# ufc: what is reach?



## chris_&#3617;&#3623;&#3618;&#3652;&#3607;&#3618;

hi, ive never known what reach is, is it the length of the fighters legs (range/how far they can reach)?  or is it something else? 



thanks fro any help!


chris


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## Touch Of Death

Reach has to do with the physical charactaristics of the practitioner. Over-reach has to do with range and weapon choices.
Sean


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## chris_&#3617;&#3623;&#3618;&#3652;&#3607;&#3618;

when the fights are about to begin a bit comes up with the fighters name, age etc. and next to reach there is a number, usualy between 65-75 from what i have seen so far in the ufc, what does the number mean? is a higher number better?


thanks,
 chris


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## Touch Of Death

Again they refer to the physical characteristics of the fighter. Those numbers, I'm guessing, mean arm length.
Sean


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## FearlessFreep

I always assumed  they mean distance from finger tip to finger tip when the arms were strateched out to the side of the body.


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## CoryKS

Reach


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## crushing

chris_&#3617;&#3623;&#3618;&#3652;&#3607;&#3618;;737922 said:
			
		

> when the fights are about to begin a bit comes up with the fighters name, age etc. and next to reach there is a number, usualy between 65-75 from what i have seen so far in the ufc, what does the number mean? is a higher number better?
> 
> 
> thanks,
> chris


 
I think the UFC measures fingertip to fingertip 'wing span' and calls it reach.  Personally, I think reach should be measured from shoulder to knuckles.  The UFC makes you do a little math to figured out the true distance the fighter with the shorter reach must go to close the space.

Some people may be thinking, WOW! this guys has an 8" reach advantage, when it actually might only be 2-3" (don't forget to include shoulder width difference).


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## Andrew Green

FearlessFreep said:


> I always assumed  they mean distance from finger tip to finger tip when the arms were strateched out to the side of the body.




What he said.


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## crushing

CoryKS said:


> Reach


 
According to that link, reach and wingspan are synonymous.

Thanks Cory!


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## CoryKS

crushing said:


> I think the UFC measures fingertip to fingertip 'wing span' and calls it reach. Personally, I think reach should be measured from shoulder to knuckles. The UFC makes you do a little math to figured out the true distance the fighter with the shorter reach must go to close the space.
> 
> Some people may be thinking, WOW! this guys has an 8" reach advantage, when it actually might only be 2-3" (don't forget to include shoulder width difference).


 
I agree, shoulder to knuckles makes a lot more sense.  What can be determined by wingspan?  If a skinny guy with unusually long arms faces a wide guy with shorter arms, they might have the same reach.  But wouldn't the skinny guy still have a range advantage?


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## FearlessFreep

If you drive your punch with your shoulder than I imagine that the width of your shoulders would effect how far out you can hit.

Also, if you are tied up with someone, your total wingspan affects how far around them you can get,, whether it's in the arms or in the shoulders.

Basically, the distance that matters is from your spine to your fingertip, 'reach' just doubles that, I guess.

I imagine they just called it 'reach' because 'wingspan' sounds silly for people without wings, although I think I've seen it called 'span' also


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## zDom

CoryKS said:


> I agree, shoulder to knuckles makes a lot more sense.  What can be determined by wingspan?  If a skinny guy with unusually long arms faces a wide guy with shorter arms, they might have the same reach.  But wouldn't the skinny guy still have a range advantage?



So maybe a better way of determining "reach" would be from middle of the spine to the knuckles?


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## Andrew Green

go to finger tips and double it, then whats the difference 

Cory, I understand what you are saying, that reach does not equal length of arm.  But people turn there bodies as they punch, so the width of the torso does effect the reach.

Why is it finger tips instead of knuckles?  I don't know, that's just the way it started.  When you measure a man, he wants the bigger number?


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## CoryKS

You guys make good points about turning the shoulder.  And Freep, I completely neglected how that number might be of use to the grapplers.


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## chris_&#3617;&#3623;&#3618;&#3652;&#3607;&#3618;

thanks for the help everyone!


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