The Role of Height In Bodybuilding

Various factors can impact a bodybuilder’s success, such as genetics, nutrition, and training routine. However, height also significantly affects a bodybuilder’s proportions and the amount of muscle mass they can put on.

For example, taller bodybuilders generally have a larger bone structure to accommodate more total muscle weight. Nonetheless, taller competitors sometimes appear lanky even with a substantial amount of muscle due to their proportions.

On the other hand, shorter guys have smaller frames that cannot accommodate a massive amount of weight. However, when they reach elite levels of bodybuilding, their shorter limbs can appear thicker and more massive.

Furthermore, the role of height in bodybuilding has changed over time as the sport has grown in popularity and competitiveness. What was considered an Olympia champion physique in the 1960s may not qualify to step on stage in modern bodybuilding.

Average Bodybuilder Height

To better understand the average height of bodybuilders, I compiled data from the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) Mr. Olympia contest. This is widely considered the most prestigious bodybuilding contest, representing a good sample of the bodybuilding world.

Since the Mr. Olympia contest’s first year in 1965, 71 competitors placed in the top five positions. I collected all their heights from sources like Wikipedia and put them in a spreadsheet. According to this data, the average height of a professional bodybuilder is 69.14 inches, or about 5’9-1/8″.

In the graph below, I’ve plotted the average height of the top five Mr. Olympia contestants for each year of the Mr Olympia contest. As you can see, there is a lot of variation in the average height from year to year as taller or shorter bodybuilders move in the rankings.

I’ve also added a linear trendline to show that the average bodybuilder’s height has steadily declined from the past to the present.

Average Height of Mr Olympia Winners

So far, there have been 18 Mr. Olympia champions, with the average height being 5’8-1/2″. But the height range for Mr. Olympia winners is 5’5″ to 6’2″.

The 1960s and 1970s were a different era featuring taller guys like Sergio Oliva (5’10”), Arnold Schwarzenegger (6’2″), and Lou Ferrigno (6’5″). Interestingly, Arnold is the only bodybuilder over 6 feet tall to win the Mr. Olympia contest.

The 70s also featured over 200 lb and under 200 lb weight classes for smaller bodybuilders like Franco Columbu (5’5″), the shortest bodybuilder ever to win the overall Olympia. After Arnold’s retirement, the 1980s saw the rise of shorter bodybuilders like Frank Zane (5’9″), Mike Mentzer (5’8″), and Tom Platz (5’8″).

Average Bodybuilder Height by Decade

The average height of bodybuilders in any given year is heavily influenced by changes in the field of competitors. So, I took the average height of the top five Mr. Olympia winners for every decade to make it easier to see the trend.

The table and graph below show the average bodybuilder height for each decade from the 1960s to now.

Average Height 212 lb Olympia Winners

It’s important to realize that in 2008, the IFBB brought back the idea of having two weight classes in men’s bodybuilding. The lighter weight class is for bodybuilders weighing up to and including 212 pounds, which favors shorter guys.

In the 212 division, the average bodybuilder height is just 5’4-3/4″, which is about 4 inches shorter than the open division average. Here is a list of all the 212 lb Mr. Olympia winners and their heights.

Bodybuilder Height FAQ

Now you know the average bodybuilder height from past and present Mr. Olympia winners. But you may have more questions surrounding short and tall bodybuilders. So here are some answers to other common questions.

Who Was the Tallest Bodybuilder?

Lou Ferrigno stood an impressive 6’5″ tall and was considered the biggest bodybuilder of all time. He stood about 9 inches taller than the average bodybuilder and 3 inches taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger, to whom he placed 2nd in the 1974 Mr. Olympia contest.

Who Was the Shortest Bodybuilder?

Danny Padilla, also known as “The Giant Killer,” stood just 5’2″ and was the shortest bodybuilder to place in the top five of the Mr. Olympia open division. His best finish was 5th in 1981, which also happened to be the shortest Mr. Olympia lineup ever, with the average bodybuilder height being 5’5-3/4″ that year.

Why Are Bodybuilders Getting Shorter?

The average height of bodybuilders went from 5’10” in the 60s to about 5’8″ today. One reason for bodybuilders getting shorter is that judges at modern contests give more points to the most massive bodybuilders. And shorter guys tend to have a fuller look compared to taller guys.

Additionally, recent years have seen the addition of the Men’s Physique and Classic Physique categories, which reward aesthetics over mass. It seems that the separation of bodybuilding divisions could contribute to the height shift.

Is 5’7″ short for bodybuilding?

Being 5’7″ is definitely not too short for bodybuilding. In fact, there have been many Mr. Olympia champions standing 5’7″ or shorter, including Larry Scott (5’7″), Franco Columbu (5’5″), Chris Dickerson (5’6″), Samir Bannout (5’7″), Dexter Jackson (5’6″), Hadi Choopan (5’7″), and Derek Lunsford (5’6″).

Is 5’9″ a good height for bodybuilding?

Being 5’9″ is sometimes considered the ideal height for bodybuilding because it is the sweet spot between being short enough to look full when you put on muscle and tall enough to get really massive. Some of the best bodybuilders were 5’9″, including Frank Zane, Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, and Mamdouh Elssbiay (Big Ramy).

What is the ideal height for bodybuilding?

The truth is, there is no ideal height for bodybuilding. The evidence for this is that the height range of top Olympia contestants is anywhere from 5’2″ to 6’5″. And there are examples of elite-level bodybuilders even shorter or taller than this! So what matters more is your genetics, diet, training, and dedication to the sport.