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Other/Mixed Challenge with posture

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)

Anders

Level 6 Valued Member
Hi,

I am a 37 year old man. I have trained strength training and some endurance for 10 years. I have an office job.

I am noticing I am often having a somewhat bad posture, where I am slouching. It is particular my upper back that is slouched. I can stand straight, but it feels kind of unnatural, and what feels disturbingly "natural" is to have a goose neck. It seems almost like my tendons and ligaments are being quite used to leaning forward.

Anyway. I was wondering if anyone have any tips on what to do to prevent this from getting worse, and maybe even fixing it.

All answers are welcome.


Anders
 
The two best things I have done for posture, as a fellow office worker, is use a standing desk (I pretty much sit only during meetings or when visiting other offices), and hang from a pullup bar. Not only is my posture better, but I just feel way better and less like I'm "dragging my tail".
 
Hello, I would recommend P3 Protocol from Geoff Neupert.

Posture is a reflexive issue and this protocol will help you with reestablishing proper neural pathways.

Original Strength would work too since both of this approaches use neurodevelopmental sequence, but I just prefer structured programming found in P3 Protocol.
 
You're not going to be able to fix it without addressing the root cause which is likely sitting at a desk all day. As above, if at all possible, switch to a sit stand desk and use movement snacks throughout the day.

Another vote for original strength resets which will help too.

That should stop it getting worse. There is also the work of undoing the desk chair adaptations which will have taken place in your body.
 
Swings and getups.
Work on upper back rotation.
Ask Brett Johnes.
Further - hang from a pullup bar.
Practice standing up straight, packing the shoulder, arms to the side in T position, elbows pointing down, and bring the shoulder blades together. It is almost impossible to curve the upper back while doing that.
I am a software developer, trying to get a better posture for my hobby of dancing. As far as I have heard, I have succeeded quite well so far.
 
Practice standing up straight, packing the shoulder, arms to the side in T position, elbows pointing down, and bring the shoulder blades together. It is almost impossible to curve the upper back while doing that.
I am a software developer, trying to get a better posture for my hobby of dancing. As far as I have heard, I have succeeded quite well so far.
This is true to a point. I think there is a common misunderstanding that posture is static, i.e. one position we should hold most of the time. Posture is dynamic part of moving well with good alignment. While those cues all have value, the problem with practicing those things is we tend to recruit prime movers -which are not postural muscles - rather than the deeper postural muscles which are meant to hold us in good alignment effortlessly all day. These get lazy and weak in most of us from sitting in chairs all day.

A one stop move to recruit regularly throughout the day would be a simple back bend, fists in Lower back and lean back. sitting gets our front lines all sticky and restricted, to have any chance of good posture we need to open up our fronts.
 
This is true to a point. I think there is a common misunderstanding that posture is static, i.e. one position we should hold most of the time. Posture is dynamic part of moving well with good alignment. While those cues all have value, the problem with practicing those things is we tend to recruit prime movers -which are not postural muscles - rather than the deeper postural muscles which are meant to hold us in good alignment effortlessly all day. These get lazy and weak in most of us from sitting in chairs all day.

A one stop move to recruit regularly throughout the day would be a simple back bend, fists in Lower back and lean back. sitting gets our front lines all sticky and restricted, to have any chance of good posture we need to open up our fronts.
The cues that I gave are the ones I use for myself, to familiarise myself with what straight feels like.
 
1. Hang from a pullup bar
2. Deadbugs
3. Daily mobility routine, just a few minutes of basic movement when you wake up and go to sleep helps.
4. Monitor your posture all day (Good book)

The New Rules of Posture: How to Sit, Stand, and Move in the Modern World by Mary Bond

5. Thoratic opening movements, the book Rebuilding Milo has some good info with assessments.
6. Search computer desk ergonomics for workstation setup. Almost everyone has their monitor too low, thereby increasing the amount of time your head is in a forward down positions, which in combination with phone use, is compounding the problem. Put books or whatever under a desktop monitor and/or by a laptop stand.
7. Get a dowel or staff. Shoulder dislocations and lifting the stick behind you with palms FORWARD feels great (a gem I got from this forum).
8. Look for any imbalances in your workout program. Do you include rear delt exercises? Rowing movements, or is it all press, pull, swing, and push?

Most important thing I learned: Unfortunately, a couple minutes of stretching is not going to fix the problem when you are sitting down all day and not changing the way you move.

Yeah, I am working on the same problem.
 
I've found the bent press to be brilliant for thoratic opening even better than the get up which is very good. I do OS mobility work every day, but would say the Bent press has given the biggest benefit for posture.
 
I've found the bent press to be brilliant for thoratic opening even better than the get up which is very good. I do OS mobility work every day, but would say the Bent press has given the biggest benefit for posture.

Wouldn't the KB windmill be even better then?
 
Not in my experience, but it's still a great movement. I don't know why, may be because in the btp the working arm sits on the lat and once the weight gets heavy there's not cheating the movement, you need to rotate fully under the bell to support the weight.
Interesting thanks. Better than the KB armbar?
 
Hi,

I am a 37 year old man. I have trained strength training and some endurance for 10 years. I have an office job.

I am noticing I am often having a somewhat bad posture, where I am slouching. It is particular my upper back that is slouched. I can stand straight, but it feels kind of unnatural, and what feels disturbingly "natural" is to have a goose neck. It seems almost like my tendons and ligaments are being quite used to leaning forward.

Anyway. I was wondering if anyone have any tips on what to do to prevent this from getting worse, and maybe even fixing it.

All answers are welcome.


Anders
There are other posts here that tackle the same subject. Like for example, in one i found that swings help your posture. Other things i know are that there are articles about posture like pavel tsatsouline making one on rows. He also makes one dedicated to posture.
 
Set a 45-ish minute timer at work and get up and move for like 5-10minutes whenever it goes off. Try any number of the things everyone else had mentioned and see how it goes.

Next, take into consideration that part of posture is about managing your center of mass over whatever your base of support is at any given moment. If you’re goose-necking, it’s likely your center of mass (your ribcage, in the case of sitting) is too far forward. You need to get your weight back. While sitting, that means over your sit bones. While standing, try closing your eyes and adjusting where you feel the weight in your feet so as to make it even front to back, side to side (in each foot) and foot to foot. Once you can make it as even as possible, just let your body relax. You might find that things auto-correct (at least to an extent).

As @Symanoy mentioned, we ought to be able to move in and out of different postures. The issues only really arise when we are stuck in one. That being said, you may, may be less stuck than you think….

Stretching and strengthening exercises are good but they’re only a band aid unless you can re-learn what efficient and relaxed posture feels like. Stretching and strengthening are tools, but they are one side of the coin, the other side being neuromuscular coordination and sensation. It doesn’t do us any good to do a battery of corrective exercises and then jump right back into the situation that made us need them in the first place.

Like you said, it feels “normal” to be in a posture you acknowledge to be uncomfortable or potentially problematic. Our brain gets used to feeling what we do a lot of as “normal.” So it is likewise normal to feel strange when you get to a “better” position if you haven’t been spending much time there. The main thing I would takeaway from this ramble is that posture should feel relaxed. If you have to squeeze any muscle tightly to have “good posture” you are defeating the purpose of correcting it.

Other “systems” I would look into include the Feldenkrais method and PRI. The former emphasizes being very relaxed, and for “movement correction” I have personally found that to be the number one most important factor. When you are at your desk, you need to find a way to sit that feels very easy and relaxed. Make sure your desk is a good height, that your screen isn’t too low or too far away, and that you can comfortably keep both feet flat on the floor. The last part might help with getting your weight back over your sit bones too. If you aren’t already aware, search for “typing posture” for a checklist of things that ought to help.

Hope it helps, and I’m happy to dig up other links if needed.

Here is a PRI-based trainer that has been making some good videos:
 
Another often essential part of posture is breathing! Proper diaphragmatic breathing is essential for good posture and movement. Chest breathing recruits all kinds muscles in the neck and chest which are likely to get 'tight' and create more postural dysfunction as well as a heightened level of stress in the nervous system. It becomes very hard to breathe properly when hunched over a desk. something else to think about. Key part of Original Strength.

Also a note on desk ergonomics. There is a place for this as bad ergonomics can cause injuries. However it revolves around maintaining one position for a long period of time which is not good for us. Being able to move and adjust is incredibly beneficial, hence the benefits of a sit/stand desk or even sitting on the floor! Don't have a bad desk setup but don't expect a 'good one' to resolve posture issues. Movement is the best nourishment for the body
 
Another often essential part of posture is breathing! Proper diaphragmatic breathing is essential for good posture and movement. Chest breathing recruits all kinds muscles in the neck and chest which are likely to get 'tight' and create more postural dysfunction as well as a heightened level of stress in the nervous system. It becomes very hard to breathe properly when hunched over a desk.
You and OP may find the video link I posted interesting, if you don’t already know the information. When we think of chest breathing, we often think of “moving the chest up and down,” when in fact your ribcage should expand when you breath, in order to create the space for your lungs to expand as well. That is, the ribcage should expand outward, in 360°, rather than be pulled up and down by the neck muscles and/or flared anteriorly by the lower back arching (often coupled with anterior pelvic tilt).
 
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