Stretching exercises cannot give you what genetics didn't, but they can lengthen your muscles and improve posture so you can stand and sit up as tall as possible. Tense muscles shorten, and can prevent you from standing tall. Try daily stretching with exercises to target the spine, abdomen, hips and legs, even though this cannot literally increase your height.
Upward Bow
The upward bow stretch is a yoga posture that stretches the chest as well as strengthening the spine, legs and abdomen, making it easier to stand tall. To perform this exercise, lie face up with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Bend your arms and place your hands next to your head with your fingers pointing toward the tops of your shoulders. Then, press your arms and legs straight as you lift your hips toward the ceiling. The upward bow stimulates the thyroid and pituitary glands, which have a positive impact on growth. The pituitary gland controls the endocrine system that releases somatotropin, a growth hormone. Somatotropin affects height for children. Adults benefit from increased energy and bone health.
Upward-Facing Dog
The upward-facing dog exercise is another yoga posture that stretches the abdomen, chest and shoulders. The exercise also strengthens the spine and improves posture. To perform this stretching exercise, lie on your stomach with your arms outstretched on the floor in front of you. Slide your hands next to your armpits with the elbows bent. Then, use your arms to raise your torso and hips off the floor. This exercise is not suitable for pregnant women or for people with back injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Hanging From a Bar
Hanging from a bar stretches the body as gravity lengthens the spinal column and muscles. Relaxing the arms, hips and shoulders gives gravity the chance work unhindered. To do this exercise, hold the bar with your thumbs near each other, your palms facing forward, and hang as long as is comfortable. People who don't have a bar high enough to hang with the legs straight can bend the knees.
Standing Forward Bend
The standing forward bend exercise stretches the hips, calves and hamstrings. Doing this exercise strengthens the thighs, too. To perform this exercise, stand up straight with your feet together. Bend forward from the waist to fold your upper body against your legs. Touch your hands to the floor on the outsides of your feet if you can. Lengthen up through the tailbone and down toward the floor through the top of your head. People with back injuries should bend their knees during this exercise. An alternative exercise for people with bad backs is to bend forward only until the upper body is parallel to the floor, and place the hands against a wall with the arms straight overhead.
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