How is reach measured

Usually, the fighter with the longer reach will try to keep the distance while the shorter fighter will try to close the distance and land punches from inside. A perfect example of this is Mike Tyson usually being the shorter fighter trying to get inside and land a devastating punch. An example of the other side of the coin would be Muhammad Ali using jabs and footwork while keeping his distance. Both styles have their pros and cons.

However, the most important thing is the skills of the boxer — being able to keep or close the distance, dodge punches or launch an attack. Having the reach advantage over your opponent is good. For boxers, many measurements factor into the tale of the tape. Officials track body weight closely to ensure fighters are competing in the appropriate weight classes.

Other factors like height and reach also are critical in determining the approach a boxer should take against his opponent. Reach refers to the total length of a boxer's arms, measured from right fingertip to left fingertip when the arms are parallel to the ground — think of it as your wingspan. Arm length measures just one arm, shoulder to fist. While reach measurements are very common, arm length often will be used instead when compiling a fighter's statistics.

Read more : Home Boxing Exercises. Remove any upper body clothing. Proper measurements require that a fighter be shirtless to ensure consistent and accurate results.

Female boxers can strip down to a sports bra. An average human being has a height-to-reach ratio. UFC fighters have inches longer reach on average , meaning their height-to-reach ratio is closer to 1. That difference between height and reach is called the ape index. Most UFC fighters have a positive ape index around inches , but some have negative ape indexes, meaning their height is longer than their reach.

By looking at the ape index, you can easily determine how much of an advantage a fighter has compared to others. Fighters like Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones, and Conor McGregor all have a highly positive ape index , meaning their reach is quite bigger than their height.

That can be an incredible advantage, especially for the guys that are also tall, like Bones and Ngannou. Having a height and reach advantage means that yo ur opponents will likely have difficulty reaching you with their punches and kick s. Fighters with a long reach can prepare their attacks better , too, not just defend easier.