A viral ‘chair challenge’ – involving lifting up a chair from a bent-over position – is baffling scientists as it appears to defeat men, but women find it easy.
The challenge has gained notoriety on TikTok as couples post hilarious videos showing the unexpected results.
Each participant stands a few paces from the wall before bending over.
A viral ‘chair challenge’ – involving picking up a chair from a bent-over position – has couples in hysterics as women can do it but men can’t
With their heads pressed up against the wall, they grab a chair.
They must then lift the chair up to their chest and stand up.
Multiple people have tried it, but it seems as if only women are able to do it successfully.
Scientists have different thoughts on why this could be the case, one involving varying centres of gravity for the different genders.
The other theory is to do with men having larger feet – so further to walk away from the wall to reach the required paces.
In one clip a woman stands by a wall ready to take part in the challenge.
The clip shows a man trying to do the challenge. Gavin wobbles as he tries to get up before toppling over to one side as laughter erupts from behind the lens
Someone from behind the camera says: ‘So we saw a video that said women can do this because they have a lower centre of gravity and that men can’t. So we’re going to test it out.
‘So you’re going to put a foot against the molding and then the other foot directly behind. And then again.
‘And then you line your feet up. Put your head against the molding of the wall.
‘And then bring the chair underneath you, make sure you’re low enough, and then pull the chair to your chest and stand up.’
The female participant completes the challenge effortlessly. The clip then cuts to show the male participant doing the same thing.
The camera operator says: ‘Now Gavin is bigger than Hannah so he should be able to do this. So foot against the moulding and then behind, and then together.
A second video, posted to Twitter by Izzy Sam, shows another couple taking part in the challenge. The female participant gets into the correct position and effortlessly stands
‘Then put your head against the wall. Chair, pull up to your chest. And stand up.’
Gavin wobbles as he tries to get up before toppling over to one side as laughter erupts from behind the lens.
A second video, posted to Twitter by Izzy Sam, shows another couple taking part in the challenge.
A male voice from behind the camera says: ‘Alright, TikTok chair challenge.’
The male participant tries to stand but is unable to, much to the amusement of the female participant who erupts in fits of laughter
The female participant gets into the correct position and effortlessly stands.
The male participant tries to stand but is unable to, much to the amusement of the female participant who erupts in fits of laughter.
Another man then tries to stand, but is again unable to.
Talking about the science behind the challenge, scientist Jeremy Johnson told The Sun: ‘The centre of mass for most girls is lower to the hips, while the centre of mass in boys is much higher.
Another male participant then tries to stand, but is again unable to. Talking about the science behind the challenge, scientist Jeremy Johnson told The Sun: ‘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.’
Cambridge Professor Brian Ford, on the other hand, argues that it is to do with shoe size.
Because men’s feet are bigger, their three paces are larger so they end up being further from the wall when they reach their head forward.
This means that their legs slant backwards, away from the wall.
This makes women better suited to successfully complete the challenge unaided.
