Question about posture

[zendefone]

Hi coach rippetoe, i have a question about posture. May i ask that do we need to make a conscious effect in having correct posture everytime, even outside the gym?

Or is it that when you just do the lifts with correct form, everything will fix itself without any conscious effort in posture?

Thanks!

[Mark Rippetoe]

If by "posture" you mean standing up correctly like your mom told you to, yes, training probably promotes this. Tall and straight means spinal extension to the extent of normal anatomical position, and if your muscles get used to holding your spine in this position under the bar then they are more likely to retain the position unloaded. Good habits, etc.

[zendefone]

Thanks coach, so, do you have any simple posture cues when walking/standing that we can work towards to? Would the cue ''standing tall, suck in gut, and chin behind chest'' a good cue to follow when standing and walking to improve posture?

[juicysweet]

The best cue for posture is "show me your tits".

[bob2a2loo]

a simple exercise for posture: sit at the edge of your chair, sit up straight, put your lower back into extension, squeeze your shoulder blades together, hold for ten or fifteen seconds, repeat. do that a couple times a day, every day.

[PVC]

a simple exercise for posture: sit at the edge of your chair, sit up straight, put your lower back into extension, squeeze your shoulder blades together, hold for ten or fifteen seconds, repeat. do that a couple times a day, every day.

Pulling your shoulder blades back is a rather unnatural and incorrect way to fix your posture. Have you ever walked around with your shoulder blades pulled back? You'd look ridiculous. Juicysweet is correct, tits out (i.e. raising the chest) will do the trick.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Or heavy deadlifts.

The silly thread count is getting rather triple-digit lately.

[bob2a2loo]

Pulling your shoulder blades back is a rather unnatural and incorrect way to fix your posture. Have you ever walked around with your shoulder blades pulled back? You'd look ridiculous. Juicysweet is correct, tits out (i.e. raising the chest) will do the trick.

well, to quote a certain great coach "sometimes you have to do an exaggerated motion in order to train the correct motion."
if you are having posture problems, you have to exaggerate the correct posture in order to correct your problems. you put your lumbar into hyperextension very briefly to get into correct extension, otherwise it tends to not be enough. if you're slouching, you have to shove your shoulders way. then you end up in the right position. if you don't have posture problems maybe it sounds silly, but then you don't need to do it anyway so just pretend you never even looked at this thread and you'll be fine.

[Mark Rippetoe]

See what I mean??? Approve one silly fucking post and the standards roll downhill like a solid turd on ice. I suppose you have some advice about saying your prayers and helping with the dishes.

[davew]

I swear, even if Google was a mind-reading machine some people still wouldn't figure out how to fucking use it.

[elVarouza]

I tried all the different tricks before, but honestly I just fixed my posture (including walking with a foot turned out) by reminding myself occasionally to stand up straight when I caught myself slouching and by reminding myself to not turn my foot out when I noticed myself doing it.

And as Rip mentioned it's a bit hard to NOT walk and move properly when you're training your body to use all of its important muscles that often get neglected, such as the hips and back. It's a bit hard to slouch over when your upper back and lower back are sore from deadlifts, your abs are sore from presses, and your hips are sore from squats. When all the exercises you do at the gym require you to keep your chest up, your trunk braced, etc., and/or stand up straight with the chest up and hips in extension there is definitely carryover to everyday life.

[zendefone]

Or heavy deadlifts.

The silly thread count is getting rather triple-digit lately.
Alright coach, i get your point, thank you. :)