In a Dire Need of Exercises & Stretches to Improve Posture.

[surprisefart]

Hey guys,

I'm tall, 6-5 and have a bad posture from sitting unproperly and spending all of my free time on the PC as a kid. I also played basketball in high school and in college and lifted for about 6-7 years. In my time as an athlete, i think i really enforced my pad posture because my muscles really tightened and developed not in the best way. As a result, my shoulders are, kind of, rotated forward and my neck tends to tilt slightly forward, instead of being perfectly vertical.


Could you suggest some exercises and stretches that could help me?

[daveminnich]

I had the same issue. Doorway stretches, strengthening my shoulder muscles through lifting, and paying attention to my posture have made a huge difference for me.

[surprisefart]

I had the same issue. Doorway stretches, strengthening my shoulder muscles through lifting, and paying attention to my posture have made a huge difference for me.

Well, shoulders and legs have always been, by far, the strongest muscles for me. I kinda think the problem is in my upper pecks because my shoulders are literally disproportionately bigger and stronger than my biceps and triceps. What do you mean by doorway stretches? Also, what sleeping position do you sleep in? I think the sleeping position also has a big impact on my shoulders, as i sleep on my shoulder. However, my weight doesn't come on the outter part of my shoulder, rather it all falls on the rear side of my shoulder. So the bed and my weight additionally push my shoulder forward.

[Pomegranate23]

What's helped me improve my posture is back and rear delt exercises in general such as face pulls or wide grip rows. With a stronger back it became A LOT easier to maintain proper posture during the day.

[Garage Rat]

Two things that could help.
Check out "bat wing rows" from coach Dan John.
Do a search.
They specifically target the rhomboid muscles of the upper back that if weak and under trained don't do their job keeping you more upright.
Upper back work would also generally help some especially in bent over or chest supported type rows.
Foam rolling the upper back can help as well as just laying over the roller for time on different areas of the upper back.
Do not do this with the low back.

[supramax]

Hey guys,

I'm tall, 6-5 and have a bad posture from sitting unproperly and spending all of my free time on the PC as a kid. I also played basketball in high school and in college and lifted for about 6-7 years. In my time as an athlete, i think i really enforced my pad posture because my muscles really tightened and developed not in the best way. As a result, my shoulders are, kind of, rotated forward and my neck tends to tilt slightly forward, instead of being perfectly vertical.


Could you suggest some exercises and stretches that could help me?

Learn the classic Rishikesh Series. It's 9 hatha yoga asanas that'll fix you right up.

[okayest]

Bodybuilding.com actually has a good article for this. I have it saved on my bodyspace if you go look for it there.

[davisj3537]

I normally close these threads because it's 1, maybe 2 posts headed in the right direction and then it's just the blind leading the blind. Posture is very complex. Go spend 3-4 sessions at least with a therapist and let them get you sorted out. It takes months of studying this to get a handle on half of it....reading a few posts or articles will have you on the far left side of the dunning-kruger curve.

[surprisefart]

What's helped me improve my posture is back and rear delt exercises in general such as face pulls or wide grip rows. With a stronger back it became A LOT easier to maintain proper posture during the day.

Thanks man I'll try that. I never did any face pulls for whatever reason, but I will start incorporating it during back day to test it out.

[surprisefart]

Learn the classic Rishikesh Series. It's 9 hatha yoga asanas that'll fix you right up.

I gotta tell you, I have thought about it but I don't think yoga is for me, nor do I think that I am for yoga.

[surprisefart]

I normally close these threads because it's 1, maybe 2 posts headed in the right direction and then it's just the blind leading the blind. Posture is very complex. Go spend 3-4 sessions at least with a therapist and let them get you sorted out. It takes months of studying this to get a handle on half of it....reading a few posts or articles will have you on the far left side of the dunning-kruger curve.

I would, but it's out of reach financially right now.

[surprisefart]

Two things that could help.
Check out "bat wing rows" from coach Dan John.
Do a search.
They specifically target the rhomboid muscles of the upper back that if weak and under trained don't do their job keeping you more upright.
Upper back work would also generally help some especially in bent over or chest supported type rows.
Foam rolling the upper back can help as well as just laying over the roller for time on different areas of the upper back.
Do not do this with the low back.

Thank you man, I had never heard of bat wing rows until now. I will definitely try it out for at least a few months.