SPINE STRETCHING EXERCISES TO GET YOU A LONGER TORSO
Why Stretching Works: The Science of a Longer Torso.
Research actually shows that your muscle length usually increases during stretching due to the viscoelastic properties of muscle [1].
What this means is that the muscle tissue doesn’t just stretch and spring back like a rubber band, rather if stretched long enough, it adapts to a new resting length.
The other ways stretching can potentially contribute to your aggregate height were discussed on How You Can Increase Height By Stretching The Spine→ article.
Which kind of stretches work best?
To achieve a longer torso, we focus on Static Stretching.
This is the gold standard for height increase because it elongates the “musculotendinous unit” effectively increasing the distance between a muscle’s origin and its insertion point [2]
But remember that no increase in muscle elongation occurs after 2 to 4 repetitions.
When I started my stretching routine, the cat stretch and cobra were the two exercises I was most skeptical about.
They may seem simple but they are two of the most effective stretches that I recommend.
The five exercises below should be part of your stretching routine if your objective is to increase your torso height.
Each one targets a specific segment of the torso; front, back, lateral connective tissue, and the discs themselves.
The following stretches will be effective enough to increase your torso height.
1. Cobra Stretch also known as Bhujangasana.
This is a simple backbend that offers a significant stretch to the front of the body while strengthening the back.
Step-by-Step Performance
The Starting Position:
Lie flat on your stomach on a firm surface. Extend your legs straight behind you with the tops of your feet placed firmly into the floor to act as support.
Hand Placement.
Place your palms flat on the floor directly under your shoulders while keeping your elbows close to your ribs .
Engage the Lower Body.
Press the tops of your feet, thighs, and pubic bone firmly into the mat. This creates a solid anchor and protects your lower back by engaging the glutes and legs.
The Initial Lift.
Begin to lift your chest off the floor. Use your back muscles to do the initial work rather than pushing immediately with your arms.
Deepen the Backbend.
As you feel your back muscles reach their limit, start pressing lightly into your palms to lift a bit higher. Only straighten your arms as far as you can while keeping your pelvis and hips in contact with the floor and aiming to look at the ceiling.
Muscles Being Stretched during the cobra pose(Lengthening)
1. Rectus Abdominis or our six-pack muscles get a deep longitudinal stretch as the front of the torso lengthens.
2. The chest muscles open up, which helps counteract rounded shoulders.
3. Because the pelvis remains grounded while the torso rises, the muscles connecting the torso to the legs also receive a vital release.
2. Hanging Exercise.
This is one of the most effective total-body stretches.
Of course you will need a Stand alone pull-up bar to perform this exercise.
By allowing gravity to pull against your body weight, you target deep connective tissues and muscle groups that are notoriously difficult to reach through active stretching alone.
How to perform.
Hang to the count of twenty or 15 to 20 seconds if possible.
In the beginning, you may struggle to make 20 seconds but with time it will be much easier and you will be able to hang on to even 30 seconds or even longer which will make your torso long.
Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.
Hang at least once every day if possible.
Muscles Being Stretched with hanging.
1. Chest muscles. Hanging forces the arms into an overhead position, which stretches the chest muscles and the front of the shoulders.
2. The small muscles located between your ribs. As the weight of your lower body pulls downward, the rib cage lengthens.
3. Dry Swimming/ Contralateral limb Raise.
Just a yoga mat or any other mat may be enough to perform this exercise especially if you are on a slippery surface.
How to perform.
Lie flat on your stomach on a mat with your legs straight and your arms extended fully overhead. Keep your forehead resting on the mat or your chin tucked so your neck stays long.
The X Engagement.
Simultaneously lift your right arm and your left leg a few inches off the floor.
Keep your limbs straight while considering reaching for the walls in front of and behind you rather than just lifting up.
Hold and Breathe.
Pause at the top for 2–3 seconds. Keep your hips level and pressed into the mat.
Controlled Switch.
Repeat the movement using your left arm and right leg.
Do 1-3 repetitions then stand up and relax the back bone by performing the cat stretch.
Muscles Being Lengthened with this pose.
1. As you lift the arm and leg, the front of the torso undergoes a diagonal stretch, lengthening the front part of your stomach muscles.
2. Reaching the arm forward and up stretches the front of the shoulder and the insertion point of the chest.
3. Lifting the leg behind you (extension) creates a gentle, active stretch across the front of the hip of the raised leg.
4. The reaching motion helps pull the shoulder blade into a position that stretches the smaller chest muscles.
With other exercises, you will stop experiencing strain sooner but with this one you will continue feeling sore because of the way it directly targets all the muscles.
4. Cat Stretch.
This exercise is effective in many ways but the reason I like it is the way it targets the spinal discs in between the back bones.
Flexing and relaxing the spine every time you perform it.
The benefits of this pose.
I particularly use it to relax my back bone immediately after performing the cobra as well as dry swimming exercise thus helping me to make my torso even longer.
However, you can as well utilize the cat stretch exercise to relieve mild back aches which are common when you perform the stretches.
How to perform it.
Get on your hands and knees with your arms extended slightly to shoulder width and knees slightly apart.
Inhale as you flex your spine down and raise your head.
Exhale as you bring your spine up into an arched position while lowering your head.
Muscles Lengthened with cat stretch.
1. The long muscles running along your spine get a deep, longitudinal stretch.
2. By spreading the shoulder blades, you release tension in the upper back and neck area.
3. The thick connective tissue in your lower back. The Cat Stretch is one of the best ways to hydrate and stretch this often tight area.
4. Dropping the head allows for a gentle release of the muscles at the base of the skull.
5. Toe touching (Standing Forward Fold)
To execute this exercise, bend over and aim to touch your toes for 10 to 20 seconds as illustrated in the picture.
If you are not fit or you are struggling to reach your toes, repeat the exercise as many times as you can every day throughout the day until you become fit.
By the time you are able to touch your toes, your lower back or lumbar spine will be slightly lengthened.
Muscles Stretched.
- Hamstrings (the large muscles in the back of the thigh).
2. The deep muscles running parallel to your spine are stretched as the vertebrae move in the fold.
3. The large muscles of the buttocks are stretched as the hips hinge and the pelvis tilts forward.
4. The thick diamond-shaped web of tissue in your lower back. The toe touch is one of the most effective ways to provide tension and release to this area.
5. The Soleus muscle: If there is a very slight micro-bend in the knee, the stretch often shifts deeper into the lower calf and Achilles area.
Why it’s challenging in the beginning.
In the beginning, the back of your legs will feel sore and you may fail to hang on for more than 10 seconds.
This will partly be due the fact that while executing this exercise, popliteal fossa region will be stretched. Hence you will be stretching your legs as well as your back bone.
Ensure that you don’t bend your knees and keep the legs straight to completely stretch your body from the legs to your back.
However, with time you will be able to hang on to up to a minute or so.
What You should do to Increase the Efficiency of the Stretches
1. You will need a daily stretching exercise routine to incorporate all or most of the exercises everyday and to know when to stretch to grow taller.
The exercise routine for growing taller after puberty can be found here 👉 The Grow Taller After Puberty Exercise Routine Handbook »»»
Don’t do any exercise any day and any time you feel like.
You will lose focus and become inconsistent yet consistency is very key .
2. You will need to increase growth hormones release while performing these exercises.
3. You will also realize that the gains are sometimes not permanent and your height will be fluctuating throughout the day when doing these exercises.
This will be due to many factors like forces of gravity, muscles shrinking back to their original position after stretching, the cartilage between your back bone compressing back to it’s original position, poor sitting or sleeping posture and many other factors.
The different ways to mitigate such factors are discussed in the exercise routine handbook.
4. You should also watch your posture especially sitting posture otherwise poor posture will greatly affect your height as discussed on the how does posture affect height page.
5. keep your body hydrated throughout the day. Take at least 1 – 2 liters of water everyday .
6. Keep your body active when doing the stretches.
Don’t spend all day sitting or lying on your bed then just do the stretches.
Take a walk, go jogging, keep the body active to increase your chances of success.
7. The neck is part of your upper body, you will want to add some height to that part of the body too.
Visit the how to make your neck longer page to learn how to add some height to the neck.
8. Consult your physician or health care professional before performing the stretches especially if you have back bone complications or anomalies.
Never disregard or ignore professional medical advice because of something you have read on this site!
9. The spinal discs can as well be thickened which contributes to aggregate height.
FAQ
I’m busy with work and school.. I can’t possibly stretch in the morning because I’m so tied up with getting on-time to work. What should I do?
It doesn’t have to be morning though that’s the ideal time for the stretches. Utilize any free time you get through out the day then do at least 2- 3 stretches for 10 or so minutes.
Alternatively, do one stretching exercise for a minute in the morning then others when you have free time.
I feel back pain during the day when I do these stretching exercises.
Mild back pain is normal. It’s partly because the discs are relocating to their original positions before the stretches.
If the pain is severe, please consult a qualified physician otherwise dry swimming or cat stretch will relieve the mild pain while contributing to your height at the same time since it will be another opportunity for you to stretch and you will be decompressing the spine or preventing the discs from falling back.
This video illustrates how to perform the stretches ..
AUTHOR BIO
Dennis Raney (B.Sc.) is an author and a blogger specializing in natural body growth optimization strategies.
After years of navigating the psychological and physical challenges of being under-average height, Dennis dedicated over a decade to researching the intersection of lifestyle, nutrition, and body growth.
By applying an evidence-based approach to healthy lifestyle changes, he successfully navigated his own body transformation, an experience that led him to author his comprehensive guide on height increase during and after puberty.
Today, he shares practical, research-backed strategies through his book and blog to help others overcome similar challenges.”
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Interested in connecting? :
✉️ Send an email: Dennis »»
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