Ryan Nguyen Experiment      Page 1  Page 2 

Sky’s Lumbar Routine

How anyone 18 to 35 years of age may POSSIBLY

grow 2 to 3 cm in the next 12 to 15 months

Inverted

Sit-ups with Weights

Walking/Jogging or High-intensity

Cardio Training

The

Dutch Diet

Kimi/Yoko

& MF3

(optional)

Monday

1 hour

15 to 30 minutes

drink milk daily

daily

Tuesday

1 hour

15 to 30 minutes

drink milk daily

daily

Wednesday

1 hour

15 to 30 minutes

drink milk daily

daily

Thursday

1 hour

15 to 30 minutes

drink milk daily

daily

Friday

1 hour

15 to 30 minutes

drink milk daily

daily

Saturday

1 hour

Rest

drink milk daily

daily

Sunday

Rest

Rest

drink milk daily

daily

– Perform inverted sit-ups with weights 1 hour daily. Rest on Sunday.
– Whenever have free time, spend 1 to 2 hours by doing inverted sit-ups. The longer the duration, the faster you’ll grow. The higher the intensity, the quicker you’ll see 1 cm in growth.
– In the first 2 weeks, start slow by inverting without using any weights. Then slowly build tolerance and use 5 pound dumbbell weight each hand while inverting. Every month, increase the intensity level in every aspect of the exercise such as using 8 pound dumbbell weight each hand. Scroll all the way down for more info.

2. Walking/Jogging or High-intensity Cardio Training:
– Jogging, running, biking, jumping, swimming, basketball, hockey, football, plyometrics: 15 to 30 minutes three times or more every week.
– To succeed in growing taller, one must have a mindset of an athlete or bodybuilder by building strong core and abdominal muscles. In other words, you should exercise frequently, get in shape, lose weight, and eat healthy.
– For more specific routines and cardiovascular training programs, Click Here!
– You should AVOID weightlifting exercises because this form of training may crush the newly-formed cartilage discs or discourage the growth of your spinal muscles.
– Other exercises (optional): Abdominal workout such as crunches, high-intensity running, or sprinting (perform a few times a week).

Jumping is a great way to build strong back and abdominal muscles. For those who don’t want to be seen jogging on the street, jumping is a cool exercise because you can do it while you’re inside the house or while playing with your dog (see my dog?). I usually jog for 15 to 30 minutes non-stop three times a week. Jogging helps to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles and encourages the spinal fluids to flush out toxic wastes hidden between the intervertebral discs.

For those who are already in good shape (having a six-pack abdominals or dashboard stomach), you may choose to jog non-stop for 30 minutes daily, OR walk at moderate speed non-stop for 1 hour daily. By doing so, you’ll prevent weight gain and keep your body, digestive enzymes, electric currents, & hormones in balance which is extremely important in growing taller.

3. The Dutch Diet:
– The Dutch are the tallest people in the world. So what’s their secret to growing taller? They drink lots of milk with breakfast, lunch, & dinner.
– Eat high-protein foods such as cheese or yogurt (recommended, cereal with milk, or protein shakes, protein powder supplement, etc.
– drink at least 3 full glasses of milk daily (1 for breakfast, lunch, & dinner). You can drink 5 to 6 glasses if you want.
– More on Dutch Diet, Click here! (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

4. Kimi/Yoko Insoles & MF3 Supplement(optional):
– The reason that Kimi or Yoko insole is an option in addition to the Lumbar Routine is because some people find it a little uncomfortable to walk on it. It has been reported after a few months wearing these insoles, one may develop thick skin under the feet thus any stimulation afterward may not be as effective.
– MF3 supplement is an option in addition to our routine because it’s very expensive. Also, this supplement is mainly used for rejuvenation & anti-aging therapy such as improving skin texture, smoothness, & firmness. The BIG question is, “Is there a role for MF3 in height increase?” We truly believe so because according to MF3’s Official Website, this amazing supplement has been clinically tested by Bio-HC, one of Europe’s largest and most sophisticated Clinical Test Research Centers in Pessac, France under GLP (Good Laboratories Practice conditions).
– More on Kimi/Yoko, Click here! (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)
– More on MF3, Click here! (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

Name:  Sky’s Lumbar Routine

History of inversion:  Inversion therapy has been used to relieve back pain as early as 400 BC when Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, strung up a patient on a ladder with ropes and pulleys and allowed gravity to do its work. The concept of inversion was not widely recognized in the United States, however, until Dr. Robert Martin (a California osteopath, chiropractor and medical doctor) introduced the “Gravity Guidance System” in the 1960’s. This revolutionary concept addressed the effects of gravity on the human body, the simple solution of inversion therapy, and the resulting benefits.

How it works:  By performing inverted sit-ups with weights, it’s believed that one can build bigger & leaner abdominal & core muscles and simultaneously thicken the cartilage discs in the spine. To safely and effectively thicken the muscle mass and cartilage discs in the spine, you need a routine that involves powerful pulling and stretching forces. Thus, by performing exercises while hanging upside down with weights, you’re taking advantage of 4 POWERFUL forces, i.e. gravity, motion, dumbbell weights, and your body weight.

Sky’s Lumbar Routine is very advanced and powerful because it is in fact kinetic inversion (caused by motion) such as performing inverted sit-ups. This routine is far more effective than other traditional inversion techniques (stationary inversion) such as hanging upside down motionless while holding weights for 15 minutes.

Experimented by:  Sky

Statistical Success Rate:  Very High (Athletes); Medium (Others)
– Athletes, bodybuilders, or physically active individuals tend to achieve better results or grow faster than others (physically inactive) when following Sky’s Lumbar Routine.

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Research started:  October 24, 2005 to Present

Duration of Experiment:  1 month (July 28 to August 28, 2005)

Total cost:  $1,600 US.  It took me about 9 months to finally come up with a backbone routine which is now called “Sky’s Lumbar Routine”. Along the way, I’ve spent close to $1,600 US on many different stretching routines & programs, e-books, journals, research studies subscriptions, traction tables, inversion boots, etc.

Result: Not conclusive
– The result of this experiment is not available due to the fact that I only experimented with inverted sit-ups for less than four weeks. The reason that I cannot continue with this routine is because I will be pretty busy this Fall semester studying for exams and also working as an intern for Rite Aid pharmacy. By the way, I’m a 5^th year pharmacy student at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia).

The result is “not conclusive” because I don’t want to reveal any data that are not fully analyzed. However, I can tell you that after 1 month of inverting with weights, my back feels stronger than ever before. Noticeable growth has not surfaced (but is expected to grow in 6 months if I were to continue with the routine).

Ongoing Expeirment:  Beginning May 2006

Before attempting to follow Sky’s Lumbar Routine, be sure to carefully review the following links:
1) Frequently Asked Questions (new -1/1/2006) highly recommended!
2) Frequently Asked Questions (8/30/2005) highly recommended!

Fibrocartilage Disc

Remodeling Period

Expected Growth

(Sky’s Lumbar Routine)

Year One

Month 1

0 cm

Month 2

0 cm

Month 3

0 cm

Month 4

0 cm

Month 5

0 cm

Month 6 & 7

1 cm

(BOTH muscle mass building &

(fibrocartilage disc thickening)

Month 8

0 cm

Month 9

0 cm

Month 10

0 cm

Month 11

0 cm

Month 12

0.75 cm to 1.5 cm

(fibrocartilage disc thickening)

Year Two

Month 1

0 cm

Month 2

0 cm

Month 3

0 cm

Month 4

0 cm

Month 5

0 cm

Month 6 & 7

0.75 to 1.2 cm

(fibrocartilage disc thickening)

Month 8

0 cm

Month 9

0 cm

Month 10

0 cm

Month 11

0 cm

Month 12

0.75 cm to 1.2 cm

(fibrocartilage disc thickening)

Year Three

Month 1

0 cm

Month 2

0 cm

Month 3

0 cm

Month 4

0 cm

Month 5

0 cm

Month 6 & 7

0.75 cm to 1 cm

(fibrocartilage disc thickening)

Month 8

0 cm

Month 9

0 cm

Month 10

0 cm

Month 11

0 cm

Month 12

0.75 cm to 1 cm

(fibrocartilage disc thickening)

Year Four (same as Year Three)

Note: 0.75 cm = 0.29 inch…………..1 cm = 0.39 inch…………..2 cm = 0.79 inch

3 cm = 1.18 inch…………..4 cm = 1.57 inch…………..5 cm = 1.97 inch

1 inch = 2.54 cm……….. 2 inches = 5.08 cm…………3 inches = 7.62 cm

Explanations:

Year One: Within the first 6 or 7 months, you should expect an average growth of 1 cm, in which 50% of your growth will come from the back & core muscles and the other 50% from thickening of the cartilage discs in the lumbar spine. From Month 7 (of Year One) forward, any growth will ONLY come from the thickening of the fibrocartilage discs in the spine. It’s not easy to remodel these discs; however, with time, intensity, consistency, supplements, & inverted sit-ups, it’s VERY POSSIBLE that one can grow up to 3 to 4 inches within the next 3 to 4 years.

In addition, you will grow anywhere from 0.75 cm to 1.2 cm in the remaining 6 months of Year One. The variation in growth rate is affected by certain factors such as the individual’s physique, work ethics, consistency, intensity, & other components such as drinking lots of milk, taking cell therapy supplements, or having foot stimulation, etc.

For instance, a well-built athlete who is 5’9 is likely to grow 1.2 cm in the remaining 6 months of Year One if he were to religiously follow the Lumbar Routine exactly as directed plus drinking lots of milk. Since he is 5’9, his lumbar cartilage discs are relatively bigger in size (thus any decompressing of the spine will be slightly noticeable) when compared to the discs of someone who is shorter (eg, 5’3).

On the other hand, an active height seeker who is 5’3 is likely to grow 0.75 to 1 cm in the remaining 6 months of Year One if he or she were to religiously follow the Lumbar Routine exactly as directed plus drinking lots of milk.

Year Two: Every 6 months, you should expect a growth of 0.75 cm to 1.2 cm.

Year Three: From Year Three forward, you should expect a growth of a growth of 0.75 cm to 1 cm every 6 months. This growth is slightly slower than Year One/Two simply because the process of cartilage disc thickening gets a little more tough from year to year. How can you overcome this? By increasing the intensity & duration of the inverted sit-up exercise (discussed below).

Year Four: Same as Year Three… meaning you should expect a growth of a growth of 0.75 cm to 1 cm every 6 months.

Year Five: At this point, we believe that it’s VERY POSSIBLE that one can grow up to 3 to 4 inches within the next 3 to 4 years. Year Five is not indicated here because it’s not easy to grow more than 4 inches.

SUMMARY: In Year One, on average, you should expect a growth of 2 cm to 2.54 cm (3/4 inch to 1 inch). In Year Two, Three, & Four, you should expect a growth of 2 cm each year; however, if you were to religiously follow the Lumbar Routine exactly as indicated plus drinking lots of milk, it’s very possible that you can grow 2.54 cm or 1 inch every year (Year One, Two, Three, Four).

AFTER the first 6 months of Year One, most of your height gain will depend on cartilage remodeling (cartilage calcified into bones). Of course, the process of cartilage thickening is not easy because it is elastic (variation in size/shape in form of compression/decompression. Therefore, to achieve 1 cm every 6 months, it is encouraged that one should increase the intensity level every month. For instance, everyday spend 1 hour and a half on performing inverted sit-ups with 8 pound dumbbell weights. Rest on Sunday.

Is there a limit? Yes, there may eventually be a limit to growing or thickening the cartilage discs in the spine.  However, we truly believe that you may possibly grow up to 4 inches with Sky’s Lumbar Routine.  You may grow close to an inch every year, and with consistent hard work, you will possibly gain 3 to 4 inches within 3 to 4 years.

Overall, you should expect a 2 to 3 cm in growth within the next 12 to 15 months.  Since the 5 discs in the lumbar area are non-fusible cartilages, they can constantly grow thicker under the stimulation of bending forces by performing inverted sit-ups with weights.

As long you’re physically active, anyone 18 to 35 years of age will achieve noticeable growth. However, anyone under the age of 30 may achieve slightly better results than those who are among the 30 to 40 years of age gap. Note that age per se is not a factor. Growing taller is all about consistency and intensity. If you know to how increase the intensity level of inverted sit-ups every month, you’ll grow quicker than anyone else regardless of your age.

Ryan Nguyen Experiment        Page 1  Page 2

Anatomy of the Spine

In the lumbar area of the spine, there are 5 cartilage discs (made of fibrocartilage) and they are naturally two to three times thicker than the rest of the discs which are located in the middle & upper back. Since the lumbar discs are bigger, they are more flexible and are easily influenced by such stretching & pulling forces caused by inverted sit-ups. Therefore, almost 90% of your cartilage disc thickening will occur in the lumbar area.

According to the human growth medical research findings of Dr Ichiro Kawaguchi of Tokyo Research Laboratory of the National Health Department and Dr A. Kawata from the Kyoto University, human height is not determined by genetic factor alone but

Intensive scientific research has also proven that most young adults can still grow a few inches taller even after the bones in their lower body have become ossified (commonly known as “bone plate is fused”).

By performing inverted sit-ups with weights daily, the 5 cartilage discs in the lumbar area will go through the tear-repair process as they will grow 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm within 6 to 12 months. At the same time, the muscle mass in the abdominal and back area will increase significantly as they contribute another 0.5 cm to 1 cm in growth.

Human spinal column consists of 33 separate bone segments known as vertebrae held together by ligaments (tough and fibrous tissue). Out of these 33 vertebrae, only the lowest 9 are fused into two immovable bones, the sacrum and the coccyx, forming the back of the pelvis.

Located between each of these 24 vertebrae are cartilaginous pads called discs. The thickness of the disks determines the length of the spinal column and directly influences the height. There are totally 25 disks, their combined length accounts 25% of your total height.Since these disks are non-fusible cartilages, they can constantly grow thicker under the stimulation of bending forces by performing inverted sit-ups with weights.  The thicker those disks are, the longer your spinal column is and the taller you become.

Anatomy of the Back

Your spine is made up of the following components:

1) Vertebrae – the bones that make up your spine
2) Nerves – your entire nerve system runs through your spine
3) Discs – spongy material that separates your vertebrae, allowing the nerves to run between each bone segment. Discs act like shock absorbers and allow the spine to flex.

The main function of your discs is to act as shock absorbers and provide separation between each vertebrae. The outer layers of your discs are formed from tough cartilage. The inner core of your disc is a jelly-like nucleus.

In total, your discs account for one-quarter the length of your vertebral column- 4.50″ to 6″ (12 to 15 cm) for most people. The disc acquires its nourishment through fluid-attracting and fluid-absorbing qualities of its jelly-like nucleus.

With no blood supply of its own, the disc is dependent on sponge action for attracting and absorbing nutrients from adjacent tissues. During non-weight bearing activities (sleeping) the discs expand as they soak up fluid, increasing the length of the spine by as much as one inch overnight. During weight bearing activities (sitting, standing, exercising), this fluid is squeezed back into the adjacent soft tissue.

Your vertebra are supported and moved by many different muscles. Muscles are used for three basic functions; support, movement, and posture control. If muscles are tight or weak, they create or worsen back pain. Joints are controlled by at least two sets of muscles, flexors which bend the joint, and extensors which straighten it. In addition, most joints have rotator muscles that twist and rotate your bones. Good posture is only possible if the flexors, extensors, and rotators are in proper balance.

Your paraspinal muscles (which run parallel to your spine) rotate your spine, bend it backwards, and sideways, and influence posture by creating and maintaining the curves of your spine. Your erector spine muscles are involved in movement and run the length of your spine. These muscles help you to bend over by resisting the force of gravity, and to straighten up by contracting and exerting great compressive force on your spine.

Your abdominal muscles play an important role in helping to support the spine by maintaining pressure inside the abdomen. This pressure is an essential measure of counter support to the spine.  Your psoas muscles (hip flexors) are a large group of muscles in the abdomen. These muscles help to flex your hips when walking or climbing stairs. They play an important role in maintaining posture for sitting and standing.
Intravertebral joints are supported by ligaments, tough and inelastic fibers which support the spine and hold it together by allowing only a limited range of movement in any one direction. Ligaments require regular movement and loading, otherwise they will eventually become stiff and weak.

3. This is my “before” x-ray of my lumbar spine. If I were to grow taller in the near future, I’ll take some “after” x-rays of the lumbar spine to prove that they can be thickened over time with vigorous exercises. Note that there are 5 cartilage discs in the lumbar area and they are 2 to 3 times thicker than the rest of the discs in the spine. (There are 6 other x-rays of my spine which are not posted here).

Kinetic Inversion

Ryan Nguyen Experiment   Frequently Asked Questions

New FAQs are added: Jan. 8, 2006

Note: The following FAQs (in order) include:

1) Sky’s Lumbar Routine & Inversion

2) Lumbar Routine Experiment

3) Kimi/Yoko insoles

4) MFIII Supplement

5) Milk

6) Miscellaneous

For best results, all Lumbar Experimenters are HIGHLY encouraged to review the following FAQs very carefully before following the Lumbar Routine.

Sky’s Lumbar Routine & Inversion

(new) I’m 5’5 and my doctor said that my bones are going to be fused very soon and that it’s impossible for me to grow taller unless through surgery. My dad is 5’6, so I will most likely end up like my dad. Why doesn’t my doctor believe in stretching the spine?
– Many doctors claim that the only way to grow taller is through growth hormone injections & limb surgery. Our easyheight team reluctantly agrees. It’s possible that all these doctors want is for their patients to buy expensive growth hormone drugs & undergo costly surgery. Who knows!

(new) Which one should I use to invert? Chin-dip-leg-raise or the Ez-Up Inversion Rack?
– Both are equally effective & convenient. However, the Ez-Up Inversion Rack is a lot cheaper (only $86) whereas the chin-dip-leg raise is about $230. If you don’t have a lot of money, then go with the Ez-Up Inversion Rack in which can be adjusted to fit solid wood doorways or wall (you MUST have secure doorway or wall). On the other hand, if you don’t have a secure doorway or wall, then go with the chin-dip-leg-raise. Sky’s favorite is the chin-dip-leg-raise because it’s so convenient and there’s no need to hook it against the doorway. However, other experimenters have reported that the Ez-Up Inversion Rack is cheaper & convenient as well and that it takes less than 30 minutes to fit the doorway or wall!

(new) Of all the routines & experiments that your team has conducted for the past years, which one is the best?
– Of all the routines and experiments, we would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you should try Sky’s Lumbar Routine because of its high success rate and easy level of difficulty.

(new) Hello Sky, when will you start following the Lumbar Routine yourself?
– I only experimented with the Lumbar Routine for less than a month (July 28 to August 28, 2005). The reason that I could not continue further is because I was busy with college schoolwork. However, I plan to resume doing the Lumbar Routine by early May 2006 because that’s when I’ll be free for a whole year.

(new) Hi easyheight team… I want to follow the Lumbar Routine, but currently not physically fit because I have a fat tummy. Is there a “Weight Loss Routine”?
– Yes, here it is:

—————————————————————-
Sky’s Weight Loss Routine: jog every morning 15-30 minutes; eat before 7 PM; consume Apple Cider Vinegar (tablet or liquid-form).

i) Jog for 15-30 minutes non-stop every morning: Doing cardio first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, before you eat anything, is BY FAR, the MOST EFFECTIVE. Whether you run, jog, walk, swim, jump rope, take an aerobics class, ride a bike, etc., doing it first thing in the morning is the best time to do it for maximum fat loss. Why? Its simple. When you do your cardio workout, you are burning calories. Lets say you wake up, eat breakfast, eat lunch later in the day, and then a few hours after lunch, you do your cardio. All you will be doing during that cardio is burning the calories and carbs of the food you just ate. When you do cardio first thing in the morning, you haven’t eaten anything for the last 8 or so hours because you were sleeping. So, when your body sees that there are no carbs to burn, it goes directly to stored bodyfat. And stored bodyfat is the fat that is on your body, which is the fat that you want to lose! [intense-workout.com]

ii) Do NOT eat anything after 7:00 PM (or 7:30 PM): Eat all you want the entire day, eat a big or small dinner before 7:00 PM, but do NOT eat after 7 PM. Calories eaten after 7 p.m. tend to be stored in your body as fat – mainly because you do little in the evening to burn off food eaten late in the day. Oprah Winfrey not only lost 33 pounds by exercising, but also by stopped eating late. I (Sky) lost about 7 pounds in 2 months just by eating before 7:30 Pm. In summary, if you cannot eat before 7 PM, then try eat before 7:30 PM or 8 PM. But try your best to eat before 7 PM because you’re guaranteed to immediately lose pounds within the 4 weeks.

iii) Consume Apple Cider Vinegar daily (ACV): Take as tablet OR liquid-form. You can buy ACV liquid-form at most food stores. For tablet-form, Wal-mart has the quality stuff at the affordable price. Since ACV liquid-form’s taste is very sour, always mix it with water, juice or honey (take 2 to 6 tablespoonfuls daily). For tablet-form, take as directed on the bottle.

The ACV diet has been around for decades – at least! It has proven itself safe and effective for helping many health issues. Click here to read the success stories about ACV.(HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)
—————–END of Weight Loss Routine————————

(new) You suggested that it’s possible to gain up to 4 inches over a period of 4 years. I am just wondering how educated this estimate was and where does it come from? What do we know about the limit of how much cartilage can be calcified into bone which dictates this estimate?
– We don’t have all the answers and thus we’re trying our best to illustrate what we can. But the 4 inch gain is a good possibility based on some success stories & current documents that we have. We have never heard about anyone who has grown more than 4 inches. So “4” is a possibly a safe number to rest.

 (new) Since growing taller is also about having a healthy diet.. when should I have my dinner?
– Again, all Lumbar experimenters are encouraged to have a healthy diet, which means do NOT eat after 7:00 PM. If not possible, then do not eat after 7:30 PM. Calories eaten late at night tend to be stored in your body as fat which may stunt growth.

Is there any CONCRETE evidence about the possibility of growing taller by thickening the spine even though growth plates have closed?
– Click here to explore inversion success (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

What is it about Kimi/Yoko insoles & MF3 supplement that you guys have decided to include them in the Lumbar Routine?
– We believe that there are some missing ingredients.. but not we’re not sure. It’s possibly that Kimi/Yoko (secreting growth hormones & maintaining balance) & MF3 (tissue regeneration) may help to trigger a second growth spurt. Speaking of growth spurt, we’re NOT talking about shin bones which CANNOT be lengthened (when growth plates have closed). In fact, we’re talking about a so-called “second growth spurt” which may help to quickly thicken the lumbar cartilage discs when doing inverted sit-ups.

Sky, you said that it probably takes about 8 to 12 months to gain 2 cm with the Lumbar Routine…. 2 cm is NOT a lot. Don’t you think?
– You’re telling me that 2 cm increase in height ain’t significant.. are you on crack my brother? 2 cm in height plus 1 cm from cushioned insoles will automatically put any man on the pedestal for a long time! You’ll immediately look & feel taller.. have doubts? Try wearing 2 cm thick cushioned insoles and test it for yourself and see how all the chicks treating you at those fancy NYC nightclubs.. they’ll be leanin’ on ya!

This is my second day of inversion. My ankles hurt a little bit while inverting with inversion boots on a chin-up bar.. when will I get used to the feeling?
– You should get used to the feeling within a week. It’s very important to find the PERFECT pair of sneakers by trying different ones until you get comfortable. The shin pads of the inversion boots should lay on top of your sneakers. It’s all about trial & error. Be creative & persistent, try different methods & sneakers so that your ankles will not hurt. Try NOT to invert more than 5 minutes or your ankles might develop red marks or blisters. Basically, finish a rep of 10 or 15 inverted sit-ups, and then get off the chin-dip-leg-raise to relax for 2 or 3minutes.. then perform another 10 or 15 inverted sit-ups. I (Sky) have experimented with inversion for quite a few weeks and have found that the ankles do NOT hurt at all. Others have drawn the same conclusions.

I’m convinced that inversion could be a great way to grow taller.. but I’m afraid because you know, all the blood rushing to your head. What should I do?
– Inversion is considered “SAFE OVERALL” by many worldwide health specialists, physical therapists, and doctors. There’s nothing wrong with the blood rushing to your head as it can be a good thing since there have been reports from people who have regained the beautiful texture of hair colors. Also, even if the blood rushing to the head for more than 30 minutes, there have been NO reports of any injuries or trauma of any kind (unless you have glaucoma or uncontrolled hypertension). In short, if you’re under 35 years of age and are in good health condition, there’s not much to worry when it comes to inversion (safe & effective method for stress relief). If any doubts, contact your physician.

You’ve suggested that anyone 18-35 yrs of age may possibly grow 2 to 3 cm.. I’m 38 yrs old. What are my chances?
– You will achieve satisfying results as well if you were to religiously follow the Lumbar Routine.. 18-35 yrs of age is nice range which we try to put things in perspective because this group of people tend to have flexible & young fibrocartilage discs.

I’m 16 yrs of age.. can I follow your Lumbar Routine? If I were to do inverted sit-ups, will it prematurely close my growth plates?
– There are really no major risks to following the Lumbar Routine. It’s pretty safe thus far. However, since you’re under 18 yrs of age, please speak to a physician before attempting any exercises. Also, doing inverted sit-ups will NOT prematurely close our growth plates. 

What are some diet guidelines while following the Lumbar Routine?
– 1. Bread, other cereals and potatoes. This group includes pasta, rice and breakfast cereals and should form the basis of most meals. Don’t overload them with fatty toppings, though.
2. Fruit and vegetables. Aim to include five portions a day.
3. Meat, fish and alternatives. This group includes pulses, beans, eggs and tofu. Aim to choose low-fat versions wherever you can. Grilling or steaming helps to keep the fat content down.
4. Milk and dairy products. This group includes cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. Again, aim to choose low-fat versions wherever you can.
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/wtmngment/healthywt/qas/0,,240_183928,00.html

My face turns a little red when inverting.. is this normal? When will I get used to this feeling?
– Again, it takes about 4 to 5 days and you’ll quickly get used to the feeling. At first, it may seem like a big deal to feel the warmth (blood rushing) in your face, but after a few attempts, less blood will rush to your head as you’re getting used to inversion. In short, it’s NOT a big deal and don’t be alarmed. Millions of people have been inverting since the dawn of mankind history.

Should I invert non-stop for 10 or 15 minutes while holding weights? Would I achieve better growth this way?
– Stationary inversion (inverting motionless for long periods of time while holding dumbbell weights) is NOT effective because what you’ll gain is temporary height gain (NOT permanent). Why? In order to achieve permanent growth, you need to increase muscle mass & thicken the fibrocartilage discs in the lumbar spine, and the only way to achieve this is through vigorous exercise such as kinetic inversion (inverted sit-ups with weights). Inverted sit-ups with weights is possibly the preferred method because it leads to PERMANENT growth.

Thus, there’s no need to invert non-stop (motionless) for 10 or 15 minutes. To achieve better result, all you need is 2 minutes of KINETIC inversion which is equivalent to about 10 to 15 inverted sit-ups (depends on your tolerance & intensity, the more sit-ups the better). After doing inverted sit-ups, get off the chin-dip-leg-raise, then take a 2-minute break, then again get on the chin-dip-leg-raise to perform another set of inverted sit-ups… and repeat this process until you’ve covered about 50 to 80 inverted sit-ups (takes about 30 minutes in total for each session). For best results, you should perform inverted sit-ups for 1 hour or more daily (30 minutes each session).

What’s the safest way to add three quarter of an inch (3/4″) to your lumbar spine?
– We believe the Lumbar Routine is the answer which is done by stretching your lumbar spine with weights (takes less than a year). Time flies so much FASTER when you imagine the possibility of growing close to 2 inches if you were to spend 1 to 2 hours daily on the routine for 2 years.. Ask ANY short person in the world and they’ll tell you that the height gap difference of 1-2 inches (2.54-5.08 cm) is VERY SIGNIFICANT because it can separate or define you as either the “underdog” or the “lucky loser”.. You may POSSIBLY grow up to 4 inches in 4 years.

Why is it important to sleep flat on your back?
– Sleeping flat on your back at night (any beds EXCEPT water beds) ensures the maximum decompression hence you’re about half an inch taller in the morning.Below are all the message posts we’ve received from fellow height seekers. Read on and tell us if you agree!

** I just wanted you to know that I slept on the floor last night
April 28 2001 at 7:18 PM No score for this post
I just wanted (no login)
http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=72320&messageid=988510704
Response to When hanging from a bar by your hands

I just wanted you to know that I slept on the floor last night on my back instead on my bed . When I woke up I felt taller and back felt straighter. Why don’t you all try it. PS. its hard giving up your soft bed for the floor .  GOOD LUCK

Sky’s note: There’s no need to sleep on the floor.. just sleep on any firm bed except those water beds.

I have a very slight hip dysplasia. Do you think inverting with weights could be harmful to my hips or joints?
– Inversion is considered “SAFE OVERALL” by many worldwide health specialists, physical therapists, and doctors. If what you have is a slight Hip dysplasia, then I don’t think it’s a problem. However, it’s always safe to seek professional advice from your physician.

Yo Sky, I’d like to follow your Lumbar Routine.. but since your routine has not proven to be successful, I’m a little doubtful. Plus, there are other risks that I’m worried. What do you suggest?
– It’s Sky here. Growing taller is all about taking risks. It’s how far or how much you want to grow. I took lots of risks in the past (and still am) with all the past experiments, especially the shin bone experiment which I sat with 35 lb weight each leg for 3 months + 3 weeks. Other people said that I was an idiot for damaging my knee joint & kneecap with the shin bone routine; nevertheless, I just kept on blindly going. In the end, I didn’t gain any centimeter with the routine. My legs are still in good shape. Yeah, height increase is considered as “impossible” by many; therefore, it may take many “idiots” to prove this theory wrong.

You said in the FAQs that weightlifting should be avoided. Are workouts using your own body weight OK like for example push ups?
– Push ups are okay since you’re exerting a horizontal force which is parallel with gravity. Your spine is not affected in this type of activity. Most forms of exercise are basically okay EXCEPT this one:
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/athens2004/weightlifting

Our advice? Focus ALL YOUR ENERGY, SOUL, & POWER into performing inverted sit-ups with weights, weight loss diet, regular physical exercise, and also building strong abdominal muscles (such as doing crunches while laying flat on the ground or jogging, etc.).  By building a 6-pack or strong lean muscle mass in the abdominal & back area, you’ll likely gain 1 cm faster than anyone else (within 6 months or less)!

I would like to know if I should take alfalfa tablets or not? Will I benefit from taking them (I ordered them and received them last week)?
– Alfalfa may have proven to work for Kaneka (an experimenter who claimed to have grown more than an inch in 7 months after consuming about 15-20 tabs daily). However, many height seekers have reported devastating results in which they have NOT grown any centimeter with alfalfa after taking it for more than 3-4 months. In summary, do NOT take alfalfa tablets because no other credible success stories have been reported plus alfalfa has a lot of nasty side effects if consumed in overdosed amounts for more than 6 months. In terms of a supplement’s perspective, your best bet is to follow the Dutch diet (drink 3 glasses of milk daily plus eat lots of cheese) while following the Lumbar Routine. If more alfalfa success stories begin to emerge, then we will re-visit to learn about it.

Has anyone ever thought of performing inverted squat with weight? I’ve been doing it for the last few weeks and i swear i’ve grown 1 cm as a result from it. It’s a small accomplishment but still worth mentioning. I created my own routine apart from using sky’s lumbar routine and fitted it into my schedule. The routine I created is aim to target and lengthen the limb, at the same time, the vertebra.
– Our lumbar routine focuses ONLY on the lumbar area of the spine (NOT the legs or arms) since emerging evidence has suggested that this area is possibly capable of growth in the fibrocartilage discs. Inverted squat seems interesting.. but i doubt this method would produce promising results to the lumbar growth due to lack of bending force & insufficient movement. The lumbar routine primarily relies on 1 simple model – that is KINETIC INVERSION (inversion techniques caused by motion). Therefore, the better the full-range of motion performed while inverting, the quicker the growth. Inverted sit-ups with weights includes a critical component, which is the full 180-degree bending force (kinetic motion aka inverted sit-ups with weights).

Your 1 cm in growth seems encouraging.. but keep in mind that 99% of it is PURE muscle growth, NOT cartilage disc growth. To permanently grow 1 cm in the cartilage discs, it may take anywhere between 8 to 12 months to see noticeable effect.During the 8-12 month period with the lumbar routine, you may expect 1 to 1.5 cm in cartilage growth plus an additional maybe 0.5 to 1 cm in muscle growth.. which brings you to almost an inch!

Since Olympic gymnasts do a lot of hanging, shouldn’t they be taller than average? How come many of them are just average height?
– Many olympic gymnasts are genetically short to begin with. Since their stature isn’t that significant, it may offer some advantages in performing such skillful movements in terms of competition. By doing all the hanging bar exercises (WITHOUT dumbbell wts), there’s no guarantee that you’ll grow an inch taller. What you’ll definitely gain is the bulkiness of muscle mass (which may add an extra 1/4″ to 1/2″ to your height). However, your lumbarfibrocartilage discs aren’t likely to grow thicker due to the fact that there are NO powerful forces being exerted (since no dumbbell wts). To sufficiently STIMULATE the remodeling of the lumbar cartilage discs, increasing the “intensity” is the key to growing taller.

Inverted sit-ups w/ weights is a very powerful method since it involves the “fulcrum & lever” concept. By performing inverted sit-ups with weights, you’re exerting heavy forces on the lumbar spine as the weight exponentially increases (something like a rock on a seasaw). Meaning, if you hold a 5 lb dumbbell wt. each hand, it may POSSIBLY exponentially increase to maybe 30 lb each hand.

In your “Inversion Success Stories” webpage, some people claim to have grown more than an inch in 3 or 4 months.. how do you explain this? How come in your Lumbar Routine, you’ve suggested that on average, one can grow up to 2.5 cm (or 1 inch) in 12 to 15 months. Why does it take so long?
– The inversion success stories do seem encouraging; however, many of these experimenters do not know that at least 50% of their 1 inch growth is actually temporary height gain. According to medical science, it’s almost impossible to grow 1 permanent inch in less than 6 months after growth plates are closed (except through surgery). Growing taller is an extremely slow process. Again, some success stories do sound amazingly real.. but if they sound too good to be true, then these bastards are exaggerating.. so why are they doing this? Because they get caught up in the hype.

I plan to follow the Lumbar Routine tomorrow.. I won’t be measuring my height, not until 6 months later. Measuring my height every few weeks can be discouraging. Don’t you agree?
– You should measure your height every 6 to 8 weeks. Growing taller is a trial & error process. The only way for you to know when & how to increase the intensity or duration of inversion for optimum results is through measuring your growth. For instance, if you were to measure your height 6 months later and found that you have NOT gain anything, then you’ve wasted 6 long months for nothing. On the other hand, if you were to measure your height every 6-8 weeks, you could have caught the error in the first place, and realize what you’ve been doing right or wrong (growth or no growth), and thereby modify your routine accordingly for better results. What do we mean by modifying your routine? It means increasing the intensity of inversion (like increasing from holding 4 to 6 dumbbell weight while doing inverted sit-ups) OR increasing the duration (like increasing from 60 minutes to 90 minutes of inversion exercises daily). Got it?

Lumbar Routine Experiment

Okay, you guys just approved my application and I’m now a Lumbar Experimenter.. what’s the next step?
– You should take the “before” pictures right now prior to following the Lumbar Routine. Do NOT send us the “before” pictures; just hold on to them. You will only send BOTH “before & after” pictures once you’ve grown at least 1 inch (hopefully 12 months later).

Sky, I suppose you get this quite a lot, but I’m a big fan of your website, and just wanted to say what a great job you’re doing, people conducting such charitable and helpful work such as yourself are hard to find. Other websites are like trying to scam people, but you’re giving money away.. you must be a rich kid. Honestly, what’s your intention? Is there anything shady that we don’t know?
– I wouldn’t call it “charitable” work. I’m a college student & my major is 5th year college student and I do have some free time. Since I’m attending an expensive school, I do have all the resources & research materials that I need. Plus I made a lot of money in the past doing Internet marketing. So money is not an issue to me (very relieved),since many other height websites are like vultures eating up their visitors with pop-up google ads & growth products.

Height increase research has consumed my life for the past 2 years. There are many ups & downs as well as exciting & depressing moments… but one thing for sure though, there’s no going back and we ain’t stopping!

How is payment made?
– It’s your choice to receive the $100 reward by PayPal, check, or money order. Payment will be sent to anywhere in the world and if you live outside U.S, we’ll give you an international money order in US dollars at your request.

If I’m NOT a Lumbar Experimenter, will I have early access to any discoveries that your team has found?
– If you’re not a Lumbar Experimenter, you’re NOT eligible for early access of any discoveries. Only Lumbar Experimenters will have early access to this information. The general public may have to wait 1 to 4 months later when we feel it’s the right time to reveal such data on the website.

For instance, the “Inversion Success Stories” were recently posted on the website and made available to everyone on January 1, 2006. However, many of our partners & past experimenters already had access to those stories back in September 2005 (4 months before everyone else).

I’m not ready to join the Experiment right now.. when’s the deadline?
– As of January 8, 2006, you may start submitting your application to us. The deadline to submit your application is April 2007.

You guys said that: “by May 2006 you’ll receive UNLIMITED e-mail & phone support from Sky & his team. (Due to busy college coursework, we’re not available for consultation until May 2006. Thanks for your patience).” As a Lumbar Experimenter, can we still e-mail you with questions?
– Yes, from January to May 2006, you’re more than welcome to e-mail us any questions and we’ll e-mail you back within a week (NO telephone support). It’s just that by May 2006, our team will have much more free time to consult with you personally by e-mail or phone.

Why did you post samples of Sky’s check & international money order?
– Real samples of Sky’s check & international money order should provide proof of our commitment & loyalty to the Lumbar Routine Experiment & its cash rewards.

If I were to join the Experiment, and my application is approved by your team, when do I have to officially start following the Lumbar Routine?
– You can start following the Lumbar Routine at anytime you feel ready. 

You know.. what you guys are doing are already cool, that’s why I cannot take the $100 offer. What do you suggest?
– If you refuse to take the $100 offer, we’ll reward you something else which is equivalent to $100 US (eg, Bodytrends inversion boots, etc). Also, you can give the inversion boots to your friend if you want.

I’m only 17 yrs old.. and my cousin is 16 yrs old. Can we join?
– We generally prefer experimenters who are at least 18 years old since most people reach 90% of their adult height at age 18. Since you guys are under age 18, you can still submit the application and we’ll review it. There’s no guarantee and that your application may or may not be approved.

For example, if I were to follow the Lumbar Routine for 3 months and then for some reason I decide to call it quits. Can I opt out at any time?
– Yes, you may opt out at anytime. Simply send us an e-mail and let us know.

If I were to send you the application today, when will I hear from you?
– Once we receive your email, our team will go through a review process and you’ll receive a response within a week. Thanks for your participation!

Should I take “before” x-rays of my spine?
– It’s not required on your part, but if you can get the “before” x-rays, that would be terrific! Please e-mail us if you have any concerns.

If I grow 1 inch, you’ll give me $100.. what if I were to grow another 1 inch?
– We’ll reward you $100 US for each inch that you gain. In other words, we’ll give you $100 if you grow the first inch.. and will give you another $100 if you grow another inch.. and so forth.

How many experimenters are you recruiting?
– We hope to recruit about 30 to 40 serious experimenters in the next 12 months (from Jan. to Dec. 2006). However, we’re prepared to accept more experimenters if things go well.

Who’s providing the funding?
– Research fundings are provided by Sky who is willing to put out $4000 or more if needed. So you can be sure that there’s never a shortage of cash.

Are you guys serious? You’re actually giving money away in return for some before & after pictures?
– Yes, it’s real money. It’s NOT a joke and we do NOT kid around. Help Us Help Others! We need proof that there is a possibility of growing taller after puberty and the before & after pictures will speak for themselves.

Why did you guys decide to finally recruit new experimenters?
– The reason that we launch the Lumbar Routine Experiment is because we’re strongly confident in the new & advanced “Lumbar Routine” which was slightly modified on Jan. 1, 2006. 

Do I have to wear shorts to take the “before” pictures? What about staying topless?
– For guys, it would be great if you wear shorts and stay topless because we want to see your legs & spine. However, it’s not required on your part (you may choose NOT to stay topless). For gals, please wear a tank top to reveal your tummy (again, it’s not required). We really appreciate your participation if guys stay topless and gals wear tank tops.

I want to join your Experiment.. but I do NOT want my face to be shown in the pictures. What do you have in mind?
– If you’re a very private person, then send us an e-mail and let us know. Our team may be able to edit your face using Adobe Photoshop.

When should I take the “before” pictures?
– Take the before pictures after 12 PM (noon). Do NOT take pictures in the morning since you might be a bit taller due to the decompression from sleep.

I mean.. what’s the big deal about before & after pictures?

– A picture is worth a thousand words. We can sit here for ages and keep posting one success story after another, but there are always people out there who won’t believe it. The only way to prove otherwise is to have pictures.

As a Lumbar Experimenter, do you provide free Inversion boots or Yoko insoles?

– Sorry, you’ll have to buy your own equipments.

Ryan Nguyen Experiment

Frequently Asked Questions

Sky’s Lumbar Routine

1. What is Sky’s Lumbar Routine?  Also, let’s say that I just gained 1 inch from this routine, how many percent of this growth comes from the back muscles and the cartilage discs?
– By performing inverted sit-ups with weights, it’s believed that one can build bigger & leaner abdominal & core muscles and simultaneously thicken the cartilage discs in the spine.  Within the first 12 months of following this routine, you should expect a growth of three-quarter inch (2 centimeters) in which 50% of your growth will come from the back & core muscles and the other 50% from thickening of the cartilage discs in the lumbar spine.  As time progresses, the growth rate is a little slower. Why? becausethere’s a LIMIT to how much back, abdominal, & core muscles you can grow. However, there’s POSSIBLY no limit to how much your cartilage discs can be thickened.

AFTER the first 12 months, most of your height gain will depend on cartilage remodeling (cartilage calcified into bones).  And cartilage disc thickening will occur mostly in your lumbar spine (lower back); hence, our routine is called Sky’s Lumbar Routine.  It was formerly known as Sky’s MusCrunches Routine.

2. Will just doing inverted sit-ups be enough to lengthen the spine?
– Most likely not. Inverted sit-ups add stomach and back muscles, but to get a flatter stomach and a leaner spine you need to burn off the fat or else your stomach will actually look bigger.  Thus, you must be physically active by doing cardio exercises frequently.

3. I have bad eating habits since I usually eat late at nights.  I’m worried because I can’t seem to lose any fats in my stomach.  Am I fit enough to follow your routine?
– You must change your diet or else you won’t gain a centimeter with our routine. Always eat dinner 3 to 4 hours before bedtime so that your stomach will have a chance to digest food.  For example, if you were to sleep at 11PM, then you should eat dinner at 7PM (recommended) or 8PM.

As a matter of fact, I used to eat late Chinese noodles late at nights while studying for exams.  But since May 11, 2005, I changed my diet and therefore usually had dinner around 7PM or 8PM.  I usually go to bed at 11:50PM.  I’m so glad that my late night snacking habit was gone and about 2 months later (July 11), I lost 7 pounds!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that all height seekers should eat dinner 3 to 4 hours (recommended) before bedtime so that digestion will do its part by removing fats (but NOT storing) in the abdominal and back area (which are important for muscle growth!).

4. You mentioned that I will gain about 2 cm within a year if I were to follow exactly as advised in the routine.  Unfortunately, I really hate cardio exercises such as jogging or playing basketball.  If so, how many centimeters will I grow if I only perform inverted sit-ups with weights?
– You will likely grow 1 to 1.5 centimeters of TEMPORARY height gain within the first 12 months.  However, once you quit doing inverted sit-ups, you will lose about half of this gain.  In other words, you may possibly grow about 0.5 to 1 cm in permanent height gain within that 12-month time frame.  Why? because without cardio training, your spine will eventually break down since it cannot withstand the body weight due to weak back muscles and extra fats in the waist and back area.

5. I’m ready to start Sky’s routine next month.  Is there anything I can do to prepare for it?
– Yes, immediately get involved in cardio training (jogging, running, biking, basketball, swimming, jumping, plyometrics, etc.) because you MUST lose fats in the stomach. Your goal is to build stronger and leaner muscles in the back, core, and abdominal area.

If you’re fat, try to follow a diet plan and lose fats in the stomach because this area is the “core” of the routine.

6. If I’m obese, what are my chances that I will grow taller with your routine?
– You will grow taller with our routine; however, the growth rate will be slower than others (i.e. athletes, bodybuilders, physically fit individuals).  You will grow less than three-quarter inch within a year unless you are committed to eating healthy and VIGOROUSLY exercising regularly.

7. Why do athletes, bodybuilders, or physically active individuals tend to achieve better results or grow faster than others (physically inactive) when following Sky’s Lumbar Routine?
– Once again, everything comes down to stronger and leaner muscle mass in the back, core, and abdominal area.  Without the healthy muscles, the cartilage discs have very little chance at thickening and growing.

8. Is there a limit to growing taller with Sky’s Lumbar Routine?  How many inches will I grow?
– The way I see it… 1 inch is possible… 2 to 3 inches is optimistic… 4 to 5 inches is dreaming.

Yes, there may eventually be a limit.  However, we truly believe that you may possibly grow up to 3 inches with Sky’s Lumbar Routine within 3 years of consistent hard work.  Basically, you will possibly grow close to an inch every year.  So is it possible to grow 4 to 5 inches?  We don’t really know.  But hey, if you continue to increase the intensity level every 2 months when performing inverted sit-ups, it may be possible!

9. You mentioned that I can grow up to three-quarter inch (2 centimeters) in 12 months.  My goal is to grow 1 to 1.25 inches within a year.  So, what should I do to achieve the QUICKEST growth?
– Note that our growth statistic of three-quarter inch within a year is just an average estimate.  We believe that you will achieve the quickest growth if you slowly building tolerance and increase the intensity level every month such as doing 15 inverted sit-ups at a time while holding 6-8 pound dumbbell weight each hand, or doing 70 to 80 inverted sit-ups everyday (in divided sessions).

Some hard-working individuals may possibly gain 1 inch and a quarter (1.25”) in a year by following routine. Whereas others may see a growth of less than three-quarter inch (3/4”).

In addition, tall individuals (5 feet 10 and above) may achieve quicker growth (anywhere between 1 inch to 1.25 inch within a year) than average because these people already have bulkier muscle mass and thicker cartilage discs than other short people (5 feet 5 and below).  Short individuals who are below 5 feet tall should expect a growth of up to three-quarter inch within a year.

Again, your result will depend on your height & physical appearance as well as the consistency and intensity level of the exercise.  Also, to grow faster, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED you should do cardio training frequently, sleep 8 hours a day, and eat healthy.  It’s also wise to take alfalfa (bone-building supplement) since alfalfa is the richest source of ipriflavone which stimulates bone formation while increasing bone mineral density.  Take one alfalfa tablet (500 mg) twice daily is enough.

10. Where can I buy alfalfa?
– At Wal-mart or any other retail stores.  Search on google.com and you’ll find a bunch. The brand-name is Spring Valley (very reputable & quality). It’s only $3.77 for 300 tablets; serving size is 2 tablets for 650 mg; 325 mg/tablet.

– If you’re from Europe, you can try to order alfalfa from HollandBarrett (very quality brand-name according to Kaneka).

11. Hello Sky, thank you for keeping your promise in revealing the lumbar routine. Anyway, you’ve experimented with the routine for only a month and recently stopped due to busy schedule at school, when will you resume with this routine?
– Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 will be hectic for me because I will be busy with school and internship requirements (I’m a 5^th year college student at USP).  Therefore, I’m unable to start the Lumbar routine even though I’m excited about it.  However, I hope to spend 1 full year on experimenting this routine starting May 2006 to May 2007.

12. So, you tried out with Sky’s Lumbar Routine for less than 4 weeks, did you feel anything different? Any growth?
– The result is “not conclusive” because I don’t want to reveal any data that are not fully analyzed. However, I can tell you that after 1 month of inverting with weights, my back feels stronger than ever before. Noticeable growth is not yet seen (but is expected to emerge within 6 months if I were to continue with the routine).

13. In what part of the spine does most of the cartilage disc thickening occur?
– Lumbar spine (your lower back).  In the lumbar area, there are 5 cartilage discs and they are naturally two to three times thicker than the discs in the upper back.  Since the discs are bigger, they are more flexible and are easily influenced by such forces created by inverted sit-ups.

14. Why are cardiovascular training so important?
– Cardiovascular training keeps your muscles lean, flexible, and strong.  At the same time, you’re eliminating fats and strengthening the spine.  Cardio training helps you to lose fats, build leaner muscles, and most importantly anchor the cartilage discs which are needed for stability and growth.

Jogging is possibly effective in stimulating bone or cartilage formation because it promotes the so-called microfracture in the lumbar spine because jogging exerts about 2 times your body weight against the ground reaction forces.

However, vigorous running or high-impact jumping has been reported as an EFFECTIVE exercise which really promotes bone and cartilage growth due to the fact that when running or jumping, you’re exerting 2 to 5 times your body weight against the ground reaction forces.  By running or jumping, you’re exerting lots of pressure & work and also exciting the PIEZO electric currents which help to trigger bone formation and to put your spine in a very “tired” mode. Any stretching exercises right after should be useful since the cartilage remodels itself especially when the shape and pattern of the lumbar spine are now “clear” due to the release of stress/tension from muscles, ligaments, & tendons.

Physical exercises (e.g. jogging, basketball, plyometric training, biking, running, sprinting, jumping) are all recommended while doing Sky’s Lumbar Routine. Exercising three to four times a week is a great way to lose weight, get in shape, and help to accelerate the usage of oxygen to tissues and to metabolize any glucosamine or protein supplements which you may be taking.

Several studies have shown that regular cardiovascular exercise, like swimming, bicycling, jogging, or hiking, is the most beneficial form of exercise for treating and preventing back pain. This type of exercise, which promotes good health in general, has been shown to be as effective as nearly every other type of physical therapy program or exercise regime. In addition, this is the type of exercise that is easy to do, enjoyable, and definitely good for you. If you can find the time for half an hour or an hour of brisk walking, bicycling, or jogging several times a week, your back will thank you for it for the rest of your life.

15. I like to exercise but I can’t imagine doing the same thing every day such as jogging 5 days a week. It’s so boring! What must I do?
– Play all sports and do everything if you can. The REASON that you’re doing all kinds of physical activities is to help you to consistently stay active (so won’t get bored or lazy). Doing the same thing every day can be exhausting. So imagine the possibility of jogging for 1 hour and do 1,000 jumps every day.. nightmare!

Below is a sample routine:
– jogging: 20 min (three times a week)
– high-impact running: 15 min (twice a week)
– jumping: 600 to 800 high jumps (three times a week)
– basketball: 1 hour (twice a week)
– soccer: 1 hour (once a week)
– inverted sit-ups with weights: 60 minutes (six days a week)

16. Let’s say that I’ve gained an inch (within a year) by following exactly as advised from your routine and have decided to stop doing the routine, will I be able to keep this inch since I no longer do cardiovascular training or inverted sit-ups?  In other words, will this 1 inch be permanent?
–  Good question!  If you stop doing the cardiovascular exercises, you’re likely to KEEP about 85% to 90% of this growth or 0.85 inch to 0.90 inch.  About 10% to 15% of the height loss will be the muscle mass in the back and abdominal area because as time progresses you will gain some fats in these areas due to your inactive lifestyle.

In the next 8 months, if you continue to be physically inactive, chances are that you will only keep about 60% to 70% (0.6 inch to 0.7 inch) of this growth.  In other words, you will lose a total of 30% to 40% of the height gain. Why? Because without cardiovascular training, your back and abdominal muscles are no longer strong and lean which in turn negatively affect your posture and balance.

As a result, let’s say that you’ve gained 1 inch and a half from this routine and you’ve decided to stop the routine, it’s wise to live to an active lifestyle by spending 15 minutes on cardiovascular training about 2 times a week.  By doing so, you will PERMANENTLY keep about 85% to 90% of your height gain.  This process is called “Maintenance Training”.

Growing taller is NOT only about building muscle mass and thickening cartilage discs, it’s also about living a healthy lifestyle!  Need an inspiration to live healthier?  Let’s all grow a few inches!
17. This summer, I plan to quit my full-time job so that I’ll have more time to dedicate to Sky’s routine. My goal is to grow as fast as I possibly can by performing inverted sit-ups 2 hours daily. I hope to grow 1 inch in 6 months. What do you think?
– My advice? Keep your full-time job!

I actually thought of doing that back in May 2005 when I refused to work or do anything else except inverting with weights a few hours daily. However, the problem with having so much free time is that it can really turn against you because you are likely to be lazy due to the lack of time management.

As for my experience, I used to sleep 10 hours daily and would wake up at 11am, invert with weights for 1 hour + 30 minutes, eat, relax, sit around and surf the Web. About 3 weeks later, I couldn’t stay home any longer because I felt so “strapped” by my routine.  That’s when I asked my store manager to re-hire me as an intern and I began to work the following week at other store.

Since keeping myself busy with a full-time job, I immediately saw the consistency in my routine because I did not take any minutes for granted.  Also, by working 8 hours daily (trying to stand most of the time), I’m also doing my part by being physically active.

So how do manage your daily schedule while doing Sky’s routine?  Keep yourself busy and live your life normal (but be aware of time management and know that 1 hour of inverted sit-ups daily is your #1 priority!).

Here’s a sample routine:

8 am to 4pm: go to school or work
4:45pm: invert with weights (1 hour)
6pm: eat dinner
6:20pm to 9:20pm: relax
9:30pm: jogging (20 minutes)
11pm: invert with weights (30 minutes)
11:40pm: sleep

1.       18.  How do you know that by performing sit-ups while inverted is beneficial for spinal growth? Any evidence about kinetic inversion (caused by motion)?
   – Ask any physician and they’ll tell you that intermittent traction / Oscillation Intermittent traction (alternating 20-30 seconds inversion with returning upright) oroscillation (rhythmic rocking back and forth) are actually the “preferred” methods of inversion, recommended by many doctors, for stimulating circulation and waste removal in and around injured discs [EnergyCenter.com]. 

19. Do bodybuilders try inverted sit-ups?
– According to BodyMassageShop.com, it has been reported that 100 upside down sit-ups are equal to 1000 regular sit-ups (with less strain on the back).

20. Is inversion safe?
– Doctors, physical therapists and sports trainers recognize inversion as a safe and effective form of therapy for the spine and weight-bearing joints. In fact, the US Army is writing Inversion into its worldwide physical training manual that will be adopted for the new millennium [teeterhangups.com].

21. I have some health issues and therefore I’m not sure if it’s okay for me to invert. What can I do?
– If you have any of the following health conditions, please do not invert without your licensed physician’s approval:  Anti-coagulants, bone weakness, recent fractures, skeletal implants, glaucoma, osteoporosis, heart / circulatory disorders, hiatal hernia, ventral hernia, high blood pressure, middle ear infection, obesity (extreme), pregnancy, retinal detachment, spinal injury, stroke, and transient ischemic attack.

If you’re unable to invert due to medical issues, your best bet is to follow the Pull-ups Routine (click here!).  Pull-ups routine has a high success rate; however, its growth rate is slower than Sky’s Lumbar Routine.

21. There are many shin bone and backbone routines and experiments. How did you manage to experiment all of them? Did you experiment 1 experiment at a time or did you ever conduct several experiments all at once?
– Since December 2003, I’ve spent close to $3,000 US on many different stretching routines & programs, e-books, journals, research studies subscriptions, traction tables, inversion boots, etc.  Along the way, I’ve tested many experiments and routines.  Keep in mind that in an attempt to speed up the process, I experimented with some routines/experiments by overlapping them or doing different routines all at once.