Well, there are ways to look taller, but it’s not a guarantee for everyone.
What makes someone tall?
Most people hit their max height by around 18-20 years old. About 80% of your height is decided by your genes, while the other 20% comes from things like nutrition and health during your growing years.
If a mom smokes or doesn’t eat well while pregnant, or if a kid has a rough childhood with poor nutrition or stress, it can hold them back from reaching their genetic height potential. But it’s pretty rare to grow taller than what your genes say.
That said, kids can sometimes end up taller than their parents for a couple of reasons:
- Their parents might not have had the best nutrition or healthcare when they were growing up, so they didn’t reach their full height.
- The genes for being tall might have been “hidden” in the parents but show up in the kids.
Once you hit your genetically determined height, you can’t really grow taller. However, you can work on how tall you look by doing the right exercises. Let’s dive into what won’t help you grow taller.
What exercises won’t help you get taller?
A lot of people think hanging from a bar will make them taller, but all it does is stretch your back a bit by creating space between your vertebrae. There’s no solid research on this, but one study showed that lying down with a pillow under your lower back for 10 minutes could add about 5 mm to your height—though that goes away as soon as you sit up.
Jumping won’t actually make you taller either. It might help with bone density, but it won’t lengthen your bones. During childhood and teenage years, your long bones grow because of growth plates, but that stops around 20. Your bones keep renewing, but they don’t get longer.
Stretching exercises don’t really help with height either. They can improve your flexibility and joint movement, but they won’t change your bone length. The only time stretching might help is if you’re slouching, which can make you look shorter.
What exercises can help you look taller?
If you have a hunched back or a forward neck, it can make you look shorter. Strengthening and stretching exercises can really help with that.
If you want to improve your posture, it’s a good idea to work with a physical therapist, especially if you have back or neck pain.
Yoga is also a great option! It can help you maintain good posture and reduce slouching, especially in the first six months of practice.
If you prefer to work out at home, here are some exercises to help with your thoracic spine mobility and back strength. Try to do them every day!
Cat-Cow:
Get on all fours, inhale, tilt your pelvis back, and arch your back like a cat. Then exhale, arch your back again, focusing on your upper back. Alternate between these positions for a minute.
Bird-Dog:
On all fours, lift your right arm and left leg at the same time, keeping them parallel to the floor. Make sure your lower back stays neutral. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then switch sides. Do 10-12 reps on each side.
Plank:
Get into a push-up position, with your hands under your shoulders and your abs tight. Hold for 30 seconds, rest, and repeat two more times. Gradually work your way up to a minute.
Give these a shot, and you might just stand a little taller!
