Height Increase Stretches

I've read a lot of natural height increase programs that detail a lot of grow taller stretching routines.  Stretching is not a highly effective height increase method but it is still useful as a complement to more effective routines.  Getting nutrients to your intervertebral discs is important as is proper spinal alignment both of which stretching can help.  The grow taller 4 idiots height increase program/scam details several stretches as part of its routine.  All of which you can find on you tube or frankly any stretching routine.  We are looking for the biggest, best deal in terms of stretches.

The best stretches are those that we can increase the load(load is usually the most important factor in how effective an exercise is) and those that can be performed easily.

Best Stretches:

Inversion on a decline bench(hold dumbells instead of plates for better leverage).  You get better leverage on a decline bench versus when you are hanging upside down.

I also like hanging with a dip belt(Harbinger 28800 Leather Weight Dip Belt).  I rotate 180 degrees when I do this to also get some shearing and twisting forces to try to build up my vertebral bones periosteal width.

Height increase stretching is a common theme on a lot of height increase sites.  I think these two stretches with additional weight are the two best exercises you can do to minimize the amount of time you spend stretching so you can spend more time on more effective exercises(like LSJL).

Does stretching the intervertebral discs do anything to increase the size or height of the discs?



Effects of Torsion on Intervertebral Disc Gene Expression and Biomechanics, Using a Rat Tail Model

"In vitro biomechanical tests were performed in torsion on rat tail motion segments subjected to 4 treatments: elastase, collagenase, genipin, control. In vivo tests were performed on rats with Ilizarov-type fixators implanted to caudal motion segments with five 90-minute loading groups: 1 Hz cyclic torsion to ±5°, ±15°, and ±30°, static torsion to +30°, and sham. Anulus and nucleus tissues were separately analyzed for gene expression of anabolic, catabolic, and proinflammatory cytokine markers.
In vitro tests showed decreased torsional stiffness following elastase treatment and no changes in stiffness with frequency. In vivo tests showed no significant changes in dynamic stiffness with time. Cyclic torsion upregulated elastin expression in the anulus fibrosus. Upregulation of TNF-α and IL-1β was measured at ±30°.
Strong differences in the disc response to cyclic torsion and compression are apparent with torsion increasing elastin expression and compression resulting in a more substantial increase in disc metabolism in the nucleus pulposus. Results highlight the importance of elastin in torsional loading and suggest that elastin remodels in response to shearing. Torsional loading can cause injury to the disc at excessive amplitudes that are detectable biologically before they are biomechanically."

"An increase in expression of proteases and their inhibitors, including MMP-3, ADAMTS-4, and TIMP-1 as well as cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α have also been associated with degeneration"

"Torsion results in interlaminar shears and tension of anulus fibrosus (AF) fibers while axial compression leads to substantially greater nucleus pulposus (NP) pressurization and tensile hoop stresses in the AF."

"In the AF, elastin mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in response to cyclic torsion at all amplitudes, while ADAMTS4 was the only catabolic gene significantly upregulated (±30°) with respect to sham. Changes in MMP12 expression in the AF were also detected, but accompanied with changes in sham with respect to the internal control. In the NP, there was a significant upregulation of aggrecan (2-fold) at ±30° as well as a small significant increase (1.3-fold) of TIMP3 also for ±30°. ADAMTS4 was upregulated (3-fold) for the ±15° group but downregulated in the sham compared to internal control. The static condition showed trends of upregulation for similar genes as cyclic ±30° but this was not significant. Proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α showed a significant increase in the AF for ±30°, although for IL-1β this was accompanied by an increase in sham with respect to internal control."

Compression significantly upregulated the chondrogenic gene col2a1 plus aggrecan and the endochondral ossification gene MMP13.  Torsion increased these genes at a far less significant level and in the nucleus pulposus MMP13 expression was decreased.

"Cyclic torsion stimulates elastin expression with small effects on other genes while cyclic compression results in a more general increase in metabolic response."