My posture is terrible and has been for as long as I can really remember. (At least my whole adult life) My question is does anyone know of ways to improve posture? I have tried just to be conscious of it, but that never lasts long. I don't want my kids to end up with posture like mine, and I don't want to have the problems that are associated with it. Besides that, I hate the way I look all slumped over.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
I went to the dr recently becuz I had this awful pain in my neck. She told me it was due to my slouching. She put me against the wall and made me stand with my shoulders touching it. She told me that was how I was supposed to be all the time. I thought it was a load of crud but my neck problem went away instantly---and I was taking hard prescribed drugs for it!!! You just have to remember---shoulders back and stomach in! Good luck!
Two suggestions - strengthen your core (not just abs, but the whole middle) with planks, sit ups, lower body, etc. Stomach is stablizing muscles for back - in fact, when people claim a "weak back" it is tied to weak stomach.
Beyond that to help with the shoulder slump, I'd lookinto one of those elaborate back harnesses that you wear under clothes to keep you cognizant of your posture and help you break the bad habits formed.
Oh, and a third. If you are in a chair all day (aka work) get a balance ball - they are amazing!!
good luck!
I always heard that if you stand up straight, you look 10 pounds thinner!!
Also, my husband bought a straight back chair for his office, so he CAN'T slouch. He says it really helps him. I've spent most of my life in choir, where posture is a huge deal, so I'm pretty conscious of it, but I often try to sit straight if I catch myself slouching, even if that means moving from the couch to the floor. When I was in junior choir, we put sticky notes on the back of the chairs in front of us that reminded us to sit up straight. Once you start getting used to it, it's easier, and you can definitely feel a difference. I feel like if I go from a slouching position to sitting up straight, my tailbone takes a breath of fresh air. And of course, standing tall makes you look confident, classy, and sexy. :) Hope that helped a little!
Strengthening your abs and back muscles is the best way to improve your posture. Look up some ab and oblique exercises and just keep your back flexible.
What if you did some stomach crunches. The more muscles your tummy has the easier it is to support your back and upper portion of your body. Also good bras if your big busted help a ton. Even a girddle! I know i said it but supporting the middle helps with great posture. If you have something binding in the middle its harder to slunch over with a brace!
Women's Health has done a couple of articles on this, and I have had some success in following their advice to improve my own posture.
This is the set of stretches and exercises I have found very helpful:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/good-posture
But there is also:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/improve-your-postu...
A friend of mine purchased some sort of posture contraption/wrap online. She wears it at home and in her car. My worst posture is when I'm in the car! Anyway, I haven't asked her how she likes it but I bet if you were diligent about it for a year, your muscles would strengthen and you would no longer need such a thing.
Yoga focuses on the opposite moves--so do stretches that are opposite of your "hunched" posture.
Maybe try the rubber band around the wrist and when you see it--check yourself!
I've been taking belly dance classes for 5 years and it really helped improve my posture. Also my lower back pain, almost completely gone! Because it is a dance of muscle isolations correct posture while dancing is key. As you build up muscle memory it feels less awkward and more comfortable. It's a ton of fun and really works your core muscles.
My suggestion would be to find a good beginner class. The best one around the Houston area is by Tamara in the heights, but Gabriela also has a good class and she is near the George R. Brown. Then Victoria teaches in Sugarland.
http://www.bellabody.org/PageClasses.htm
http://www.artbygabriela.com/Classes.html
http://www.houstonbellydance.com/
These are Egyptian/Lebonese style, I can also recommend tribal style teachers:
I'm the same way. I'm tall and have never felt comfortable being tall. I tend to slump forward, and my shoulders have a natural inclination to angle forwards, which does not help the situation. I try all the time to remember to pull my shoulders back, sit up straight and stick out my chest. I always forget! I did see a PT for neck problems, they gave me some stretches to do because my chest muscles were so tight. They also gave me a foam rod thing that I lay on and it stretches my chest. If I do this every morning I feel my posture is better. So I would recommend stretching whenever you can, strength training also promotes better posture, and yoga is awesome as well!
Yoga is wonderful for a whole body work out. A yoga teacher once told us that the reason we slump is that our stomach muscles are not beng stretched if we are sedentary and as they contract, they pull you forward. (Think about it...) Much of yoga is spent stretching and raising your entire body up. Since I'm not in classes right now I try to remember to stretch. I frequently put one hand over my shoulder, bend the other one up my back and try to grasp fingertips. That move really makes you stand up straight, and lengthens those tight tummy muscles. Do it on both sides-usually one side is easier than the other. The more you do moves to lengthen and strengthen your core, the easierit is to standup straight and stay that way.
Good luck,
You just have to keep reminding yourself to sit up straight. I only hunch at my desk and I have been trying to improve that. When I was a kid my mom would pretty much claw my back if she caught me without perfect posture. I don't think you should go that far.
Just keep thinking about it and your muscles will retrain themselves.
