1. First and foremost, before working on your upper body exercise routine, it is important to work on your lower body as well. Your workout regimen should be a good balance between the two. Even though it is important to work on your upper body, do not cut back or completely eliminate the lower body workout. 2. Upper body stretches are the ideal way to add a few inches to your height. These stretches work on your spine and lengthen the upper body, and the corresponding result will make you look taller. Body stretches that extend your arms and legs concurrently, result in an increased height of your torso and upper body. 3. Another way to increase your upper body height is by stretching the spine by means of hanging. While hanging, it is important to keep your arms and shoulders completely relaxed, and the hanging process should not end within 20 seconds. This position stretches the spinal column and thus, lengthens the upper body. 4. Twisting is another way to increase your body height. The twisting exercise round the spine gives it an added flexibility. With age, our spine tends to become more inflexible; hence, these workouts become even more necessary. 5. Body inversion is another exercise that can help you grow taller. The effectiveness of the use of the inversion table for height increase has been proven time and again. This exercise regimen uses gravity to stretch your cartilage in the spine and knees. Body inversion should be performed 10 minutes daily, with two sessions in the morning and evening lasting 5 minutes each. In order to boost the potency of this grow-taller exercise, make use of inversion boots. 6. Performing yoga is another great way to add inches to your upper body. Practicing yoga helps in improving body posture and flexibility (1). This in turn results in increasing your upper body height. Yoga poses like downward dog lengthens and strengthens the upper body, thereby making you appear taller. 7. A good diet also plays a crucial role in increasing your upper body height. A balanced, nutritious diet will not only keep you fuelled, but will also enhance your energy levels. Ensure that your diet gives you an additional dose of Vitamin D and calcium to maintain optimum health of your bones (2), (3). Avoid fatty and sugary foods as they restrict the secretion of growth hormones in the body (4). 8. Developing a routine is also crucial. Body stretches or yoga, if performed just once or twice, will not assist in increasing your upper body height. Consistency is the key. It is important to form a routine and follow it sincerely. 9. Skip days. For any exercise routine, it is important to take one or two days off and vary the routine to check overuse injuries. This is another reason to keep lower body workouts in your routine to keep your off days filled. The rule of thumb suggests practicing yoga thrice weekly for half an hour and performing stretching exercises four or five times a week. 10. Last but not the least, take good rest. Also, sleep for minimum eight hours daily. This will give your body the time to recover and keep you energized for your workout the next day (5). Does working out at the gym increase height? It depends on your age. Individuals under 18 may benefit from specific gym workouts when they also take the right nutrition. However, while hitting the gym doesn’t boost one’s height, it does improve their posture. What age do you stop growing? You generally stop growing after the age of 18. What hormone helps you become taller? The human growth hormone (hGH) helps one become taller. It is released from the pituitary gland and is responsible for growth in children. Does testosterone increase height? Yes. Though not directly, testosterone stimulates the production of growth hormone and may increase one’s height during puberty. Does cycling increase height? No, cycling cannot increase height, but it helps extend leg muscles and makes you appear leaner and muscular, improving your physique. Does plank increase height? No, it doesn’t. However, a plank may give you a good stretch and strengthen your legs.

Sources