How to Measure Reach

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Reach, also known as wingspan, is a key measurement in sports like boxing and UFC. This is measured from fingertip to fingertip when your arms are held parallel to the ground. Prepare to have your reach measured by warming up and stretching your muscles to help increase your flexibility. Then stand up straight with your back against a wall and your arms stretched out to your sides, perpendicular to your body. You'll need a friend to mark and record the measurement for you.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Warming up and Stretching

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  1. Clothing can get in the way of measuring reach properly. It can also make the measurement inaccurate or inconsistent. To get accurate, consistent measurements every time, take off your upper body clothing whenever you are measured. [1]
    • Females can still wear a sports bra, as this won't interfere with the measurement.
  2. Spend 2–3 minutes warming up with light cardiovascular activity . It's important for your muscles to be warm so that you can reach your best flexibility. Go for a fast walk, a light jog, or try some jumping jacks to spend a few minutes getting your heart rate up. You don't need to do any strenuous exercise. [2]
    • Cycling, skipping, and swimming are also good cardio workouts.
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  3. Lift 1 arm at a time and stretch it across your body until you feel a comfortable stretch. Hold your arm parallel to the floor as it crosses over your body and then repeat the exercise with your other arm. This provides a good stretch for both your arms and shoulders, which helps you to maximize your reach. [3]
    • Stretching your arms and shoulders is the best way to release any tension in your shoulder joints and to prepare for the measurement.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Standing Position

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  1. Stand up as straight as you can and make sure that your feet are flat on the ground. Position your heels against the wall so that your back lightly touches the wall. Check that your shoulders aren't hunched forward or pulled back and that they are resting comfortably. [4]
    • Make sure you feel comfortable in your position, as it's important to stand still while you're being measured.
  2. Lift your arms up to create a straight line from your shoulders to your elbows and aim to get both of your arms at a right angle to your body. Make sure that your arms are parallel with the floor and that your shoulders feel loose and relaxed. [5]
    • It can be helpful to get your friend to check for you if your arms are parallel to the floor, as this is difficult to do without seeing.
    • Alternatively, stand in front of a mirror while you are measuring your reach so that you can check your posture.
  3. Turn the backs of your hands so they face outward. Look to each side and check that you can see a straight line connecting your middle fingers and your elbows. Make any necessary adjustments to your position if you need to. [6]
    • Overall, your shoulders, elbows, and middle fingers need to line up in a straight line.
  4. Keep your back and arms straight, and your elbows aligned. Stretch outward along the wall starting with your shoulders and then with your elbows. Try to stretch your arms as wide as possible so that you get the best measurement of your reach. [7]
    • Get your friend to take a step back and check that your arms are straight again, as otherwise, this could skew your measurement.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Measuring

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  1. Your friend needs to use a piece of chalk or a pencil to make the markings on the wall. Ensure that the points where your middle fingers hit the wall are measured and not any other fingers, as otherwise, this will give an inaccurate result. [8]
    • Your middle fingers are used for measuring your reach because they are your longest fingers.
  2. Use a tape measure to measure straight against the wall. Start at the first marking that your friend made and measure directly to the second marking. Make sure that the tape measure isn't angled or twisted while you are using it, as this may give an inaccurate result. The measurement is your reach. [9]
    • It can be helpful to get your friend to help you hold the tape measure.
  3. It's important to record your reach straight away in case you forget it! Write it down on a piece of paper or record it on a device like a smartphone or a laptop. Alternatively, you can get your friend to record it for you. If you are uncertain about your measurement, simply take it again to be sure that you have an accurate result. [10]
    • Make sure that you record the correct units. Reach is usually measured in either inches or centimeters, depending on if your country uses the imperial or metric system of measurement.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I improve my reach with pulley exercises?
    Jesse Pichardo
    Personal Trainer
    Jesse Pichardo is a Personal Trainer and Nutrition expert based in Fresno, California. He is a Certified Personal Trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is also a Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition’s Level 2 Master Health Coaching Certification. He is also a Personal Trainer on staff at Fresno Athletic Training Center, a stat-of-the-art training center for personal training, bootcamps, sports-specific coaching, and athletic event training. Jesse helps clients with motivation and accountability, providing a structured and personalized fitness program for each person. No matter where a customer is in their fitness journey, Jesse prioritizes moving them up to the next level and helping them achieve their goals.
    Jesse Pichardo
    Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
    First exrcise that you can do is a lat pulldown. This exercise is really helpful if pull-ups aren’t your thing, as they can be really challenging for most people. Lat pulldown gives you a way to work those same muscles without needing to pull your entire body weight. Another one is the tricep pushdown. This targets your triceps directly and helps with your arm extension and reach. The last one would be doing the Romanian deadlift. Do this by setting your pulley low, grabbing the bar, and keeping your back flat as you hinge at your hips. This works your hamstrings and glutes while also strengthening your lower back. It’s a great full-body move that helps support your overall posture and flexibility, both of which contribute to better reach. If I had to rank these, I’d say start with the lat pulldown, then try the Romanian deadlift, and finish with tricep pushdowns.
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  • Question
    Why does the instruction for measuring reach say 'palms' facing away from the wall when the pictures are clearly with palms against the wall?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    You are very observant, and you're right. The picture is wrong, but the accompanying text is correct. It's easier to stand with your palms facing away from the wall, and the reach measurement is slightly more accurate that way, too.
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  • Question
    How is reach calculated?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    An easy way to calculate your reach is to stand with your back flat against the wall and your shoulders straight. Straighten your arms against the wall at a 90-degree angle to your body and face your palms to the wall. Stretch your arms out as far as you can while staying in this position. Have a friend mark where your middle fingers reache on the wall on both sides of your body. Then measure the distance between the marks to find your total reach.
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      Tips

      • Although a longer reach is often considered an advantage in many sports, remember that it is only one measurement and that there are plenty of other factors that are important too. [11]
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      • Reach as a measurement can sometimes be deceptive, as having a long reach doesn't necessarily mean that a person has long arms. This is because reach takes into account chest and shoulder length, which means that someone can have a high reach measurement simply because they have wide shoulders. [12]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://undeniablebajinya.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/taking-measurements.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/warm-up-cool-down
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VULt--bcWd0
      4. ↑ https://www.aaas.org/programs/science-netlinks
      5. ↑ https://www.aaas.org/programs/science-netlinks
      6. ↑ https://www.aaas.org/programs/science-netlinks
      7. ↑ https://www.aaas.org/programs/science-netlinks
      8. ↑ https://www.legendsboxing.com/post/how-to-measure-reach-in-boxing
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/Hf-HwUenZrU?t=97
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/Hf-HwUenZrU?t=104
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/s-xIuiRfgEA?t=49
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/pazofZneZfg?t=124

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To measure your reach, start by standing up straight with your back against a wall. Then, spread both of your arms out at your sides so they're horizontal, facing your palms away from the wall and keeping your fingers together. Next, have someone mark the tips of your fingers on each hand on the wall you're standing against. Finally, measure the distance between the 2 marks to find your reach. To learn how to interpret your reach measurement, scroll down!

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