Does abs workout affect height? What’s the truth?

Introduction

Doing ab workouts can help in strengthening your core and building up those abdominal muscles. Not only doing ab workouts can help in building ab muscles, but it can also help you get the “six-pack abs” that most desire to have at least once in their lives. Getting six-pack abs is often the thing that inspires people to start working out. 

More and more people are getting aware of the benefits performing ab workouts can provide. With this much hype about ab workouts, some myths and questions start to spread like does an abs workout affect height? 

In this article, we are going to discuss do abs workouts affect height, do they affect it in positive or negative ways, and much more. Keep reading!!

Does abs workout affect height?

Doing abs workouts or any other kind of exercises or workouts will not affect height in a negative way until and unless there is a severe injury. Instead, doing ab workouts might help in increasing height by boosting growth hormones and improving posture.

You must choose ab workouts based on your level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) to get the most benefits and avoid injury that might stop height growth.

Also, make sure to do all the exercises in the ab workouts with the correct form, and do not try to push too hard just to get that one extra rep. 

Another caution would be to not perform ab exercises that put too much pressure on the spine as it might lead to bad posture making you look smaller.

Does weight lifting reduce or stunt height and stop growth?

Some people still believe that lifting weights might stunt height and stop growth. While there is no scientific evidence to prove this, some study says that lifting weights at a young age can provide many benefits like increased strength, increased bone density and strength, improved self-confidence, and decreased rates of future injury [1, 2].

It’s important to keep in mind that these benefits come with the sake of performing exercises with correct lifting form, supervision, and effectively scaled lifting. 

If these things are not followed then there can be injuries and if there is an injury to growth plates then the height growth can stop.

Make sure to perform the exercises correctly and with the weight you can handle, to avoid injury and be on the safer side.

At what age does height growth stops

At what age does height growth stop will vary from person to person due to reasons like genetics, nutrition, growth spurt, certain medical conditions, etc. But it is believed that generally, height growth stops at a certain age which varies for boys to girls as males tend to grow for about 2 more years than females [3].

For Boys

Most boys stop growing by the age of 16. While they can continue growing for just about an inch till their late teens. While their muscles can continue to grow and develop.

For Girls

For girls, most of them stop growing by the age of 14. It’s important to keep in mind that this number may vary because of certain reasons.

Disclaimer: The terms “boys” and “girls” here are used to refer to sex assigned at birth and terms historically used to gender people. No gender discrimination is intended.

Does abs workout increase height?

Ab workouts can help in increasing height if you are still in the growing stage of teenage (puberty). Exercise can help in increasing a little height as it can help in boosting growth hormones [4].

If you are already a grown-up then unfortunately ab workout can not help you in increasing height. Performing certain abs exercises might help in improving posture which can make you look taller, but ab workouts will not help in actually growing taller unless you are still going on through puberty.

Tips for reaching the maximum potential height

If you are still in your early teenage you can do certain things to reach your max potential height. Here are some tips that you should follow to see the best results.

Exercise regularly

Exercise regularly and be physically active. Being physically active has a lot of benefits including increasing height faster. Exercise also promotes the release of growth hormones, which are essential for proper growth and development.

Overall, regular exercise can contribute to a taller appearance and promote healthy growth and development. It is just one of many factors that can affect height, but it is an important one that should not be overlooked.

Focus on nutrition 

Nutrition plays a crucial role in proper growth and development, including height. Adequate nutrition is essential for the body to receive the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to grow and maintain healthy bones and tissues.

Protein is particularly important for height growth as it is a building block for bones, muscles, and tissues. Calcium is also vital for strong bones, and Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium properly. Other important vitamins and minerals for height growth include zinc, magnesium, iron, and vitamin C [5, 6].

Eating a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods such as lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is essential for optimal growth and development. Processed and junk foods should be limited as they can hinder growth and development. It is also important to ensure that caloric intake is adequate for growth needs. Consuming too few calories can stunt growth and lead to malnutrition.

If you do not eat nutritious food you will not be able to consume important vitamins, minerals, and carbs that play a vital role in increasing height. Overall, proper nutrition is essential for height growth and development [7].

Practice good posture

Practicing good posture is not only important for overall health but also for increasing height. Poor posture can lead to a compressed spine, which can cause a decrease in height over time. Good posture, on the other hand, allows the spine to align in its natural curve and helps to stretch the body, increasing height.

Practicing good posture can not only increase height but also improve overall health. It can reduce back pain, improve breathing, and even boost confidence. So, start practicing good posture today and reap the benefits for years to come.

If you have a bad posture fix it now, you can fix your posture by doing stretches and certain corrective exercises. Bad posture not only makes you look shorter but also limits height growth.

Perform yoga and stretches

Performing yoga and various stretches can help in improving posture, reduce muscle tightness, and increase height. Certain types of exercises like stretching and yoga can help to elongate the spine and increase flexibility, which can also contribute to a taller appearance.

Yoga poses such as the mountain pose, tree pose, and cobra pose helps in stretching the spine and improving posture. Additionally, stretching exercises like the cat stretch and the bridge pose helps in releasing tension from the back muscles, which can contribute to an increase in height.

By performing yoga and stretches, the body can naturally stimulate the production of growth hormones, which can lead to an increase in height.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is just another vital component in maximizing your height growth. All the muscle tissue repair takes place at night and getting enough sleep can help in faster recovery for your muscles, bones, and tissue after a workout. It’s important to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day to grow to an optimal height.

Getting enough sleep is essential not only for overall health but also for increasing height. When you sleep, your body releases growth hormones that help stimulate bone and muscle growth. Without proper sleep, your body won’t produce enough growth hormones, which can negatively affect your height [8, 9].

Make sure to prioritize sleep and establish healthy sleeping habits to ensure your body can produce the necessary growth hormones and repair tissues effectively.

Exercises that increase height

As mentioned above exercises and workouts can help in boosting height only if you are still going on through the puberty stage. But, certain exercises and stretches can help in improving the posture which can then help in making you look a bit taller. So, here are some exercises and stretches you can perform to improve your posture and look taller.

Bar Hanging

You might not believe but just hanging from a bar can do wonders for your body. From increasing grip strength to helping in looking taller bar hanging is one of the most complete exercises.

It helps in stretching most muscles of the body so that you can become more flexible and it also works multiple muscles as well to help build muscle and get stronger. It is recommended to perform 2-3 sets of bar hang till failure 2-3 times a week.

Swimming

Well, you might have heard about people sending children to swimming classes to increase their height. Well, this is because swimming stretches and works a lot of muscles in the body.

Swimming is an exciting exercise you can try to build muscle and increase a little height. It is also essential to learn to swim if you have not already as it can be a lifesaver.

Cycling

Well if we are talking about exciting exercises then cycling needs to be there. We all know certain health benefits of cycling but nowadays people think it is boring and yes people are getting lazy as well. If you think it’s boring just think about the health benefits and try going on an off-road ride or somewhere where you would love to cycle. You can also go to a gym and join spinning classes (indoor cycling) if you want.

Cycling can not only help in looking taller but also help with weight loss and strengthening leg muscles. 

Cobra Stretch 

Cobra stretch is probably the best stretch to stretch your spine. If you sit on a chair to work for lots of hours then this stretch can be extremely helpful. This stretch helps to increase height by improving posture and releasing tightness in various muscles.

Skipping 

Ready to jump?! Skipping rope is an excellent cardiovascular exercise and it is fun as well. Skipping can provide various benefits like increasing height, burning fat, improving cardiovascular health, strengthening leg muscles, and more.

Can a 14-year-old get a six-pack and not affect height?

Yes, a 14-year-old can get a six-pack by working out regularly and eating healthily without affecting height growth. Just make sure to perform exercises with correct form and do not try too hard to get a six-pack as it might cause injuries that might affect your height.

Conclusion

Performing ab workouts can have many benefits like strengthening abdominal muscles and providing visible six-pack abs. When it comes to height doing ab workouts or any kind of exercise won’t stunt your growth.

However, if you face an injury in the growth plates then it is possible that your height growth can be stopped. If you perform the exercises with the correct form, do not push too much, and eat healthily you can avoid these injuries.

In the end, fear of stunting growth should not come in way of working out if you follow the things told in this article.

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References

1. Myers AM, Beam NW, Fakhoury JD. Resistance training for children and adolescents. Transl Pediatr. 2017 Jul;6(3):137-143. doi: 10.21037/tp.2017.04.01. PMID: 28795003; PMCID: PMC5532191.
2. Malina RM. Weight training in youth-growth, maturation, and safety: an evidence-based review. Clin J Sport Med. 2006 Nov;16(6):478-87. doi: 10.1097/01.jsm.0000248843.31874.be. PMID: 17119361.
3. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/growth-13-to-18.html
4. Borer KT. The effects of exercise on growth. Sports Med. 1995 Dec;20(6):375-97. doi: 10.2165/00007256-199520060-00004. PMID: 8614759.
5. Fang A, Li K, Li H, Guo M, He J, Shen X, Song J. Low Habitual Dietary Calcium and Linear Growth from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: results from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 22;7(1):9111. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-08943-6. PMID: 28831091; PMCID: PMC5567300.
6. Kuraoka S, Oda M, Mitsubuchi H, Nakamura K, Katoh T, Japan Environment And Children’s Study Jecs Group. Impaired Height Growth Associated with Vitamin D Deficiency in Young Children from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Nutrients. 2022 Aug 13;14(16):3325. doi: 10.3390/nu14163325. PMID: 36014831; PMCID: PMC9415323.
7. Kim K, Melough MM, Kim D, Sakaki JR, Lee J, Choi K, Chun OK. Nutritional Adequacy and Diet Quality Are Associated with Standardized Height-for-Age among U.S. Children. Nutrients. 2021 May 16;13(5):1689. doi: 10.3390/nu13051689. PMID: 34065650; PMCID: PMC8156872.
8. Seo MS, Hwang IC. Association between height and sleep duration in Korean adults. Intern Med J. 2021 Feb;51(2):272-275. doi: 10.1111/imj.15181. PMID: 33631845.
9. Gulliford MC, Price CE, Rona RJ, Chinn S. Sleep habits and height at ages 5 to 11. Arch Dis Child. 1990 Jan;65(1):119-22. doi: 10.1136/adc.65.1.119. PMID: 2301973; PMCID: PMC1792403.

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