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It can sometimes be frustrating trying to keep up with the tall among your group. It is usually at such a time that you wish you were a bit taller. But not to worry, below you’ll find a list of exercises that can help you stack on a few inches (literally!)
These are the same exercises I used to add a couple of inches a few years back. They are pretty safe to do too!
Some of us balk at the thought of bodily exercises because it sounds like hard work. However, the following ‘grow taller’ practices are what we can merely refer to as a breeze. In other words, they are quite simple to do.
Table of Contents
Some Precautions
Exercises should be fun, and you should never experience pain in any way. No pain, no gain, they say, but that doesn’t apply to grow taller exercises. If at anytime you feel pain, immediately halt the practise.
In fact, be sure to check with your doctor before you get started with any physical routine.
Steps to Achieving Your Height
It may sound like rocket science but the fundamental principle around the ‘grow taller exercises’ is spine decompression. Sounds a bit funny?
It means that your spine needs to be at a neutral position before it can extend upwards.
You see, some of us that sit countless hours at our desks, typing away on our computer keyboard can have a hard time standing tall. Our spine decompresses, and get used to the question mark posture making you shorter in the process – not ideal. Exercises that stretch the spine and the surrounding muscles are perfect as they produce faster results.
And there are fringe benefits associated with incorporating the exercises in our lifestyle. They include enhanced spine flexibility and buildup of strength to maintain an ideal posture.
Now let’s jump into the actual exercises.
Exercises to Help You Grow Taller
- The High Arm and Body Stretch
For this exercise, you only need to stand two feet from the wall with your back to the wall. Raise your arms towards the roof and gently bend your body towards the back until you touch the wall with your fingertips. Keep moving further away from the wall until you can comfortably manage four feet away. It shouldn’t be so hard. - The Cobra Pose
Lie flat with your face down on a mat. Place your palms down near the midrib and place your legs together with the top of your feet on the ground, lift your upper body.Be sure to utilize your back muscles as opposed to your hands. While you’re doing this, maintain the position for about ten seconds before taking a breather.You can repeat the pose two to three more times. The cobra pose is a favorite exercise among the Eastern cultures, and it stretches your back, works on your abdominal muscles and improves body function. As a result, the task is something you should do on a regular basis for the best results. - Bird Dog Stretch
It is a typical exercise that involves going down in a pushup position but with knees firmly on the ground. Lift one leg and extend it backward, and thereafter, lift your opposite side hand forward. Maintain the position for about ten seconds before doing the same to the other leg, and hand. Ensure you are facing down for the entire exercise to avoid straining your neck. - The Abdominal Stretch
For most of us that sit for extended periods, this exercise can help stretch tight abdominal muscles. The exercise will loosen, and minimize the tension these muscles have on the spine, and you can easily maintain an upright posture. Go down on your left knee with your right foot before of you. Bend the extended knee and while keeping your back straight, bend back a bit. You may put your hands on your hips and gently shift your torso towards the left, and then to the right. Repeat the stretch for the other side. - The Cat and Cow Stretch
The cat and cow stretch helps move your spine to the natural position. To perform this simple exercise, you go down in a press-up position but keep your knees on the floor. You then arc your back and face downwards for the cat pose.Maintain the position for a couple of seconds before moving on to the cow pose. For the cow pose, you lift your head upwards, pressing your shoulder blades and scooping the spine. The posture eases tension and relaxes the muscles adequately. - The Swing
The swing requires a monkey bar or pull-up, fixed a foot higher than your height. Leap and grab the bar, swinging your body back and forth until your arms get tired. This provides an overall great workout. - The Inversion Table Exercise
For this exercise, you need an inversion table to decompress your spine, as well as, your other body parts. The equipment is especially ideal for those that generally sit for extended periods as it stretches and relaxes the muscles.Adjust and secure your feet on the inversion table and then gradually lift your hands to rotate upside-down. Stay in the same position for a few seconds, and you will feel relaxed. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but once you get used to it, it will be more comfortable and more relaxing. - The Sushi Roll Exercise
It is one of the purest forms of exercises to hack as you only need to lie on a comfortable surface like on a mat or carpet, and stretch – how hard could this be?Extend your arms and legs vertically while stretching the entire body to as far as possible.Then in a sushi roll style, twist your body while stretching every bit of your body part. However, be gentle with yourself, and avoid overdoing it. - The Rocking Chair Stretch
It may sound like it, but this is not a sitting exercise. For this exercise, you lie down with your face downwards. Grip your hands together and lift your legs, as well as your upper body sufficiently without bending the knees.Then rock your body back and forth like a rocking chair.
The Fringe Benefits
Besides making you feel taller and more confident than before, the exercises help to increase blood flow to the areas that decompress as you sit in your office. You recoup your energy quickly, and become more productive – your boss will wonder what happened to you since you are taller and better.
Other benefits include looking younger. Exercises enhance your body functions, making them efficient and stronger. You also become sick less often since your body removes waste and toxins efficiently.
Please Note
The above exercises will not produce immediate results, and so patience and resilience are key. Make them comfortable and enjoyable to keep it up for a longer time. The idea is to incorporate the exercises into your lifestyle and get the benefits.
If you are serious about adding a few inches to your posture, then the above exercises should do the trick for you regardless of the stage in life that you are in.