Optimizing Strength: The Role Of Body-Weight-to-Height Ratio

Bodyweight-to-height ratio matters in the sport of powerlifting. While pursuing a drug-tested IPL world record in the bench press, I was very lucky to get ahold of Marty Gallagher. I personally don’t think he needs an introduction, but for the lifters who haven’t heard of him, he is a national and world champion masters powerlifter. He has written over 1,000 articles. Marty has coached some of the greatest powerlifters to ever walk the planet. He has been involved in powerlifting since the sport’s inception. He was the world champion team coach in 1991 and coached five national team titles—coaching Kirk Karwoski and also handling Ed Coan and Lamar Gant in several meets. In my opinion, Ed Coan is the greatest lifter in sports history.

I was the lifter who was a student of the game and left no stone unturned. Miraculously, I was able to have several emails and a phone call with Marty. I asked him how I could improve my bench press. At the time, it was 441 lbs (200 kg). The first thing he asked when I told him what my bench press was: “What do you weigh, and how tall are you?” My height was 6'0, and my bodyweight was 218 lbs. He told me that was a great bench press for a skinny guy. I then did my home work and found out in the 242 lb weight class, Ed Coan was 5'6, and that most lifters at 6'0 and up weigh between 275–308+ lbs.

Marty Gallagher was considerate and thoughtful taking the time to speak to me. I soon realized my double-bodyweight bench press at 441 lbs, weighing 218 lbs, was probably not going to get up to 500 lbs at a height of 6'0 as a drug-free lifter. If I wanted to set a world record, the 308 lb weight class would've been my best chance—and I have no doubt in my mind I could’ve done it. To get bigger, you need to eat, and you need to eat a lot.

During 2021, I was diagnosed with a throat disease called EoE that caused me to choke on food almost every day. With my health issues, I decided not to gain weight. Instead, I made the 2021 IPL World Championship my last meet—taking first place and retiring from the sport I poured my life into.

Willpower and hard work are everything that make a lifter. If you are an advanced lifter, I would highly recommend asking yourself the question: What is my height, and what is my bodyweight? Look at the legends of the past. What do they weigh? How tall are they? Powerlifting is a sport of range of motion and body density.

Lamar Gant was 5'2, bodyweight 132 lbs, and had 15 world records. Ed Coan was 5'6, bodyweight 242 lbs, with 71 world records. Dave Waddington, the first man to squat 1,000 lbs, was 6'0 weighing 310 lbs.

You can be an incredible lifter regardless of your height-to-bodyweight ratio — even a state record holder or a world champion. There are several factors that make a great lifter, but to be the very, very best — a world-record holder — you should lift at your genetic potential.

You are doing yourself a disservice by lifting in the wrong weight class. Increased body mass moves more weight on the bar, and maximizing your bodyweight-to-height ratio improves your leverages, increasing your ability to get even stronger.

Looking back at history, all world-record holders in the sport have maximized their height-to-bodyweight ratio. So ask yourself the question: How tall are you, and what do you weigh? Are you competing in the right weight class? Become a student of the game. The work doesn’t end when the workout is over.

Brandon Heflin

This text was proofread/edited with the assistance of ChatGPT an AI language model (OpenAI, 2025)