Last updated on October 1, 2024
Question:
Could you explain more about the difference between someone in Tanner 4 and 5 regarding chest muscle and shoulder broadness? I feel like I’m in the middle between both of these categories, as I’m trying to compare my body structure to other men in my family.
Answer:
Everything doesn’t grow at once as your body matures. There isn’t enough energy available, so the body works a piece at a time and cycles between systems. In stage 4, your spine lengthens, your ribcage expands, and your shoulder bones lengthen toward the end. This widening of the shoulders may continue into stage 5, after your growth in height stops.
Also, in stage 4, you develop the ability to build muscle. Some men can build large muscles. Others can only develop some extra muscle. Regardless, these larger muscles make your chest bigger and your shoulders wider, even though the bone structure underneath has stopped growing.
