Weight Traning for Posture?

D

Domestika

0
Hi there.

I have crap posture and I've just started weight lifting...and it occured to me that maybe I can strengthen some muscles in my back to help with my posture. When I straighten my back compeletely it feels like I'm stretching unused muscles, so maybe those muscles could use a little work out.

Ideas? Any exercises you'd recommend for strengthening the back?

Thanks!

:xmas:
 
I used to get constant lower back pain before I started doing deadlifts, I think they're the king for improving back strength and posture. All forms of rows will help too
 
This is what I would suggest:

10 min warm up via one of the following...

-Brisk walk.
-Light jogging.
-Stationary cardio machine. (ie, bike, cross trainer, rowing machine, etc.)
-Anything that will slightly raise your heart rate and get the blood flowing to your muscles to prepare them for whats to come...

Then do a full body stretching routine. Make sure you stretch the lower back, the abs and obliques if you can. AND TAKE YOUR TIME.

Then do a light full body workout with body weight only with some concentration on abs, obliques and lower back. (ie, crunches, back hyper extensions, sit ups, rocky sit ups, the works.). Make sure to maintain proper form, if you don't exercise proper form your problems might get worse.

Basically, by simply exercising with proper form your posture will get better. Sit straight and keep the arch in your lower back natural, don't force it. After a while your shirt will get tighter near the lats and near the traps, your shoulders will move slightly back your chest will stick out a little and your posture will hold itself without any effort. Personaly, after doing back hyper extensions and deadlifts I always have the feeling of having an excessively well postured upper body, it's as if my body is forcing it into the proper position and I love that feeling.

The exercises I would recommend:

Pushups.
Crunches.
Side Planks.
Sit ups or leg raises, I prefer leg raises they are easier on the lower back and have the same effects.
Body weight squats or lunges.
Supermans.
Back hyper extensions.
Assisted pull ups.
Toe raises.

Then after a while of doing these I'd get into free weights.



Have fun :)
 
First of all, you need to identify what posture problems you've got. There is no "posture fixing" program that will fix all posture problems, you need to identify which muscles are weak and need to be strengthened.

The best thing to do would be to see a professional in person, as they will be able to assess your posture way better than anyone on the internet can (assuming they are qualified). If seeing someone is out of the question, then you should probably post a side, back and front shot of you standing with relaxed posture. Of your entire body (not just upper body.

Often weak back muscles aren't really the cause of back problems, often imbalances in the hip will cause the back muscles to tighten which can cause pain and discomfort. However, there is no way of knowing that, you could just have weak back muscles.
 
Eric L said:
Basically, by simply exercising with proper form your posture will get better. Sit straight and keep the arch in your lower back natural, don't force it. After a while your shirt will get tighter near the lats and near the traps, your shoulders will move slightly back your chest will stick out a little and your posture will hold itself without any effort. Personaly, after doing back hyper extensions and deadlifts I always have the feeling of having an excessively well postured upper body, it's as if my body is forcing it into the proper position and I love that feeling.
Click to expand...

Good to know! Thanks for a great post.

I already do some of the bodyweight exercises you mentioned, but there are quite a few there I can add to my repertoire, especially the ones you said left you feeling like you had great posture.

Thanks!
 
Karky said:
First of all, you need to identify what posture problems you've got. There is no "posture fixing" program that will fix all posture problems, you need to identify which muscles are weak and need to be strengthened.

The best thing to do would be to see a professional in person, as they will be able to assess your posture way better than anyone on the internet can (assuming they are qualified). If seeing someone is out of the question, then you should probably post a side, back and front shot of you standing with relaxed posture. Of your entire body (not just upper body.

Often weak back muscles aren't really the cause of back problems, often imbalances in the hip will cause the back muscles to tighten which can cause pain and discomfort. However, there is no way of knowing that, you could just have weak back muscles.
Click to expand...


Good information.

No, I'm not in the position to see a specialist at the moment (minimally insured in a foreign country) and I don't think it's tooo big of an issue. I just tend to feel more comfortable hunched over than sitting up straight. I *can* sit up straight...it's just less comfortable. But I could see it becoming a problem over time.

I'm going for a gait analysis next week. I wonder if they could offer any information about hip imbalance. Maybe they can see something obvious when I go. Not sure.

As it stands, with no immediate plans to look into it professionally, I think I'll just work on an all-over back strengthening routine. Can't hurt!
 
Karky said:
First of all, you need to identify what posture problems you've got. There is no "posture fixing" program that will fix all posture problems, you need to identify which muscles are weak and need to be strengthened.

The best thing to do would be to see a professional in person, as they will be able to assess your posture way better than anyone on the internet can (assuming they are qualified). If seeing someone is out of the question, then you should probably post a side, back and front shot of you standing with relaxed posture. Of your entire body (not just upper body.

Often weak back muscles aren't really the cause of back problems, often imbalances in the hip will cause the back muscles to tighten which can cause pain and discomfort. However, there is no way of knowing that, you could just have weak back muscles.
Click to expand...

Karky is right on the money. My posture was pretty bad too from sitting at my computer all day long. After realizing my imbalances I had to STRETCH my overactive muscles and STRENGTHEN the underactive. You have to stretch those areas every day until your posture is where it needs to be.
 
I have a profile picture that shows my posture, but I'm not allowed to post it because I haven't made more than 15 posts yet. Bummer.

I found a really neat blog about posture problems and, as far as I can tell, I have something like "Kyphotic Posture". Of course I'm not self-diagnosing, but it gives me a rough idea of what to work on. Each posture problem has a list of exercises and stretches that may help.

Wish I could post the link to the posture blog at least. I found it quite helpful.
 
you're definitely on the right track, and you've received excellent suggestions. As Karky pointed out, the root of the problem could lie somewhere in you lower body or perhaps abdominal strength.

Sitting in a chair all day long, hunched over could lead to a few things that may be a cause for what you are witnessing: tight hip flexors/weak hip extensor, tight ab muscles/weak back muscles, rounded shoulders (tight pecs/weak upper back), forward head<--a huge no no (stretch out your neck muscles by doing chin tucks).

Also, what kinds of shoes do you wear? many times shoes without proper support will cause problem starting at the foot and ankle, then start a chain reaction all the way up your body.
 
FunctionalTrain said:
Sitting in a chair all day long, hunched over could lead to a few things that may be a cause for what you are witnessing [...]

Also, what kinds of shoes do you wear? many times shoes without proper support will cause problem starting at the foot and ankle, then start a chain reaction all the way up your body.
Click to expand...

Luckily I'm not sitting in a chair all day...I do move around a fair bit. I'm not stuck in an office all day or anything like that. And my posture has been bad since I was in my early teens, so I think it's probably something more structural than environemntal.

I wear different shoes all the time. I'm a woman so...yeah, there are about half a dozen that I rotate through regularly (though hardly ever heels or anything like that). But I might need special insoles or something. I still need to get my gait analysed so I know what kind of shoes I should be wearing for exercise, so the shoe thing is a bit of a work in progress.

From looking at my profile picture I definitely got the impression that my pelvis is titled forward more than it should be so I'm going to do some internetting and see what I can find that might help with that a bit. At least it's something to do before I get a professional's advice.

I wonder if a gait analysis will give me any info about any hip or back issues I might have. Could be a faster and cheaper way to find out what I should be focussing on.
 
jmanjman47 said:
Posture- Work on your core and your lower back. That should help alot: also sit straight in chairs alot.
Click to expand...

I tryyyyyy, but it's uncomfortable. My back feels so weak when I try to sit up straight for more than 30 seconds. It's like doing an uncomfortable stretch...that never ends.

But yeah, core and lower back. Tried a few things today (side plank, leg raises, etc) and learned that I'm pretty weak in those areas! So nowhere to go but up. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top