Introduction to Height Increase

Part I – Spine Stretching Exercise

Height increase is the idea that one can perform exercises or other methods (other than limp lengthening surgery) to induce physical increase in one’s height naturally, even after puberty age.

The height increase exercise that is most often mentioned is the spine stretching exercise.
Spine stretching exercise essentially is a spinal decompression process that aims specifically to elongate the spinal column.

The rationale behind spine stretching exercise is that since the earth exerts gravitational pull on everything that rest on it which obviously includes your body, thus by offsetting this gravitational pull one can restore his/her natural height.  Gravity pulls down the natural gaps between each spinal disc of your spinal column and can decrease your natural height up to 1-3 inches.  It is a known fact that when you wake up in the morning, you can be about 1-3 inches taller.  This is because the laying down position of sleeping throughout the night has relaxed the spine in such a way that the decompression from gravity has been neutralized.  Unfortunately, within a few hours of being upright (include in both sitting and standing position) the spinal compression from gravity would shorten you again.

The spine stretching exercises focus on training your spine to resist this gravity pulls by constantly helping your spine to relax and to restore the natural fluidity within those spinal column gaps between the discs.

There are many activities that are known to be effective for spinal decompression.  The most common spine stretching exercise is hanging on a bar with your body suspense in midair.  This is typically done with a traditional pull-up bar.  The concept is simple which is utilizing the strength of your arms and shoulder to support your ent
ire body weight.  This way your body is being pulled down by gravity but unlike normal upright walking, your feet do not counteract against the gravitational pull.  So instead of decompression of the spine, you got a relaxed spine that is being pulled straight downward.  It is recommended that hanging to be done on daily basis and with each session lasting at least for 1-5 minutes.  The duration for hanging sessions tend to be quite short due to the demanding arms and shoulders strength.  But this should be improved over time as the arms and shoulders got stronger from repetitive training. 

One great debate that has been ongoing is whether the height obtained from stretching is permanent.  There seems to be evidence for both scenarios. A good number of people who experience immediate gain from spinal stretching such as hanging have reported that height increase has been lost after abandoning the stretching routine.  One explanation for height loss from lack of maintenance is that those individuals lack physical activities, in particular with their core muscle around the spinal column.  When the core muscles are not strong enough, the gravity would eventually take back the height gain.  For those reports that height increase was permanent, those tend to be individuals who are physically active and have a strong core that can maintain the loosened state of the spinal column.

That is why it is not enough to merely stretch out the spine regularly, but also to build strength around your core to ensure the height increase would be permanent.  Core muscle training is the solution.

Stay tune for next part on core muscle training.

more info on height increase exercises, visit Height Increase Specialty [ http://www.heightshop.com ]

Growth hormone is a protein hormone of about 190 amino acids that is synthesized and secreted by cells called somatotrophs in the anterior pituitary. It is a major participant in control of several complex physiologic processes, including growth and metabolism. Growth hormone is also of considerable interest as a drug used in both humans and animals.
Growth is a very complex process, and requires the coordinated action of several hormones. The major role of growth hormone in stimulating body growth is to stimulate the liver and other tissues to secrete IGF-I. IGF-I stimulates proliferation of chondrocytes (cartilage cells), resulting in bone growth. Growth hormone does seem to have a direct effect on bone growth in stimulating differentiation of chondrocytes.
IGF-I also appears to be the key player in muscle growth. It stimulates both the differentiation and proliferation of myoblasts. It also stimulates amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in muscle and other tissues.
Growth hormone has important effects on protein, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. In some cases, a direct effect of growth hormone has been clearly demonstrated, in others, IGF-I is thought to be the critical mediator, and some cases it appears that both direct and indirect effects are at play.
Production of growth hormone is modulated by many factors, including stress, exercise, nutrition, sleep and growth hormone itself. However, its primary controllers are two hypothalamic hormones and one hormone from the stomach.
Growth hormone secretion is also part of a negative feedback loop involving IGF-I. High blood levels of IGF-I lead to decreased secretion of growth hormone not only by directly suppressing the somatotroph, but by stimulating release of somatostatin from the hypothalamus.
Growth hormone also feeds back to inhibit GHRH secretion and probably has a direct (autocrine) inhibitory effect on secretion from the somatotroph.
Integration of all the factors that affect growth hormone synthesis and secretion lead to a pulsatile pattern of release. Basal concentrations of growth hormone in blood are very low. In children and young adults, the most intense period of growth hormone release is shortly after the onset of deep sleep.
States of both growth hormone deficiency and excess provide very visible testaments to the role of this hormone in normal physiology. Such disorders can reflect lesions in either the hypothalamus, the pituitary or in target cells. A deficiency state can result not only from a deficiency in production of the hormone, but in the target cell’s response to the hormone.
Clinically, deficiency in growth hormone or defects in its binding to receptor are seen as growth retardation or dwarfism. The manifestation of growth hormone deficiency depends upon the age of onset of the disorder and can result from either heritable or acquired disease.
The effect of excessive secretion of growth hormone is also very dep
endent on the age of onset and is seen as two distinctive disorders: Giantism is the result of excessive growth hormone secretion that begins in young children or adolescents. It is a very rare disorder, usually resulting from a tumor of somatotropes. One of the most famous giants was a man named Robert Wadlow. He weighed 8.5 pounds at birth, but by 5 years of age was 105 pounds and 5 feet 4 inches tall. Robert reached an adult weight of 490 pounds and 8 feet 11 inches in height. He died at age 22.  Acromegaly results from excessive secretion of growth hormone in adults. The onset of this disorder is typically insideous. Clinically, an overgrowth of bone and connective tissue leads to a change in appearance that might be described as having “coarse features”. The excessive growth hormone and IGF-I also lead to metabolic derangements, including glucose intolerance.
In years past, growth hormone purified from human cadaver pituitaries was used to treat children with severe growth retardation. More recently, the virtually unlimited supply of growth hormone produced using recombinant DNA technology has lead to several other applications to human and animal populations.
Human growth hormone is commonly used to treat children of pathologically short stature. There is concern that this practice will be extended to treatment of essentially normal children - so called “enhancement therapy” or growth hormone on demand. Similarly, growth hormone has been used by some to enhance atheletic performance. Although growth hormone therapy is generally safe, it is not as safe as no therapy and does entail unpredictable health risks. Parents that request growth hormone therapy for children of essentially-normal stature are clearly misguided.
The role of growth hormone in normal aging remains poorly understood, but some of the cosmetic symptoms of aging appear to be amenable to growth hormone therapy. This is an active area of research, and additional information and recommendations about risks and benefits will undoubtedly surface in the near future.
Growth hormone is currently approved and marketed for enhancing milk production in dairy cattle. There is no doubt that administration of bovine somatotropin to lactating cows results in increased milk yield, and, depending on the way the cows are managed, can be an economically-viable therapy. However, this treatment engenders abundant controversy, even among dairy farmers. One thing that appears clear is that drinking milk from cattle treated with bovine growth hormone does not pose a risk to human health.
Another application of growth hormone in animal agriculture is treatment of growing pigs with porcine growth hormone. Such treatment has been demonstrated to significantly stimulate muscle growth and reduce deposition of fat.

Ok, so you just got done reading the latest monthly issue of your favorite fitness and health magazine about the newest and latest exercise program and you are more confused than ever on what is the best way to Get in Shape, Build Muscle and Burn Fat for Life. 

What really is the best and most efficient form of exercise for Maximum Results?

    * More weight or less weight?
    * More reps or fewer reps?
    * Higher intensity or lower intensity?
    * More cardio than resistance training?
    * More resistance training than cardio?
    * Machines or free weights?
    * Train every day or once a week?

How do I go from Flab to Fab in Only 15 Minutes a Day?

What is really the most effective, efficient and RESULTS driven form of personal fitness training that is going to give YOU the biggest and best return on your invested fitness time?

The Personal Fitness Training landscape has become so overwhelming and so confusing that most people end up doing the same fitness routine over and over again because they just don’t know what else to do to find the best fitness solution.

So how can you Burn Fat, Build Muscle and Lose Weight to get the Perfect Fitness Body for Life in the least amount of time?

Are you that busy Executive with little time between your corporate meetings and challenged with long workdays?

Are you a stay at home mom trying to keep up with managing your hectic daily schedule while taking care of your children and your spouse with very little time to exercise?

Are you getting diminishing returns on your current fitness training program?

Then Learn How to Go from Flab to Fab in Only 15 minutes a Day…

In working with my existing personal fitness clients at www.MyHomePersonalTrainer.com , I have learned some of the most common but correctable mistakes a lot of men and women make in trying to support their long term fitness and health goals.

   1. Too much machine work – A lot of women and men train using too often just their preferred machines, which limits their range of motion and does not work their muscles in an efficient and effective manner.  Ultimately this can limit the engagement of small stabilizer muscles that give you maximum benefit throughout your fitness training program.

   2. Not lifting enough weight – A lot of women do not lift enough weights to engage their muscles for long-term muscle growth.

   3. Working only half of your body – A lot of men focus too much on just their upper body and end up mainly training their chest and arms, thus making their body parts look very unbalanced and disproportionate to each other.

   4. Too many reps – A lot of women do too many reps per set, once again not allowing their muscles the opportunity to grow and develop so that they can change their muscle/fat body composition.

   5. Overtraining – The benefits of resistance training, unlike cardiovascular work, come after the training is over.  Sometimes people think more is better and in resistance training that is not always the case.

   6. Not fueling their bodies for training – Both before and after training.  Your body is an engine that must be fed with high octane, good quality fuel to maximize your fitness results.  Starving yourself before or after a fitness training workout limits your capacity to perform at peak levels

   7. Training the same way – Any fitness training program that is more than 4-6 weeks will not only get stale for you, but will provide you diminishing long term fitness results.

   8. Cardio before weights – Wearing yourself down prior to your resistance training workout with cardio can only reduce your opportunity to get the best possible training session

   9. Steady as she goes – A big mistake is keeping your fitness training pace always in moderate mode.  Incorporating High Intensity Training is the way to keep it fresh, fast, and effective.

  10. Cardio, cardio and more cardio – Burning fat is a great thing, but burning muscle is a bad thing.  Cardio is a good fat burner, but also can burn muscle if you over indulge.

The secret in developing the Perfect Personal Fitness Training Program begins with the following Flab to Fab Personal Fitness Training Tips.

   1. Focus on the Four Major Muscles Groups – Stay away from Isolation Exercises.  Burn fat and build muscle when working those Major Large Muscle Groups more often.
         1. Legs – Squat
         2. Chest – Chest Press
         3. Back – Bent Over Rows
         4. Shoulders – Overhead Press

  Perform Compound Exercises (Multi Joint movements) – Working multi-joints at the same time provides maximum benefit to your muscles,

         1. Legs – Lunge or Squat (Hip and Knee Joint)
         2. Chest – Chest Press (Shoulder and Elbow Joint)
         3. Back – Bent Over Row  (Shoulder and Elbow Joint)
         4. Shoulders – Overhead Press (Shoulder and Elbow Joint)

  Perform Supersets – No Rest Between 2 Exercises.  Working more than one muscle with no break provides and efficient and effective workout.

         1. Work opposing Muscle Groups
               1. Chest then Back
         2. Work alternating between Upper and Lower Body
               1. Chest then Legs

  Perform Circuit Training – No Rest through your entire workout.  Circuit Set Training turns your Fitness Training into High Intensity Resistance Training.

         1. Train for maximum gain by performing all your exercises with no break

   5. Build your Fitness Training with Value and Flexibility in Mind – A Great Fitness Value with Outstanding Fitness Benefits.
         1. Train with a quality Stability ball.
         2. Train with Dumbbells while at home or at the gym.
         3. Train with Exercise Bands while traveling on the road for work or vacation.

http://www.myhomepersonaltrainer.com/resources/flabToFab15MinuteADayFitnessSolution.htm to view an example workout of our Flab to Fab 15 Minute a Day Fitness Training Plan. Finally reach your Personal Fitness goals with long-term success, using a proven effective, efficient and Results driven personal fitness plan. Go from Flab to Fab in Only 15 minutes a Day.

I imagine my story is very similar to many other people who have found themselves involved in the world of boxing and martial arts. I started as a lot of young men do, doing a normal 9-5 office job, eating rubbish and drinking far too much lager! This of course did very little for my body or my anything else for that matter so decided it was time to join a gym.

A couple of friends of mine were really into bodybuilding, so much so that one had what could only be described as a shrine to Arnie in his bedroom. I was quite impressed by the progress they had made so thought I’d join them a couple of times a week. Under their supervision I started to reverse the effects of my unbelievable unhealthy lifestyle. Ten years later I was still doing the same training, maintaining a decent physique, spending a small fortune on supplements but found myself increasingly disillusioned at why exactly I was still putting so much time and effort into weight lifting. I had no interest in steroids and as such was never likely to compete.

By chance and at about the same time I started working for a new company. There were a couple of guys working for this company; one was a traditional power lifter. Nice guy, very strong and nicknamed Mr Incredible. The other a smaller guy, lawyer of all things was really into “BJJ” and “MMA”. Two phrases that meant very little to me at the time. We trained a few times and eventually he talked me into doing a bit of sparring wit
h him one lunchtime. Sure I’d messed about on the punch bag in the gym and even used some focus pads a couple of times with a friend but to actually try and hit another human being was a completely new concept to me.

We arrived at the gym with a huge bag of boxing equipment, out of which he pulled two pairs of 12oz gloves and 2 headgears. At this point I was really questioning what I’d gotten myself into but pride being what it is I wasn’t about to back out. I asked for the thickest most protective headgear he had and we got on with it! My first reaction was of course to swing like a madman, it was a combination of every brawl I’d had since my teens rolled into one. Out of what seemed like a thousand punches I caught him with one (but it was a good one!).

He then spent the next hour dancing around me, jabbing and throwing combos at me whilst I tried to figure out which punch was coming next. I learnt more in that hour than I had in ten years lifting weights. I had no goals lifting weights, I was just plodding along unable to improve myself but fighting was a different ball game completely. Bizarrely I enjoyed the experience, I’d been hit a lot and my jaw ached for days but I couldn’t wait to go again. Fighters understand this; too many people look at fighters with no real understanding of the skill and commitment it takes to actually be good at any combat sport.

I was hooked.

Exercise definitely helps your body in every way making you feel more vital. Vitality is the key to a good life. When exercising your vitality increases and with it comes improvement in both your mental alertness and your sense of well being.

Exercise burns body fat.

When you go on a reduced diet to lose weight, what you lose at first is mainly water and protein. Water accounts for most of your initial weight loss and it’s temporary. The rest of what you lose is protein from your muscles and if your goal is to look better and feel good, this is not what you want. It’s only after several weeks on a low-calorie diet that your body starts burning fat.

Everybody knows that exercising burns calories but what people don’t realize is that exercise does far more than just burn calories while you’re exercising. It will rev up your metabolism and will continue to use extra calories even after you stop exercising. So if you exercise in the morning, you get the calorie-burning bonus all day long. At the same time through exercise, the body fat that you’ll lose will be replaced by lean muscle tissue. The more muscle tissue you have the less body fat.

Other benefits of exercising.

The weight-control benefits of exercise go way beyond the direct effect of calorie-burning. Vigorous exercise will also decrease hunger. After a hard workout session, you may find that you won’t get hungry for an hour or more.

Exercise is also a natural relaxant an
d produces a lasting euphoric effect. The good feelings caused by vigorous exercise reduces the chance that you’ll eat to relieve emotions such as; boredom, anger, frustration and depression.

Due to stronger muscles and greater flexibility, your posture will be improved. Exercise strengthens the bones by preventing the loss of calcium.
Your lungs will be strengthened, your heart will be stronger, your heart rate and perhaps your blood pressure will be lowered improving the ability of your heart to pump more blood with less effort.

Through exercise even your brain benefits. More oxygen to your brain cells makes your mind work faster allowing you to be more alert and to have better reasoning powers.

Exercise will prime your body so that you require less sleep. It will improve the quality of sleep and it will be restful.

Regular exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety responsible for fatigue and premature aging. It is an important weapon against depression. There is increasing evidence that physical activity is of value in helping to overcome or prevent emotional tension and in helping to prevent many critical diseases.

To gain better health, it’s important to get moderate-intensity activity into your daily routine. Choose an activity that you will enjoy and that fit in with your daily schedule. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, exercise is the only way. Combine increased activity and good eating habits and you have the basic ingredients for better health.