Today we have prepared a list of the 7 best sports for short people based on the advantages they provide for people that aren’t tall.
Sports are one of the most popular sources of entertainment for both viewers and participants. Most men’s sports are very physical and are often more favorable for tall people. But sometimes, short people come out as an exception. For example, despite being short, Lionel Messi and Sachin Tendulkar are considered the greatest of all time in the two most popular sports in the world.
This article will focus on what sports are good for short people. Sports are very beneficial for us, and short height shouldn’t stop you from participating or winning. Sports not only help you lose weight, but they also improve your brain function. So, regular participation in sports does wonders for your body.
Sports can also serve as a hobby. And it’s always more fun when you’re good at it. But, unfortunately, being good at a sport is hard when you’re at a physical disadvantage. Unfortunately, it’s the case in many competitive sports for short people.
Let’s look at some sports where being tall could be a disadvantage and learn what sports short legs are good for.
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What sports are good for short people
Here’s a list of 7 sports that favor short people due to their height. Note that these are in random order and not ranked by any factor, besides being suitable for short people, of course. Let’s get started.
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is one of the best Olympic sports for short guys. Artistic gymnastics is a discipline in which artists perform short routines on different apparatuses. It’s been in the Olympics since the first summer Olympics in 1896. Artistic gymnastics improves your core body strength, stamina, body control, and balance.
How does it give short people an advantage over tall people? Well, balance is one of the most critical factors in this sport. Short people have a lower center of gravity which helps them balance better than taller people. Being short also enables you to control your body better in the air, which is much needed in gymnastics.
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is a variation of wrestling practiced in college, school, and other amateur-level competitions. Wrestling is a sport where strength is your advantage, so you might think the taller person will definitely have the advantage, right? Well, it’s a little tricky, as wrestling has weight classes.
Taller athletes happen to have more bone mass than shorter people. This means a shorter person would have more muscles for the same weight, and that’s where the strength comes from. Combined with the proper techniques, you can indeed dominate taller guys. Check out our article about weight gain if you want to healthily put on some muscles on your body.
Shooting
Shooting is all about accuracy and speed. You have to be not only fast but also highly accurate. A slight mistake can cost you the whole game. It is also trendy in the Olympics, so, suppose you can be good enough. In that case, it’s one of the more accessible sports for short guys to qualify because your height doesn’t put you at a disadvantage. The competition is also lesser than in other popular sports.
So what does height have to do with shooting? It’s all about aiming your gun at the target and pressuring the trigger, right? However, it’s much more than that. To be able to aim correctly, you have to stand completely still. Shorter people have a better balance, so staying still and shooting more precisely can be more manageable.
Horse racing
Horse racing has been around forever. It’s one of the most ancient sports and has remained virtually unchanged. It’s fun for both audience and participants, which is why it has maintained its popularity for centuries. So, why is being tall considered a disadvantage in horse racing? Because horse racing is all about your horse’s performance, you should reduce the load on the horse as much as possible if you want it to perform well. Logically, horses can run faster when the jockeys are short and lightweight.
Cycling
Cycling has many categories and what skills you need depends on the type of race you choose to participate in. Of course, you’ll need speed, strength, and stamina for a regular race. But for mountain biking, balance is essential. Shorter riders have a better balance due to a lower center of gravity. They also tend to have more strength in relation to their body mass which helps them pedal faster and for longer. A smaller body frame also minimizes air resistance which is a considerable advantage in bicycle racing.
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding sounds like a sport for tall men, but that isn’t the case. Big doesn’t always mean tall. Bodybuilding is all about how well-developed your muscles are. Its participants even consider it a form of (muscle) art. Just like wrestling, bodybuilding also has weight classes. So it’s easier for someone with a shorter height to bulk up and have more muscles in the same weight class. However, remember that bodybuilding takes years of dedication – you’ll need a lot of patience and self-control to build yourself out the way you want to.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks on a skateboard. It was popularized by Tony Hawk in the 90s and is primarily famous in the United States. Still, people love and practice it all around the world. It’s one of the sports where being tall is a disadvantage because, again, balance is one of the essential factors. You also need good control of your body mid-air, which is easier to achieve as a short person.
Conclusion
Being athletic doesn’t mean being big and tall. The short kings can also dominate taller people in many sports, especially those mentioned above. The ones we mentioned are better suited for shorter people, but that doesn’t mean a tall person cannot dominate it. Just like short people can dominate any sport if they’re good enough – Messi being one of the best examples.
So pick a sport from this list of the 7 best sports for short people and give it your all.
Always remember that with enough practice, you can be good at anything. So even if a sport feels difficult for you, don’t give up – it’s a part of the learning curve, it will get easier, and you will get better. We wish you good luck.