Weight Standards?

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Weight Standards?

Hallo!

Well... maybe apples and grapefruits. ;) :) :)

Just for the record, my intent was not ridicule overweight or gray bearded males, or overweight females or male-imposters/posers- just that different Mental Pictures on the Sliding Scale of Imperfection we are all on make certain "statements" about the History and history they present to each other and to the public.

Curt
Putting the "imp" in "imperfection" for a 1/3 a century Mess

[vamick]

Re: Weight Standards?

Altho...one cant always go on looks alone here is my maternal ggfather who was an 'old' 31 by wars end..he looks older than that to me...

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Weight Standards?

Hallo!

Yes, age standards can be subjective because age and aging effects and appearance vary by person. And, a 19th century harder life style, and such things as exposure to the elements can "weather" age face and hands.

I have a friend whose male family members suffer from premature aging and early death. No male has lived past 50 or 51.
In his 30's he was often taken to be in his late 60's or 70's or more. Restaurants would routinely ask him for his "Golden Buckeye" senior citizen card. And one time at a unit party, the 70-some year old grandfather of a member thanked him for making the grandfather not the "oldest person" there.

Curt

[Hank Trent]

Re: Weight Standards?

but Ive never actually seen data that says 'we' here in 08 are across the board taller/chestier or for that matter 'smarter'!:D that latter is in great doubt seems to me! seriously has anyone researched this? Ive seen comparisons of hwo traps were worn, percentiles on uniform unifromity ect..what about age and body mass?

Sure, it's been researched. If you want to do it yourself, I'd say start with Fox's Regimental Losses (available online) and compare the data there to modern anthropometric data.

There are any number of ways to approach getting the period data: tailors' and dressmakers' charts, army statistics like from Fox's, surviving clothing, prison or hospital records, military uniform sizes, etc.

Here are some previous threads:

Average weight

Try this thread, especially around post 18ish

Soldiers' heights and weights

In general, it seems that average height usually comes in consistently an inch or two less, while average weight/measurements come in more obviously less, as does bone structure (based on shoe size, glove size, etc.).

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[vamick]

Re: Weight Standards?

Thanks Hank I was sure someone had done this..tho Im still of the opinion that our main difference is food and excercise..course Im of shorter stock myself so maybe I got a DNA gyp?:D

[JLHurst]

Re: Weight Standards?

These guys must be about to discuss this post as well.


Point is you do what you do, I'll do what I do.

Learn something, do your best, teach others, & have fun.

Don't let yourself be the above!

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Weight Standards?

Jermy,

I believe the guy in the red tie is really a female?

[Hank Trent]

Re: Weight Standards?

tho Im still of the opinion that our main difference is food and excercise.

I agree, and I'd also add better disease prevention/treatment, especially during childhood.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Bill]

Re: Weight Standards?

This has been a very interesting thread. I suffer from the double whammy of authenticity. I'm too old and I'm too fat; but I do attend events and I'm usually in my place in line when the march ends. Bottom line, if all the old, fat guys stop attending events, who's going to take our place?

After the fact, I found out I was nine years older than the next oldest particpant at the Winter '64 event. Was anybody's experience ruined by my participation in the event? I'd like to think the answer is no; but I'm not really sure. And more important, was there a twenty year old to take my place in the Cooler Hut?

[sustudent]

Re: Weight Standards?

Hey Bill,
The real question is, would that other 20 year old have been as tall as me? Think about two of me in one bunk. WOW!

In Mr. Groves' edit of Mr. Hurst's post he actually made a great point that really sums up what this post is about. "Attitude is the basis of most farbism's in the hobby." Attitude is what this thread deals with. People choose to let other's weight bother them. As many have pointed out, we are all too healthy and so on. However, we can choose to not let one's weight bother them. I am 6'6" and 250 lbs. There is a good chance that my clothes should not fit me well, or at all. Like Mr. Rodman's question, does the presence of my well-fitted clothing bother some people? I personally hate wearing a jacket that doesn't fit with sleeves that only come down to my elbows, but is that what some expect?

I hate to come off that I am trying to start a fire, but I think Mr. Groves' made an excellent point. This hobby is all about attitude. College was too stressful in February to let anyone's age or weight bother me.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Weight Standards?

In Mr. Groves' edit of Mr. Hurst's post he actually made a great point that really sums up what this post is about. "Attitude is the basis of most farbism's in the hobby." Attitude is what this thread deals with. People choose to let other's weight bother them.

But that's just the point Troy Groves is making. If we say it's always the other person's fault for having a bad attitude, then we could justify anything at events: "It's your problem if you're bothered by the cooler and enamelware by my firepit."

So there's another application of attitude too. If reenactors have a positive attitude about improving their impression, they'll try to lose weight to get within the typical range of the person they're portraying.

Unfortunately, that's neither a feel-good nor politically correct message.

And besides, we need the eggs.

Hank Trent
Great phrase, Curt!
hanktrent@voyager.net

[AZReenactor]

Re: Weight Standards?

I want to explain my comment on Mr. Hurst's post because it really is a double edged sword with legitimacy and threat at the same time. One does indeed need to be able to get beyond allowing the shortcomings of someone else's impression to ruin their experience, and worry more about what they themselves are doing. At the same time though, there also needs to be an awareness and concern about how your actions and choices are affecting those around you.

I reenact first and foremost for myself, but, closely on the heels of that, I reenact for my comrades and friends. Looking for ways to create an authentic experience for myself while at the same time creating an authentic interaction for my pards is the nature of the game. A major part of life is community and social interaction. To authentically experience history in a realistic manner, I need the cooperation and interaction of others and they need mine.

It is a definite balancing act and there are times when compromises need to be chosen or when mistakes and slips are made, but we work together and individually to get past them. What separates this end of the hobby from the mainstream isn't the quality of our gear or the schedule of our events but the community commitment to do better for ourselves and one another in our efforts to authentically capture slices of historic life.

[JimKindred]

Re: Weight Standards?

I very much agree with the sentiment that this thread is doing not much more that beating a dead horse that has been beaten many times in the past. Based on his profile I started in this hobby about the time the original poster was born and this topic has been beat on the entire time I have been in this hobby – 32 years. Is the problem of age and weight ever going to go away? The answer is NO so the best thing to do is get over it and go about enjoying what you like about this hobby. The time spent on these discussions could be much better spent toward discussing improvements that actually stand a chance of being made.

In all my years in this hobby the only things that have changed in this topic of discussion are the faces and names that go with it.

The above is my opinion and does not reflect that of the owners of the AC, the editorial staff or anyone else connected with the AC.

[westphalia]

Re: Weight Standards?

I stand 6'3" tall, so I'm automatically taller than the vast majority of Civil War soldiers. Last May 7th, I weighed 446 pounds. That's tough to write, but I'm being honest here. I woke up on May 8th determined to lose the weight, come hell or high water, because of something that was said to me by another person. It's regrettable and embarrassing that it took someone saying something to me to get me started, but.... at least I started.

I've lost 203 pounds this year by running 5 miles every night and cutting my calories. I am still too big, and my weight loss has stalled completely, despite my efforts to change my diet, alter the length and type of exercise I do, etc. I've likely come as far as I can.

I wish I could be a 38 jacket, and a 32 waist, but I'll never be there (though I'll certainly keep trying, since this is a permanent lifestyle change). That said, I can do a multitude of other things to make my impression better, and if what I've had to do isn't enough for someone, then I'll gladly avoid EBUFU events where I offend others. That's the price of my body weight, and I'll have to pay it, I guess. I completely understand the desire to have a certain "look" among the rank and file.

I will say this, though: I defy any one of those offended folks to outmarch me, outlast me in the rain or cold, go longer without eating or be more vigilant on picket.

[AndrewMartin]

Re: Weight Standards?

I stand 6'3" tall, so I'm automatically taller than the vast majority of Civil War soldiers. Last May 7th, I weighed 446 pounds. That's tough to write, but I'm being honest here. I woke up on May 8th determined to lose the weight, come hell or high water, because of something that was said to me by another person. It's regrettable and embarrassing that it took someone saying something to me to get me started, but.... at least I started.

I've lost 203 pounds this year by running 5 miles every night and cutting my calories. I am still too big, and my weight loss has stalled completely, despite my efforts to change my diet, alter the length and type of exercise I do, etc. I've likely come as far as I can.

I wish I could be a 38 jacket, and a 32 waist, but I'll never be there (though I'll certainly keep trying, since this is a permanent lifestyle change). That said, I can do a multitude of other things to make my impression better, and if what I've had to do isn't enough for someone, then I'll gladly avoid EBUFU events where I offend others. That's the price of my body weight, and I'll have to pay it, I guess. I completely understand the desire to have a certain "look" among the rank and file.

I will say this, though: I defy any one of those offended folks to outmarch me, outlast me in the rain or cold, go longer without eating or be more vigilant on picket.

Joe,

Weight...Height...be damned! What you said at the end of your statement is all I need to hear. Don't you dare shy away from one single event as long as you have that attitude....I'll be your file pard anytime!
I'm 5'10" 163 and I WOULD be overweight & tall if we were trying to get events THAT accurate.