Does working out actually stunt height growth or are people just using this as a way to cope with their bad genetics?

[VLX]

Hey, 15m (16 soon) here, I am about 5'11 (measured at doctors). A lot of people are really polarizing about how working out could either hinder or benefit height growth during puberty. Like some people say it's good for height growth because you release more HGH while others say it is bad (especially deadlifting and squats) because you are constantly compressing your spine and also working your leg muscles which can result in taut bands (I think the reason people think taut bands are bad is because your muscles are contracted with more strength, so your bone growth projection is lowered or something)?

I'm not sure though. And if working out (weight lifting) can hinder growth, is calisthenics a good alternative to avoid this (if I only do leg day like once a week)?

And I am also not sure because I am overweight currently, and I know more fat = more estrogen = growth plates closing faster. But at the same time I don't want to potentially make myself shorter by working out. So I am kinda stuck. Idk what to do. I play basketball sometimes and played rugby last year (will play next semester too).

Plz help

 

[tymooz]

Hey, 15m (16 soon) here, I am about 5'11 (measured at doctors). A lot of people are really polarizing about how working out could either hinder or benefit height growth during puberty. Like some people say it's good for height growth because you release more HGH while others say it is bad (especially deadlifting and squats) because you are constantly compressing your spine and also working your leg muscles which can result in taut bands (I think the reason people think taut bands are bad is because your muscles are contracted with more strength, so your bone growth projection is lowered or something)?

I'm not sure though. And if working out (weight lifting) can hinder growth, is calisthenics a good alternative to avoid this (if I only do leg day like once a week)?

And I am also not sure because I am overweight currently, and I know more fat = more estrogen = growth plates closing faster. But at the same time I don't want to potentially make myself shorter by working out. So I am kinda stuck. Idk what to do. I play basketball sometimes and played rugby last year (will play next semester too).

Plz help

idk i started working out at 13 at like 5,1 now im 15 5,9 still working out

 

[thorns]

just take steroids, they help with bone growth during puberty.

 

[VLX]

just take steroids, they help with bone growth during puberty.

wouldnt that mess with my natural hormones though? like im growing because my body is already producing insane amounts of growth stuff right? like i heard a lot of people talking about anavar but idk why it's good (it also causes hairloss tho).

 

[moggr2009]

the hgh when you work out is released mostly to pull glucose into the bloodstream almost (hgh has many functions) none of it affects your growth plates and even that 1% does nothing. good form outweights the negatives on spine compression. working out has zero affect on height in 95% of all cases

 

[moggr2009]

best bet is to cut to 10-13% bodyfat and then stay that weight with a slight surplus for maximum nutrients for growth and everthying

 

[orangomango2003]

working out doesn't stunt height growth and doesn't increase HGH.

bone growth during puberty is priority number 1, even with a broken leg your leg still grows. only in extreme cases where the growth plate is shattered, like when you get run over by a train, it can stop your leg from growing. muscle injuries have no influence on bone growth.

spinal compression is temporary and has no influence on growth.

 

[VLX]

best bet is to cut to 10-13% bodyfat and then stay that weight with a slight surplus for maximum nutrients for growth and everthying

so does it matter if i get to that result via, cardio, sports, weightlifting or calisthenics? also to lose that much weight wouldn't i have to be in a calorie defecit? would it be fine to do that while i am a teen?

 

[VLX]

working out doesn't stunt height growth and doesn't increase HGH.

bone growth during puberty is priority number 1, even with a broken leg your leg still grows. only in extreme cases where the growth plate is shattered, like when you get run over by a train, it can stop your leg from growing. muscle injuries have no influence on bone growth.

spinal compression is temporary and has no influence on growth.

but what about your muscles getting stronger and having a stronger pull inwards on your bones? does it have like no effect? would your bones still grow at a normal pace?

 

[orangomango2003]

but what about your muscles getting stronger and having a stronger pull inwards on your bones? does it have like no effect? would your bones still grow at a normal pace?

muscles have an effect on bone density and strength, not on bone length. stronger muscles make your bones stronger, but won't stop them from growing. bone growth is controlled by growth plates which are influenced by genetics and hormones. as long as your growth plates function properly bones can grow normally, muscles have no effect on the functioning of growth plates.

 

[VLX]

muscles have an effect on bone density and strength, not on bone length. stronger muscles make your bones stronger, but won't stop them from growing. bone growth is controlled by growth plates which are influenced by genetics and hormones. as long as your growth plates function properly bones can grow normally, muscles have no effect on the functioning of growth plates.

but if bone density and strength is able to be affected by musucle strength, i dont really understand how bone length isn't/couldn't be affected by muscle strength? like wouldn't making the bones thicker and stronger require more resources and then result in less length growth?

it may be wrong, but the way i think about it in my head is like a metal rod growing or something but there is a rubber band attached to the top and bottom, and the stronger the band, they less the rod will be able to grow in the growth period.

 

[orangomango2003]

but if bone density and strength is able to be affected by musucle strength, i dont really understand how bone length isn't/couldn't be affected by muscle strength? like wouldn't making the bones thicker and stronger require more resources and then result in less length growth?

it may be wrong, but the way i think about it in my head is like a metal rod growing or something but there is a rubber band attached to the top and bottom, and the stronger the band, they less the rod will be able to grow in the growth period.

You think very simple but a bone isn't like a metal rod. you should have some biology lessons if it's too complicated for you. Bone growth in length caused by puberty always has priority over other processes like muscle growth. It doesn't matter what you do, if growth plates are functioning the bone will grow to the determined length. According to your logic a person with tight pants will have a shorter dick that a person with loose pants. The human body isn't dumb. It's important for survival that while growing a male can still become stronger.

 

[moggr2009]

so does it matter if i get to that result via, cardio, sports, weightlifting or calisthenics? also to lose that much weight wouldn't i have to be in a calorie defecit? would it be fine to do that while i am a teen?

nope but I would reccomend weightlifting or calisthenics with a decent caloric deficit. it is fine to do it as a teen but take multivitamins and only eat nutrient dense food to reduce the strain on your body.

it may be wrong, but the way i think about it in my head is like a metal rod growing or something but there is a rubber band attached to the top and bottom, and the stronger the band, they less the rod will be able to grow in the growth period.

but what about your muscles getting stronger and having a stronger pull inwards on your bones? does it have like no effect? would your bones still grow at a normal pace?

thats just not really a thing

your analogy is not correct but I do appreciate you trying to learn.

heres an analogy from gpt:

Think of your body as a well-designed house under construction. Your bones are like the structural framework—the beams and pillars that provide stability and height. Your muscles are like the walls and finishing touches—they make the house functional and strong but don't alter its height.

they just dont really affect eachother