There is no denying it, this guy has a freakishly long femur. Is this the difference between certain Africans and Americans? Americans have smaller femurs which would equate to a smaller stride.
Thoughts?
This obviously isn't the ONLY factor that makes him elite, but how important is it?
That's called "perspective" and it can be "deceptive."
Most of the science trying to look at anatomy the way you are actually finds that East Africa runners have longer lower legs as a proportion of total leg (relative to runners of European ancestry).
Camera angle douchebag.
I was just doing some research on this. It does appear that studies have been done on this, bone density and hip structure seems different in blacks, it appears that in just about every study that it's concluded that blacks do have longer more slender femurs.
Sciencebro wrote:
blacks do have longer more slender femurs.
longer more slender femurs don't make you sprint faster.
Distance and sprinting favor radically different body types but the world is full of idiots who think black people are typically both at once.
Bad Wigins wrote:
Sciencebro wrote:blacks do have longer more slender femurs.
longer more slender femurs don't make you sprint faster.
Distance and sprinting favor radically different body types but the world is full of idiots who think black people are typically both at once.
Brad is right.
But from Usain Bolt to Yohan Blake and from Paul Tergat to Haile Geb, people want to come to magic bullet conclusions.
I think there is a pretty substantial difference between East and West Africans. East have great physiques for distance running and West tend to be more muscular and explosive. Idk why that's contradictory or a cop-out.
No I agree, the femurs of Kenyans are generally longer relative to height. It's already a scientific fact that Africans have lower sitting heights, smaller torsos compared to Europeans.
I say scientific fact because this has been shown through many scientific studies.
If you have to wear a respirator for work, you will need to get tested (spirometery) to determine if you can wear a respirator. You will notice a check box on the report. This is supposed to be checked if you are black, because there is an adjustment factor for smaller torso size relative to height. (ie; longer limbs/legs)
The lower leg (tibia and calf) is more relevant to distance running. Kipchirchir has a fairly compact and gastroc and a long and slender soleus.