If you are not satisfied with your height, blame your parents. Then, stand in front of a mirror and watch your own contribution to your short stature. He notices a forward lean, drooping shoulders, a stooped neck and an inclined pelvis.

Now, stand upright and maybe you gain some inches instantly. Still, you will notice how difficult it is to maintain that posture because you are so used to being stooped. Yoga can not change your genes, but it can teach you to have a correct posture and make it natural.

Your height

Your height is determined by your genes, unless you have a disease or nutritional deficiency that can stunt your growth. Your bones are genetically programmed to grow to a certain point and then stop, and yoga can not change that. Nothing can do it, except some types of surgery, but they are very painful and require a long recovery time. Therefore, they are usually reserved for those cases where there is a deformity of the bones.

Height versus posture

Although it is not usually possible to increase the height of your skeleton, other factors contribute to the appearance of height. You can improve your posture and alignment so that you can look taller, taking your body to its maximum height. For example, if you sit behind a desk all day and then go home and sit on the couch all night, you have probably developed a slight curvature of the spine and your shoulders are rounded. The bones are not necessarily deformed, but the muscles that keep you erect have become lax and stretched to such an extent that your body naturally assumes that position because it has become comfortable for you. Even when you stop, you probably retain that posture, making you look shorter than you are.

Posture and height

The lengthening of the spine and good posture are the core of yoga. Even in the position of the mountain, where you simply stand with your hands at your sides, you are actively raising the top of your head towards the ceiling and pressing the soles of your feet against the ground. This helps stretch your spine and makes you feel comfortable with the upright posture. Inverted postures can decompress your vertebrae in the same way as inversion tables. Most postures, or asanas, reinforce good posture through movement and breathing. Vigorous vinyasas and strength postures help you strengthen the muscles that keep your body in the natural position.

Yoga and alignment

When you have had a bad posture for a while, you have probably adopted bad habits. For example, stand with your hips lowered and the weight of your body on one foot, or tilt your pelvis forward when you walk. These habits originate with bad posture and can visually decrease your height. Practicing yoga regularly helps to align your shoulders, hips, pelvis and head. In addition, it shows you how to move within the range of your body’s natural movement. Your body becomes stronger, flexible and agile. You will discover that as you improve your alignment and stretch your spine, your posture will also improve. You will feel that you stand more erect, with both feet firmly resting on the ground. Not only will you look taller, but you will also develop the grace of movement that comes with a toned body.