What is the Centre of Gravity Challenge? The viral TikTok craze explained

17 February 2021, 11:50

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By Jazmin Duribe

Here's the Centre of Gravity Challenge on TikTok explained.

We might live in a patriarchal society but there's one instance where women have the upper hand: The new Centre of Gravity Challenge on TikTok.

Like the Chair Challenge that took TikTok by storm in 2019, the Centre of Gravity Challenge proves women are the better sex when it comes to balancing.

The challenge requires both participants to kneel on all fours and when both arms are removed from the floor, women usually manage to stay up, whilst men come crashing down to the ground. But why does this happen? Here's what you need to know about TikTok's latest viral craze…

What is the Centre of Gravity Challenge? Picture: @@mxrixx01 via TikTok

The Centre of Gravity Challenge explained

If you want to participate in the Centre of Gravity Challenge, it's pretty simple. All you need to do is kneel on all fours, with your pelvis aligned with your knees, and then quickly put your arms behind your back. You should either stay upright (and usually it's women who manage this), or fall down to the floor.

There are a number of reasons why this may be. Men are typically taller and bigger than women, meaning it requires more strength to keep themselves upright. Another factor is core strength and the length of limbs. Because men are usually taller and have longer limbs, it's harder for them to keep their balance.

The viral TikTok challenge explained... Picture: @samcity_ via TikTok

With the Chair Challenge, US scientist Jeremy Johnson found that because of the difference in the centre of mass for men and women, it made balancing more difficult for men. A study by the Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling also confirmed that "women commonly have an 8 – 15% lower longitudinal center of gravity than men" to provide women with more stability during pregnancy.