They’re not really. Decathletes are around 6’-6’2, broad, lean and 175-190lbs. The statues of Ancient Pentathletes are pretty similar to the physiques you see today in multi sport athletes.
Not many of them are really that bulky — maybe by distance runner standards. Eaton was 6'1", 180lbs in his day. That's a pretty standard build for a sprinter, with some being heavier and some being lighter. Sprinting is 3/10 of the events. Then you gotta be able to throw half decent, that's another 3 events, and all of those require serious strength. Then there's the jumps, most good jumpers tend to be lighter and leaner, but that's only 2 events. Pole vaulters lean towards the beefy side, unsurprisingly. Finally there's the 1500m, where they absolutely have the wrong build, but that's just 10% of the competition. So you're looking at 3 events, the 1500, long jump, and high jump that would likely benefit from reducing weight. The other 70% require power and strength.
Not many of them are really that bulky — maybe by distance runner standards. Eaton was 6'1", 180lbs in his day. That's a pretty standard build for a sprinter, with some being heavier and some being lighter. Sprinting is 3/10 of the events. Then you gotta be able to throw half decent, that's another 3 events, and all of those require serious strength. Then there's the jumps, most good jumpers tend to be lighter and leaner, but that's only 2 events. Pole vaulters lean towards the beefy side, unsurprisingly. Finally there's the 1500m, where they absolutely have the wrong build, but that's just 10% of the competition. So you're looking at 3 events, the 1500, long jump, and high jump that would likely benefit from reducing weight. The other 70% require power and strength.
Pole vaulters aren’t usually “beefy,” look at Mondo and most of the top guys as the extra weight would be a hindrance. I think the average decathlete is probably heavier than the average pole vaulter. While Mondo could probably lay down a 10.4, I doubt he’d do much in the throws.
Not many of them are really that bulky — maybe by distance runner standards. Eaton was 6'1", 180lbs in his day. That's a pretty standard build for a sprinter, with some being heavier and some being lighter. Sprinting is 3/10 of the events. Then you gotta be able to throw half decent, that's another 3 events, and all of those require serious strength. Then there's the jumps, most good jumpers tend to be lighter and leaner, but that's only 2 events. Pole vaulters lean towards the beefy side, unsurprisingly. Finally there's the 1500m, where they absolutely have the wrong build, but that's just 10% of the competition. So you're looking at 3 events, the 1500, long jump, and high jump that would likely benefit from reducing weight. The other 70% require power and strength.
Pole vaulters aren’t usually “beefy,” look at Mondo and most of the top guys as the extra weight would be a hindrance. I think the average decathlete is probably heavier than the average pole vaulter. While Mondo could probably lay down a 10.4, I doubt he’d do much in the throws.
"Beefy" wasn't the right word, but they're not rail-thin. They pretty much have sprinter builds, maybe slightly lighter. Mondo is 5'11", 174, not that different from a guy like Eaton.
Having started 8 decathlons and finished 5 myself in my days as a yute, the decathlon tables favor fast, powerful, taller athletes. 175-195 lb athletes that are 6'1" - 6' 3" are ideal. If I were coaching a college team (I did some 20 years ago), I'd recruite a whole fleet of 400m sprinters and hurdlers from the HS level for my team. They can cover almost all the events. Distance requirements are anti-thetical to the decathlon.
Not many of them are really that bulky — maybe by distance runner standards. Eaton was 6'1", 180lbs in his day. That's a pretty standard build for a sprinter, with some being heavier and some being lighter. Sprinting is 3/10 of the events. Then you gotta be able to throw half decent, that's another 3 events, and all of those require serious strength. Then there's the jumps, most good jumpers tend to be lighter and leaner, but that's only 2 events. Pole vaulters lean towards the beefy side, unsurprisingly. Finally there's the 1500m, where they absolutely have the wrong build, but that's just 10% of the competition. So you're looking at 3 events, the 1500, long jump, and high jump that would likely benefit from reducing weight. The other 70% require power and strength.
Great reply. And you will find that most career decathletes run their lifetime 1500m best very early in their careers, when they are skinnier. As they train and bulk up over the years, they fade in the 1500 but improve in the shot, disc, and javelin.
Silly question. The 24 guys that qualified are the 24 best. There are skinnier guys and fatter guys and taller guys and shorter guys who do the decathlon. Your question makes it sound as if skinnier guys don't try the event.
Then you gotta be able to throw half decent, that's another 3 events, and all of those require serious strength.
Because the throws were invented by 19th century romantics who thought throwing a heavy weight was an important skill. Even javelin is done wrong, forced overhand style.
Real throwing events (i.e. ball sports) don't reward bulk. A baseball pitcher doesn't need to bulk up, it's about technique and speed.
Then you gotta be able to throw half decent, that's another 3 events, and all of those require serious strength.
Because the throws were invented by 19th century romantics who thought throwing a heavy weight was an important skill. Even javelin is done wrong, forced overhand style.
Real throwing events (i.e. ball sports) don't reward bulk. A baseball pitcher doesn't need to bulk up, it's about technique and speed.
The average MLB pitcher in 2019 was 6 feet 3 inches and 215 lbs