Does Jump Roping Make You Taller?

A lot of people aren’t satisfied with their adult height, wishing they could add a couple more inches to their linear stature. This brought about the popularity of growth-inducing practices, from taking supplements to engaging in some forms of exercise.

One of the things that are said to increase height is jump roping. Does it really work, or is it a myth that we’re about the bust? Let’s find out in this article.

Before we can answer if jump roping can indeed make you taller, we have to understand how height is determined in the first place. There are a couple of things that influence height. Most of it has to do with genetics, but biological and environmental variables can also come into play.

Genetics is the primary factor that determines height. Researchers have identified over 700 genes that contribute to height, each playing an important role in a person’s actual growth potential.

The DNA you inherit from your parents is 80% responsible for how tall you can stand as an adult, meaning you will likely be the same height as they are. However, the remaining 20% can give you a little wiggle room to grow taller.

Males and females grow at different rates and achieve a difference in matured height. Girls start growing at the age of 10 and reach their full adult height at 14 to 15 years old. Boys, on the other hand, hit puberty a bit later at 12 years and reach full adult height by 16.

According to the CDC, women have an average adult height of 63.5 inches, while men can grow as tall as 69 inches. This difference can be attributed to a variety of genetic factors. In a study, it was found that sex-biased genes contributed to a 1.6-centimeter height difference between men and women.

Also a component of DNA, your body’s hormones are responsible for building your bones and muscles. They help instruct the growth plates and stimulate linear and statural growth during your formative years.

There are a couple of hormones linked to height. These are testosterone, estrogen, thyroid hormones, and the human growth hormone.

• Testosterone and estrogen increase during a person’s growth period, helping facilitate bone mineralization, formation, and maturation.
• Thyroid hormones regulate several of the body’s mechanisms and support normal growth and development. Its biggest role is reducing stimulatory hormones and serum concentration, effectively preventing chronic diseases that impair linear growth during childhood.
• The human growth hormone (HGH) secreted by the pituitary gland stimulates the bone’s growth plates, helping them build bones and muscles. HGH levels peak during puberty, influencing vertical growth and increasing height potential.

A child’s nutrition can be a reliable indicator of their maximum height potential. Studies show that short adult height is often driven by environmental conditions, specifically poor net nutrition during childhood. There is also evidence that inadequate childhood nutrition leads to stunted growth and a difference of 20 cm in height.

In contrast, children that can supply their bodies with their nutritional requirements see an increase in height potential. This includes adequate amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamins A and D.

Exercise, especially during the pre-pubescent and pubescent stages, can contribute to height gain. It stimulates the secretion of HGH and other anabolic hormones responsible for statural growth and provides mechanical stress needed for remodeling the musculoskeletal system.

However, the benefits of exercise as it relates to height are only prominent in children. After adulthood, there is little that physical activity can do to increase statural height. However, it can optimize bone health and prevent bone loss, which combats age-related shrinking.

Playing sports like volleyball can also help combat age-related shrinking and optimize bone health.

A person’s growth spurt happens during puberty, the age of which can vary from person to person. Gender is the most determining factor of when puberty will start and reach its peak.

During puberty, the body sees an acceleration in skeletal growth and bone mineral accretion, which contributes to height gain. This is also the time when the pituitary gland increases secretion of HGH 3-fold, prompting the growth of bone and cartilage.

When HGH secretion reaches its peak, usually at 15 years of age in girls and 16 in boys, the rate of secretion decreases and stops vertical growth. The bones become fully ossified, and the epiphyseal plates seal. By this time, a person has reached their full adult height and has stopped growing.

After puberty, there isn’t anything you can do to increase your height. Your focus should then shift from trying to gain height to preventing height loss caused by aging. According to studies, people naturally shrink over time, starting at the age of 40. And by 70, men will be 1.2 to 1.5 inches shorter than their full adult height, and women will lose height by 2 inches.

This is caused by spine compression and bone loss due to osteoporosis, aggravated by poor posture.

So far, we’ve established that height is primarily determined by genetics but can also be influenced by biological and environmental factors, one of which is exercise. While jump roping can be considered a physical activity that may help a child reach full height potential, the same cannot be said in adulthood.

After your growth spurt ends and you’ve reached full adult height, jump roping will not make you any taller. However, it can help you maximize your mature height and stand a couple of inches taller by improving your posture. Down the line, it will also be valuable in combatting the effects of age-related height loss.

Jump roping is a posture-specific exercise. You need to have the proper form and technique to get into position and balance your body as you jump. This exercise requires you to maintain a long spine and upright and neutral posture, with your torso erect, your core engaged, your shoulders held back, and your legs taking the impact.

In effect, jump roping forces your body to center itself over your feet, which improves the alignment of your spine and helps you stand with a more optimal posture. This allows you to appear up to 3 inches taller in height.

With a better posture also comes the benefit of mitigating the impact of age-related shrinking. By being able to keep your spine straight and your body upright, you lose fewer inches compared to when you get used to slouching.

While not directly related to height, jump roping can help you burn calories, leading to weight loss. A fitter stature will help balance your weight and height, making you appear taller.

After a round of jump roping, you may want to do these other exercises to improve your spine alignment and boost your core strength:

• Planks
• Superman
• Bird Dog
• Child’s Pose
• Forward Fold
• Half Cobra Pose