# How tall a swing set could one swing on?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-a-swing-set-could-one-swing-on/512410
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 2, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-a-swing-set-could-one-swing-on/512410 "2009-10-02T23:38:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-a-swing-set-could-one-swing-on/512410/1 "2009-10-02T23:38:39Z")
(inspired by the post " What are these Afghan/Pakistani men doing on giant swingsets? ")
When one swings on a swing set, it is possible to get almost as high as the cross bar that supports the swing.
Would it be possible to attach a swing to say the Petronas twin towers in Malaysia which have a bridge at the 42nd floor, and swing up that high?
Here’s a photo of the towers and the bridge between them.
[http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.backpackingmalaysia.com/images/gallery/kuala-lumpur/Petronas\_Twin\_Towers2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.backpackingmalaysia.com/gallery/image\_full/310/1&h=480&w=640&sz=50&tbnid=KIXkMSFArLxASM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPetronas%2Btwin%2Btowers&hl=en&usg=\_\_Y4E\_ftWqFnYH9F9t\_KAYsUbyhYo=&ei=0Y3GSqqCBJDGMevM9PIH&sa=X&oi=image\_result&resnum=5&ct=image](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.backpackingmalaysia.com/images/gallery/kuala-lumpur/Petronas_Twin_Towers2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.backpackingmalaysia.com/gallery/image_full/310/1&h=480&w=640&sz=50&tbnid=KIXkMSFArLxASM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPetronas%2Btwin%2Btowers&hl=en&usg=__Y4E_ftWqFnYH9F9t_KAYsUbyhYo=&ei=0Y3GSqqCBJDGMevM9PIH&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=5&ct=image)
---
### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-a-swing-set-could-one-swing-on/512410/2 "2009-10-03T00:18:36Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#):
>
> When one swings on a swing set, it is possible to get almost as high as the cross bar that supports the swing.
With the [right swingset](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Dzz-e5xVM&feature=related), it’s possible to go all the way over the top.
> [@](#):
>
> Would it be possible to attach a swing to say the Petronas twin towers in Malaysia which have a bridge at the 42nd floor, and swing up that high?
The swing would have to be massive, in order to store enough energy that the aerodynamic drag losses would be sufficiently low.
---
### Author:  [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-a-swing-set-could-one-swing-on/512410/3 "2009-10-03T14:55:37Z")
In addition to the aerodynamic drag mentioned above, I would think that the weight of the rope hanging down will limit how high one could swing.
---
### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-a-swing-set-could-one-swing-on/512410/4 "2009-10-03T18:55:29Z")
> [@J-P\_L](#):
>
> I would think that the weight of the rope hanging down will limit how high one could swing.
I think weight would help - steel bars would be ideal supports.
---
### Author:  [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-tall-a-swing-set-could-one-swing-on/512410/5 "2009-10-03T19:00:31Z")
The point being, though, that if you had, say, 100 meters of steel bar an individual may not have the mass to move it.
Tensile strength of the supports would be another issue.