[urbaindk]

Can anyone recommend any good stretches or excercises for me to try to improve my posture?

Lately I feel like my hip tensors, quads, and abs are shorting for lack of a better description. It sort of makes me stoop over when I walk. I really have no idea what's going on I imagine its related in part to my time spent on the bike. It's starting to hurt my back a bit.

 

[geargrrl]

for improving posture, you might be better off just making a conscious effort to have better posture. Ther are a some mental tricks you can use than involve imagery. The ones I like the best are the image of a skyhook attached to the top of your head, pulling you up to the sky. What has worked for my tall son is two things, both coming from our family doc.
1. pull your chin in
2. lift your sternum up.

Stretching is only going to help while you are doing it. If you can put it in your head to be mindful of what your body is doing when you are sitting, standing and walking - THAT is how you improve your posture.

here are some posture tips from out in web-land:

1. Make sure your head is parallel to the ground and centered over your shoulders.
2. Bring your chest up.
3. As you bring your chest up, your shoulders must relax and not go up. Therefore, relax your shoulders down and back.
4. Tighten your abs by pulling your belly button to your spine.
5. Align your knees with your second and third toes.
6. Make sure your knees are not locked. There must always be a slight bend in them.
7. Stand with your feet spaced comfortably apart (usually hip width).
8. Stand with your body weight placed at the mid points of your feet.

and this link is good for posture tips as they related to ergonomics and exercise
http://www.spine-health.com/topics/conserv/posterg/posture01.html

 

[Heidi]

Do you have a gym you can go to? Lots of them have core strengthening classes right now - it would be a good idea for you to check them out. NOBODY can get enough core workout.

 

[urbaindk]

Thanks for the tips. It's all stuff I've read before but it's good to be reminded. I guess the real problem is that I get lazy and forget over time. Perhaps I will print out that list and post it somewhere I will see it everyday.

We have a gym here at work, but I've kind of gotten out of my habit of going. I really really hate going to the gym. They don't have classes or anything. It's pretty much self serve. I haven't been in a while and don't look forward to getting over that hump of starting up again. I really need to though. Discipline, discipline, discipline.

I've been thinking about getting a ball to sit on while I work for a little passive core strengthening.

 

[N8 v2.0]

http://www.thisislondon.com/showbiz/articles/21684552?source=Daily Mail&ct=5

 

[urbaindk]

http://www.thisislondon.com/showbiz/articles/21684552?source=Daily Mail&ct=5

If I could do that I'd never have to leave the house again.

 

[amateur]

Try balancing your muscle mass more. Work on your hamstrings and back muscles.

 

[caputo1989]

Do hamies and bac k mucsles.

 

[urbaindk]

Do hamies and bac k mucsles.

Any tips for hams and back?

 

[ito]

I have a terrible time keeping up with stretching, I have awful felxibility and my posture is ok.

That said I took up a modern dance class at school this quarter. Ok, so it is a little wierd and the stuff they do isn't really my style, but the stretching and warm up excercises are great. Beginner classes focus a ton on posture and maintaining a balanced body. This means extending the spine, keeping the back straight, hips balanced, and chin level at all times.

I'm not that great at it, but the class has been a lot of fun and definitely helps out with my posture and flexibility. If you have access to dance classes I would definitely check out modern. It doesn't require as much equipment or time as ballet or any of the classical types of dance. If anything it is just fun jumping around the room and exploring your body in motion.

Give it a try.

The Ito

 

[urbaindk]

ballet

The Ito

Sounds fun but I look really bad in a tutu.

 

[ito]

Sounds fun but I look really bad in a tutu.

No excuses, for modern I wear the same pants I wear when I go rock climbing.

The Ito

 

[MudGrrl]

If I could do that I'd never have to leave the house again.

hmmm


I can do that

 

[urbaindk]

hmmm


I can do that

Can you now?

For an update, I read those links posted by geargrrl I guess two weeks ago now and made a bunch of adjustments to my office workspace. In less than a week a bunch of my soreness went away. That was pretty cool. I'm also trying to mix up my training with by adding some running in with the riding. Hopefully I can even things out a little that way. I did a bunch of wind sprints last night, right to the verge of puking. That was great fun. Haven't done that in a long time.