Looking to add a few inches to your height? Being tall not only adds to your charm & attractiveness but also increases your athletic ability. Those extra few inches are really valuable when you are playing games like basketball where height affects your playing ability.
What you all are wondering right now is: Can jumping make you taller? Before we answer this question, let’s take a look at the various factors which determine a person’s height. These factors will help you understand why height varies from person to person.
Factors that Influence Your Height
There are various factors that influence human height. Genetics is the main factor that decides your height. Combine good genes with a healthy environment and lifestyle, and you will have a recipe for good height in your hands.
Let’s take a brief look at the factors affecting your height.
Genetics & Hereditary Reasons
Your genetics plays a very important role when it comes to dictating your height. Your genetics are the primary determinant when it comes to determining how tall you will be. Scientific research shows that there are over 700 genes in the human body that influence height.
These genes control the production of growth hormones, which in turn determines your eventual height. Of all the factors influencing human height, this is the most powerful one.
Nutrition
We have all heard that you are what you eat and this is true in case of your height & development. Children who have a healthy, balanced diet grow to be taller than children with diets lacking in essential nutrients.
While all nutrients are equally important when it comes to healthy development, a diet that is rich in minerals, proteins, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D leads to height gain.
Living Conditions
The environment you live in also determines how tall you will be. Bad living conditions and a toxic environment have negative impacts on the mental health as well as physical growth of a person, especially during early childhood years.
A healthy & active lifestyle along with premium living conditions will allow a person to grow tall and healthy.
Adequate Sleep
We all know that sleep is important for humans to function properly and to the best of their abilities. However, what most of us don’t know is that the pituitary gland produces growth hormone at night – particularly during deep sleep.
So even if you have genes predisposed towards tall height, you are getting a well-balanced diet, and your living conditions are invigorating, your height and growth rate will reduce if you don’t get ample sleep.
Health Conditions
For proper growth, the human body needs a healthy body. If a child is suffering from any illness or disease, it will hinder the growth and development of their body.
Exercise
Height and growth are all influenced by exercise. Teenagers and children can boost their height if they exercise regularly. Sports such as basketball, jumping ropes, swimming, hanging, etc. help children maximize their growth potential.
Body Posture
For those of us who are beyond the growing age, correction of body posture is crucial for improving our height. A proper body posture allows a person to reach the genetically predetermined height easily. Moreover, a good posture diminishes spinal compression so that your spinal cord is straight and aligned.
Does Jumping Make You Taller?
Now that you know which factors influence height, you can better understand the answer to the question – Can jumping make you taller? Technically, jumping alone doesn’t make you taller – however, in conjunction with the factors that we have discussed above, jumping does make a difference when it comes to your height.
By the time you have fully grown – between the age of 18 to 25 – your epiphyseal plates seal and your bones ossify. After that, you can’t do a lot when it comes to increasing your height. Jumping will help you improve your posture which will give you the appearance of being tall.
Apart from jumping, there are also various other exercises that will help you maximize your height. Poor posture and therefore, spinal compression can make us lose almost 1% of our height.
Due to poor posture, the vertebrae collapse, and the spinal cord starts to curve gradually. Exercises such as hanging, stretching, jumping, etc. reverse the spinal compression and help you gain good posture.
Therefore, if you were searching for a way to increase your height, you can correct your posture by jumping and exercising, and add a few coveted inches to your height.
How Jumping Makes You Taller?
When it comes to increasing your bone length, jumping ropes or jumping, in general, will not do that. However, jumping makes you taller by helping you unlock your maximum height potential easily.
For instance, when you are jumping a rope, your head is in a neutral position while your shoulders, torso, and back are held in an erect position. Moreover, your body centres itself over your feet to maintain balance.
These movements combine to adjust and improve the overall spine alignment. Furthermore, jumping increases your heartbeat which increases blood flow in your body. Moreover, when you are jumping, your legs are continually stretching and exercising.
This movement increases muscle & ligament flexibility. If you jump during your teenage years and puberty, it will increase your bone density & mass as well. Due to the constant knee bending throughout jumping, the muscles in your calf are expanded vertically.
Moreover, since jumping is a high aerobic activity, it will reduce your tummy fat as well. With a slim body, you will look taller. If you combine jumping with a balanced diet, sleep, and peaceful living conditions, you can improve your height.
How to Improve Your Height by Jumping?
We have established that jumping does aid in improving your overall height. However, we have some useful tips and advice for you before you start jumping.
- You have to be practical – you will not start to sprout inches by jumping ropes for a day or two. Go slow and don’t push yourself.
- Keep jumping for at least 6 months before expecting to notice any difference. There is no ideal number of jumps but it is better to start with 20 jumps per day and then gradually increase the number of jumps as your stamina increases.
- Like every other exercise, you need to get the right equipment before you start jumping. A nice, good-quality, comfortable jumping rope is something that will make the whole process easier for you.
- Getting a short trip will make it hard for you to jump while a long rope will cause you to trip & fall. Moreover, we recommend that you get a jumping rope made from soft materials such as plastic or foam to avoid hurting yourself.
- Furthermore, it is better if you get a nice, comfortable pair of trainers so that your feet don’t get sore.
- That bad posture didn’t occur on its own, right? Start paying attention to the tiniest details – take a look at your posture when you are commuting to & from work, when you are sitting at your desk, or eating your food at the dinner table.
If you don’t fix these daily habits, it will be hard for you to correct your posture and add a few inches to your height.
Do’s & Don’ts of Jumping
We know that increasing your height is important to you. What you need to keep in mind is that nothing is more important than your health and well-being. Therefore, you need to keep a few do’s and don’ts of jumping ropes in your mind before you begin.
Do’s
- Make sure that your heart rate is steady and your breathing is regular. If you lose your breath while jumping or you feel like your heart is beating too fast, you need to take a break and have a few sips of water.
- Calm your nerves and when your breathing & heart rate slows down, you can get back to jumping.
- Take short breaks after every 10 minutes and hydrate yourself. Keep a water bottle by yourself.
Don’ts
- Don’t be hard on yourself – if you are out of shape and haven’t jumped in ages, it will be hard for you in the beginning. Therefore, we suggest that you start with 20 or 30 skips a day and then keep increasing this number as your stamina increases.
- It is not a great idea to drink loads of water while you are jumping. To make sure your throat isn’t parched and you are hydrated, keep taking small sips of water during the breaks but don’t finish an entire water bottle.
- If your trainers are uncomfortable, change them immediately. It would not do if you end up hurting your feet while trying to improve your posture and height.
Can Jumping Make You Taller: FAQ
Q. Will Jumping Rope Increase My Height?
A. If you are jumping ropes in your puberty, it will help you grow taller. Your muscles and ligaments will stretch & contract. Your body fitness will rise and your bone density will increase. If you are no longer in the growth phase of your life, you can still add a few inches to your height by exercising and improving your posture.
Jumping will decrease your spinal compression and this will improve your overall height.
Q. Are There Any Exercises Other Than Jumping That Increase My Height?
A. Yes, there are plenty of other exercises that will help you improve your height apart from jumping. There are various yoga poses such as cobra pose, dog pose, etc. which will help you reach your maximum height potential.
Apart from exercising, adequate nutrition and proper sleep will improve your height as well. A few of those exercises are:
Plank
Plank is a very simple exercise with plenty of benefits, It strengthens your glutes and cores. This is a great exercise for maximizing your health as well as enhancing your posture.
Superman
Another great exercise for improving your posture & strengthening your lower back is the Superman. Lie face down and extend your arms in front of you. Rise your legs, arms, and chest simultaneously. Hold for a few seconds, and then repeat.
Bird Dog
Bird dog exercise will stabilize your lumbar spine – your lower back – and will strengthen your abdomen as well. It is safe for people with back injuries as well. Get down on your hands and knees.
Extend the right arm out and extend the left leg as well. Keep them level with your body. Repeat with your left arm and right leg as well. Hold for 10 seconds.
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Final Words
From playing basketball to acing the looks department, being tall makes life a bit easier. There are a few ways that can help you add a few inches to your height – Jumping is one of them.
For those people who are in their teenage years and are still growing, jumping ropes is helpful in ensuring they reach their maximum height potential. Past your growth phase? Fret not for jumping ropes will help you even then.
Despite the nature of your genes and age, you can still add a few, coveted inches to your height. Jumping will avoid height loss due to spinal decompression and will help you align your spinal cord correctly. A win-win situation, we must say.
Be consistent and patient – it will be worth the wait, trust us. We hope that you enjoyed reading this comprehensive article. We would love to hear from you – get back to us with your suggestions, feedback, and queries.