Posture

[MinkyGirl]

Don't know if this is the right place to ask this, but what exercises would be good for improving posture? I have a mild case of scoliosis, but it doesn't pose any kind of limitations according to my doctor. (And it isn't the source of my problem.) I have that stereotypical, forward shoulder slump of someone who spent way to many hours/years in front of a computer or late nights researching in the library without any regard to posture. Everyone tells me just to remember to sit/stand up straight, but I'm too ADD for that. Sitting/standing up straight, when I remember to be concious of it, actually causes me fatigue in the shoulders & back so I'm assuming I have some seriously weak muscles now in that area. Are there any exercises I can do that will help correct this?

[Jimmya73]

deadlift

[Testsubject]

Yeah first off all before any weights are going to help you your going to have to make a concious effort to sit and stand straight up, and saying your too ADD to do that is bullshit, if your to ADD for that then your too ADD to be slouched over all the time to, if anything its sounds like your too lazy to concentrate on good posture, no offence at all, but if you really put your mind to it you could do it, consentrating on sitting straight up is going to get your muscle stronger in itself. Some excersises that might help though are doing lots of abs, on a ball to help your core strength and hyperextentions.

[beuleux]

Possibly you are asking in the wrong place, have you ever heard of the Alexander Technique, Ive found some links for you might be what your looking for, it helped my brother big time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Technique
http://www.stat.org.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_...lexander.shtml

[MinkyGirl]

Thanks for all the tips. I'll look into the exericises for both my body and mind.

[zaggahamma]

great post...posture is not talked about much but is very important...i've always been a slumper

i think testsubject is pretty much dialed in on it though meaning the best exercises for it would be practing the good posture itself and/but i would think that core work would help as well

sit up straight! LOL

[EcToMoRpHiAn]

I would say that lower back extensions and/or deadlifts would be better than ab exercises.

[eljeffe]

working out your serratus (sp) will help, you can do this by doing what I call cat push ups but it is just a push up with an arch in your back. Get in push up position on your knees and arch your back as if you were doing the cat posture in yoga, then do push ups making sure your scapulas do not move, thus putting the emphasis on your serratus (little muscles that run along your ribs directly below your arm pit). It helps if you have someone do them with you so they can monitor your scapulas. A strong serratus will help keep your shoulders back thus straightening your back somewhat, also doing alot of core work will also help straiten you out.