In What Ways Can Yoga Make You Taller?

How often did you hear your mother say eating all your vegetables will make you grow up tall and strong? We’ve all heard it. While there’s science to suggest eating vegetables when you’re younger can add a few inches to your height when you’re an adult, it’s probably a bit too late to count on now.

Research has shown that tall guys feel more confident and have much more self-esteem. It makes sense that shorter guys might hope to look for ways to increase their height by a few inches.

Now that you’re older, you’re probably wondering if there are ways that will help to make you taller. One prevailing theory is that yoga can help. If you’re asking, “can yoga make you taller?” then read on. 

Can Yoga Make You Taller?

You´ve likely been told that there isn’t a lot you can do to grow a few more inches. As we grow older, height loss is something that we find ourselves having to contend with. 

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to reduce or prevent this from happening? Doing yoga regularly can provide several physical and mental benefits. However, it won’t make you any taller. 

Unfortunately, the things that affect how tall you are include your genetics, lifestyle, and diet. After puberty, there isn’t much you can do to influence your height. That said, there are ways you can make the most of the height you do have.

Doing Yoga Supports Good Posture

If you do yoga regularly, you will see increases in muscle strength and posture. It may take a while, but you may start to feel and look taller as your spine elongates with your improved posture. 

It helps you maintain a more upright position, raising your skeletal height by a few inches. You will probably feel it the most in your upper body, although your lower body will also play a vital role in this change you are feeling. 

Below, we look at some of the yoga poses that can help you maintain a good posture. But before we do, let´s look at some of the benefits of yoga.

Physical Benefits of Yoga

Yoga helps you stay physically active. In turn, this prevents your muscles from degenerating.  Muscle degeneration, along with a reduction in bone density, will occur as we get older, but it can also result from a lack of physical activity.

You may find yoga helps develop muscle strength and improve flexibility. These are crucial when it comes to maintaining muscle mass.

Along with doing yoga, you need a healthy, nutritious diet. You also need ways to keep your stress levels down and prevent or reduce inflammation. 

Are there Specific Yoga Poses You Can Practice that Will Improve Your Posture?

Yes, there are certain poses that you can practice that can stretch your spine and its connective tissues and improve your core strength. In turn, these may improve your posture. 

When practicing the poses discussed below, focus on opening up your chest muscles and stretching your spinal column.

You must ensure that the space between your hips and shoulders is as long as you can make it.

You must also get rid of any tension in your body. You still need to create some resistance to improve your muscular strength. This will help support your flexibility. 

Poses that Will Help to Improve Your Posture to Help You Stand Taller

Seated Forward Bend 

This is an excellent pose that will help stretch and relax your spine and hamstrings. 

If you do this pose regularly, it removes any tightness in these areas and improves flexibility. In turn, your posture will improve.

To Do This:

Sit on the floor with your legs straightened out in front of you. Keep your feet flexed and your shoulders relaxed.

As you inhale, raise your arms with the palms of your hands facing each other. As you exhale, hinge your hips and bring your hands down to the side of your shins, ankles, or feet. As you practice, you should be able to stretch farther.

Triangle Pose

This yoga pose works several parts of your body simultaneously. As you get into this pose, you´ll notice the following:

• It engages your core muscles.
• It stretches your legs.
• It opens up your hips.

To Do This:

Start in a standing position and spread your feet around three to four feet apart. Turn your right foot toward the front of the mat while you turn the toes on your left foot slightly inward. Maintain heel-to-heel alignment. 

As you take deep breaths in, bring your arms up to shoulder height, so they are parallel to the floor. Shift your hips to the left while extending over your right leg. Stretch as far as possible.

Bring your right arm down while you raise your left into the air. Depending on your flexibility, you may find that you can place your right hand on your shin or the floor. As you do this, look up at your left hand and hold this position for at least two deep breaths.

Cat and Cow Yoga Postures

This is the ideal yoga pose to start your day off with. It warms up your body and spine and strengthens your core muscles. In turn, it will help you to look taller.

To Do This:

Begin by getting down on the floor on your hands and knees. Make sure that your hands are placed below your shoulders. Your knees need to be hip-width apart.

Don’t place any pressure on your wrists. Keep your fingers pressed firmly into the mat. When you inhale, arch your back and drop your belly. Make sure your shoulders stay back and that you open up your chest. Look upwards. You´re now in the Cow pose. 

As you exhale, reverse the position. Round out your back and bring your head down, ensuring that you keep looking at your naval. You are now in the Cat pose. 

Standing Forward Bend

This is a great yoga pose that helps release tension from your shoulders and neck. You will also find it helps elongate the spine. It’s a great pose to use when you are feeling stressed. 

To Do This:

Begin in the Mountain pose. Make sure you are standing tall and your body is relaxed. 

As you inhale, take your arms above your head and ensure the palms of your hands are facing each other.

When you exhale, hinge your hips slowly, always keeping your legs straight. Make sure to keep your hands to the sides of your legs or behind them to provide a deeper stretch. 

Breathe into this pose, as gravity will help decompress your spine and neck. In turn, this will lengthen them.

Let’s Wrap Things Up 

So, can yoga make you taller? Unfortunately, no. But it can help you stand up straighter, which will make you look taller.

To make you look taller, focus on poses that lengthen your spine, like the ones discussed above. They will help improve your posture and reduce the risk of losing height as you grow older.

You may be surprised to find that your posture has deteriorated over the years and led to a misalignment of your spine. Carrying out certain yoga poses could help you regain that height you lost, even if it is just a few fractions of an inch.

But don’t become obsessed about not being as tall as you’d like. Height doesn’t determine your worth.

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