How to Grow Taller By Doing Yoga

Yoga is a highly beneficial form of exercise that not only improves strength, balance and flexibility, but it can also help elongate the spine. Technically speaking, if you are a full-grown adult, yoga will not make you "grow," as it cannot increase the length of your bones. However, yoga can help you appear taller by stretching the spine, creating space between vertebrae and helping you develop the muscles to support this extension. Yoga can also improve your posture and correct curvature in the spine, making you appear taller over time. Some people claim to have gained as much as three inches by regularly practicing yoga.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Focus on your breath. Breath control is an important part of yoga and a key component in elongating the spine. In each yoga pose, work on lengthening the spine as you inhale through your nose. As you exhale through your nose, try to move deeper into the pose without forcing your body.

2. Learn proper alignment. For the most benefits, learn the proper alignment of basic poses under the eye of a trained instructor. Even basic poses, such as Tadasana (Mountain Pose), will help you learn how to lengthen your spine in two directions as you extend your tailbone toward the floor while moving the lumbar spine and everything above upward.

3. Practice seated twists. Seated twists, such as Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose), deliver many benefits, including lengthening the spine, increasing spinal rotation and building strength in the muscles that support the spine --- all of which will help you stand taller. Creating length in the spine as you twist is necessary to avoid spinal compression and injury. As you inhale, lengthen through the top of the head, and twist as you exhale.

4. Practice backbends. Simple backbends, such as Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose), help strengthen and stretch the spine. Backbends are also excellent for reducing stress and boosting energy.

5. Be patient. By practicing yoga twice a week, you will soon start to notice an improvement in your posture, but it may take some time to build strength in your back and correct spinal curvature.

Tips & Warnings

• Work at your own level. Though many studios offer more-vigorous yoga classes, it is not necessary to engage in a strenuous practice to experience yoga's benefits. Work at a level that is appropriate for you, and gradually add more challenging poses as your strength and flexibility improve. Trying to force yourself into more advanced poses can lead to injury.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Mountain Pose
• Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
• Bridge Pose