Support NeoGAF

[obin_gam]

I guess it comes from way back in my childhood, getting bullied in school. It makes you hunch and walk like a vulture because I suspect it's some sort of a defence mechanism that wants to make you disappear and become tinier and tinier.

I'm 26 now, and I still hunch. It has gotten somewhat better - I can straighten my back when I walk, but it only lasts a few secondss and then the back and shoulders shift back automaticly to the hunching state.

When I walk past reflective surfaces I see myself looking like a long necked bird, and it's quite annoying.

Is there some thing I can do to get a better posture? When I go to the gym I use the bellyback machine, but it doesnt make it any better...

 

[Ultima_5]

Possibly try an inversion table? My dad has a bad back and it did wonders for his spind.

 

[Metroid Killer]

Start doing a martial art. Seriously, a lot of them emphasis a huge deal on correct posture, has certainly helped me a lot.

 

[Surface of Me]

use one pillow under your head max when you sleep

 

[Big-E]

Go to the gym and lift. Work your upper body and it will help with posture.

 

[Devolution]

Squats.

 

[timcsavage]

Don't slouch Darling!

 

[mm04]

Yep, exercise. Gets those muscles nice and taut. It really helped my posture.

 

[Icomp]

Squats.

A thousand times this.

 

[Furious Styles]

Squats.

I support this. Weightlifting is the reason why my posture has improved.

 

[keltickennedy]

I guess it comes from way back in my childhood, getting bullied in school. It makes you hunch and walk like a vulture because I suspect it's some sort of a defence mechanism that wants to make you disappear and become tinier and tinier.

I'm 26 now, and I still hunch. It has gotten somewhat better - I can straighten my back when I walk, but it only lasts a few secondss and then the back and shoulders shift back automaticly to the hunching state.

When I walk past reflective surfaces I see myself looking like a long necked bird, and it's quite annoying.

Is there some thing I can do to get a better posture? When I go to the gym I use the bellyback machine, but it doesnt make it any better...

Growing up my dad always would make me hook my shoulders when he would see me walking with a slight hunch. While standing up, roll your shoulders in a counter-clockwise motion to unhook them. Then do a deep clock-wise motion to hook them. This should cause you to stand more straight.

I grew up tall and would always find myself hunching over when I would talk to shorter people.

 

[BlueSteel]

I support this. Weightlifting is the reason why my posture has improved.

Yep. Same here.

 

[Kentpaul]

Anti depressants will increase your serotonin levels and give you a no fucks to give mellow attitude.

 

[PKrockin]

Start lifting weights.

Or do you already?

 

[FallingEdge]

Deadlifs and rows

 

[moniker]

Go to the gym and lift. Work your upper body and it will help with posture.

Yep. My posture improved without any conscious effort when I started lifting.

 

[BravesCountry]

use one pillow under your head max when you sleep

Is this true? I fucking love using two pillows so if it is true I will be devastated.

 

[agrajag]

co-sign on all the posts that said start doing compound lifts (deadlifts, overhead press, squats). Doing these with good form will force you to have good posture under heavy loads, which will make maintaining posture without any weight a piece of cake. My posture improved tons since I've started, just as a byproduct.

 

[$200]

Yoga

 

[cdkee]

Go to the gym and lift. Work your upper body and it will help with posture.

Squats and deadlifts.

I was so sore after I did deadlifts that it forced me to stand up straight. Now my posture is much much better.

 

[Lamel]

Lift weights, but focus on the back a lot. Pullups, rows, and deadlifts.

 

[SirIgbyCeaser]

Go to the gym and lift. Work your upper body and it will help with posture.

I've been doing this. shoulder exercises and walking around with weights seems to help. I also started doing sit ups with a weight that gave me huge pain on my weak lower back. Next day I started feeling taller.

I have not started doing deadlifts yet, but here's a good video about proper form. http://stronglifts.com/how-to-deadlift-with-proper-technique/

I have 1 15kg arm weight at home. What could I do with it? Also stretching daily is the best way to improve height and posture.

 

[shira]

Go to the gym and lift. Work your upper body and it will help with posture.

Squats.

No and NO!

In theory these are great ideas, but go to any gym and even the trainers can barely do a proper squat. These would fuck you up even more. Like if you already have terrible posture and you try to squat with terrible posture you are just insuring your hunchback.

 

[agrajag]

No and NO!

In theory these are great ideas, but go to any gym and even the trainers can barely do a proper squat. These would fuck you up even more. Like if you already have terrible posture and you try to squat with terrible posture you are just insuring your hunchback.

who said that he should squat with bad posture?

 

[hxa155]

Do shoulder dislocations and other chest/shoulder stretches.

 

[Charlie McCarthy]

co-sign on all the posts that said start doing compound lifts (deadlifts, overhead press, squats). Doing these with good form will force you to have good posture under heavy loads, which will make maintaining posture without any weight a piece of cake. My posture improved tons since I've started, just as a byproduct.

Yep, it really is a nice side effect of lifting. Don't slack on back movements (lower and upper) because this is what pulls your shoulders back and chest out. A lot of people don't like isolation, but training the rear delts by themselves will help even more.

You can always tell a guys in the gym that have trained too much chest and not enough back, their shoulders round forward.

 

[lenovox1]

To actually work specifically on your posture, try Pilates. It's what golfers and rodeo riders do to gain stability in their cores.

A dance class would help you, too.

 

[See You Next Wednesday]

Are posture braces any good?

 

[breakfuss]

When I walk past reflective surfaces I see myself looking like a long necked bird, and it's quite annoying.

^lolololololol. hope it isn't inappropriate to laugh at this.

And I can attest to the weight lifting anecdotes as well. Helps tremendously!

 

[∀ Narayan]

Yoga

This right here. Yoga does wonders for posture and back pain.

 

[Anbokr]

One piece of advice that really helped me is, every time you sit down, make sure your lower back is completely pressed against the chair. It sort of forces you to sit up straight. It's going to be difficult at first to maintain that posture, but over time it becomes easier.

Also, yeah the gym is great, but be very careful. If you go to the gym and start lifting with your bad posture (especially if your spine/muscles have kinda of bent you forward overtime), you're going to fuck yourself up. Try to lift near a mirror and always make sure your chest is pushed out and your back muscles and core are engaged.

For me specifically, before I do squats or dead-lifts, I have to get a foam roller or a yoga strap and arch my spine, pressing back and slowly moving the yoga strap or foam roller up each time. Helps to loosen up my back and allows me to squat properly.

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

You gotta develop the right muscles. Keep your shoulders as wide as possible like you're trying to pinch your back.

 

[Devolution]

No and NO!

In theory these are great ideas, but go to any gym and even the trainers can barely do a proper squat. These would fuck you up even more. Like if you already have terrible posture and you try to squat with terrible posture you are just insuring your hunchback.

Uh that's why you learn proper form and utilize mirrors dude.

 

[Anbokr]

Uh that's why you learn proper form and utilize mirrors dude.

yeah but if this guy is saying he can only maintain a straight back for a couple seconds, he's not going to be able to squat properly. Baby steps imo, make sure your entire lower back is always pressed to whatever chair you sit (forcing you not to slouch), and practice walking straight with your chest out and your shoulders pressed back. Get a yoga strap or a foam roller and arch your back across it everyday to stretch it back.

Then, when you can maintain a proper posture for more than 10 seconds, dive into the squats and lifts.

 

[akachan ningen]

do deadlifts. they pretty much force you to stand up straight. just check yourself in a mirror or on video to make sure you're doing it right. it's annoying but you have to keep your awareness on your posture because you will tend to go back to the default bad posture.

 

[maxheadwound]

It would be better for me not to sit in front of a pc for 8 hours a day. I also found a bit of Ashtanga yoga to be great for strengthening the core and stretching the muscles around the spine.

 

[Alx]

Swimming is a good way to improve your posture and train all the rght muscles without straining them. Especially backstroke, and also crawl if done properly.

 

[Aske]

Compound lifts, as others have said. Obviously ensure you have a good instructor if you're a first timer, and read up on accessory exercises; not just the lifts themselves.

Here are some basic tips for good posture. The more frequently you run through this checklist and correct yourself throughout the day, the faster your posture will improve. If you feel strange, double check with a mirror - it'll take some time to shake off your bad habits, and maintaining correct posture will probably feel rather unnatural. Eventually it will become second nature.

- Open your hips. Think about supporting your torso with your whole core (distribute the weight to your abs).
- Shoulders back. Don't let them round forward.
- Straight neck. Imagine a string is attached to the top of your head and it's pulling your whole body upward, out of its slouch. Drop your shoulders and let your neck elongate.

 

[shira]

Uh that's why you learn proper form and utilize mirrors dude.

I realize how simple it looks to do something like this.

But 90% of people can not due this due to muscle imbalances or scar tissue build up.

If I was a very naive/lazy personal trainer I would recommend squats, but in reality they are nigh impossible for the regular everyday joe, much less someone who is already hunched over. Ask any power lifter, it takes months to perfect the motion.

If the OP started squats she/he would simply be creating a motor program that accentuates the hunch.

The hunch needs to be solved first.

 

[Betta Lines]

Plenty of good advice regarding the physical aspects of a hunch in this thread, but isn't it also about confidence?

 

[Mumei]

I realize how simple it looks to do something like this.

But 90% of people can not due this due to muscle imbalances or scar tissue build up.

Mmhmm

I cannot do that motion. I can squat down fine and balance in that position, but I cannot keep my heels planted. I don't have the flexibility in my ankles or something; I'm not sure exactly what the issue is.

 

[livestOne]

sleep on the floor

 

[Anfony O]

Swimming without a doubt. Weights can also help just don't skip back day. There are also these waist belts with straps that keep your shoulders back they can really help with your posture.

 

[shira]

Mmhmm

I cannot do that motion. I can squat down fine and balance in that position, but I cannot keep my heels planted. I don't have the flexibility in my ankles or something; I'm not sure exactly what the issue is.

You have muscle imbalance like most people.

Shoe companies decided to give people a heel to help them keep their foot planted, but that doesn't solve the muscle imbalance, it just uses a plane to give them mechanical advantage.

 

[edbrat]

Squats.

knows whassup, squat squat squat OP. Work your core. Squats, deadlifts, leg raises then dragon flags once you're ripped to fuck.

 

[computers putin']

I had no idea squats were so hard for most people to do, I've never had trouble doing them myself.

 

[Infinite_Daremo]

Am i the only one who sat up in their chair when reading the title?

I'd also say Squats.
A firmer mattress
Yoga

 

[Jokab]

I realize how simple it looks to do something like this.

But 90% of people can not due this due to muscle imbalances or scar tissue build up.

If I was a very naive/lazy personal trainer I would recommend squats, but in reality they are nigh impossible for the regular everyday joe, much less someone who is already hunched over. Ask any power lifter, it takes months to perfect the motion.

If the OP started squats she/he would simply be creating a motor program that accentuates the hunch.

The hunch needs to be solved first.

The great majority of people can't do this? Weird, I don't consider myself flexible, balanced muscularly, paragon of posture or strong, but I can do this no problem.

 

[shira]

The great majority of people can't do this? Weird, I don't consider myself flexible, balanced muscularly, paragon of posture or strong, but I can do this no problem.

Post a pic/vine. Stand erect, drop smoothly down to a squat, toes pointed forward.
With NO heel lift.
I would be seriously impressed.

 

[Fantasmo]

Anbokr and shira are correct. If you have muscle inbalances listen to them first. Especially anbokr. If you want to do squats anyway, follow that advice first for a few weeks or you can end up in a world of pain. Squats are great for posture IF done correctly and AFTER muscles are loosened. Try loosening up your glutes too just in case.

Yoga and similar routines are safer if you're not into lifting.