Short arms - bad?

[Alexis Solis]

I just read that it is "a torture" training on the pommel horse if you have short arms. Is this true? Is it bad at any other apparatus?

[Alexander Moreen]

Short arms are bad when you have to generate force by swinging your body around something based by your arms such as pommel horse, high bar, or swinging elements on rings. But are good for keeping yourself steady such as planche, presses to handstand or levers since you have a smaller leverage to overcome as well as easier balance from better shoulder stability.

[Alexis Solis]

So my short arms will make me have a hard time learning circles on the pommel horse, but it's not impossible, right?

[Alexander Moreen]

Correct unless you have extremely short arms, do your fingers extend past your hip bones when standing? You will need a stronger shoulder depression strength than most people to do the same moves.

[Joshua Naterman]

Short arms are super great for rings!

[Gregor]

Short arms would be problem in high level skills only like drigs and of course if you are not extendet....

[Alexis Solis]

Nah,I don't have arms that short! My fingers extend past my hip bones when standing. =]