Rounded Shoulders

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erisfreenici
erisfreenici Posts: 277 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work in IT and have terrible seated posture. My shoulders are starting to become rounded as I get older. It's hard to correct my posture because sitting properly makes my shoulders feel "tight" and my back gets sore & tired after a while. Has anybody else overcome this issue? If so, what are some exercises I can do to properly strengthen and stretch out the muscles I need to actually have good posture again.

Replies

  • sweetbri07
    sweetbri07 Posts: 150 Member
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    Rounded shoulders start to happen when the muscles in your upper back get stretched and lax, and your anterior chest muscles start to get tight. Pec stretches are a great way to just start lengthening those chest muscles, which will help to release some of that tension. Exercises like rows are great for strengthening those back muscles that need to be helped. Exercises that target your traps, rhomboids, and lats are good to look into.
  • az1cowgirl
    az1cowgirl Posts: 82
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    Oh, I'm going to have to follow the answers to this. I too have terrible posture from sitting at a desk 90% of the time. Having a big chest doesn't help either!
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    Straight leg dead lifts baby!!

    Scary to watch, but fast results.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    Yoga has made a world of difference in my posture. Strong core muscles keep shoulders from being rounded as well. Work on those abs and core muscles will make a big difference in your shoulder muscles. You will stand up straighter and in effect, hold your shoulders back more.
  • BLewy
    BLewy Posts: 11 Member
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    I was having the same issue and I recently switched from sitting on a chair all day to sitting on an exercise ball. It's made a huge difference. I sit up much straighter than I used to and I can feel my back and core muscles getting stronger. It takes some getting used to but I love it! I would recommend trading off between your exercise ball and your chair throughout the day for the first little while. You don't want to do too much too fast =]
  • erisfreenici
    erisfreenici Posts: 277 Member
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    Good suggestions! Thanks everybody!
  • rachpiper720
    rachpiper720 Posts: 204
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    I had the same problem after 7 years of school. Strengthening your core will do wonders. Do planks, I second the dead lifts, sitting on an exercise ball, and hanging knee raises. I also strengthened my upper back muscles and chest by doing pull-ups (assisted by using a chair) and lots of push-ups. I haven't have a problem since I started doing those exercises. Good luck!
  • Mamoonie
    Mamoonie Posts: 328
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    I started exercising with a personal trainer in January. He's working on my posture all the time and I can see and feel the results. I even sit straighter in front of my computer now. But he makes me do so many different things that I can't just tell you...

    Oh, btw, I started training with him to get slim and firm up my body and tighten skin after weight loss, not really because I wanted to stand straight ;-)

    MM

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