Many of us are not happy with the way we look, be it our appearance, weight, or even height. But there are solutions available all around, some medicines and treatments promise an increase in your height but are very expensive. One of the best options is – Stretching exercises are a natural solution to increase height quickly.
The height of a human body has many contributing factors, like environment, genes, hormones, and nutrition. The best way to improve growth requires a range of activities that play a vital role in enhancing muscles(lower abdomen and lower back) and posture that encourage your body to release growth hormones into your bloodstream. In this article, you explore some best stretching exercises to increase height naturally.
Will Stretching Increase Height?
- Genetic factors play a significant role in determining vertical body height. But you can influence it a little with some physical factors like exercise and diet.
- Growth in most people stops with puberty when the growth plates are fused. However, stretching exercises help add a few inches to the height for many people around the age of 22-25.
Top Stretching Exercises To Increase Height With Pictures:
Can stretching make you taller? Well, there are several methods and diets to increase height fast at a particular age. Stretching exercises are beneficial to increase height within a short period naturally.
This article will guide you to what stretching exercises are helpful to increase height. Follow the below 18 best stretching exercises to increase height.
1. Forward Bend(Touch Your Toes):
It is the most common stretch there is and helps the muscles in your calf stretch and relax.
How To Do:
- Stand straight and raise your hands into the air.
- Now slowly bend and try to touch your feet with your fingertips.
- Remember to keep your knees straight without bending.
- It will be difficult to touch your feet without bending your knees at first.
- Doing it regularly for five to ten times a day is beneficial.
Benefits:
- When you do this, your calf muscle strength improves significantly. It adds depth to your abdomen and will stretch your spine, thereby adding those inches to your height.
2. Rope Skipping:
Skipping is another way to stretch your muscles that help you increase height. It is a fun way to keep yourself fit too. Another way to do it is by using a trampoline, which is more prevalent in western countries and being introduced in many play-zones for kids in India also.
How To Do:
- Take a skipping rope and jump with both legs together in-sync with the cable.
- You can repeat this process for as long as you can.
Benefits:
- Skipping is a playful was of stretching, which affects mainly your calves but also activates quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
3. Calf Stretch:
Calves play an essential role in the healthy functioning of your body. Since they are used in the movement from one place to another. Here is how you can try it.
How To Do:
- Stand straight facing a wall or similar surface.
- Put your hands on the wall.
- Put your right foot forward, heel touching the ground, and bend your knee slightly.
- Push your left leg backwards and stretch as much as possible and lean toward the wall.
- Hold the stretch for at least 15 to 20 seconds.
- Now slowly come back to the standing position.
Benefits:
- This stretching exercise refines your calves and helps reduce any inflammation. To achieve your height increase, it is better doing it regularly.
See More: Increase Height Naturally after Puberty
4. Reverse Table Pose:
How To Do:
- Sit on the mat with your legs drawn out and arms on each side.
- Bend your knees, keeping your feet flat.
- Slowly move your hands behind your hips, with a width of your shoulders. Turn your fingers in the direction towards your feet.
- Breathing slowly, keep your elbows straight, and keep your hands and feet firm on the ground.
- Slowly lift your hips towards the sky, raise your chest, and draw your shoulders firmly into your back.
- Try to keep your knees, torso, and chest parallel to the ground.
- Do not strain any muscles and try relaxing and keep your legs firm.
- Once you are comfortable, slowly bend your head backwards and look at the wall.
- Remain in that position for 10 to 20 seconds.
Benefits:
- This stretching exercise help strengthens your shoulder, lower back, abdominal muscles, and pelvic floor muscles.
5. Hanging From a Bar:
One of the best ways to tackle your height problem is by hanging and swinging from a bar. Many people cross it off as a hoax, but some researches proved that stretching could increase your height. For starters, place a rod one or two inches above your height so that you have room for body movement. A quick jump should kickstart the hanging process and try touching your toes to the floor. It is a great stretching exercise to increase height.
How To Do:
- Jump and hold onto the rod or bar.
- Keep your palms facing outwards.
- Stay in that position for as long as possible.
- Keep repeating the process with a gap of 20 seconds for 3 to 5 times every day.
- To achieve the best results, continue the process for at least three months.
Benefits:
- Hanging exercise works by decompressing the spine and introduces the correct posture. The stiffness of your back will improve along with your grip strength and overall core stability.
6. Cycling:
Riding a cycle is a significant part of our childhood memories. Cycling is a real stunner of an exercise where you can engage in some physical activity and get some fresh air.
How To Do:
- Get onto your bicycle and place your feet on the pedals.
- Apply pressure and start pedalling clock-wise.
Benefits:
- When you pedal the cycle, your legs go through a rigorous workout, stretching, and movement. This increases blood flow to your muscles, making them more flexible for growth.
7. Basketball All The Way:
Playing sports is very good and an advantage for tall people. Basketball is one such sport that can help increase your height. Sports give a rush of adrenaline and make your body flexible. Basketball is a solid game that includes dunks, jumps, and swivels. Along with all these technical details, the goal to reach higher to score a basket is the real thrill. Sign up with a basketball team and see yourself gain inches just like that. It has functional stretching exercises to increase height for men.
Benefits:
- Dribbling the ball improves both the hands, not just the dominant one. Constant movement in your legs around the court help tone your leg muscles, increase blood flow, thereby help in increasing your height.
8. Pilates:
Much like aerobics, Pilates is a fast-paced exercise, which limits itself to body flexibility and stretching. It shakes off the rigidness of your body. Pilates not only help you to keep yourself fit but also align proper posture and strengthens your abdominal muscles by doing a thorough workout for your lower body. Stronger muscles would mean more weight holding capacity and, thus, growth.
How To Do:
- Extend your arms, parallel to the ground.
- Your feet should be apart.
- Straighten your legs to bring the ball forward.
- Now roll backwards, making a straight line with your body.
- Bring your chest and head away from the ball as you lift them.
- Hold for 5 seconds and repeat.
Benefits:
- Pilates helps strengthens your abdomen. It focuses on your lower body and hence works to energise your abdominal muscles. This is another best stretching exercise for height.
9. Swimming To Increase Height:
Swimming is one of the excellent activities to increase height. Many people start learning swimming from a very young age, and it is ever such a favourite summertime hobby. Learning swimming is a life-saving skill and also because swimming keeps you fit, by allowing you to grow through those strong leg strokes and keeps you off from gaining pounds.
Benefits:
- Swimming increases body height by stretching your ligaments, tendons, and spine. This perfect motion is another good stretch for height.
10. Spot Exercises:
We may not have time to go to the gym, to do some exercise. You can still do plenty of workout at the comfort of your own home. Wake up in the morning, spread the yoga mat, and practice some hands-free exercise. This may include some squats, twists to your hips, or stretches like touching your toes. Even though the results might take a while to show up, you would always benefit from it.
How To Do:
- Fold your legs and sit in such a way that your heels touch your buttocks.
- Keep your spine erect and breathe slowly.
- Now slowly bend forward, putting your palm downwards.
- Pull the stretch for about 20 seconds.
- Get up slowly and come into the sitting position.
Benefits:
- Spotting stretches are suitable for your gluteal area, legs, back, and abdominal muscles. Continuous practise of these stretches offers a wide range of benefits, including the growth of height.
11. Side Stretch:
Stretching sideways can be very useful in increasing height. You can increase your height quickly by practising side pulls regularly and correctly. It will make the muscles grow and make them elongated as well. Try this stretching exercise out to increase height after 22. One thing you should keep in mind is that these stretching exercises should not be practised with your stomach full.
How To Do:
- Stand erect and move your legs apart shoulder length.
- Join your palms and put your arms on the top, bringing them together.
- Now stretch on either side alternatively.
- While stretching, stay on each side for at least ten seconds.
- You can do ten sets for 10 to 15 minutes daily.
Benefits:
- Side stretching is an excellent upper body workout for women making your muscles flexible, allowing them to function correctly. It also strengthens your abdominal muscles. These stretches can be done as a warm-up before any significant exercise session. It also assists in burning proper amounts of calories and makes the belly and the sides of the waist firm.
12. The Low Lunge Arch:
Arching your back and upper body is an effective way to increase height. Toning the upper body is robust and requires some hard work with a proper technique. This particular stretching movement allows you to stretch the muscles effectively and thus results in an increase in height. If you are looking for body stretching exercises to increase height, then this is a good one.
How To Do:
- Kneel, and put your right foot forward and bend the knee. Put your left lack backwards in a straight line while knee touching the ground.
- Put your hands on the right knee and slowly bend backwards.
- Put your hand up in a namaskar position and inhale. Stay in that position for as long as you can.
- Then slowly let your upper body come to an erect position, put your arms down and come back to kneeling. Exhale.
- Then repeat the same with a left knee forward, and right knee stretched at the back.
- You can do three sets in the beginning and increase gradually.
Benefits:
- The low lunge arch stretches help tone and stretch your calf and back muscles. Doing these stretches regularly increases your height. It also gives you toned arms. And it will shed the arm fat and make you look beautiful physically.
13. Runner Stretch Technique:
You cannot achieve the height growth you want only with hanging and swimming. This is an ideal stretch exercise for height as it involves stretching your calf and abdominal muscles. It will have some sound effects on the muscles as well and will make the calves steady as well. It is also considered as a stress relief technique and can be done by both men and women.
How To Do:
- First, kneel on the ground, put your right knee forward and stretch your left knee backward parallel to the ground.
- Keep both your hands on the right knee and breathe properly.
- Bend backwards facing the sky at a 70-degree angle.
- Slowly bend forward and come into a kneeling position.
- Repeat the same with a left knee forward.
- You can start by doing three sets per day and gradually increase.
Benefits:
- It reduces the stiffness in your back muscles, and with the help of this technique, one can easily lengthen the back muscles without hurting them. This is a fantastic stretching exercise to increase height after 21.
14. Cobra Pose:
Cobra pose is a stretching exercise also called reclining back-bending pose looking like a cobra, hence the name. It is a beneficial stretching exercise to grow taller.
How To Do:
- Lie down on your tummy.
- Put your palms facing down in level with your shoulders.
- Slowly lift your upper body. The transition has to be very smooth.
- Bend backwards as much as your body allows.
- This stretching technique enhances the growth of cells and increases your height with continuous practice.
- Start with 3 to four sets per day and can increase with practice.
Benefits:
- This pose strengthens the muscles in your arms, back, and chest. All the areas which are crucial to increase your height. It also decreases stiffness in your body, strengthening your arm muscles. Regularly practising will have a definite effect on your height growth.
15. Pelvic Shift:
Can stretching exercises increase in height? Yes! The pelvic shift is much similar to the bridge practices. Here is how to do it.
How To Do:
- Sleep on the flop, looking up at the sky and relax.
- Put your hands at the side of your body and fold your knees.
- Now gently apply pressure on the foot and raise your hips, keeping your back straight all the while.
- Breathing slowly, come back to the sleeping position, and put your knees down.
- Repeat the technique for 8 to 10 times a day.
Benefits:
- The pelvis is very important to maintain a proper posture. It strengthens the lower back, glute muscles, and lower abdominal muscles and maintains hip muscle balance. All these help stretch your muscles and increase height.
16. Dry Land Swim:
For those of you who are afraid of water, here is how you can swim leisurely without water! This can be the best stretching exercise to increase height after 20.
How To Do:
- Your right arm should team up with your left leg, and vice-versa.
- Lying in the prone position, lift each pair turn by turn, stretching each limb as much as you can.
- It yields the best results if you can hold each pair of limbs for 20 seconds in the air.
- Keep repeating and do it in 3 to 4 sets initially and gradually increase.
Benefits:
- This stretching technique helps strengthen the lower back muscles, calf and arms are toned too. This results in adding those inches to your height.
17. Pilates(Roll-Over Stretch):
This Pilates rollover exercise will strengthen your spine and lengthen the vertebrae of the neck. Here is how to do it. This is an excellent stretching exercise to increase height after 18.
How To Do:
- Lie on your back with your arms along your sides and palms facing down.
- Keep your legs together and extend them straight up towards the ceiling and bend them, making them touch the floor.
- Slowly bring your legs back facing towards the sky and then rest them on the floor.
- Touching the floor with your fingertips will be difficult at first.
- But with a lot of practice, you can master this technique.
Benefits:
- Pilates rollover technique is best to strengthen gluteus muscles and lower abdominal muscles. The more you stretch, the more will your spine will stiffen, helping you grow.
18. Forward Spine Stretches:
Try out this leg stretching exercise to increase your height even after 21. Here is how to do it. These stretches focus on the back, abdominal muscles, and hamstrings.
How To Do:
- Sit with your spine erect and legs forward and spread your legs.
- Slowly bend forward and reach your fingertips or heels to stretch your leg muscles.
- Stretch for at least 10 to 20 seconds.
- Then, slowly move back and come into a sitting position.
- Repeat this technique for 3 to 4 times in the beginning and gradually increase.
Benefits:
- This stretch is beneficial for back muscles and glutes. It helps relax, stretches, and realignment of the spine.
19. Yoga – Sun Salutations:
Yoga is very beneficial for a healthy body and mind. It is a slow-paced breathing exercise, often including specific stretches that loosen up your rigid body. It is essential to take deep breaths in between to calm your mind. Sun salutations or Surya namaskar is a collaboration of different yoga positions done without a break in a complete sequence. Sun salutation is one of the best stretching exercises to increase height fast.
How To Do:
- Stand and keep your feet in the shape of v and face the sun.
- Join both palms, tip to tip doing a namaskar. Raise your hands upwards while inhaling.
- Bend backwards and stretch your arms. Exhale and touch the ground slowly.
- Your hands should be in line with your legs, and your head should touch the knees.
- Move your right leg back and raise your head slowly. Now get your head back to normal position.
- Next, move your leg backwards. The left leg should be in parallel to your right leg, and your toes should touch the ground. Exhale doing this pose.
- Slowly raise your hips, keeping your arms straight, and coordinate your head and arms, forming an arch pose. Exhale while pushing yourself up.
- Lower your body to the ground level, touching the ground with your feet, knees, chest, even your forehead, and palms.
- Inhale and raise your head backwards and stretch it as far as possible.
- Lastly, push yourself up and rest only on your feet and palms. Inhale.
- Bend the left leg to your knee. Bring your feet together and stand up in the namaskar position.
Benefits:
- It is the best way to start your day with yoga. Four sets of sun salutations for a beginner is ideal and can increase the count to 12 gradually. It energises your body and also improves blood circulation, purifies the blood, and strengthens the muscle.
Stretching not only helps in increasing height but also improves the internal activities and helps in designing the body based on the different physical activities that one has to perform regularly. The stretching exercises discussed in this article are beneficial when it comes to increasing height. This article gives you detailed information about the stretching exercises during and after puberty.
Pick the one that suits you best and reap the benefits by increasing your height. Please take safety measures before starting any form of height improvement exercise.
