Tricks Guys Can’t Do
There’s this trick that *supposedly* only women can do.
- Stand three feet away from a wall
- Bend over and put your head against the wall
- Now try to stand up while lifting a chair.
If you’re a woman, you should be able to do it successfully, but if you’re a man, you won’t be able get back up into a standing position while holding the chair. I believe it really has something to do with height, not gender. Anyone want to try this and report back?
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Hi Gretchen:
I can do it, and I’m definitely a guy!
All the best,
Andrew Darlow
Editor, The Imaging Buffet
http://www.imagingbuffet.com
AndrewDarlow Guy cant do it because of there mass on the shoulders only girls can do it because our mass is lower……so you may have done it wrong ….first you stand looking straight at the wall with your toes lined up and then you move 3 steps back, put your head on the wall pick up the chair with out lifting your head ,then the hard part comes …stand up with out moving your feet from where they are.
I wonder if this might actually be because men typically have longer feet than women
My son is 10 and he can’t do it but my 13 year old daughter can…she definitely got bigger feet than him. So idk. Crazy.
I think bigger feet would be an advantage. I think it’s definitely the woman’s lower center of gravity.
Explanation is likely that A man’s center of gravity is located at the center of his chest at his sternum while a woman’s center of gravity is located approximately in the center of her pelvis.
I did it just the way you said. I can do it.
-Colton James-
It actually has nothing to do with height because there is girls and boys with many different heights. I think most guys can’t do it because the way there back is some guys can do it because the way there back is. The thing some girls can’t lift the chair it could be possible the way there back is. But If you think about it the girls with big breast find it more easier than the girls that are flat. I have seen videos of flat girls trying it and its difficult for them but the girls with big breast find it easier. Girls with big breast might be able to because it says lift it up to there chest but they can’t go all the way up to there chest so it doesn’t tighten there back very much. But with flat girls they tend to struggle more because they go up way higher to there chest and it causes there back to tighten to make it difficult for them. So basically for a guy they go up all the way and it tightens their backs but if a guy can do it its either they aren’t doing it right or there back was made different in like a flexible way
uh oh. Maybe you should get checked out by your gynocologist…
Jenna your comment is ridiculous. Mens centre of gravity is actually lower. We have weight down low that you women do not have. You women have weight up high on your chest that us men do not have. We also have larger feet and a larger base (which is also more weight down low) than you women. The reason why men struggle with this experiment – which does NOT determine centre of gravity properly – is because us men have LARGER FEET! This means that when a man takes 3 steps back from a wall – he is SUBSTANTIALLY farther away from the wall than a woman is when she takes 3 steps back from the wall. If you were to draw a line as a reference point right where a woman is standing when she takes 3 steps back from a wall, and men were to align their toes with that line – I will bet EVERYTHING I have that the men will have absolutely no problem doing this with ease – and even more easy than women – whos centre of gravity is actually HIGHER than ours.
Even if you do have the same size feet as a woman you still won’t be able to do it unless you have a similar centre gravity, men and women have different centre gravity. Look up the facts BEFORE you complain
Wrong. It solely has to do with a man being farther away from the wall, thus his weight will all be leaning forward on his head when against the wall. A woman will be closer to the wall therefore will not have her body weight focused on her head as a man would.
The reason for this has been explained by science. It has NOTHING to do with foot size. It is the centre of mass.
“The centre of mass for most girls is lower to the hips, while the centre of mass in boys is much higher.
“Therefore, for most girls, the centre of mass while bent over the chair is above their feet, while the centre of mass for most boys is above the chair.”
Jeez how desperate are You to fibd,Something a guy can’t do,(which some in fact can)?
Guy here, can’t do it. Good shape, 73″ tall size 13 shoe
I’m a woman… I can’t do this.
Wrong. Girls center of gravity is in their hips. Men’s is in their chest.
Ohhh No!!! it’s far from be in shoulder and hips, men center of mass are more high and girls lower (both center of gravity is in near belly/hips area)
Could you imagine if it’s center of gravity of men would be in shoulder? I LOL so much! (make my day!)
I seen somewhere in ”internet” that say baby C of mass is in the head LOL! x2!
Also, for girls they has lower center of gravity, it’s not 100% related to pelvic baby place, larger hips… Physics and center of mass not care about this, Wiki say ”In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero” ;p
Exactly. It’s simple physiology meets physics—the center of gravity for men is in their chest, while women’s is in their waist-to-hip region, contingent upon their body type (“apple” vs. “pear” vs. “hour glass”, etc.).
Pavlos: Foot size has NOTHING to do with it. That’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. Instead of just speculating, do some research.
Physiologists learn all about the differences in axes of gravity in the genders very early in their training. Ask any physical therapist, medical doctor, physiologist, etc. They will all affirm that it’s 100% about where the axes of gravity lie within each gender.
actually jenna’s comment isnt wrong. Men typically have more weight in their shoulders due to muscular weight and women typically dont have as much upper body mass as men do. So dont comment information you dont know thoroughly I’ve tested this in physics classrooms with men and women and more men couldn’t do it, some could but not nearly as many as women.
Exact, I agree Allie, it’s typically… I not agree when people say this would be 100% accurate and try on yourself? ok, it’s a fun test, but…
We do this in class with students, we did hundreds of this test, maybe 1000+. So, I can say that not all succeed or had fail the test. Currently, I try to make this test better or just good. It always have people that ”fail”. Then, I not know why all say it’s 100% sure that men or women can stand up or not with this setup, all people are on standard deviation graph, some are off. Sadly, I not took the numbers but people that are off the standard deviation bell in graph are still high, I think it works for 70 to 90% of the people. Statistics would say that this test is absolutely not accurate. Sports student class are the best easy to do and works well. I always try to find some ”better” subject to show (athletic dancer thin girl ”strong legs” vs men that do rough sports, hockey player, football, basketball, ”large muscular shoulder”… THIS not fail! ) Also, people that have overweight not works good, as not have muscular differences that much. Kid not work that much, but it still works to 9 to 12 yo… What about genetic? There a lot of root cause to make it fail and make succeed…
I am male, and that explains why I can do this with no problem. I have size 8 feet and weigh 150 lbs. Not much of shoulder spread.
Carl, stop mansplaining and learn your spelling and grammar in English. Afterwards it would be wonderful to see a version of your above comments, rewritten in understandable English.
My girlfriend is a Duke lesbian very tall and stocky she cant lift the chair
Actually Palvos Andreopoulos it’s scientifically proven that men’s center of gravity is there chest. While women’s center of gravity is there pelvis.
*their, twice
Ok, chest or lower ribs? If I try and balance on my chest I fall on my legs if I balance a little under my ribs I stay balanced, I am 180lbs 5,11 male, just curious if you meant chest or in the general area. Also genetics and a whole bunch of factors play in to center of mass, my brother who is 14 and weighs 210 and is 5,9 has balance is almost his hips because his legs are huge, you always have to account for variables.
Lol, hold up swolled up. It is true. That’s why it’s called a trick…
Just because you don’t understand how the magician made his the assistant disappear-don’t mean she still there.
I’m a woman and have big feet. I’m a size 10 in men’s and 12 in woman’s and I can still do this.
No it’s because men have a higher center of gravity and women have a lower center of gravity. Men are more broad shouldered and muscular in the chest, and women tend to be heavier in the hips. A man’s pelvis is also shaped more narrow, while a woman’s pelvis is shaped wider for childbirth.
If you get on your knees and put an egg in front of you with a piece of cereal on it while locking your arms behind you, a woman will be able to eat the cereal without crushing the egg, a man will fall over because he doesn’t have the balance. It’s the same principle.
A lot of elementary school teachers will do the same science experiment using a piece of candy or a ‘smartie.’ Because older children are developing at differing rates, the results will vary, but it’s still about whether your center of gravity is low, usually below your belly button, or high, usually above your belly button. An adult male will not be able to retrieve the candy while an adult female will.
Women and adolescent girls have a lower center of gravity because their pelvises are generally (almost always, in fact) bigger than our male counterparts to birth a baby. Breasts are larger on women, but fat weighs far less than bone. Our large bone mass of our pelvis gives us a lower center of gravity. On the other hand, many men have broader shoulders which means bigger (and heavier) rib cages, which causes men to have a high center of gravity. If your center of gravity is higher, this activity is really hard. Women with smaller pelvises and broad shoulders would likely struggle with this as well. Men who have slightly larger hips or long legs and a shorter torso might not struggle with this at all. Lastly, like bone, muscle weighs a lot more than fat, and men tend to have more of that in their upper torso than women as well. A dude or lady with buff shoulders and arms will struggle, but someone with less muscle and bone mass near their shoulders will not.
Hope this helps!
–Jane, high school physics teacher
Jane! You are the first to make any sense. Bravo.
Might I also add that the ratio between total height and foot length will also have a fair bit to do with it. A shorter person with longer feet ends up with their pelvis at more than 90° compared with the opposite. This results in more mass forward of the centre of gravity (when in the bent over position) and this exemplifies the same issue as the male high centre of mass.
There’s a lengthy paper that shows that a male has longer feet compared to his height than a female. Here’s a bit of the paper-
Employing data collected from a second large sample of US soldiers (n ¼ 784),
Wunderlich and Cavanagh (2001), ergonomists interested in shoe design, find that male
foot length as a proportion of stature is significantly larger than the same ratio in females.
The figures presented in Table I are estimates for an individual with a height of 170 cm;
the authors report that, overall, men average a foot length that is approximately 0.3% of
stature longer relative to the equivalent figure for women.
I’m 28 years old, but I’m small, I’m 5 ft and 110 lbs and I couldn’t do it
One pound of bone = 16 oz
One pound of fat = 16 oz
One pound of muscle = 16 oz
BUT both bone and muscle are *denser* than fat, so a pound of bone or a pound of muscle is SMALLER in size than a pound of fat., so fat is BIGGER.
But no matter *what* you’re weighing, 16 oz = 1 pound = 16 oz. The scale we use to measure weight doesn’t change based on what is being weighed.
One person explained it already but folks are continuing to say it’s feet, breasts, size and how far away the boys are. This is about the center of mass being lower on boys than girls. That is why, if done properly, boys can’t STAND up with the chair. The key is the feet have to be straight and under pelvis, right in front of chair. If feet are turned or legs spread, boys can compensate for center of mass (yes it has to do with pelvic girdle). Lifting the chair while bent isn’t the task, it’s standing after lifting.
You would imagine a boy with strong soleus and hamstrings could but you can’t argue with physics
I absolutely agree with you 100% women nowadays don’t know what their talking about its all a competition to them because they always want to do something that men can’t do how childish
emaja……put your misogyny away OK?
Facts. It has nothing to do with shoulders mass, its the center of gravity that matters. Now Jenna can take her “broad shoulders” point (proven to be wrong) to a different blog. Okay anyway-
pavlos..you are. wrong sir..maybe you should do some research.
My husband and I have the same size feet. So no it’s not about foot size
So the larger feet thing is just dumb. There are women who are taler and have bigger feet than men. One comment even said her son and daughter did it and I doubt her younger son has bigger feet that many years apart. That’s just dumb.
No a mans center of gravity is in the upper body and girls is lower that’s y we can stand and men can’t. But if ur a guy and can do this maybe u got less upper body mass than most men
BAHAHAAHAHHA you my friend need to utilize google and look up center of gravity. It has nothing to do with size or weight lol for women it’s hips and men it’s their chest, no matter their size. So therefore men’s is above the chair making it harder. I’m sorry you don’t understand center of gravity vs weight and it size lmao
It actually has to do with center of gravity. Womens center of gravity is at her pelvis and a mans is at his chest.
Seem you’re theory has merit, I did this with my wife and wad ankle to pick up the chair with ease.
I was talking to me pal about this and he said he was a twin, size and Bobby mass the same, he said his brother had a sex change and is now classed as a female, so after watching the video’s and seeing posts about this I thought let’s put it to the test, the test being if it comes down to the size of the feet/body mass or just being a man or woman 😁 well one did it and one didn’t and it was the women
The point is what heck has feet size got to do with anything?
It’s like a bloke removing ribs to give himself a blowjob
My husband and I have the same size feet (UK 9), and I struggled at first whilst he did it with no issues…
You don’t actually believe what you wrote right?
Pavlov you are Wong on every point you make. Google it.
Look it up – a womans center of gravity is their hips, a males is in the chest and shoulders.
to do the test properly;
the top of your head must be on the wall,
place feet shoulder width apart,
bend at the waist, hips and back make a 90 degree angle, back flat, shoulders even with hips
pick up chair to your chest and stand up, without moving you feet or bending your knees. height, weight, nor size of feet make a difference.
I think your comment is actually true
I could do it as well.
First the chair had no relevant weight, pretty light.
Then I tried with a heavier chair, well, I blew it off LOL
I checked this scientifically, did experiments and found out, that, the result depends on how big are your feet and how tall are you. My process was like this :
1. I did all the steps correctly with my dad and mom, my dad could not pick up the chair and my mom could.
2. I marked where both of there feet were and made them try all the steps again, but this time dad stod where mom’s feet were and he could do it, then my mom tried it where dad’s feet were and she couldn’t do it.
3. I got my aunt to do this trick because she is tall and has big feet, she couldn’t pick up the chair.
In conclusion, the reason why it seems that men can’t do this task is that on average men have larger feet and body sizes, this also explains why some men can do it and some women can’t.
You stand with your toes against the skirting, put one foot behind the other, heel and toe touching then another step, heel and toe touching You don’t take 3 steps or stand 3 feet away from the wall
Men can do it if their posterior chain, including hamstrings and calf muscles are developed.
When it is done absolutely properly, a woman can do it but a man cannot. It is because women can rotate with their hips or pelvis, men cannot.
there is also the very different shape of the hips that act as the fulcrum for women giving her far more leverage than a man of the same height.
Actually the reason most men can’t do it and most women can has to do with their ribs
Calculate the ratio of leg length and height for both. See if the math solves the mystery.
Yo I definitely did this very easy. Although I must saw, as a guy, if you lean your head to the wall, you will either need to slide your head down lower before coming back and up or from the very beginning put your head on the wall as if you were going to straight left deadlift
Exactly. It is a lift from the hips rather from upper body strength.
i can lift it mommy siad and im 4 C: XDXDXD
I can’t do it … I’m a woman… I’m over weight though and my lower half is significantly smaller.
No you can’t
I identify as a girl and i can’t do it so it false
I am 6ft tall transgender woman who can do it without issue. I think it has something to do with where your weight distribution is (top heavy people might struggle) and the strength of the muscles around your upper foot and ankles.
I don’t understand the directions…where is the chair when you start out, when you stand up do you keep your head on the wall?
The chair should be in front of you with the back of the chair up against the wall. You should try to stand completely upright and remove your head from the wall while still holding the chair. It works best when the chair has arms and you can grab it by the arms.
So Andrew – how tall are you? :-?
Hi Gretchen:
If I stand up very straight I’m 5′ 10″. I just checked again and the real challenge is lifting the chair first, then trying to stand up. I was only able to get my heels to 32″ from the wall that way. Not 36″. If I lift the chair and stand up at the same time (actually, my head will come off the wall about half a 1/4 of a second before the chair), I can do that at 36″. My head now hurts a bit, but it was a fun exercise! I’m wondering if anyone can have the tips of their feet at 36″ and do this successfully (lift the chair first, then stand up).
All the best,
Andrew
Editor, The Imaging Buffet
http://www.imagingbuffet.com
Andrew – I do this with my physics class. You should have 2 foot lengths between you and the wall (works better with shoes on). Stand with both toes to the wall. Put one foot directly behind the other. Then move the front foot behind the back. Then put the (new) front foot next to teh back. Slide the chair between you and the wall. Bend over, lean against the wall, pick up the chair. AFTER you pick up the chair try to stand up. Your center of gravity is no longer over your feet and it feels like you are glued to the wall b/c that is what holds you up. Some men with extremely strong core muscles – or lower center of gravity – can stand up but I’d say 98% can not.
I’m a man, 74 inches tall, size 13 shoe, but my inseam is 28 and a half inches, anyhow I can do it, too be fare I have extra vertibrae, I don’t know if that matters. I have no issue doing it but I’m very flexible, when people stand and bend to touch their toes, I do that and touch my ear to my knees, maybe that’s it?
Sorry, I meant to write “my head will come off the wall about 1/4 of a second before the chair.” My brain must have been affected by this!
All the best,
Andrew
wait i dont understand…whats the reason that boys cant do it?
Women have a higher center of mass.
I was told that it had something to do with center of gravity. Something along the lines of men have their center of gravity in their chest and women in their hips. How true this is, I don’t know.
im a girl and i cant do it…
you a guy then
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yea so what good luck next tinme
hey sooo…i want to know..when you stand up..can you straighten your arms?…or do you leave them bent…let me know!
I don’t think it matters whether you keep your arms bent or not. :-??
I think it has to do with muscle mass. Guys have more muscle mass in their upper bodies, which prevents them from coming away from the wall. Girls have more muscle mass in their hips and thighs, which is already away from the wall. I can do it, my male students cannot.
Muscle mass does play into it I’m sure. It fits with the “center of gravity” theory. Thanks for the input. I get lots of hits on this thread so apparently a lot of folks are trying it. :d
okay, like i am so far away from the wall that i am not bent over i am at like an angle. I can’t even stand up without having to push off the wall with my hands. Are you sure its exactly 3 feet thats pretty far. I am 5’7”.
It’s 3 FOOTSTEPS. I just saw on an episode of All In The Family.
THANK YOU THANK YOU TBOO ~ I have been racking my brain trying to remember where I saw this!!!!!!!!!!! OMG! Archie had a fit he couldnt do it, but Gloria did every time. :)
Ummm…It’s two Feet Not Three…u Have It Wrong…
Does it matter how far from the wall you stand on how tall you are, and do you put your forehead or the top of your head?
I did it and now I’m not so sure that I can call myself a man. Can someone help?
No donnie no one can help. Try rubbing yourself with used engine oil and some dirt from a hole you just dug and filled with the bent nails left over from floating floor installation job you did last week. Then sing “I’m a little teapot” in your deepest voice while watching girl on girl “history of sexism” on blue ray! Not the wack director’s cut one BLUE RAY. Then message me back , I’ll have a few questions for you
i’m a guy 6’3 1/2 tall and i can do it..my sister told me about it and got me and my brother to try it, my brother didn’t have much luck lol
its 3 of your feet
Okay, so is this really just a big scam to make you hurt yourself?!?! I’m a nanny and one of my boys and I were trying this experiment out, and he totally fell face first into the wall! Haha haha. I mean, it’s not funny. lol
We were trying this in class because someone randomly brought it up. Not sure what’s the absolutely correct way to do it, but guys shouldn’t be able to do it. The key, we concluded, had to do with the back. Girls’ backs are stronger, because it has to be for pregnancy.
I’d better not try it then. My back is frail at the best of times!
Another thing that girls can do, and boys can’t (supposedly), is this…
Hold both arms out in front of you, palms down. Make a fist with both hands. In the left fist, hold a chopstick so that it protrudes from both sides of your fist. Insert the right end of the chopstick into the right fist.
Now, without letting go of the chopstick, or opening either fist, separate your fists and turn them so the outside edges meet, and insert the opposite end of the chopstick into the other side of your right fist.
Interesting. I’ll have to test that next time I have access to a chopstick. :D
I am 5’3 and my boyfriend is 6′. I can do it standing two feet away, three feet away I can barely get my head onto the wall and back off without the chair. At two feet, and I pull it off easily. My boyfriend however can do it at two feet easily because of his height; however, he is funny looking when he attempts it at three feet. He really tried.
It’s because men are generally top heavy, the majority of a mans weight is around the top of his back, chest and shoulders where as the majority of a womans weight is around her midsection and (dare i say it) bum and thighs. The whole “Girls’ backs are stronger, because it has to be for pregnancy.” im sorry to say just is’nt true.
My fiance just tried with my mom and I and after about 20 tries he finally was able to stand up but only while on his tip toes and grunting the whole time! LOL!!!
I’m 5’6 (boot’s off) and I can do it easily, I just can’t get any guys to do it.
Great website! Girls (and women) CAN do anything that they set their minds to do, with the sole exception of fertilization of the human ovum.
I tried in my class and we had a blast laughing at each other!
Actually, it’s because of ‘center of gravity’. Women carry ‘weight’ literally in their hips. That’s where we balance from, that’s why the bones in our legs point outward from the knee up. Men and women aren’t that different in muscle strength, etc. BUT: The different center of gravity in a woman’s hips versus a man’s upper body will make it so its a cinch for women and men can’t rebalance their upper body while holding onto the chair.
that did not work a guy can do that
My teacher tried this on me in high school and I was the only one who had no trouble. I am 5,10″ and she gave some long speech to us before we tried.
The guys below and above my height failed. I guess this is macho but then again I was doing something supposedly only a woman could do so what does that make me?
I really felt like the instructor was using a mild form of hypnotism
We are a family of 4 boys 2 girls. this was fun..girls won!!. Finally
Hey, I heard that it was because there was a muscle women have that men don’t due to childbirthing.Me and my old roommate tried this with some guy friends, and nooooo, the guys could not pick it up and move away from the wall.
They were envious!!!!!!!
i lifted the chair no problem, but i love how women have to try and find something guys cant do to make themselves feel strong. women would be hunted for sport if man didnt have a craving for them lol
“hunted for sport” I’d like to see you try. /:)
No … you wouldn’t.
The vast majority of men are bigger and stronger than 99% of women. It would be a slaughter if, for some reason, women were hunted into extinction. It really isn’t fun to think about.
Please use your head before ever replying to anything so you don’t look so pathetic, weak and stupid.
I guess if you are talking about humans. But if all the sexes in the world did suddenly turn on each other, women would outnumber men. Just not human women. I’m talking spiders, insects, fish and many reptiles. The majority of egg laying females are bigger than males by more than the fraction the human males are to women. We are talking about a female angler fish being hundreds of times larder than the males. And there are a lot more known species with larger females than species with larger males.
This has to do with evolution. Males need to be slightly bigger when they compete for females in the mammal world. But in the rest of the earth females that are bigger will lay much more eggs and therefore pass on their ‘large’ genes, where the males need to be small and agile to fertilize the eggs or get to the giant female.
So gender really is relative when debating which is the ‘better’. It’s really a silly debate because if strength and size was the only important factor when it came to survival, humans would not be at the top of the food chain.
Big tough guy is all offended by this. How funny!
a males center of gravity is at the chest so they are top heavy and the females center of gravity is the hips so to stand up is not difficult although i found that it was difficult for me only because my your foot should be the exact same length as your forearm. my foot is longer, so for my head to be able to touch the wall i would have to reach my head forward causing my center of gravity, the hip, to be slightly in front of my feet … this would cause nearly the same problem for a male now that my center of gravity is in front of my feet i can not lift my torso as easily… there are some men that are able to do this but normally it is not possable.. i assume that the males that can do this have larger or smaller feet… i dont know if that makes much sence but i hope it helped
My brother and I tried this.. what we did was put the chair against the wall, i bent over until i could put my head against the wall and i could stand up right.. when my brother tried, He couldn’t. It was fun and ot definitely works if you do it the right way. :D
My wife and I tried this tonight.
She was able to lift the chair and and stand up every time. She was laughing at me for not being able to do it at first. I then took one of my 50 pound dumbbells and strapped it to the belt of my pants. This lowered my center of gravity enough to where I could then lift the chair with ease. I am 5’6″, 145lbs, and in excellent shape.
She had extreme difficulty in lifting the chair after I made her put on her tallest pair of heels!
I did this many times through out the years… of course being smaller ment having to be clsoer to the wall… but i found that even after lifting weights i can still lift the chair.. i think it has more to do with flexibility. As well as being able to shift your own center of balance.Being double jointed I can actually move my center of gravity around. In msot cases women are generally more flexable than men. In my case i suffer from a medical condition where my legaments are strentched farther than what they should be.
Its cause Womens Center of gravity is towards their stomach and us guys’s center of gravity is at our chest. (I learned this from my teacher a year ago)
My daughter and I tried this, she’s thirteen. I could do it, but she couldn’t. I believe it mostly has to do with height, because she’s short, about five two, and I’m much taller.
Hahaha, this little trick was fun and amusing to do. XD
My bf couldn’t do it at first, but then he said once he looked at how I stood and how I balanced myself against the wall while I picked up the chair he finally knew how he did it.
The video explains it, unless the center of gravity falls over the toes everyone should be able to do it.The boys could do it but were made to go at a farther distance leading to their center of gravity falling over their toes and only the wall holding them upright.A girl in that position won’t be able to do it too.There is not that big of a difference in body shape and hence CG at the age of kids in the video.
Infact the chair is just a ruse to pretend that it has something to with strength, you can hold a paper and not be able to do it or something really heavy and yet be able to do it.
[…] Tricks Guys Can’t Do […]
it’s a physiological thing. It has to do with the differences between how a woman’s hips rotate and how a man’s hips rotate. The point is that if you do it properly only your hips are rotating, and because a woman’s hips have a greater axis of rotation, they are able to perform this task, but men are not.
This comes in handy on a more biological bases when it come to being pregnant, giving birth, and carrying children.
I am a guy and cannot do this at all. I have been told it is because of where guys and girls carry their weight as well. Girls have a lower center of gravity and carry more weight in their hips. Guys carry their weight above the waist line. I was kind of embarrassed at first when I couldn’t do this but these younger girls could (we did it at a youth group event). But after knowing the reasoning behind it my pride has been healed
My 3 brothers couldn’t do but I did it!!! it was so easy :) Finally something I can do and my brothers cant.
Your description of all the requisites of this is so vague that as a man I can most certainly do this.
If you want to identify it as something someone cannot do, you MUST describe ALL of the requisites to full extent and of no ambiguity.
In laymans terms, get a chair with a back, put the back of chair against the wall… Have fun taking turns standing 2-3 ft away from the wall while bending over (lol) you stand with feet shoulder width apart and bend far enough to touch your head to the wall over the chair. Pick up the chair(don’t hit yourself in the forehead with the back of the chair! So lift the chair with your head still on the wall, then stand up straight, I’m short and my boyfriend is tall so he can stand farther away but we can both do it at our own distance. If any woman can stand 3 ft from the wall pick up the chair then stand up she’d have to be over 6 ft tall lol have fun and make your friends try it, it’s funny…
its about your center of gravity, guys have a center of gravity in there chest, while girls have a COG in there waist. The extra added weight for the male makes it impossible to remove his head from the wall
This is dumb. all that happened is when I tried to lift the chair (I’m the girl) and I had to lift my head up first, but then I could lift the chair. My friend Ryan tried to do it and he smacked the chair into his nose and started bleeding. Don’t try this.
It does not have to do with height – I am female & 6′ tall – it has to do with the way female hips are made for having children.!!!!
This has nothing to do with height and everything to do with gender. Women’s centre of gravity is in their child-bearing hips; men’s is in their spear-throwing chests. Women are therefore centred further back and closer to the ground when in this position, so they are able to complete the task.
I must be a girl, I can do it. The comments in this post have made me believe that I can bare children, awesome.
We did this when I was in elementary school and not one of the guys could do it and I think every one of the girls could. I just tried this again with my brother and I could do it and he couldn’t :)
-girl
This has to do with both the hips of a woman and also the back muscles. You have to be 90 degrees bent over to do this. If you are > 90 it is impossible. If you are <90 it's easy. For it to be a test you have to have a 90 degree angle
The directions are wrong. Its NOT 3 ft away from a wall, its a 90 degree angle from your hip to the floor with your feet shoulder width apart. It measured by height and weight…and some men can do it and some women can’t. It doesn’t always work. I am a woman and I cannot lift the chair.
It does have to do with the center of mass difference in men and women. However, when a man has a COM higher in his chest, the COM of the system with him and the chair is just outside of his body. Because that COM does not lie within him, there is nothing he can do to lift the chair (without serious effort).
For women, their COM is only shifted further up in their body when the extra weight of the chair is added.
you’re all silly…it has very little to do with the hips, take a male skeleton, and a female skeleton…look long and hard at the curvature of the lumbar to thoracic area…let me know if you can pick out the difference…this was something taught to me almost 20 years ago, but I still remember why MOST men can’t do it, and MOST women can…it’s kind of how the 3% trick used to be, some could, some couldn’t, you just needed one key element to pull that one off…HaHaHa
and…i am 5′ 6″ if i stand 3 linear feet from a wall, i make myself into the hypotenuse of a right triangle, there is near as makes no difference no bend at my waist….the proper way to do it is measure your feet, take the mean…the measure 3x’s that number in whatever unit you like, and perform the test…
ok so i had a guy and a girl be able to do this. We think that it has more to do with a persons foot size than the gender. When they lifted up they used there toes, a girl with larger feet was able to attempt this trick with no problems, while a girl with smaller feet had much more difficulty and could practicly not do this. When we had our guy friends attempt it we had the same results. Just wondering if this happend with anyone else out there???
[…] Well it’s not. And this feat is definitely something guys can’t do. […]
Hey guys, my teacher said today that the reason why guys can’t do this and girls can is because of the differences in the pelvis. He told us to stand up against the wall with our backs to it while having a chair in front of us. Then he told us girls to try and pick up the chair without moving our feet and only bending over. We could do it fine, but the guys couldn’t. It’s only because a guy’s pelvis is set back more than ours and because we have a different “tilt” to our flared pelvises.
It’s all a psychological thing… you were told you can’t do it therefore you think you will fail and succeed at being a failure, whereas those that were told they can do it succeeded because of the added security of being told they are a success because of what they are. Kudos to the men who proved them wrong, it shows extra will power to succeed where others told them they would fail !!
My sister and I just tried this on my boyfriend who has never heard of this trick and he could not do it.
It isnt supposed to be two or three feet away from the wall, it is supposed to be three steps (toe to heal) away from the wall. The reason a man cant do it and a woman can is because a man has bigger feet than women so that puts a man further away from the wall leaving him off balance. If the woman has big feet she wont be able to do it either, or if a man has small feet he will be able to lift the chair.
How can you say women have more muscle mass in the lower bodies than men? mass. yes, if you are referring to lipids (aka fats) because a woman’s body is designed for child bearing, and for “muscular hips” it’s just wider spread bones, again for child bearing. It has been scientifically proven than men have more muscle mass on both lower and upper body. Because testosterone (male hormone) is responsible for production of muscle and it occurs more in males. Studies have shown that men on average produce up to 10 times more testosterone than women, also studies show me are on average 40% stronger than women (my source may not be correct, but it still stand that most men are stronger than most women). And as for the chair challenge? I completed it easily and i’m a male. As far as height goes, i am 6″2 and i weight 83kg.
This is pretty sad that you would even include these petty claims, and what use is this to people, especially if it is FALSE.
In conclusion you’re statements are wrong because i completed all of them with ease. Get some data on this before you start making false claims and accusations because you never know if a person who studies Human Biology will read you’re articles.
If you’re fighting for supremacy, you have lost in this argument. Please change you’re title to “Things some Guy’s can’t do but some girls can do”
Regards to the people who found this false
__________________________________________
Oliver
[…] Tricks Guys Can’t Do | Girls Can’t WHAT? […]
Its nothing to do with muscle. It’s all because of breasts the female center of mass is different than a males
Nothing to do with breasts. Little girls without developed breasts can do it, little boys can’t for the most part. It is Pelvic shape and tilt.
It’s because of a muscle girls have in their hips that guys don’t we did an exercise with this in our gym class all the girls could do it none of the guys could no matter their height
It has to do with center of gravity. While most women’s center of gravity is in the middle, hips, of their bodies, men’s center of gravity is in the upper part, shoulders, of their bodies. It’s not about strength, it’s about physics. We all know that men are stronger than women when it comes to muscle strenght. MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Lift and stand at the same time!
Oliver, calm down dear. There are men who can do this and women who can’t. No one is saying women or men are better than the other. The whole point is that it’s unusual that women can do something that seems to be about strength. It would be unusual. It’s just a fun party trick. It sounds like this threatens your masculinity. If you can do it, then it just means that your center of gravity is lower or your strength has compensated for your center of gravity. Either way, it’s just for fun. Relax.
Anyone who does workouts that include weighted squats, deadlifts, and deadlift variants will know the importantce of shifting their hips. I have no problem with this “trick”. I’m a 6’0″ 190 lbs (~87kgs) male. I tried many different distances from the wall and never had a problem. The greater the distance, the greater the hip shift but never any difficulty.
The reason guys can not do this is because girls have an extra muscle in their back. The reason they have this muscle is because of when they’re pregnant it helps them bend over easier, so they can still work.
what would happen if male or female with a sex change tried this could do it? for example if a male that surgically made himself a girl tried it could he do it?
My friend could do it and he didn’t move his feet at all. he’s really tall too. we dedicated our entire recess to doing this trick
my mom showed my sister and i in the 1960’s and ascribed to womens hips.
Hahahahaha. Don’t know if anyone is going to read this, but the reason this is true is because men and women have different centers of gravity. For women I believe it is near the solar-plex, while for men it is in the middle of the chest. Its just funny cause I’m looking through these responses, and it’s like magic to you people. It’s called physics lol… Get off the computer and get back to high school.
Im a male, I can do this. It has to do with the size of your feet. Males typically have longer feet then females, however, I have 8.5 inch feet, so smaller then avg male, so Im closer, my center of gravity falls on the heels and center of my feet rather then my toes…it also has to do with the way you arch your back, most men have developed habitts in the way the pick things up, using their upper strength more and their back less. They position themselves incorrectly to complete the task. Posture is everything. Try it men, move to the same distance a female would be, arch the back with emphasis on useing the lower back and hips to lift. You will find you will most likely complete the task. Having a heavy upper body is simply a moot point given most females carry a substantial amount of weight in the form of breasts.
It does work, but it is not to do with height; Women have what physicists call a Center of Gravity (or Center of mass) low in their hips, where men have it higher in their chests. This is because women have larger and more dence pelvises for childbirth. Because of this, males fall forward more easily than females.
We just tried it out and figured out what the difference is. It’s physiological. When I tried (male) I couldn’t do it. We got everyone in the bar involved until I realized what the difference was: Men want to keep their arms bent while women will simply stand up and straighten their arms in the process. I tried while straightening my arms (and fighting the urge to keep them bent) and I had no problem.
On a side note, thank you for the excuse to watch women bend over.
You’re welcome, Stoney. And thank you for reducing women to nothing more than something to look at versus being the ones smart enough to straighten our arms. ;)
It’s amazing that you were able to ascertain everything about this person, enough even to claim that they reduced women to “nothing more than something to look at”.
There is absolutely nothing in what they said that could lead you to believe that.
This makes you an incredibly sexist person and it’s quite disgusting.
It has nothing to do with height. I am 5’11” and the guy who tried was only 5’3″. He wasn’t successful, at all, and did it with ease.
I was told that it has something to do with where your center of balance is. Men’s center of balance is in their shoulders, while women’s is in their hips. This works without the chair too. Stand a few feet from a wall and bend over until your head touches the wall. Your legs should be straight up and down so that you look like a right angle. Now try to stand upright without using your arms. Women can do this but men can’t because of where the center of balance is in each.
Gail almost has it. It’s not necessarily balance but it’s where a person’s center of gravity(or better – their mass) is. The height of a typical womans hips are half of her overall height (and are bigger than a mans, again this is in comparison to her own body ) putting her bodys center of mass much closer to her hips(if not in her hips themselves) and thus the point in her body that she derives her overall balance from. Because a typical mans hips are much lower in comparison to his own height his center is higher in his body.
When a man or a woman bends over naturally, their body will shift so that their center is vertically aligned with their heels (men will stick their butt out more than a woman might) and if you watch as they are picking something up off the floor you can see their body shift back and forth constantly to keep their center perfectly balanced as they stand back up.
The reason the chair test works that women can and men can’t is because the wall forces both men and women to keep their hips directly vertically aligned with their heels thus having no effect on the typical womans center but shifting the typical mans center to then be over the chair and not allowing him to shift his body to compensate. The chair adds weight to the persons upper body thus requiring them to rely on their balance to compensate for the extra unnatural weight. Thus when both try to stand up: the unaffected woman has no problems (does not have to bounce, bump, lift her heels, or make any kind of adjustment) because this is how her body already behaves naturally (women with smaller hips may find it to require a slight effort because her center is slightly higher but still don’t have to cheat), the man on the other hand will struggle to even move a little regardless of how strong his core is because it has nothing to do with muscles (and most men who claim they can do it are cheating because they will either try to crawl the wall with their head thus shifting their center, or bounce off it, or raise their heels, but even then it is still a severe struggle).
I’ve seen marines try to lift the chair and put holes in walls. I will admit I have seen one man who can actually lift the chair with ease and i can attest that he did have unnaturally high and wide hips for a man.
Here’s an article that might make more sense than I do.
http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/education/activities/pdf/Fun_Gravity.pdf
The test can also be done facing away from the wall with butt and heels touching wall and legs straight, but women won’t have as easy a time with this one because it will push their center forward a little.
Also I just noticed something that will help a lot of you who are confused. There is no one exact measurable distance everyone is supposed to stand from the wall when facing it. everyone should put themselves at a distance that will keep their hips over their heels and their back as naturally flat as they can make it. this put legs and torso at a 90 degree angle with one another.
It’s all about variables and context people. If you mess with contributing factors and shift the rules around (ie breaking them) then you will get all kinds of crazy results.
I’m a woman and I couldn’t do it.. My husband and brother in law also couldn’t do it, but my sister in law could.. This is really weird.. And I must say, good for a few laughs…
I’m female and I can do this. It’s in relation to average difference in center of gravity between men and women. Since women in general have wider hips (to allow childbirth) their center of gravity rests lower around just underneath their navel. Men however have larger shoulders and more narrow hips because of this when they are leaning over the chair, their center of gravity is below them already whereas women’s center of gravity is more centered in their hips – allowing them to stand.
(I’m a science blogger – sort of – you can check me out at: http://lifefortheintellectual.blogspot.com/)
Me and my little cousin Kaiden did this so this is a lie!
The reason most girls can do it and most guys can’t is because women have a lower center of gravity than men do.
girls could guys couldn’t. The guys had to push up from the chair and then lift it.
This actually has to do with your center of gravity me being a guy at 6’1″ can do it this is because I bike, so I have alot of my muscle is in my legs, glutes, abbs ect. and as most of us know muscle weighs more than fat so my center of gravity is pulled down.
Most women can do this because without work out weight goes to there lower body while with men with no work out the fat goes to there upper body
I am taking an Ergonomics class in Fashion Design school… We did this experiment for class. It has to do with a mans center of gravity which is above the naval and a women’s is below her navel. There is an old episode of All in The Family where they tried to do this and the men could not. https://youtu.be/oXxrfqY0kA0
I just watched this on an old rerun of All in the Family….Edith and Gloria could do it but Archie and Mike couldn’t…..
When will you people wake up! Mens centre of gravity is actually lower than females centre of gravity. Saying that womens centre of gravity is actually lower than mens centre of gravity is an absolute worthless myth. First of all, it is not true that women have more weight proportion in their lower bodies than men. There are so many factors that are completely ignored which actually disprove this. Men may have a larger upper body in comparison to women, which puts more weight on their upper body and raising their centre of gravity. However – men also have genitals in their lower bodies that women dont, which is weight in the lower body. Women have breasts, putting weight on their upper body whereas men dont. Most importantly, men have larger feet – yes – almost double the size than that of women, and this is what matters most because the feet are right on the ground, actually giving men more weight in their lower body and very effectively because the feet being the closest thing to the ground is what actually grants stability. Mens bones are also larger in density from head to TOE. The only reason why that chair experiment shows men falling over when trying to lift the chair whereas women do it, is because OUR FEET ARE LARGER, so when we put our toes at an equal distance from a wall as the women, our bodies are actually EVEN FURTHER BACK by say 4-5 inches on average, so it is not a fair comparison. I bet if mens and womens ANKLES were equally distanced from a wall, ALL the men would lift the chair successfully whereas I bet some of the WOMEN WONT. That is the true analysis.
The facts you list only exist in the average. There’s genital weight in lower body of women too due to things men don’t have. Men can build enough muscle in torso to be much more top heavy than women even with the beast. And vice versa. Men can develop lower body more making them bottom heavy. Some just have non average genetics like a guy with hips and bubble butt or hour glass shape for women Known as X shape in men. Just an FYI.
You’re instructions are incorrect.
First of all, it’s not ‘3 feet away from the wall’ – that’s impossible even without a chair. It’s 3 of YOUR feet away from the wall. In other words, there should be two ‘foot lengths’ between the wall and your toes.
Second of all, you must lift the chair BEFORE you try to stand up, and the weight of the chair doesn’t matter.
It’s because a woman’s center of gravity is lower than a man’s. Men have more weight above the waist, women have more weight below the waist.
Curious. Did you get this idea from All in the Family? I just finished that episode with it and googled it to learn more. Always loved that show.
I was able to do the trick. But I sit up on a bent press position with 250 pounds and when I sit up the 250 pounds is straight over my head. I do six sets of six with this weight. That may have something to do with my ability to lift the chair with my head against the wall. None of my male friends were able to do this trick.
really, its just physics, we did a lab in class and girls cannot do this either. It has to deal with the center of mass of your body when you lift the chair. Try wearing a bookbag when you do it, and you will be able to stand up no problem. The center of mass has shifted with the bag on letting you easily swing up.
It’s all because of your center of gravity girls center of gravity is at there hips while boys center of gravity is near there belly button so therefore a high percentage of girls can do it but only a low percentage of boys can
this only works on the average male and female bodies. Some of us aren’t average. I’m male 5’9 and can do this. My torso isn’t built as much as my legs. I’d probably be considered bottom heavy. Chances are this Ali depends on an individuals center of mass and how built parts of the body are. There’s sections of muscle that some people don’t develop well and others they do build well. I’m sure there’s more to it then just male or female.
Guys who’s center of gravity is in their legs (like mine) can do it. I’ve done every variation I can do them all.
I tried it with my daughter. (62 and 25)
First I had us each take three steps back from the wall, put our head against the wall, lift the chair, and stand up.
She could do it, I could not.
But why?
I measured the distNce from the backs of our heels to the wall.
Mine was 36”, hers was 24”
I asked her to try with her heel at 36”. She couldn’t even reach the wall with her head.
I tried it at 24” and it was easy.
So we decided to see where our respective “failure points” were.
We tried it at 32”. Both failed.
We then tried it at 31” and both suceeded.
I think men fail because their feet are longer and they step back farther, which makes it harder.
Next time you try this parlor trick, see which gender on average has the highest “failure point” (Don’t know what else to call it).
I think this would be a fun project for a school science fair!
This is all about ergonomics, the simple fact is the angle of the pelvis is different for men and women. Female pelves are larger and wider than male pelves and have a rounder pelvic inlet. The angle between the inferior pubic rami is acute (70 degrees) in men, but obtuse (90–100 degrees) in women. Accordingly, the angle is called the subpubic angle in men and the pubic arch in women.
The difference in angle allows women to do the chair thing and men unable to do it.
I can but it’s because I have double jointed knees . Can’t do it without locking knees back . We did this in class in junior high .
This topic simply proves people will argue about anything.
Might of already been said but center of gravity being the reason is bunk. Men and women have very similar center of gravity ( slightly above or below belly button)
Women in general have a slitghly lower cog but to say it’s their pelvis is stupid or to think it’s in the chest for men. Balance yourself on a plank in the air. If you think a man can balance on his chest then you’re a dumb dumb. Men are vastly stronger than women pound for pound though. Even a skinny man with no muscle definition will be much stronger than a woman who works out…
I’m a girl and I can’t do it.
well then you are not a girl then
There is a simple test to demonstrate the real source of this alleged gender disparity. Try it.
Instead of a wall, use a wooden plank that someone holds vertically. Bring yourself in position, 3 steps back. Remove the plank. If you fall forward you will fail the chair test. If you can hold your spot you will succeed.
The reason: balance. Once out of balance(falling forward) you cannot return to vertical without applying a counter force on the wall. Failure or success at the chair challenge is only a function of who is in and who is out if balance. Foot length and upper body length are the key factors. Not center of gravity. Not gender. Not pelvic strength.
Test it yourself.
My girlfriend showed me this from a social media app, and challenged me.
Shes 5’6, about 74 kgs, with a small shoe size, im 5’8, about 70 kgs with a big shoe size.
She could easily do this, and i simply could not. my head didnt want to leave the wall, and no way was i able to stand up. it was hilarious.
One up for the ladies.
I managed to get it done, struggled, definitely didnt do it with ease but I did manage to get upright with the chair at my chest. Had to focus to drive through my heels
Haha we tried this. My husband and step dad couldn’t do it but I could. Three various heights and sizes.
We think it’s because women are genetically created to carry a baby, or a heavy load in the front (I.e chair). I picked up the chair and said it was my abs that did the work, both the boys said it was their hamstrings that were being used.
There is NO TRICK TO THIS! I has to do with Body Mechanics in male and female. Female’s center of gravity remains over her hips.. but male’s body center of gravit is over his chest. Watch closely and you see it!
this is a center of gravity activity, often done when learning about cog and mass in school. in general, it is an easier task for women because their center of gravity is in their hips and waists, which are over the feet when leaning at a 90 degree angle. Men however have a center of gravity that is primarily in their muscular chests and shoulders. (women have more muscle mass in their hips and waist, since breast tissue is fat cells not muscle). When there are exceptions to the rule, men who do it easily or women who cannot do it or struggle with it, the variable is core strength. A man with above average core strength can compensate for the center of gravity not being over his feet, but in his upper body, closer to the head he is trying to lift, which by the way, the chair has little to do with it. Women who have a weak core, may struggle despite her properly placed center of gravity for this particular lift. So men who can do this, good for you for having a strong core. and women who cant, now you know you need to strengthen your core, but for most women, just average core strength is sufficient for this activity, thanks to your waist and hips, the weightiest part of most female bodies. All the stuff about height, length of feet, child bearing strong backs, and hip rotation have nothing to do with it. There are some similar activities that showcase the more free movement of women,’ hips however., but not this particular one. ok bruised egos, this wasnt a test of strength or brains, it was simply a demonstration of the center of gravity. that is why sumo wrestlers squat, because lowering their center of gravity make it harder to knock them off their feet.
I can’t do it. I am a girl and I can’t do it!!!
😂🤣😂
I am a man and have size 10 feet and am 5 ft 7 inch and weigh ten and a half stone, and I can do this but I have a big dick so my centre of gravity is much weightier in the middle than in the top in fact I’d say it probably half my body weight in that thing. Unfortunately not all men have large weighty girthy dicks such as my self, and in some ways I really feel for them, so don’t look down on these small dicked men that cant lift that box, they are people with feelings.
You can’t argue with that its science.
I was always told it was a difference in male and female bones
It’s feet size, have a girl do it and stand in the same place and you can do it
Im a boy and i was able to do it. Why dont people believe me?
I remember when I was younger I freaked out my aunt by cheating this. I put some extra weight in my pockets and hid some ankle weights underneath my jeans, and was able to do this. My aunt started rambling to my mom about how there must be something medically wrong with me because boys aren’t supposed to be able to do that. XD
i can but my 15 brothers cant