Posture and Exercise?- Tall Girl Syndrome
Emma_Problema
Posts: 422 Member
So, I had another reminder this past weekend that I have awful posture. I was at an old people party with my old person boyfriend and his old person friends (old = 50+ for a 22 year old girl) and I got to talking with this man who told me that I needed to sit up straight and stop hiding my height and my bustiness. Typical older man chiding (not the first time a man in his 60's has told me I'm a "beautiful girl and I should be proud of my height!"), but it was a nice reminder that I really do need to change.
Keep in mind that I'm a woman who's a smidge over 6 ft tall and have been trying to hide my height for as long as I can remember. Off and on I've tried to improve my posture but I've always ended up forgetting about it. I can't ever remember to sit up straight. I know it would help me look thinner, fend off back pain, and generally make me look awesome, but I can't seem to manage it.
I've decided this will be one of my new years resolutions. I'm also working a lot on strength training and getting fit and I thought the two might fit well together. Anyone have any suggestions for how I might be able to work on my posture? Any excercises to strengthen the right muscles to help me keep a straight back? I'm starting to feel pretty self-conscious about it after mentioning my new years resolution and getting a chorus of "oh yeah, emma, you do slouch a lot. Yep, you would look so much better if you sat up straight". Apparently it's not just old men then....
Keep in mind that I'm a woman who's a smidge over 6 ft tall and have been trying to hide my height for as long as I can remember. Off and on I've tried to improve my posture but I've always ended up forgetting about it. I can't ever remember to sit up straight. I know it would help me look thinner, fend off back pain, and generally make me look awesome, but I can't seem to manage it.
I've decided this will be one of my new years resolutions. I'm also working a lot on strength training and getting fit and I thought the two might fit well together. Anyone have any suggestions for how I might be able to work on my posture? Any excercises to strengthen the right muscles to help me keep a straight back? I'm starting to feel pretty self-conscious about it after mentioning my new years resolution and getting a chorus of "oh yeah, emma, you do slouch a lot. Yep, you would look so much better if you sat up straight". Apparently it's not just old men then....
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Replies
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upper back work.
Most people have tight anterior deltoids and pectoral muscles. Or basically a front side that is more developed than the back. It pulls your shoulders forward and rounds them.
Do things like rows and face pulls, or anything for the rear delts. It might help.0 -
Pilates. I was very hunched over after 3 years and gaining 100 pounds while in Physical therapy. Doing pilates twice a week for a couple months straightened me right out. My stomach muscles were stronger, but my lower back muscles were SO much stronger, stronger than my abs were pulling me forward, my back was pulling me straight up and down again.
in fact, I should get back into that. I dont do it enough, It's such a good slow satisfying burn.... and then youre an inch taller all day.
GREAT STUFF :drinker:0 -
Hi Emma,
I'm only 5'8" and have struggled with chronic back pain for over 5 years for similar reasons to you and a job I had which still persists even with my weight loss (I just put some deep heat rub on).
I can't give you advice on what weight workouts you should do but I find it really beneficial to stretch at night, everytime I do I always thank myself in the morning. Pilates and keeping upright by standing and walking helps me too. I'm too embrassed about my body to go for a massage but I hear this helps a lot.0 -
strong core. I have found that developing my core muscles has also resulted in better posture.
oh, and doing mfp at work... sitting tall hides the screen better.
I am 6'1 and wear 4" heels. I'm tall, and there is simply no hiding it. But people notice your height MORE when you slouch to hide it... because they recognize that you carry with you a sense of shame.
Your height is beautiful. It gives you long legs, and a lot of people envy you! Be proud, sit tall, walk tall... you are magnificent and graceful!
I have always said... what's an inch on a mile... people will notice I'm tall at 6'1 regardless of whether I wear heels or not.. might as well flaunt it! (And my feet don't look nearly so big as they do in flats! haha)0 -
Take a beginner ballet class. Ballet in my younger days has given me a lifelong habit of great posture.
And supplement with some yoga.0 -
Pilates. I was very hunched over after 3 years and gaining 100 pounds while in Physical therapy. Doing pilates twice a week for a couple months straightened me right out. My stomach muscles were stronger, but my lower back muscles were SO much stronger, stronger than my abs were pulling me forward, my back was pulling me straight up and down again.
in fact, I should get back into that. I dont do it enough, It's such a good slow satisfying burn.... and then youre an inch taller all day.
GREAT STUFF :drinker:
Just wanted to say congrats on your weight loss and your waist is incredible!0 -
TALL GIRL REPRESENT!!
I used to HAAAAATE being so tall, now I love it. I can eat more than the shorter girls and its doesn't carry so heavy just by looking at me. Its AWESOME! I do have a huge posture problem due to a large bust. Once VERY SIMPLE exercise I do to remind my body of good posture is on the treadmill going about 3.2-ish MPH and crank that incline to about a 7 or 8... and HELLO POSTURE!! Hope it will help! Have a rockstar day!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 0 -
strong core. I have found that developing my core muscles has also resulted in better posture.
oh, and doing mfp at work... sitting tall hides the screen better.
I am 6'1 and wear 4" heels. I'm tall, and there is simply no hiding it. But people notice your height MORE when you slouch to hide it... because they recognize that you carry with you a sense of shame.
Your height is beautiful. It gives you long legs, and a lot of people envy you! Be proud, sit tall, walk tall... you are magnificent and graceful!
I have always said... what's an inch on a mile... people will notice I'm tall at 6'1 regardless of whether I wear heels or not.. might as well flaunt it! (And my feet don't look nearly so big as they do in flats! haha)
AMEN!!!! I am 6'2" and, while I dont wear 4" heels, I do wear heels. The heels themselves help with posture (and yes, make your feet looks smaller)
I have had an issue with posture my whole life...kids in school used to tease me about being tall and/or were afraid to be my friend for some reason. My Mother-in-Law, whom I have known since I was at LEAST 10, has always tried to get me to stand up and sit up straight. It is a constant battle for me. When I walk, there is no slouching usually. I walk proud and even more so since I have started losing weight because people have been noticing my "work" and I want to flaunt it. My problem comes when I sit down. It is a mind game and just something you have to constantly fight to do consciously for awhile and you will eventually do it on your own.
OH, and yes, CORE work helps emensely!! :-) But, if you focus on your technique and form when working out, it helps as well.0 -
I used to have terrible posture, partially due to always hiding my bust (I developed a large bust young and was very self conscious about it) and also due to back injuries. Now through a combination of going to the chiropractor, doing yoga, and stretching like crazy (especially the chest muscles), I have great posture most of the time and it has helped with my back pain so much!
One of the best stretches for the chest is to put your hands and forearms up on either side of a doorframe and then lean forward. I hope that makes sense.
Yoga really got me in touch with my body and conscious of my posture. I find myself constantly checking in and realigining my posture when I'm standing/sitting. It's just a matter of becoming really aware of it and constantly correcting yourself until it becomes second nature.
Good luck! It really does make a hige difference in how you come across, and it makes you look thinner too!0 -
Lol. I just saw my niece two days ago, for the first time in a year, and she had shot up about six inches to 5'6". She's 14 and lanky. She was slouching something crazy and I pushed her shoulders forward and her head up and laughed at her for trying to hide her growth spurt. Sit up straight! I sounded like my mother. She's sill in jr. high and a lot of the kids are quite small, I'm sure she'll feel more comfortable in high school.
I was tall as a kid -- 5'7", but then everyone caught up. I do try to look short in pictures with my boyfriend though; he is only 5'4".
For posture, pilates is great. Back extensions are good for basic strength. Just sitting with your legs out straight in front of you and keeping you back straight is surprisingly hard. Also, a lot of it is remembering to keep your posture throughout the day. It's changing your default resting posture. One thing you can do is wear tight dresses, button up shirts, or jackets. Pretty uncomfortable, but not bad to do every now and then just to be mindful of your posture for a whole day. Also, you can change your car seat or your work chair to a more upright position.0 -
I'm 5'10", so not nearly as tall as the rest of you, but reaching this height at 12 years old made me feel very awkward. So yes, I slouched to hide it. Still do, even though I know my height as an adult woman is great. I'm with you, I'm going to make a real effort to sit/stand taller this year. Who knows?, maybe once I lose this weight and am in better shape I'll be more comfortable being seen rather than always making an effort to be invisible!0
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Join the Army. .
But seriously . . Stand up straight. . I find bad posture to be a turn off, personally. . I understand it, especially women who have a lot up front. They typically don't want want to appear to be 'sticking them out' .. It's really bad for you to hunch. And does it really make you shorter? By how much? an Inch? Is that worth it?. .
Be TALL . .Be PROUD! God made you tall. .Are you second guessing HIM!? :happy:0 -
Thanks, all! I'll try out some back and core exercises and see what that does. I used to take yoga and pilates classes but on my current budget and location it's damn near impossible. Hopefully I can get back into it. Will make an effort to be happier with my height. One of my roommates was saying last night how she "loves being short because it's more feminine and guys want to protect her because she's little and cute" and I wanted to slap her. She's kind of a B-word and is fairly insensitive to the feelings of others, so I didn't let it get to me too much, but I've realized that those kinds of messages are really what have made me internealize my shame about my height.
But my boyfriend is 5' 8" and I've found plenty of shorter men that find me attractive so I will take it as a weeding out process. If a man has an issue with my height, then he probably isn't the right guy for me anyway. I don't need anyone to "take care of and protect me". 0 -
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I know it's been mentioned already but upper back exercises and core are the key, specifically I found that doing seated cable rows helped my posture a bunch. I do 3 sets of 10-12 reps a couple times a week. When you get done doing them you literally feel like your posture has already improved. Hope that helps. Good luck to you.0
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Pilates.
GREAT STUFF :drinker:
Just wanted to say congrats on your weight loss and your waist is incredible!
THANKS!!!0 -
I'm going to give the seated cable rows a try! We have a weight machine, I have to look to see if it has the lower pulley, though.0
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Pilates. I was very hunched over after 3 years and gaining 100 pounds while in Physical therapy. Doing pilates twice a week for a couple months straightened me right out. My stomach muscles were stronger, but my lower back muscles were SO much stronger, stronger than my abs were pulling me forward, my back was pulling me straight up and down again.
in fact, I should get back into that. I dont do it enough, It's such a good slow satisfying burn.... and then youre an inch taller all day.
GREAT STUFF :drinker:
You have to use the right tool for the job. It sounds to me like the OP needs more that just strengthening. Also body awareness, posture, etc. In this case, I think Pilates is a great place to start.0 -
For some reason I thought Statham was like, 6'5.
5'9??? I had no idea he was a manlet.
To the OP: Be proud to be one of the superior 6'0+ tall folk.0 -
Thanks, all! I'll try out some back and core exercises and see what that does. I used to take yoga and pilates classes but on my current budget and location it's damn near impossible. Hopefully I can get back into it. Will make an effort to be happier with my height. One of my roommates was saying last night how she "loves being short because it's more feminine and guys want to protect her because she's little and cute" and I wanted to slap her. She's kind of a B-word and is fairly insensitive to the feelings of others, so I didn't let it get to me too much, but I've realized that those kinds of messages are really what have made me internealize my shame about my height.
But my boyfriend is 5' 8" and I've found plenty of shorter men that find me attractive so I will take it as a weeding out process. If a man has an issue with my height, then he probably isn't the right guy for me anyway. I don't need anyone to "take care of and protect me".
I guess some things just come with age (and increased confidence). If your roommate said that to me, I'd feel sorry for her. I wish I hadn't spent my 20s insecure about my height. (I am particularly tall for my ethnic group - the average Indian woman is 5'; I am 5'11")
And, the whole point of a relationship is to take care of and protect each other - you're trying to be a good partner, not a lap dog.0 -
I'm 5'9", some might not consider me "tall" but my husband is 5'4", so I tend to stand out. I didn't mind my height when I was thinner/healthier, but now I feel not "tall" but "big". I don't like feeling big. I've been slouching for years, but not anymore! I HATE having constant back pain because I'm always bending over.
Starting today! Because who needs a Calendar to say New Year's Day to start your resolution!0 -
Ballroom dancing helps my posture...need to dance again soooon!! But then I'm a shorty...0
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Starting today! Because who needs a Calendar to say New Year's Day to start your resolution!
Exactly my philosophy! Make a change when you're ready, not when it's the thing to do.0 -
I'm tall too (5'11) and my boyfriend is constantly telling me to "stand up straight", "quit slouching", etc, so I feel your pain. I spend 30 some odd years perfecting not looking "too tall", and when I actually wanted to look my height because somehow lately I've realized how amazing it is to be tall, I can't straighten up without it causing pain.
I've come to realize that a chiropractor is a tall girl's BFF. Mine has taught me exercises to strengthen my core and back and little things to make it easier to stand tall. That's my recommendation and I also have to second (or third, by now) Yoovies "Pilates" idea.0 -
Pilates. I was very hunched over after 3 years and gaining 100 pounds while in Physical therapy. Doing pilates twice a week for a couple months straightened me right out. My stomach muscles were stronger, but my lower back muscles were SO much stronger, stronger than my abs were pulling me forward, my back was pulling me straight up and down again.
in fact, I should get back into that. I dont do it enough, It's such a good slow satisfying burn.... and then youre an inch taller all day.
GREAT STUFF :drinker:
You have to use the right tool for the job. It sounds to me like the OP needs more that just strengthening. Also body awareness, posture, etc. In this case, I think Pilates is a great place to start.
I honestly and sincerely apologize for not doing ALL the research and answer searching for the OP, did not take the time to give her a training schedule and a bullet list of all the different parts that could change her body around but I really thought it might be better to just offer a short little taste of where I just started.0 -
Stand tall and be proud of every damn inch!0 -
My trainer did a pretty awesome back exercise with me just yesterday called a "Good Morning". Take the bar across your shoulders like you're going to do a squat, but with much less weight. Might want to start with just an empty bar, no weights. Keep your feet together, and keeping your back straight, lean forward like you're trying to touch your toes pushing your butt out behind you. Keep going till you think your back is about to arch, then return to a standing position. Do them slow and don't let your back arch. At the bottom of the move you should look like a number "7" with your back nearly horizontal, your butt pushed way back, and your legs at a backward leaning angle. Watching my trainer do it I thought it would be hard to keep your balance, but it wasn't. You probably want to have someone watch you do the first couple, as bad form on this seems like it could cause injury, but I really felt it in my core.0
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Pilates. I was very hunched over after 3 years and gaining 100 pounds while in Physical therapy. Doing pilates twice a week for a couple months straightened me right out. My stomach muscles were stronger, but my lower back muscles were SO much stronger, stronger than my abs were pulling me forward, my back was pulling me straight up and down again.
in fact, I should get back into that. I dont do it enough, It's such a good slow satisfying burn.... and then youre an inch taller all day.
GREAT STUFF :drinker:
You have to use the right tool for the job. It sounds to me like the OP needs more that just strengthening. Also body awareness, posture, etc. In this case, I think Pilates is a great place to start.
I honestly and sincerely apologize for not doing ALL the research and answer searching for the OP, did not take the time to give her a training schedule and a bullet list of all the different parts that could change her body around but I really thought it might be better to just offer a short little taste of where I just started.
Oh, no -- don't think that. Sorry, I wasn't more clear. I was agreeing with you 100%--the "more" I mentioned were, in my mind, the additional things I thought Pilates brings to the table.0 -
Why do you have a 50 plus old boyfriend? You need to enjoy your twenties; take it from a 42 year old who has been there and done that!0
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strong core. I have found that developing my core muscles has also resulted in better posture.
oh, and doing mfp at work... sitting tall hides the screen better.
I am 6'1 and wear 4" heels. I'm tall, and there is simply no hiding it. But people notice your height MORE when you slouch to hide it... because they recognize that you carry with you a sense of shame.
Your height is beautiful. It gives you long legs, and a lot of people envy you! Be proud, sit tall, walk tall... you are magnificent and graceful!
I have always said... what's an inch on a mile... people will notice I'm tall at 6'1 regardless of whether I wear heels or not.. might as well flaunt it! (And my feet don't look nearly so big as they do in flats! haha)
Me!
I envy tall girls. I'd love to be 6 feet tall! I'm not short (5'7") but I'd love having your height. Tall women are gorgeous!!!0
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