GSP's reach was listed at 76 inches and has been listed as high as 78 and as low as 74. How are there such large inconsistencies in fighters reaches? I'm also amazed that GSP has about the same reach as me and I'm 6'3. My reach is somewhere around 76 inches does the UFC fudge these numbers a bit to make the fighters seem larger, i know i've seen that with height before.


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## SpecC (Nov 18, 2007)

i think the UFC does fudge those numbers up a bit, but 76 inches is possible for him. some of those NBA players have crazy long arms for their height. I think tayshaun prince on the detroit pistons is 6'9 and has a 7' wingspan which is pretty freakish


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## jasonc84 (Nov 9, 2007)

SpecC said:


> i think the UFC does fudge those numbers up a bit, but 76 inches is possible for him. some of those NBA players have crazy long arms for their height. I think tayshaun prince on the detroit pistons is 6'9 and has a 7' wingspan which is pretty freakish


I know its possible but i think Chuck Lidell is somewhere around 76-77 crazy to me that GSP has the same reach being 4-5 inches shorter. :dunno:

Also its crazy that there has been a 4 inch difference from fight to fight, also i read that Tim Sylvia has been listed from 80-86 thats just crazy to have such inconsistent numbers.


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## gm2685 (Aug 27, 2006)

jasonc84 said:


> Ok so this fight GSP's reach was listed at 76 inches and has been listed as high as 78 and as low as 74. How are there such large inconsistencies in fighters reaches? I'm also amazed that GSP has about the same reach as me and I'm 6'3. My reach is somewhere around 76 inches does the UFC fudge these numbers a bit to make the fighters seem larger, i know i've seen that with height before.


Yea I remember a few years ago they had Penn's reach listed as 73, now it is 70. GSP has been listed at 76 for a while now

I'm wondering the same thing, as to how they measure reach because they all seem to have long ass arms.


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## jasonc84 (Nov 9, 2007)

gm2685 said:


> Yea I remember a few years ago they had Penn's reach listed as 73, now it is 70. GSP has been listed at 76 for a while now
> 
> I'm wondering the same thing, as to how they measure reach because they all seem to have long ass arms.


I was called lanky most my life and do have pretty long arms, i just don't see how so many people 5-6 inches shorter than me have the same reach lol


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## GMW (Nov 15, 2006)

Damn My reach is short. I'm 6 ft with a 69.5 inch reach. Phail.


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## cdnbaron (Jan 17, 2007)

Measuring reach isn't really a sanctioned thing. I assume the big inconsistencies come from hands open/closed. I wish they'd measure armpit to closed fist rather than wingspan though. It would be much more telling.


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## jasonc84 (Nov 9, 2007)

GMW said:


> Damn My reach is short. I'm 6 ft with a 69.5 inch reach. Phail.


Mine was like 75 so thats why i was amazed that GSP had a longer reach than me he's 5 inches shorter and i've always been told i have long limbs.

Also i think Sherk or maybe it was Serra had like a 69 inch reach and they are pretty short i'm amazed they have the same reach as you at 6'0


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## jasonc84 (Nov 9, 2007)

cdnbaron said:


> Measuring reach isn't really a sanctioned thing. I assume the big inconsistencies come from hands open/closed. I wish they'd measure armpit to closed fist rather than wingspan though. It would be much more telling.


Agreed because a broad back like lesnar has adds to the reach and can be deceiving i'm wondering if the same is true with GSP.


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## Vikingpride (Jan 20, 2008)

well i myself am about 5'10" and have a reach of about 6'2" (74 inches). You have to consider this isn't just length of someones arms it's the whole wingspan. So if someone has wide shoulders that will also make their reach longer. 

Also yeah alot of guys in the NBA have crazy wingspans. Like specC said Tayshaun's reach is insane it's been reported to be 7'2". (5 inches more then his height).

For MMA guys check out Miguel Torres he's listed at 5'9" and his reach is listed at 76 inches (6'4"). So yeah some people just have crazy long reaches. I would also assume that the numbers are fudged a little.


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## Quinton Jackson (Nov 8, 2008)

Dwyane Wade is 6'4 and has about a 7 foot wingspan
Kevin Durant is 6'9 and has about a 7'5 wingspan


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

cdnbaron said:


> Measuring reach isn't really a sanctioned thing. I assume the big inconsistencies come from hands open/closed. I wish they'd measure armpit to closed fist rather than wingspan though. It would be much more telling.


This is exactly the problem. I am 5"11 and my wingspan is 76 inches. My brother is 6"1 and his wingspan measured 74 inches. 

So I have longer reach right? Nope. His arms are longer and I have broader shoulders. In any kind of traditional striking he can hit me from a greater distance because of stance. I would have to turn completely sideways and extend every punch fully to use my supposed reach advantage. 

They really need to start measuring both wingspan and armpit to fist.


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## +Shogun+ (Aug 3, 2007)

Measurement is taken from fingertip to fingertip. I have 3 tapemeasurers in my home, so I tried with all three. I got different results for each. I'm 5'9.

#1: 71 & 1/2 inches

#2: 74 inches

#3: 72 inches

I checked all the tapemeasurers and some were slightly different than eachother. Also, there is always human error when measuring anything.


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## SpecC (Nov 18, 2007)

jasonc84 said:


> I know its possible but i think Chuck Lidell is somewhere around 76-77 crazy to me that GSP has the same reach being 4-5 inches shorter. :dunno:
> 
> Also its crazy that there has been a 4 inch difference from fight to fight, also i read that Tim Sylvia has been listed from 80-86 thats just crazy to have such inconsistent numbers.


now that's funny cause i would think chuck has a crazy long reach. he looks like a monkey with his arms down!


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## TheZar (Sep 23, 2006)

Traditionally, you take the reach with a flexed-out hand but maybe they took the reach with a closed fist. 

(Pure speculation on my part, but that would explain the 2 to 3 inch differences).


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## funkyelektro (Nov 17, 2008)

wow gsps trainers must be the shit... not only do they make his arms stronger they make it longer... ive been trying to do that for years.. i guess the old have two motorcycles chained to both arms and then pull from both sides to make the arms longer trick paid off. canadians-they think of everythingraise01::thumb02:


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## Wombatsu (Jul 10, 2006)

i was wondering that when i seen it also, i recall GSP was 74" and BJ was 72" prior to that fight.

The UFC hasnt exactly got guys height right most of the time also, some guys that are late 20's or 30's seem to grow and inch or 2 sometimes !!!


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## Xerxes (Aug 14, 2008)

GSP's reach is huge for his size because he's got very broad shoulders and his arms aren't short.


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## infamous2117 (Feb 9, 2007)

the same ritual shown from previous fights. matt sera,jon fitch.


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## Xerxes (Aug 14, 2008)

^ lol. Thanks bud but I believe you're on the wrong thread. We're talking about GSP's reach here


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## JohanWeimer (Jan 20, 2020)

jasonc84 said:


> Mine was like 75 so thats why i was amazed that GSP had a longer reach than me he's 5 inches shorter and i've always been told i have long limbs.
> 
> Also i think Sherk or maybe it was Serra had like a 69 inch reach and they are pretty short i'm amazed they have the same reach as you at 6'0


I'm 5'9 with a 74 inch reach my friend is 6 foot with a 71 inch reach you really just never know.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

It isn't universal.


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## Trix (Dec 15, 2009)

I like the statistic of Roxanne Modafferi being 5'7. and having near 70 inches of reach.

You know what this means? Mike Tyson only has 1 to 2 inches of reach advantage on Roxanne.

Then we have the goat Artem Lobov with 65 inches of reach.


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## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Remember that a reach advantage isn't everything.


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## Trix (Dec 15, 2009)

Its not so much about whether its good or bad to me. It helps put things into perspective. Mike Tyson vs Lennox Lewis was a heavyweight with 72 inches of reach versus a heavyweight with 84 inches of reach. 

Isn't it interesting how Mike Tyson never really seemed at a reach disadvantage in boxing. He was so good at getting inside against taller and longer opponents, reach wasn't much of an issue.


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