Can hitting the gym at a young age impair your height growth?

[UnderTheKnife]

When I was a kid (I am 32 yo now), I was literally a giant. I was much much taller than the other kids -- heck, I was even taller than some of the short teachers at school.
Everyone thought I was destined to be a basketball player by the time I became an adult.

At around the age of 15, however, my height growth stopped at 5'10, which is my current height.
Coincidentally, this is the same age I first went to the gym.

I have heard lots of people say that going to the gym would end your height growth. Does anyone know anything about this? Do you know any scientific studies done on this matter?

At the moment, I constantly think whether 5'10 was actually the height I was genetically destined to have, or whether it could have been something in the 6 ft range had I not hit the gym that early. I guess I'll never know.

PS: A huge mistake I did when hitting the gym that first time is that I wasn't aware that you need to eat a lot to replenish your muscles (this way like 17 years ago, I didn't have much access to the internet to read articles). Instead, I went on a severe diet where I barely ate anything. I lost like 15 kilograms in 2 weeks. Could this starvation have been the reason for stopping height growth instead of the actual workouts? Or could it also not have had any effect?

 

[Deleted member 4430]

a new oldcel on the list

 

[Piratecel]

No if anything it can increase height growth, if your plates are still open because testosterone is used in muscle building, with the more T used in building muscle the less will be aromatized into estrogen. This could slightly prolong height growth. If you went on a diet and didn't eat then yeah you stunted your growth.

 

[brucel]

No if anything it can increase height growth, if your plates are still open because testosterone is used in muscle building, with the more T used in building muscle the less will be aromatized into estrogen. This could slightly prolong height growth. If you went on a diet and didn't eat then yeah you stunted your growth.

any sources? I trust you but I want to read further into this.

 

[SoonToAscend]

It does sound like broscience. Better explanation would be that exercise raises dihydrotestosterone, which cannot be turned into estrogen (unlike testosterone) and is actually anti-estrogenic.

 

[SoonToAscend]

When I was a kid (I am 32 yo now), I was literally a giant. I was much much taller than the other kids -- heck, I was even taller than some of the short teachers at school.
Everyone thought I was destined to be a basketball player by the time I became an adult.

At around the age of 15, however, my height growth stopped at 5'10, which is my current height.
Coincidentally, this is the same age I first went to the gym.

I have heard lots of people say that going to the gym would end your height growth. Does anyone know anything about this? Do you know any scientific studies done on this matter?

At the moment, I constantly think whether 5'10 was actually the height I was genetically destined to have, or whether it could have been something in the 6 ft range had I not hit the gym that early. I guess I'll never know.

PS: A huge mistake I did when hitting the gym that first time is that I wasn't aware that you need to eat a lot to replenish your muscles (this way like 17 years ago, I didn't have much access to the internet to read articles). Instead, I went on a severe diet where I barely ate anything. I lost like 15 kilograms in 2 weeks. Could this starvation have been the reason for stopping height growth instead of the actual workouts? Or could it also not have had any effect?

How tall are your parents

 

[Lawton88]

Heavy squatting and deadlifting can. Most other lifts won't.

 

[Tenshi]

I heard so but I have no clue if it's true or not.

 

[TeenAscender]

Tbh I’ve grown like 3 inches since I’ve started gym

 

[FreakkForLife]

When I was a kid (I am 32 yo now), I was literally a giant. I was much much taller than the other kids -- heck, I was even taller than some of the short teachers at school.
Everyone thought I was destined to be a basketball player by the time I became an adult.

At around the age of 15, however, my height growth stopped at 5'10, which is my current height.
Coincidentally, this is the same age I first went to the gym.

I have heard lots of people say that going to the gym would end your height growth. Does anyone know anything about this? Do you know any scientific studies done on this matter?

At the moment, I constantly think whether 5'10 was actually the height I was genetically destined to have, or whether it could have been something in the 6 ft range had I not hit the gym that early. I guess I'll never know.

PS: A huge mistake I did when hitting the gym that first time is that I wasn't aware that you need to eat a lot to replenish your muscles (this way like 17 years ago, I didn't have much access to the internet to read articles). Instead, I went on a severe diet where I barely ate anything. I lost like 15 kilograms in 2 weeks. Could this starvation have been the reason for stopping height growth instead of the actual workouts? Or could it also not have had any effect?

Not necessarily,maybe u did too many squats and deadlifts

 

[sun21]

Tbh I’ve grown like 3 inches since I’ve started gym

how old when u started? and how tall are ur parents? how old are u now?

 

[andy9432]

Stay away from squats deadlifts overhead press bent over row leg press when ur growing

 

[ChristianChad]

Heavy squatting and deadlifting can. Most other lifts won't.

This plus maybe the muscle getting hypertrophied doesn't allow for growth by pulling the body together.

Stretching at the start and end of the day should be good

 

[Deleted member 19905]

I think squats harm height also heavy deadlights too

 

[Deleted member 15669]

im sure squats fucked my spine up

 

[SoonToAscend]

Stay away from squats deadlifts overhead press bent over row leg press when ur growing

I know this is an old thread but I revisited it, what do you suggest as an alternative for squats, bent over row and leg press?

 

[softlysoftly]

I heard so but I have no clue if it's true or not.

not true

Canadian Science Publishing

Causes of Short Stature among Coal-Mining Children, 1823-1850 on JSTOR

Peter Kirby, Causes of Short Stature among Coal-Mining Children, 1823-1850, The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 48, No. 4 (Nov., 1995), pp. 687-699

www.jstor.org

How Dangerous Are Weight Lifting and Olympic Lifting, Really? - Breaking Muscle

Certain activities have a cachet of injury. Auto racing, parachuting, martial arts, and football come to mind. Conversely, soccer, basketball and athletics seldom conjure up thoughts of injury. Weightlifting is also high on the former list. Mention it to any non-trainer and chances are the first...

breakingmuscle.com

 

[CometDragon]

with the more T used in building muscle the less will be aromatized into estrogen.

I disagree with this point. Testosterone is not "used" to do things, horomones are used to signal. Testosterone can be both used to build muscle and aromatize into estrogen. If working out increased his testosterone then it did increase his estrogen - definitely not enough to close growth plates though to a noticeable amount.

Also op if you stopped growing when you started weightlifting then your bone age must've already been close to maturity at that point.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released an opinion peice (in the 80s/90s) that weightlifting could damage growth plates, they have since retracted this statement saying that the chance of damaging growth plates is low even with the worst form. Still possible I guess but unless you were doing heavy compound forced reps over your one rep Max I don't think that caused it.

Sadly (or luckily), your height is most likely just a result of your natural development and genetics.

 

[Deleted member 19944]

It does sound like broscience. Better explanation would be that exercise raises dihydrotestosterone, which cannot be turned into estrogen (unlike testosterone) and is actually anti-estrogenic.

Doesn’t working out with dht actually cause baldness increase

 

[Growth Plate]

When I was a kid (I am 32 yo now), I was literally a giant. I was much much taller than the other kids -- heck, I was even taller than some of the short teachers at school.

answered your own question, early bloomer

 

[SoonToAscend]

Doesn’t working out with dht actually cause baldness increase

wdym "working out with dht"?

Also DHT is theorized to make you bald. Some people claim it doesn't do so and it's instead blood flow etc. Imho it's both. If you have shitty genetics DHT can contribute I guess. But it's amazing in puberty - skeletal development and dick growth. After like, 21-23 I guess you can start blasting fin if you want to keep yo hair

 

[SoonToAscend]

I disagree with this point. Testosterone is not "used" to do things, horomones are used to signal. Testosterone can be both used to build muscle and aromatize into estrogen. If working out increased his testosterone then it did increase his estrogen - definitely not enough to close growth plates though to a noticeable amount.

Also op if you stopped growing when you started weightlifting then your bone age must've already been close to maturity at that point.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released an opinion peice (in the 80s/90s) that weightlifting could damage growth plates, they have since retracted this statement saying that the chance of damaging growth plates is low even with the worst form. Still possible I guess but unless you were doing heavy compound forced reps over your one rep Max I don't think that caused it.

Sadly (or luckily), your height is most likely just a result of your natural development and genetics.

High iq answer

 

[ChristianChad]

skeletal development

Does jack shit for skeletal development I researched. Except maybe basic role of antagonising Estrogen dominance causing early bone maturation and limiting maximum growth.

 

[ChristianChad]

I know this is an old thread but I revisited it, what do you suggest as an alternative for squats, bent over row and leg press?

Calisthenics

 

[Need2Ascend]

Heavy squatting and deadlifting can. Most other lifts won't.

This plus maybe the muscle getting hypertrophied doesn't allow for growth by pulling the body together.

Stretching at the start and end of the day should be good

Did heavy squatting, deadlifting, shoulder presses, etc when I was mid puberty, also had a heavy back injury from a ballsport. Didn't grow much more in height and my siblings are much taller than me. Fucked my development additionally up, nice...

 

[Germania]

When I was a kid (I am 32 yo now), I was literally a giant. I was much much taller than the other kids -- heck, I was even taller than some of the short teachers at school.
Everyone thought I was destined to be a basketball player by the time I became an adult.

At around the age of 15, however, my height growth stopped at 5'10, which is my current height.
Coincidentally, this is the same age I first went to the gym.

I have heard lots of people say that going to the gym would end your height growth. Does anyone know anything about this? Do you know any scientific studies done on this matter?

At the moment, I constantly think whether 5'10 was actually the height I was genetically destined to have, or whether it could have been something in the 6 ft range had I not hit the gym that early. I guess I'll never know.

PS: A huge mistake I did when hitting the gym that first time is that I wasn't aware that you need to eat a lot to replenish your muscles (this way like 17 years ago, I didn't have much access to the internet to read articles). Instead, I went on a severe diet where I barely ate anything. I lost like 15 kilograms in 2 weeks. Could this starvation have been the reason for stopping height growth instead of the actual workouts? Or could it also not have had any effect?

The same story with me, we have also the exact same height.
I skipped a grade at school and was therefore a year younger than the other kids, also in my social circle. Despite being a year younger, I was always a bit taller than the others. In one picture during Christian confirmation (13-14 years old) we are all lined up and I was taller than my buddies. I started going to the gym when I was 15 AND had hypothyroidism for years, which was only diagnosed when I was 20. Both can stop growth, which it did.

I'm 5'10" my sister is 5'9" JFL so there are definitely good height genes somewhere in my pedigree. But who the fuck cares, 5'10" is fine, never had a problem with it.

 

[ChristianChad]

Did heavy squatting, deadlifting, shoulder presses, etc when I was mid puberty, also had a heavy back injury from a ballsport. Didn't grow much more in height and my siblings are much taller than me. Fucked my development additionally up, nice...

All good nigger there are a lot of factors.

Train again.

 

[Need2Ascend]

All good nigger there are a lot of factors.

Train again.

Yea all the other factors were shit too. Do you think I would have found this shithole if I had a normal bone development like everyone around me? Never

 

[Need2Ascend]

The same story with me, we have also the exact same height.
I skipped a grade at school and was therefore a year younger than the other kids, also in my social circle. Despite being a year younger, I was always a bit taller than the others. In one picture during Christian confirmation (13-14 years old) we are all lined up and I was taller than my buddies. I started going to the gym when I was 15 AND had hypothyroidism for years, which was only diagnosed when I was 20. Both can stop growth, which it did.

I'm 5'10" my sister is 5'9" JFL so there are definitely good height genes somewhere in my pedigree. But who the fuck cares, 5'10" is fine, never had a problem with it.

Started working out at 13 and weightlifting at 16. My older brother is 5 inches taller than me and never touched a barbell

 

[Germania]

Started working out at 13 and weightlifting at 16. My older brother is 5 inches taller than me and never touched a barbell

5 inches, fuck.

 

[Need2Ascend]

5 inches, fuck.

Hes 6'2-6'3 and looked like a weaker version of chico lachowski when he was younger. Meanwhile I'm 5'9-5'10 and as deformed as it gets

 

[SoonToAscend]

Does jack shit for skeletal development I researched. Except maybe basic role of antagonising Estrogen dominance causing early bone maturation and limiting maximum growth.

How would antagonising estrogen dominance cause early bone maturation? It should be the opposite - more dht, less e, slower growth plate closure = more maximum growth.

Also I am pretty sure DHT gives you things like masculine face, good shoulder to hip ratio, good bone structure etc...

 

[SoonToAscend]

Calisthenics

Welp I mean, it was already answered that hitting gym does not hinder height, but thanks otherwise. All calisthenics guys look really skin, bit dyelish also no leg and no chest development imho. Also I was doing calisthenics when I was younger and it didn't get me too far cuz 1. the metal bars in the street workout park were too large for my childlike hands (I literally had wrists so small my dick was LARGER in length than their circumference, thankfuly they've grown about 1-2 cm once I hit the gym, or maybe I am just delusional)
2. The bars got too cold half of the year (below 15C/59 F) so I couldn't workout, as I always had very dry skin on hands in winter and also weak circulation.

 

[SoonToAscend]

Did heavy squatting, deadlifting, shoulder presses, etc when I was mid puberty, also had a heavy back injury from a ballsport. Didn't grow much more in height and my siblings are much taller than me. Fucked my development additionally up, nice...

What is your and your siblings height? I don't really think it caused this, maybe even with extreme lack of stretching and mobility, being tense all the time, it shouldn't stunt growth to a large degree. Also it still depends on your height. Being 6 feet with good frame and big dick from all the DHT released by working out (also strong tendons, deep voice etc.) is better than being 6'3'' skinny dyel with sub5 inch micropeen and girly voice.

 

[SoonToAscend]

The same story with me, we have also the exact same height.
I skipped a grade at school and was therefore a year younger than the other kids, also in my social circle. Despite being a year younger, I was always a bit taller than the others. In one picture during Christian confirmation (13-14 years old) we are all lined up and I was taller than my buddies. I started going to the gym when I was 15 AND had hypothyroidism for years, which was only diagnosed when I was 20. Both can stop growth, which it did.

I'm 5'10" my sister is 5'9" JFL so there are definitely good height genes somewhere in my pedigree. But who the fuck cares, 5'10" is fine, never had a problem with it.

I think hypothyroidism did it to ya, not gym... but I wanna tell you I've heard about hypo people starting a "2nd puberty" once they fix this issue, so there is hope for you I think...
Also what is your parents height?

Also 5'10'' is a bit short but not bad, depends on where you live

 

[SoonToAscend]

Hes 6'2-6'3 and looked like a weaker version of chico lachowski when he was younger. Meanwhile I'm 5'9-5'10 and as deformed as it gets

Brutal genetic recombination pill!!!!

 

[Germania]

I think hypothyroidism did it to ya, not gym... but I wanna tell you I've heard about hypo people starting a "2nd puberty" once they fix this issue, so there is hope for you I think...
Also what is your parents height?

Also 5'10'' is a bit short but not bad, depends on where you live

Real barefoot non frauded 5'10" is completly fine even in Germany. I went to a club this weekend (80% males inside JFL ) and i would say 70% of the males were in the 5'8" to 6' range 20% were taller and 10% below 5'8". So I felt death average.

 

[SoonToAscend]

Real barefoot non frauded 5'10" is completly fine even in Germany. I went to a club this weekend (80% males inside JFL ) and i would say 70% of the males were in the 5'8" to 6' range 20% were taller and 10% below 5'8". So I felt death average.

People didn't believe when I said Germans are short. If I went to a club in Poland filled with people my age I'd get BRUTALLY HEIGHTMOGGED TO HELL AND BACK and I am 6 feet barefoot.

 

[Deleted member 8869]

When I was a kid (I am 32 yo now), I was literally a giant. I was much much taller than the other kids -- heck, I was even taller than some of the short teachers at school.
Everyone thought I was destined to be a basketball player by the time I became an adult.

At around the age of 15, however, my height growth stopped at 5'10, which is my current height.
Coincidentally, this is the same age I first went to the gym.

I have heard lots of people say that going to the gym would end your height growth. Does anyone know anything about this? Do you know any scientific studies done on this matter?

At the moment, I constantly think whether 5'10 was actually the height I was genetically destined to have, or whether it could have been something in the 6 ft range had I not hit the gym that early. I guess I'll never know.

PS: A huge mistake I did when hitting the gym that first time is that I wasn't aware that you need to eat a lot to replenish your muscles (this way like 17 years ago, I didn't have much access to the internet to read articles). Instead, I went on a severe diet where I barely ate anything. I lost like 15 kilograms in 2 weeks. Could this starvation have been the reason for stopping height growth instead of the actual workouts? Or could it also not have had any effect?

you are 32 asking stupid questions debunked years ago either rope or be useful to society wageslaving

 

[Need2Ascend]

What is your and your siblings height? I don't really think it caused this, maybe even with extreme lack of stretching and mobility, being tense all the time, it shouldn't stunt growth to a large degree. Also it still depends on your height. Being 6 feet with good frame and big dick from all the DHT released by working out (also strong tendons, deep voice etc.) is better than being 6'3'' skinny dyel with sub5 inch micropeen and girly voice.

I would have been 6'0-6'1 probably. Genetic recombination is real but my whole development was awful, due to many factors.

Yea I have all these dht characteristics deep voice, big dick, good frame, strong mentality, .. but properly developed bones are more important really and achieving your maximum genetic potential

 

[SoonToAscend]

I would have been 6'0-6'1 probably. Genetic recombination is real but my whole development was awful, due to many factors.

Yea I have all these dht characteristics deep voice, big dick, good frame, strong mentality, .. but properly developed bones are more important really and achieving your maximum genetic potential

If your "whole development" was "awful" I don't think gym is responsible for the height difference. Also don't worry you surely mog lanklets.

 

[Deleted member 19944]

It does sound like broscience. Better explanation would be that exercise raises dihydrotestosterone, which cannot be turned into estrogen (unlike testosterone) and is actually anti-estrogenic.

does that mean if you take dht blockers you will actually stop workout progress

 

[klamus]

More like the opposite. Having 100kg on your back for 4 minutes a day at 15 wont make you shorter. Im talking about squat which compresses you the most

 

[Deleted member 19944]

It does sound like broscience. Better explanation would be that exercise raises dihydrotestosterone, which cannot be turned into estrogen (unlike testosterone) and is actually anti-estrogenic.

does it?does it mean that dht blockers will fuck up workout progress

 

[Orbeck of Vinheim]

Stay away from squats deadlifts overhead press bent over row leg press when ur growing

those are mostly powerlifting exersizes that are mostly useless for bodybuilding anyway.

leg press is fine as long as it's seated leg press.

Overhead press is fine as long as it isnt too heavy

 

[Indra]

I'm 14 years and 5 months old i started working out 6 months ago and my height hasn't increased since I'm scared now