I was wondering since I’ve read some things regarding posture, and how when you sit in a chair try to sit all the way back, so you don’t just round\your back etc etc. When standing though…obvisouly you don’t want to slouch and have a “lazy” standing and be confident…head up, chest up etc.
Now regarding shoulders though, should you just let em hang how they are, or should you try to kinda pull them back a bit so they aren’t so forward. I hope someone knows what I’m talking about. Any help appreciated
try strengthening your rear delts and upper back, it’ll make your shoulders naturally stay back and you won’t have to hold them that way. if they roll foreward you likely have an imbalance between your chest and back.
anyway, from a side view your ear, shoulder, hip and ankle should be in line. hope that helps.
Posture’s a tough one cause the only person i’ve ever seen with perfect posture is the skeleton on an anatomy chart. It’s about having the best posture for you and your sport/life etc.
Number One, actually being able to get into a position of good posture and two, actively going back to that posture throughout the day as you will lose it depending on what your doing. If you have flexibility issues and can’t actually get into a relativey good posture, then you need to address it with stretching and strengthening, but the most effective way to fix your posture is to be aware of it. It’s a contentious topic…
Well I definaetly don’t think I have flexibility issues, my upper body seems pretty limber. And I know I don’t have an imbalance (i dont think) because yes i do pushing exercises…bench, military etc. I also do TONS of rowing…vertical and horizontal…and i ltierally mean TONS…after reading Mike Boyle’s new article also…about being 180 pounds, and if you bench press 280, then you should be able to do a chin-up with 100 pounds attatched to you.
Well I’m 183 (i havent worked out cause my arm) but anyways I can do a good 6 reps with 90 pounds attatched to me…and I know my max is over 100…around 115, and I can bench 300. So it’s pretty good, and I definatly just do tons of rowing n such.
I’ll give you a hint if you want to do something other than weightlift…
Swim.
I swam for 7 years competitively (not a big thing on here…I know), and I don’t do it anymore…but despite what everyone on this forum may think…if you swim the right strokes, you get wide shoulders that “stay back”.
Not muscular, necessarily, but they stay back and get wider. I still have them…just with more muscle.
okay then. but from personal experience focusing on strengthening my external rotators snapped my shoulders back in no time. its worth trying some isolation moves, like bent arm lying lateral rotations, at the end of your shoulder workouts. if this is your problem, all the back work you do will be done with the larger muscles making up for the weak rotators, not strengthening them they way they need it.
if its not your problem, maybe some yoga will give you some insight on what is the problem.
and not leaning on your elbows is a good habit to have
You want to pull weight more than you push. The posterior chain must be promoted for best posture.
Also, man stands in a “contraposto” position (michelangelo’s “david”) so you always lean on one side or another.
Finally, the body is in constant mostion. It never really wants to stand statically. You will always shift your weight and protract and retract the scapulas.
I think it is basically chest up and shoulders pushed down. I am not an expert, but my wife’s posture is impeccable and this is how she instructs me. The only people I know with perfect posture, besides my wife, are dancers and gymnasts.
