Reach is not the same thing as arm length

[SCtrojansbaby]

Reach is standing like this and measuring finger tip to finger tip.



Guys with wide backs and broad shoulders have good reaches but there arms are actually quite short.

[Null]

Good catch.

[mossimo36]

Exactly why I always liked HBO Boxing's arm length versus reach on so many other broadcasts.

[SCtrojansbaby]

I see people constantly refer to guys reach when they don't know what it means I just wanted to address it

[MikeRo1972]

I don't doubt that you know what your talking about but isn't that pic an illustration of wingspan? So are wingspan and reach the same thing?

[ShoulderRoll]

When they would give you the pre-fight measurements on a boxing telecast the "reach" always measured wingspan.

But HBO innovated the idea of measuring arm length recently. Which is measured from the armpit to the end of the fist.

[croz]

Measuring arm length is totally redundant. Boxers don't punch with their arms they punch with their shoulders. They tend to lean their shoulders into their punches, so you get a better measurement by measuring from the hands and across the shoulders. Boxers are always leaning in or they reach further using their bodies. Arm length measuring only works if the boxers keep their upper bodies standing totally still and flick out little arm punches, and that just doesn't happen. For an orthodox fighter they hold their jab arm out front with their left upper body toward toward their opponent. The body definitely adds more to how far you can reach.

[MikeRo1972]

Interesting, I remember reading somewhere that the measurement of reach is a pretty consistent indicator of athletic ability. Meaning that height being equal (or similar) the athlete with the longer reach is usually the individual with better athletic prowess (strength, speed, anaerobic capacity, etc). Can't measure heart of course but you get the point.