POSTURE for TALL DUDES
- Thread starter NGU21
- Start date
solarbear
Level 5 Valued Member
I found swings to be rejuvenating. Not necessary to go 'heavy.' But then again I found light ones were boring and sort of a waste of time.
10x10 with a 32 or a 24 would help a lot.
I find using heavy carries and some of the Original Strength Rocking/Crawling exercises helpful. I use this one a lot:
If I was to build a routine it would be. 2-3 min Original Strength Rocking/Crawling. 5-10x10 swings (5-10 min). Heavy carry (40-50m) or march (2x1min). 20 Bird Dogs. 20 Dead bugs.
10x10 with a 32 or a 24 would help a lot.
I find using heavy carries and some of the Original Strength Rocking/Crawling exercises helpful. I use this one a lot:
If I was to build a routine it would be. 2-3 min Original Strength Rocking/Crawling. 5-10x10 swings (5-10 min). Heavy carry (40-50m) or march (2x1min). 20 Bird Dogs. 20 Dead bugs.
mar2safety
Level 6 Valued Member
I’m a touch over 6’4” myself. Swings have been very beneficial. I’d add in light goblet squats with a hold at the bottom. Hanging from a bar or rings.
I ran daily dose deadlifts for a bit, which I felt countered all the sitting during work.
Knees Over Toes Guy (KOTG) has some good postural exercises in the first half of this vid. and a ton more at his YT channel.
Symanoy
Level 5 Valued Member
I’d second this slouching at a desk also compromises proper breathing mechanics normally leading to ‘chest’ breathing which often leads to tightness in the shoulders and neck and postural issues from that. Practice diaphragmatic breathing.
Can also try the Wellforce app (if you have an iPhone. Android version on the way) A vending machine of movement snacks for desk workers.
Chris Hall
Level 5 Valued Member
Good exercise tips already, but I would add that it is a good idea to think about your daily environment, and what you might be able to change. I am 6’5 and society is actually not designed for people our height.
- Is your work desk at a suitable height for you. I raised mine by about 10 cm and found that working there was suddenly far more pleasant (I am a school teacher so I only spend a minority of my day at my staffroom desk, but this still makes a big difference to me - it would be a much bigger deal if I worked at a desk all day.) I built a whole false top for my desk, as it was attached to a wall. In other situations just placing bricks under each leg could do the job.
- When buying a car my first criteria is ‘Can I sit with good posture, or do I need to slouch to stop my head rubbing on the roof’ The 70 - 80 % of cars where I need to slouch are instantly ruled out. (I can drive almost any car fairly comfortably as a one off… but that does not mean I would want to own a car which requires slouching)
- Bench heights of every workspace in your home. Average bench heights are bad for tall people. I have higher than average bench heights in my home, which prevents a lot of bending over. Not really something you can control unless building or renovating, but worth thinking about.
It is amazing how much we can put up with things without stopping to think that it doesn’t have to be that way.
The world is not built for us… (or for short people) but with a little bit of thought, our part of it can be .
- Is your work desk at a suitable height for you. I raised mine by about 10 cm and found that working there was suddenly far more pleasant (I am a school teacher so I only spend a minority of my day at my staffroom desk, but this still makes a big difference to me - it would be a much bigger deal if I worked at a desk all day.) I built a whole false top for my desk, as it was attached to a wall. In other situations just placing bricks under each leg could do the job.
- When buying a car my first criteria is ‘Can I sit with good posture, or do I need to slouch to stop my head rubbing on the roof’ The 70 - 80 % of cars where I need to slouch are instantly ruled out. (I can drive almost any car fairly comfortably as a one off… but that does not mean I would want to own a car which requires slouching)
- Bench heights of every workspace in your home. Average bench heights are bad for tall people. I have higher than average bench heights in my home, which prevents a lot of bending over. Not really something you can control unless building or renovating, but worth thinking about.
It is amazing how much we can put up with things without stopping to think that it doesn’t have to be that way.
The world is not built for us… (or for short people) but with a little bit of thought, our part of it can be .
Chris Hall
Level 5 Valued Member
Swings and / or deadlifts to prevent the lower back slump. Rows to prevent the forward shoulder rounding. Both have been really helpful for me.
Pasibrzuch
Level 6 Valued Member
don't forget to balance the right and the left side. Suitcase deadlift, suitcase carry, staggered stance deadlifts, etc.
bluejeff
Level 6 Valued Member
Get your desk set up so your computer screen is right at eye level. That is, so you’re not looking down at it. Then, adjust your chair/seat setup so that your weight is back on your sit bones, not forward. A lot of problematic postural issues come from weight being shifted forward all the time.
If you get your screen at eye level, and your seat and keyboard at a level where you have a relaxed, about 90° bend in the elbows, and you can sit comfortably without leaning or bending forward, you ought to see improvement. You just might have to figure out how to make the adjustments.
Outside of that, you ought to see improvements by just taking frequent, even if short, breaks to move around. Being stuck in one posture all the time is usually what constitutes a “posture problem.”
If you get your screen at eye level, and your seat and keyboard at a level where you have a relaxed, about 90° bend in the elbows, and you can sit comfortably without leaning or bending forward, you ought to see improvement. You just might have to figure out how to make the adjustments.
Outside of that, you ought to see improvements by just taking frequent, even if short, breaks to move around. Being stuck in one posture all the time is usually what constitutes a “posture problem.”
Symanoy
Level 5 Valued Member
I think this is key. Optimising your desk setup is important, but staying in that 'ideal' position all day is still not good. Movement and breaks are key to prevent your body adapting to that seated desk posture.
bluejeff
Level 6 Valued Member
I still want to know where this idea really came from. It still doesn’t make sense to me. I think training that is vigorous enough will warrant a cool down, but training that is doable during breaks probably won’t be that vigorous.
Pete L
Level 6 Valued Member
I don't know its origin, only its pain
Typically I don't warm up nor warm down. Well, perhaps my warm down is walking around my kitchen or garden while I eat post workout. But that is a more recent habit.
I first read about the importance of post training posture in a book on back pain in the 90s. The example given was of playing tennis, loosening up the muscles and then slouching at the bar afterwards and the tennis player complaining it was the tennis upsetting his back.
For me, swinging, C&P, C&J, deadlifting or squatting all require attention before sitting still for long periods / regular movement to break up the sitting.
What constitutes a warm down?
bluejeff
Level 6 Valued Member
Typically light movement you can use to bring your heart rate down. Walking around sounds good to me.