Why haven’t I seen changes in the last few months?

Last updated on August 28, 2020

Question:

Since the beginning of school, I have grown about an inch and a half, but I find it weird that my stage in puberty has not changed on the Tanner test. It has been around 3.6-3.8 for the past 6 months and I really have not seen any change in my development in person as I still look much younger than all of my friends even though I am almost 6’2. So when will I reach the next stage? And does this mean I am still growing?

Also, I was wondering when I will start being able to build muscle because I work out for baseball five times a week and have been doing so for the past year and I have almost no muscle while most of my friends that don’t even work out have a lot bigger muscles than I do.

Thanks again.

Answer:

I’m not surprised. Each Tanner stage typically lasts about two years for a male. All changes are not external and all changes do not take place at the same time. So growth and changes are taking place, they just aren’t ones that you can necessarily mark (beyond your increase in height).

Growing at a rate of roughly two inches a year sounds as if you are on the downhill side of stage three. It is during stage four that many of the manly characteristics show up, including the building of muscles, even though the real impressive muscle gains will take place in stage five. Be patient, you’ll be catching up with your friends this next school year.