Why do the best weightlifters have short arms? What's the biggest physical challenge that marathon runners face? What kind of advantages do athletes from West Africa 鈥� and from Asia 鈥� enjoy? Those questions are answered in a great post over at our sister blog, Shots.
Our colleague Adam Cole analyzed information from a range of sources to come up with conclusions about the bodies of Olympic sprinters and rowers, as well as weightlifters and marathon runners.
It's no secret that today's athletes look a bit different than the ones from 100 years ago. Adam explains some of the changes, and the reasons behind them, for a post called
It's irrestible to compare athletes 鈥� and because the Olympics has been timing races and other competitions for more than 100 years, it's also possible to do it fairly reliably. The New York Times has a neat feature in which Usain Bolt is compared to in Olympic history.
The question has also been on the mind of , who asks, "What on earth would Leonardo have made of Michael Phelps?"
That would be Leonardo da Vinci, who inspired a current London exhibit titled "Anatomist." Da Vince, Lane predicts, would have been "peeling Phelps apart like a tangerine" to analyze his physique.
And let's not forget , whose "Body Issue" asked several Olympic and pro athletes probing questions about their bodies 鈥� such as, "Is there a part of your body you wish were bigger or smaller?"
, you can see how YOU compare to athletes' bodies, by entering your height and weight in a handy .
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