The height (quite literally) of masculine appearance is being over 6ft tall. Being this tall puts you into the upper echelons of men and contributes to an excellent physique. However, with current societal developments, this is becoming a much rarer trait and thus much more sought-after. It demands respect, while also offering a certain grace in the stride. Being tall contributes to attractiveness, and thus the halo effect, making your life better all-around. In fact, studies have found taller men earn more, only furthering the benefits of being tall.
Most will say you stop growing at 18, however one thing to keep in mind is that our bodies don’t have a clock. When we stop growing is determined by several factors, especially our hormones & lifestyle. Someone who exercises, sleeps properly, and eat properly will see progress, even if they are over the age of 18.
If you’re under 21, you can make great progress with this. Even those who have stopped growing will benefit from this. Some don’t even stop growing until they are 25.
How We Grow During Puberty
Growth revolves around 3 factors:
- Nutrient Intake
- HGH Levels (Human Growth Hormone)
- Estrogen Levels
During Puberty, our body produces a lot of Human Growth Hormone. This hormone promotes growth in the body especially in muscle & bone. Human Growth Hormone is what we need to promote growth, hence the name. With proper levels, our body grows without us having to do anything. Without proper HGH levels, children’s growth is delayed & stunted, which is not what we want when trying to grow taller. The higher, the better.
Our bones have Growth Plates at the ends of them which determines when we stop growing. Growth Plates, also known as Epiphyseal Plate or Physis, fuse to the end of the bone we stop growing, solidifying our height for the most part.
For men, growth plates close anywhere between 18-21. Women’s plate close around 14-15. This is because of the amount estrogen in the body. Estrogen is responsible for the closure of Growth Plates, and thus more Estrogen speeds up the closure of the Growth Plates. This is why Women stop growing at a much younger age than men and why lowering estrogen is important for maximizing your growth.
Obviously we also need the right amount of nutrients to grow taller, and considering modern diets are lacking, we need to eat more and supplement. Eating plenty of quality foods consistently is one of our biggest priorities.
Exercise
Exercise is the most effective way of increasing HGH levels after sleeping, and carries many other benefits as well. If you want to grow taller, you need to exercise, simple as that. There’s a reason most 6’4″ guys also play(ed) sports in school.
High Intensity Training
For increasing HGH, the more intense, the better. High-resistance training such as weightlifting and sprinting are best for increasing HGH. Cardio increases cortisol levels much more than high-intensity training which may contribute to this. Workout programs such as High-Intensity-Interval-Training are great for this endeavor. Keep it short and sweet (as in don’t be a cyclist bro).
Sprinting
Sprinting is likely the greatest exercise for boosting HGH levels. As far as intense exercises go, sprinting is definitely number 1. Due to the intensity of the exercise for a short period, it is very important to incorporate into your routine. A full on sprint for 30 seconds twice a week is all you need to see amazing results. Look for sprint-training routines and incorporate them into your exercise routines as well.
Avoid Spinal-Compressing Exercises
The spine is very fragile, and exercises that put pressure on it can cause injury and stunt your growth. Your spinal discs are connected by spongy joint fluid which compress when pressure is put on them. This makes your spine shrink slightly until it is able to decompress with sleep & spinal decompression exercises. A compressed spine however makes it harder for your spine to grow. To put it in perspective, imagine a tree sprout growing in the crack of concrete. In addition to this is the risk of injury. Injuries to the spine, even acute damage, is is quite common with these exercises simply due to their nature and improper form. If you’re trying to grow taller, avoid these exercise until you’re done growing.
Spine-Compressing Exercises Include:
- Deadlift
- Weighted Squats
- Overhead Presses
- Sit-Ups
- Crunches
- Leg Presses
Diet
Eat Plenty of Food
Growing taller is like growing muscle, you have to eat a lot. A caloric-surplus is key to any sort of growth. Calories alone aren’t what you want, you also want micro-nutrients. You have to eat quality foods such as grass-fed beef and organic vegetables. Stay away from cheap cereals and grain-products filled with chemical additives. Nutrient-Dense foods are best such as meats, eggs, cabbage, bananas, and so on.
Calcium
Calcium is the main building block of bone and so it’s important to get plenty of it. Calcium is best absorbed in small amounts, larger amounts decreasing the percentage absorbed. Try to have food with Calcium with each (3) meal such as raw/organic milk, nuts, green leafy vegetables, cheese, or bone-broth. Don’t take supplemental calcium as it has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and kidney stones as well as not being absorbed or utilized that well.
Limit Sugar
Sugar has been shown to lower HGH as well as increasing estrogen levels. When you eat sugar, even from fruits, your body releases insulin to balance blood sugar. The problem with this is that Insulin hinders many processes such as growth and repair, in fact Alzheimer’s is being called Diabetes Type III because it has been so strongly linked to regular elevated blood sugar levels (such as from fruits/sugar intake and non-fasting diets). Limit your sugar to nutrient dense fruits such as bananas, blueberries, pomegranates, and kiwis and make sure to only have them during one meal each day.
Best Foods For Growing Taller:
- Eggs
- Beef
- Organ Meats
- Raw/Organic Milk (Zero Hormones)
- Potatoes (With Skin)
- Cheese
- Kiwis
- Coconut & Olive Oil
- Protein Powder
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Dark Chocolate/Cacao Powder
- Fish
- Nuts
- Fava Beans
- Bone-Broth
- Sardines (With Bones)
Foods To Avoid:
- Non-Organic Milk
- Flax Seeds
- Vegetable Oils
- Soy
- Gluten
- Grains
Lifestyle
Sleep
Sleep is more important than anything else for health & growing taller. The majority of growth & repair occurs during sleep, when your body releases the majority of your Human Growth Hormone. Due to this, optimizing your sleep should be your priority. Don’t stay up late, no matter the reason.
Ways To Optimize Sleep:
- Have A Sleep Schedule
- No Screens Before Bed
- Keep Your Room Cool
- Turn Your Phone Off or Put It In Airplane Mode
- Don’t Drink Water Before Bed
- Take Melatonin or Glycine
- Keep Your Room Pitch Dark
- Sleep 8-10 Hours
- Avoid Caffeine Entirely or At Least After Lunch
- Exercise In The Evening
Sunlight
Vitamin D does not make up for a lack of sunlight. All energy originates from the sun, making it quite literally the center of our universe. Exposure to sunlight is essential to our health which too few actually take to heart. 10 Minutes without a shirt on in the sun is all you need, though the more the better.
Be More Active
We’ve already established Exercise is important for health and boosting HGH levels, however being active in general is important for health. Simple things such as going for regular walks or running up the stairs instead of walking can be very beneficial for overall health & HGH. Rock your legs while you sit, stand at your desk instead of sitting, or walk to work instead of driving. This is also one of the reasons some people are naturally slim, even when they don’t workout. Some studies found that ‘naturally’ slim people were actually more active throughout the day compared to average people, doing things like I mentioned above. Be sure to throw in some light exercise or stretching whenever you can.
Avoid Porn & Masturbation
In addition to lowering testosterone, excessive masturbation has been shown to increase the amount of estrogen receptors in the body. This makes the estrogen in your body work more efficiently, speeding up the closure of your growth plates and feminizing you. Several people have reported better growth progress during months of abstinence compared to months of excessive masturbation.
Semen also contains almost every essential nutrient, and considering the average western diet, can hinder the optimization of your health.
Posture & Spine Health
If you’ve stopped growing, these are sure ways to add an inch or two to your height.
Improve Your Posture
There exists an old wive’s saying that goes something like this, “Stand straight, grow straight.”. Growing improperly takes away from your actual height.
Many people don’t know that good posture isn’t just sitting up straight every now and then, it’s literally engraved in your spine. These spinal deformities come in many different types and degrees, with anything in between the pictures above. If you don’t have good posture, there’s a good chance your spine & neck has some variation from above. This results in taking away from your height and frame, making you shorter and not nearly as imposing.
You can fix and prevent this by improving your posture. Sleeping on the floor is a very effective way. You can improve your posture by:
- Standing & sitting up straight
- Exercise, especially the back muscles
- Avoid sitting for long hours
- Using an ergonomic chair
- Stretching regularly
- Reminding yourself to stand straight whenever you use a doorknob
Decompress Your Spine
Throughout the day, your spine naturally compresses from exercise & gravity. You shrink by 1-2 inches from this. When you sleep, your spine is able to return to it’s natural state which is why you are actually taller in the morning. Regular decompression exercises are important for spine health as well as promoting spinal growth.
There are many ways to decompress your spine such as stretches and exercises. Any sort of position that takes pressure off the spine, such as hanging from a pull-up bar or a headstand is great.
Cycle between these 2 stretches for 5 minutes in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Stretches:
- Cat Pose
- Reach For The Sky
Cat Pose – Get on your hands and legs and simply stretch your body like you naturally do. Roll your shoulders back and puff your chest forward and then do the opposite. This is what dogs & cats do when the get, hence the name.
Reach For The Sky – Stand up as straight as you can with your hands up the same way. Push s far as you can with your back and arms whilst keeping your feet flat the floor. You will feel the difference in no time.
Lowering Stress
Stress is detrimental to human development, both mentally & physically. Cortisol (the stress hormone) hinders almost every beneficial process such as growth and repair of tissue. Reducing it won’t just help you grow taller, but it will also make you look better and live longer.
Meditate
One of the best ways to lower stress is to meditate. Meditation can change your response to stress on a physiological level, not just giving you a mindset shift. Meditation has also been shown to increase HGH levels, which is an added bonus for this endeavor. Simply meditate for 10 minutes a day before a stressful activity such as school or work.
Nap
Another great way to lower stress, as well as boosting HGH and pretty much benefiting every aspect of your life, is napping. Napping resets your stress counter from the day, making it a great habit. Nap for 20-90 minutes. Do it after you come home or sometime in the afternoon. Don’t nap for too long or too close to your regular bedtime as this can make it difficult to sleep regularly.
Limit Caffeine
Caffeine spikes your adrenaline & cortisol which prevent both growth & recovery. This also depletes your electrolyte stores, nutrients required for bone growth & health. Caffeine can also slow sleep onset which is important for growth. Keep your caffeine to the mornings and make sure to cycle it.
Avoid Smoking & Drinking
You know the drill. Smoking is a heavy stressor on the body, not just the lungs. The response to smoking in the body costs a huge toll, aging you faster and stunting your growth. Drinking alcohol also stunts your growth. Alcohol interferes with many processes such as growth & recovery, as well as increasing your Estrogen levels and speeding up the fusing of your Growth Plates. Avoid these 2 activities if you want to grow.
L-Tyrosine
L-Tryosine is an amino acid your body produces naturally. It is very important for your body’s stress response, however due to modern lifestyles many people’s bodies cannot keep up with stress and deplete it’s Tyrosine levels. Supplementing with Tryosine has been shown to improve the mind & body’s, helping you keep your cool & protect against stress-related damage.
Supplements
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D is essential for bone growth and the absorption of Calcium & Magnesium. Unless you get an hour of sunlight each day, you should be taking it. Take 5,000-10,000IU’s each day with food.
Vitamin K2
Vitamin K2 is very overlooked supplement. Vitamin K2 is very important for overall health, especially Testosterone & Bone health. Fermented foods such as cheese & sauerkraut, as well as quality animal products like butter & bone-broth are high in K2. You can also supplement with K2.
Boron
Boron is a mineral supplement known for it’s bone density & testosterone boosting benefits. It works by improving the absorption and usage of Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamin D as well as potentially being stored in the bone as well. Take 10mg with or before Vitamin D & Magnesium.
Strontium
Strontium is mineral that works similar to Calcium. Strontium has been shown to increase bone density & improve osteoporosis, however it’s unclear whether this is because it act similar to Boron or it is deposited in the bone like Calcium.
Melatonin
Melatonin can help you sleep. It won’t knock you out but it will help you sleep deeper as well as lowering Estrogen slightly. Take 5-10mg sublingually before 30 minutes before bed.
Glycine
Glycine aids in the production of Serotonin, a neurotransmitter very important for sleep. Taking it before bed helps more people sleep than Melatonin, making it a great supplement for sleep. Take it alongside Melatonin to really get knocked out.
Creatine, L-Arginine, and Niacin
These 3 supplements have been shown to increase the HGH response to exercise significantly. Take as you would normally with exercise.
Apex of Men 