First Journal Part 1

A persons growth span begins at fertilization, goes on throughout the nine month gestation period to birth until the moment when a person reaches his maximum height between the ages of eighteen to twenty-six years.

I don’t propose to give you a biology course; there are excellent books that can do better justice to the subject of growth.  However my goal in this first chapter, is to illustrate the principal factors which contribute to ideal height development in humans.

1.     The “milieu”

By the term ‘milieu I mean geographic and climatic conditions.  Living conditions, heat and humidity, all these affect physical development.

‘Milieu’ also means ‘quality of life’ which I characterize as the application of proper hygienic measures, the purity of air and water and healthy living conditions.

2.     Heredity and Genes

Heredity could be defined as the transmission of the physical and moral characteristics of parents (or ancestors) to their children.  Hereditary specifications are determined by those elements lodged in the chromosomes which are called ‘genes’.  Every man and woman inherits genetic potential.

3.     Food

Nutrition will be discussed in depth in a later stage.  For the moment I only wish to enumerate the foods essential for growth: Protein, Carbohydrates, Mineral salts, Vitamins and Fats.

Pay particular attention to protein.  This substance in large part, makes up your blood supply and your muscle and bone tissue.  Foods rich in protein are not to be forgotten for whoever wants to grow.  That the present generation is generally taller than the previous one is due in part to better nutrition.

Medical Treatment.

          Where growth is severely retarded, it would be best to consult a medical specialist called and Endocrinologist.  When dwarfism is due to pituitary problem growth hormones can be injected.

I have only touched on the vast field of growth by enumerating the factors which promote growth.  Further study of these factors could be of particular help to you.

Chapter 2

The Spinal Column

“It takes a lot of backbone to succeed”

1. A Bit of Biology.

The spinal column is the tree of life.  It is unquestionably an architectural masterpiece.

a)     It is composed of thirty-three short super-imposed bones called VERTEBRAE.

b)    There are:

7 cervical vertebrae

12 dorsal or thoracic vertebrae

5 lumbar vertebrae

5 sacrum vertebrae

4 coccyx vertebrae

c)     Between each vertebrae we find DISKS which are made of Cartrilage that serve as “shock absorbers”.  This padding looks like a doughnut or a perforated wheel.

d)    There are holes in each vertebrae that forms the rachidian or SPINAL CANAL where we find the spinal cord.

e)     Attached to the spinal cord and protruding between the vertebrae are thirty-one pairs of nerves:

8 pairs of cervical nerves

                             12 pairs of thoracic nerves

                             5 pairs of lumbar nerves

                             5 pairs of sacral nerves

                             1 pair of coccygeal nerves.

2. Physical Growth is Possible.

Cartilage is a firm yet elastic substance. With the appropriate exercises, you can stretch:

-                     The cartilage between the vertebrae in the spinal column

-                     The cartilage between the thigh bones and,

-                     The cartilage between the tibia or shin bones.

In other words you can grow by developing your cartilage which increase the space between the vertebrae.

Without proper exercise the cartilage becomes soft, it flattens and the bones eventually rub against each other.  The exercises in this book will strengthen your disks and increase their elasticity.  Both men and women of all ages can add precious centimetres to their height.

In a nutshell, the spinal column is like a coil.  By stretching it up and down, forwards and backwards and from side to side, you can become taller.

4. Physical Flexibility

The human body is a marvellous machine capable of unbelievable feats.  Just think of those acrobats or contortionists we’ve all seen at the circus.  But keep in mind that to perform as they do takes a lot of time, work and determination.

After serious training, I have managed to maintain the suppleness of my youth.  From a stationary standing position, I can bend backwards to a bridge position and return to the standing position.

I        I can state that without hesitation that “GAINING HEIGHT” will make you surprisingly flexible; I know because I’ve done it.

4. Your Abdomen.

Not only will your body be more supple but it will benefit by being       slimmer.

Obesity hurts your spine by increasing its work load.  By developing your stomach muscles you can eliminate the fat that surrounds your muscles.

As well as stretching your spinal column, this book devotes twenty (20) exercises to the muscle toning of your abdomen.  Keeping or achieving a slim figure is your symbol of youth and good physical shape.

5. Your Back.

We all know someone who suffers from back-ache; it’s the number one complaint of the century.  Lets look briefly at the causes, the consequences and the cures.

Back pain stems mainly from weak muscles and ligaments excessive physical effort from an untrained back.

As a result, the spinal column is compressed and this compression brings on disk degeneration.  The cartilage padding is crushed and back problems begin.

To prevent, treat or eliminate back-ache, you have to do special exercises that stretch and strengthen your spinal column (unless your doctor advises against it).

Always remember to take good care of your spine.  When lifting heavy objects you must bend at the knees and not by your waist.

In conclusion, I assure you that “Gaining height through exercises” does a good job on promoting muscle toning for the back.

6. Mental Activity.

I told you earlier that thirty-one (31) pairs of nerves, called Rachidian nerves, grow out of the spinal cord.  This means that the nerves grow between the vertebrae.  Some of these nerves send messages to the brain via the spinal cord while others send impulses from the brain to the muscles.

So it makes sense that a healthy spinal column makes for better communication between the brain and other parts of the body.  Conversely, a weakening of the back muscles would reduce mental activity.

Just a little food for thought.

7. Exercise

To straighten your spinal column, back up to a wall.  Make sure that as much of your body is touching the wall.  Pull in your stomach, Expand your chest.  Stretch your neck straightening your head.  Hold this position for Ten seconds and GROW.

Do this simple healthy exercise everyday.  It can do a lot of good and it takes very little time.  Only ten seconds.

Now I conclude this chapter by assuring you that “Gaining Height Through Exercise” will you all grow tall, and improve your health.

Chapter 3

Perseverance

It’s the time, one gives to his body, that defines its strength, resistance and agility

There are hundreds of examples of perseverance in all facets of life.  A man who has always fascinated me is the great scientist Louis Pasteur.  This man couldn’t say ‘No’ to his work or his duty.  He wasn’t afraid of self-sacrifice, afraid to answer the inner feeling to surpass himself.  This man strived to respect his own motto; “Work, Forever Work”

You have undoubtedly known someone who believed in a cause.  They succeed because they truly believe in what they are doing.  They use every available means to achieve their goals honestly.  They know how to stir peoples enthusiasm.  When you believe, anything is possible.  When you believe, you can collect great amounts of money.  Terry Fox, the one-legged runner, is a perfect example of courage and determination.  When he lost his fight against cancer he had nonetheless collected over twenty-two million dollars to fight the disease that had taken his first leg.

Let me give you a few tips now, or suggestions which can help you persevere.

1. Continuity

Don’t start off like a lion! What is more important is that you work out with regularity.  Work out just fifteen (15) minutes a day on your growth.  I said “PER DAY”, and don’t rush through it.

2. Discipline

I firmly believe that to attain any goal you need self-discipline.  You should always finish what you start.  Remember that people like Vladislov Tretiak could only have gotten where he did by putting in hours of training and that takes self-discipline.

3. Use of Time

In your daily routine, put aside a specific time slot for your training; and Stick to it.

4. Evaluation

It is always good to reflect on the efforts of the week, to evaluate your progress to correct lapses in your training.

5. Persistence

You must not quit even though after a month, you haven’t grown a bit.  Double your efforts instead of becoming discouraged.  Difficulties are there to be overcome, and new frontiers are there to be crossed.

6. Victory

Some night you may not feel like doing your exercises.  Don’t give in!.  All you have to take is the first step.  Put on your exercise outfit and begin.  You will be proud of yourself for overcoming a temporary weakness.

7. Friends

Perhaps you prefer to train alone.  Then again, you may like to train with a friend or friends.  This could create a competitive edge that would encourage everyone concerned.  Healthy competition helps to encourage perseverance.

8. Adversity

Don’t bother with those people who may laugh at you. Mock your efforts.  Pursue your training vigorously.  You will, in time, amaze people with your flexibility.  Time will prove that you were right.

9. Habit

A student told me this story; “One night, I was about to fall asleep when all of a sudden I realized that I had forgotten to do my exercises.  I immediately got up and did them all”.  This is a beautiful example of tenacity and courage.  If you should forget to do your exercises, double your efforts the following day.  It is my hope that you all achieve the quiet strength that comes from forming habits, which lead you to success.

10. Temporary pauses

Serious or uncontrollable circumstances may force you to interrupt your exercises.  Don’t quit because of them.  Start up again as soon as possible.

11. Auto-Suggestion

Practice auto-suggestion or self-hypnosis on a regular basis.  By auto-suggestion I mean a constant repetition of positive thoughts stated briefly.  For example; “Everyday I grow by exercising”.  Before falling asleep at night repeat this statement and your subconscious will help you do what you set out to do.

12. Concentration

You should also practice total concentration.  Concentration being the capacity to give your all to an activity, casting out all distractions.  It will allow you to achieve better results and this in turn will encourage you to go on.  Don’t do your exercises mechanically.  Reflect, think and question yourself on how such and such a movement stretches your spinal column.  Are you stretching upwards, downwards, towards the front or the back, to the right or to the left?

13. Stand Tall

Be a champion of perseverance.  Don’t be a quitter or inconstant a slow-poke or spineless.

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