Rounded Shoulders

B

BuckyBadger

0
I have really bad rounded shoulders, my thumbs point at each other in a relaxed position. I've overworked my chest the last couple years, I have a pretty moderate case of pectus excavatum and I spend a lot of my day at a desk.

I was having some pain in my chest muscles, above my armpit mostly. I've been focusing on increasing flexibity over the past month or so. Stretching my chest (in a corner or door frame) before working out and periodically throughout the day. I've been doing scapular rows and push-ups. Benching a little less frequently. The pain has been improving, my posture has been getting a little better too.

What is your guys advice to help correct the problem? Should I just focus on increasing back strength? What are some good exercises?

I do pull-ups, seated rows/bent over rows for my back work.
 
I've been working on the same thing so you are not alone. I thought it was my pectoralis that was overactive so I stopped doing chest for 2 weeks but then found out it was both my pecs AND lats. So I tried strengthening my rhomboids and RC which I found boring.

You've got to stretch those areas EVERY DAY. I do 2 sets of 30 sec of the doorway stretch as you mentioned and static latissimus dorsi ball stretch 2 sets of 30 sec. Do them at the end of your work outs.

You could also "foam roll" your lats.

Whether your working on chest, back, shoulders, glutes.. constantly stretch your overactive muscles.

Hope this helps you.
 
You really do need to concentrate on working the antagonist muscles as well. So keep exercising your back muscles. I'm not sure if this has been an issue for either of you, but for some time I had always slept on my stomach, arms under pillow etc..., I have since moved to sleeping on my back and it really helps pull the shoulders back...
 
I would definitely continue to stretch those areas. Try doing 10-15 min of cardio even before stretching. This will get the blood flowing throughout your whole body and make stretching that much more effective.
 
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