Expect your growth spurt to kick in anywhere between 10 to fifteen years old. This can be a tough time as you grow into your body. Suddenly you are as tall as a man, but you don’t have the muscle bulk to go with it. This may leave you feeling awkward in your body. Growing pains are a real thing as your bones grow and often ache.
Early starters
You have shot up in height and you tower over your fellow classmates. This can feel awkward, but they will catch up. Tall, skinny kids have a tendency to hunch their shoulders to hide their new-found height.
Don’t do it.
A good posture is one of the most attractive things a person can have. Always have your shoulders back and stand proud of your height or you will regret it in later years. If you continually hunch your shoulders, you can develop rounded shoulders and back (eventually can lead to a hump-back). Always be aware of your posture and when you feel yourself hunching over your phone make a physical effort to improve your posture.
Exercise is an important part of having a good posture and is explained later in this book.
Late starters
This can be as awkward as being an early starter. You are the shortest in class and you haven’t hit puberty yet. Don’t sweat it. It will come and often late bloomers become the tallest in the class.
Don’t obsess about your height. Today’s world describes for both men and women a stereotype due to genetics may not be achievable. If you have short parents, chances are you will be short yourself. If you have tall parents, chances are you will be tall, although this is not guaranteed.
Remember some of the best actors are short, the best surfers, skaters, cricketers and breakdancers are short. Don’t let your height affect your self-esteem.
Power of the mind. Your mind is the most powerful weapon you have, and people use it to achieve extraordinary things. If you really want to be tall, tell your body to grow each night before you go to sleep. It may or may not work, but there is no harm in trying.
In-betweeners
The lucky ones going through your growth spurt at the same time. Be mindful of the early and late starters. Cut them some slack and don’t point out differences as you might not understand the devastating impact your words can have on their self-esteem.
Optimise your growth spurt
This is the time you want your body to be running at full revs, so you need to give it the right fuel. You need at least three meals a day of nutritious food which contains fruit, vegetables and protein. Lots of protein, because it is the building block of muscle.
The enemy of the growth spurt is fatty fast food and sugary drinks. The only growth this crap assists with is making your belly bigger. Your body reflects what you put into it.
Don’t miss this opportunity to maximise your growth spurt.
You also need to keep active by playing sports, doing resistance exercises such as weightlifting, push ups, chin ups and dips. Riding your bike, skateboarding or scooter. Refer to the fitness section for more information.
The more time you spend on your arse in front of a computer screen the more time you are wasting of your growth spurt. So quit reading this book and get out and exercise (then come back and read some more.)