I have terrible posture. Any tips on correcting?

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2

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  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Posture is just something you have to force. Just like good eating, or working out. Just start doing it and soon enough, it will be second nature.
  • twisted88
    twisted88 Posts: 330 Member
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    For immediate results: corset (but a good one).

    I definitely second the core training as well.
  • marsellient
    marsellient Posts: 591 Member
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    First, pull your ribs away from your pelvis by imagining there is a string attached to the top of your head and pulling you straight up.
    Next, Line your ears up above your shoulder blades, and your shoulder blades (back side) over your heels, making sure your hip bones are in that same line. T
    Do this! Even think about lining up your ears with your shoulders. A physiotherapist described my posture as "teacher's neck"and gave me this advice years ago. It even helps my Mom (age 85) relieve a bit of the discomfort from arthritis in her neck.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
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    Deadlifts and squats help posture. So do snatches and the clean and jerk.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    Yoga!
  • korsicash
    korsicash Posts: 770 Member
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    core exercises, horse back riding, and I have horrible posture as well and when I wear heels i remember to watch this and keep my posture in balance.
  • aryastark8
    aryastark8 Posts: 57 Member
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    Try the Gokhale method! It works great, and requires little effort. http://www.amazon.com/Steps-Pain-Free-Back-Solutions-Shoulder/dp/0979303605/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334616800&sr=8-1
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    PILATES!

    Strengthening core muscles will also help a lot!
  • taiji22
    taiji22 Posts: 13
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    As the others have mentioned, yoga, pilates and weight training will help. T'ai Chi, whose basic premise depends on keeping alignment and understanding where your center of gravity is at all times is great for giving you feedback about how you are carrying your body. A skyscraper is built perpendicular to the ground so that the force of gravity does not tug it down causing the building to lean backward, forward, more to the left or right. Gravity runs through the core, causing less strain. Case in point - The Leaning Tower of Pisa. You may be tilting forward in your stance as you are hunching over- causing more stress on your back and your organs as gravity is pushing down. See a teacher who understands the dynamics of T'ai Chi and have her correct your posture. T'ai Chi is also rated as a moderate intensity exercise - 2 birds with one stone!
  • katy84o
    katy84o Posts: 744 Member
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    It must be a Katy thing :) I slouch really bad to, when I realize i'm doing it, I pull my shoulders back and tighten my abs. But no other tips. I'm interested to see what everyone else says
  • hutchy100
    hutchy100 Posts: 103 Member
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    Pilates or yoga i had this problem and within 6 months i felt 1000 times better
  • housegirl2
    housegirl2 Posts: 79 Member
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    Yoga and Pilates
  • jarredondo
    jarredondo Posts: 297 Member
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    Pilates I started taking a Pilates class 2 days a week. Within a couple of weeks I could feel myself sitting and standing straighter.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Try these...

    Doorway pec stretches – stretch your pecs
    Shoulder dislocations – improves shoulder flexiblity
    Thoracic Extension on roller – eliminates hunchback posture

    (Found near the bottom of: http://stronglifts.com/squat-bar-position/ )
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Strengthen your core, it helps support your whole torso. Be aware of your posture and correct yourself every time you're slouching. Eventually it will become a habit.
  • Hernandeak11
    Hernandeak11 Posts: 351 Member
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    One thing that helps me is to have the driver's seat in my car as upright as possible! It's something small, but it definitely made a difference for me!
  • cannonsky
    cannonsky Posts: 850 Member
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    yoga and strength training... assuming you use proper form for both, will help with posture
  • Letters24You
    Letters24You Posts: 263 Member
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    I have horrible posture as well! When I decided to get fit I learned that you have to tell yourself, at all times, shoulders back, stomache in. I tell my self that all day long at my desk job, when I'm walking and when I'm driving. I still catch my self slouching but I'm confident that after a few weeks it will come natural.
  • AmyJo54915
    AmyJo54915 Posts: 103
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    I'm the same. I think it's because I was 5'10" when I was in 6th grade, and didn't want to be taller than everyone (boys included!). Now I just have to be aware, and when I catch myself slumping I stand up straight. I don't know if there's any other way to fight it!

    That's why I have bad posture! Being tall is so awkward!!

    This! I was the tallest kid in my class until about 8th grade...I hated it! Now I am proud to be 6 feet tall!
  • sjv1966
    sjv1966 Posts: 121 Member
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    Another option would be ballet or probably any kind of dance class. I started taking ballet about a year ago and really, really love it. I have tried yoga but have never been able to get into it -- ballet really struck a chord with me and it has helped amazingly. I feel like I finally actually know how to stand with good posture. Now the trick is remembering to do it in real life!

    About the same time that I started ballet a friend pointed out to me that I often walked hunched over. I started trying to correct myself every time I noticed it and now most of the time when I think to check I am standing straight. I am still not, however, doing all the things that they teach you in ballet class such as keeping a neutral spine (I tend to stick my butt out a bit) and keeping your shoulders down and back and keeping your head lifted on your spine and keeping your belly in. I am trying to work on that but at least I standing up straight and not hunching over like I used to.

    I seriously think that you can look like you lost 10 lbs just by standing straight and tall (and pulling your stomach in).

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