Growth spurts after puberty are not necessarily reserved for fun-house mirrors. Though illusion -- or the added inches of stretching tight and contracted muscles -- gives back much of the height the perils of modern living can claim, growth does not officially end until your hormones say so. This usually begins around the age of thirty when the human growth hormone, or hGH, stops being created in the pituitary gland. The magic words for creating your height illusion come in the form of stretches and exercise.
Yoga
In his book "Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health," yoga instructor B.K.S. Iyengar says the aim of yoga is to transcend physical limitations. Added height is commonly a result of stretching tight and constricted muscles, tendons and ligaments when practicing asanas, or the body positions of yoga. The cobra asana stretches abdominal and chest muscles and is achieved by lying on your stomach, placing your palms face down against the floor and pushing up until your back is fully arched.
Hanging Stretch
With a sturdy pole to hang from, you can offer your body height enhancement through gravity that stretches the musculoskeletal system -- specifically the spine. In his book, "The New Encyclopedia for Modern Bodybuilding," author Arnold Schwarzenegger says that hanging stretches can be performed by hanging from your hands or at the knees and should be done in 30-second intervals. Using ankle weights increases the chance of added height by helping to stretch the cartilage between vertebrae.
Resistance Stretches
Exercises that combine resistance training and stretching can help you gain height through the release of hGH, or the human growth hormone. Just as the name implies, hGH promotes growth in humans that continues on in gradual degrees during adulthood. A 2003 article in "Sports Medicine" journal states that weekly involvement in high-intensity resistance exercises, like rowing, cycling or swimming, stimulates hGH production in adults. The right resistance exercises can stretch muscles and bones while regenerating tissues through increased collagen production.
References
- "Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health"; B.K.S. Iyengar; 2001
- "The New Encyclopedia for Modern Bodybuilding"; Arnold Schwarzenegger, et al; 1998
- "Sports Medicine"; RJ Godfry, et al; Brunel University; 2003
