Hi everybody, I am a beginner powerlifter specifically training for the bench press. The other exercises I do are the OHP, heavy hammer curls, and heavy deadlifts. I was myopic when I started my home training and didn’t think of how over-developing my chest, shoulders, and arms would pull me forward. I’ve always had hyperlordosis unfortunately (when I was 5 I looked 6 months pregnant despite always being average weight), but I’m SURE what I’m continuing to do is making it worse. I feel like I’m stuck in a forward position. If I try to stand up straighter, my lower back arches more. No matter what, I can’t get my lower back to touch the wall; I can fit my fist (and then some) in the gap. My rounded shoulders/back area is also making my neck come forward and I don’t know what to do about all this.
I’ve tried looking online and watching Youtube, but it’s just so overwhelming, and most exercises for correcting the rounded back aren’t geared towards powerlifters with very strong chests, so I doubt their weight-less stretches and exercises will be enough help to me. Can everybody please recommend things I can do AT HOME to correct this mess? (For the APT, I have just began hip flexor stretches and RKC planks (3 sets of 5 reps per day), so hopefully they will start to fix my ugly APT)
This is a great run down on correcting kyphosis or at least improving it.
To Op general idea stretch pressing muscles, strengthen pulling muscles. If you can tolerate it laying on theraballs arms wide and going into as much thoracic extension as you can helps. Of course don’t over stretch and risk injury. Just to tolerance.
Ah, I remember the clamshells. I did them for a few weeks when I was doing to a physical therapist, but it was very short-term.
Do you think I should add those back in considering I am doing bridges, or are the bridges enough? I’m starting off with 2 sets of 25 reps. Maybe I’ll add weight soon.
Clamshell are OK. One more little move to use. The reverse way is a pretty new one for me, so I’ve been doing them.
When you get comfortable with the tilt and motion of the bridges, Definetly find a way to add some weight. These little “corrective” work for awhile, but then loose effectiveness becuase they get too easy/light. Maybe when you start adding weight to the glute bridges, and promote them to a “serious move” you can bring the clams back in as your B.S. warm up move.
Anyway, some bad-ass track dude convinced me to use single leg hip thrusts, loaded with a dumbbell. Way easier/faster to set up and execute that barbell style. Loadable for a long time.
An easy one to pound your glutes with having to think too much is the band thru belt walk. Super easy to do and progress if you have a few bands. I started with the smallest band, and worked up to 3 sets of 100 steps, then jumped to next band. Westside types do this for 3-5 minutes at a time.
