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We have an epidemic of bad posture

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Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey, you say "When we go to the gym, we need to train for the opposite" but then go into lots of terms that I don't understand. Can you give a short "ELI5" list of popular exercises which should be avoided/limited with these posture issues, and which typical exercises would fill the lacking areas?

If you want an "out-of-the-box" routine that's simple and balanced, I'd recommend "stronglifts" [0]. To be sure, it's a very strength-centric routine, but you can very well dial it back to twice a week and complement it with a weekly run. The reason I suggest this particular regimen is threefold: 1. it's simple 2. the "culture" of stronglifts focuses heavily on proper form 3. the exercises involved are compound (i.e.…

So stronglifts is a slightly modified starting strength? I like it; I've been doing starting strength, but I can't do pull-ups very well so when I got to them I had to start with rows.

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#112

100% agree with this article - I also don't know how more people aren't in the chiropractor's office weekly. I went through a particularly intense period of working on my laptop and it resulted in a neck spasm so sever it was like daggers trying to move my neck. The doctor prescribed Vicodin it was that bad. But only when I went in for a series of chiropractic sessions did I improve my neck at the source. Thankfully…

> I also don't know how more people aren't in the chiropractor's office weekly Maybe because there are no evidence that it's effective. https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/reference/chiropractic/

Oh Jesus. Take that elsewhere. Chiropractors make a big difference for plenty people. Also the practice dates back centuries before Dr. Palmer.

Without Chiropractors and PT's who incorporate it into their practice there'd be a lot more people on opiates.

I cannot get over this kind of unhelpful bullshit.

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can always supplement the 5x5 routine with 3x8-10 (typically) accessory exercises with dumbbells. In some cases dumbbells will give you a better range of motion and help develop smaller muscles. Another common addition to 5x5 I've seen is adding a dedicated core day (weighted ab crunches, hanging leg raises, planks) Core is the 2nd most important part of doing pull exercises (after back)

> In some cases dumbbells will give you a better range of motion and help develop smaller muscles. This has always smelled like broscience to me. I guess I'm just skeptical that someone unable to create stable positions with a fixed object (barbell) will have more success creating proper stable positions off of objects that move freely. Based on what I've seen in the gym, it looks like the barbell users usually end u…

I prefer dumbbells to a regular benchpress, but it's largely because I don't have an exercise partner and I don't want to get trapped underneath a barbell if I can't lift it.

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey, you say "When we go to the gym, we need to train for the opposite" but then go into lots of terms that I don't understand. Can you give a short "ELI5" list of popular exercises which should be avoided/limited with these posture issues, and which typical exercises would fill the lacking areas?

If you want an "out-of-the-box" routine that's simple and balanced, I'd recommend "stronglifts" [0]. To be sure, it's a very strength-centric routine, but you can very well dial it back to twice a week and complement it with a weekly run. The reason I suggest this particular regimen is threefold: 1. it's simple 2. the "culture" of stronglifts focuses heavily on proper form 3. the exercises involved are compound (i.e.…

I've been lifting on and off for the past 15 years. I'm currently doing stronglifts after a 4 year lull.

It is not for the beginner. Squats are difficult to do correctly and I spent about an hour watching videos before I attempted it with a personal trainer. Then I kept watching videos to improve form. It's not a simple exercise and it is easy to perform it wrong. Barbell rows are easier to learn but also easy to perform incorrectly. Bench press is pretty safe. Overhead press is pretty safe. Deadlift is worrisome but not so much at the low starting weights of the 5x5.

I would recommend watching a lot of youtube tutorials on how to do the exercises correctly. Do a complete warmup before lifting. Hire a personal trainer who is a weight lifter to make sure you're doing the exercises correctly. Then you can feel comfortable doing it on your own.

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#115
post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want an "out-of-the-box" routine that's simple and balanced, I'd recommend "stronglifts" [0]. To be sure, it's a very strength-centric routine, but you can very well dial it back to twice a week and complement it with a weekly run. The reason I suggest this particular regimen is threefold: 1. it's simple 2. the "culture" of stronglifts focuses heavily on proper form 3. the exercises involved are compound (i.e.…

I've been lifting on and off for the past 15 years. I'm currently doing stronglifts after a 4 year lull. It is not for the beginner. Squats are difficult to do correctly and I spent about an hour watching videos before I attempted it with a personal trainer. Then I kept watching videos to improve form. It's not a simple exercise and it is easy to perform it wrong. Barbell rows are easier to learn but also easy to per…

Squats really aren't that hard to learn on your own. There's no reason a level-headed beginner can't start squatting on his own.

If you have a mirror and you start with light weights, you can monitor yourself for form. Yes, there's a bit of due diligence involved, but it ain't exactly rocket science...

That having been said, the importance of doing all of these exercises with proper form cannot be overstated.

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#116
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want an "out-of-the-box" routine that's simple and balanced, I'd recommend "stronglifts" [0]. To be sure, it's a very strength-centric routine, but you can very well dial it back to twice a week and complement it with a weekly run. The reason I suggest this particular regimen is threefold: 1. it's simple 2. the "culture" of stronglifts focuses heavily on proper form 3. the exercises involved are compound (i.e.…

So stronglifts is a slightly modified starting strength? I like it; I've been doing starting strength, but I can't do pull-ups very well so when I got to them I had to start with rows.

Yes, it's more or less the same thing. Potato-potahto, as far as I'm concerned.

>I can't do pull-ups very well

Funny it's the opposite for me. I can do pull-ups all day long but still struggle with bent-over rows to this day. TBH I don't really do rows anymore. I just hold a dumbbell between my thighs and do pull-ups.

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. So much this. But even a cookie-cutter program can lead you down the wrong road because they assume that the person beginning the program is healthy. Most of the readers here spend our lives in globally flexed positions with abducted, elevated, and internally rotated shoulders and flexed, externally rotated hips. When we go to the gym, we need to train for the opposite. Training for global extension, especially…

Hey, you say "When we go to the gym, we need to train for the opposite" but then go into lots of terms that I don't understand. Can you give a short "ELI5" list of popular exercises which should be avoided/limited with these posture issues, and which typical exercises would fill the lacking areas?

I can only speak from personal experience:

Deadlift- My favorite, the king of lifts! When I say a globally flexed position I'm talking about the fetal position archetype. Next time you're sitting down just imagine transitioning from your seated posture to fetal position. The deadlift is the opposite of this- you start in a flexed position, and then stand up perfectly straight. Make sure to learn how to properly brace before attempting this movement, or really any movement under heavy load.

Bench Press- My back muscles that are in charge of pulling my shoulder blades back and down are stretched out, meaning that my shoulder blades are usually much further forward and up than they should be. When I bench press the tendency is for my shoulder blades to roll forward. When bench pressing, you're supposed to keep your shoulder blades pulled down towards your butt and as close to your spine as possible. This creates stability and room in the front of your shoulder. When I bench press, I have to put in extra effort and use a light load to make sure can I keep my shoulder blades in the right position. This forward rolling is also associated with activation of the internal rotator cuff, which is bad- your rotator cuff isn't meant to handle that much load. So it's also very important for me to use a close grip and keep my elbows close to my body, maybe a 15-20 degree angle at my armpit in the bottom position.

Squat- I'm missing a significant amount of internal rotation at the hip. Sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, then without changing the angle between your upper and lower leg rotate your right foot up and to the right. This is internal rotation. External would be putting your right foot on your left knee. Part of my restriction is due to a lifetime of poor habits, but part of it is due to my hip structure. Think of a dog with hip dysplasia. This, combined with a tight posterior chain, makes it impossible for me right now to squat without compromising in some way. I find that elevating my heels slightly (often I'll just stand with my heels on 5lb plates) and pointing my toes slightly out (10 degrees) creates more room in my hip, allowing me to achieve a parallel squat. The danger of this is that without your feet flat on the ground straight ahead, you aren't integrating your lower legs into the movement in a natural fashion. Make sure to keep your knees 'not in' so that your arch doesn't collapse. A collapsed arch not only bleeds power, but the accompanying inward movement of the knee (valgus) can cause ligament tears.

Pullup- The same issue I have with the bench press where my shoulders roll forward under high stress. I usually don't have any trouble maintaining form as long as I consciously think about keeping my back straight and pulling my elbows down and back, rather than my head up.

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. So much this. But even a cookie-cutter program can lead you down the wrong road because they assume that the person beginning the program is healthy. Most of the readers here spend our lives in globally flexed positions with abducted, elevated, and internally rotated shoulders and flexed, externally rotated hips. When we go to the gym, we need to train for the opposite. Training for global extension, especially…

Hey, you say "When we go to the gym, we need to train for the opposite" but then go into lots of terms that I don't understand. Can you give a short "ELI5" list of popular exercises which should be avoided/limited with these posture issues, and which typical exercises would fill the lacking areas?

ELI5?

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the most frustrating things about working in New York is the ample amount of potential stairs to climb with almost every door locked from the stairwell.

The epidemic has long since spread to the west coast. The Seattle building I currently work in has some limited, well-defined accessible stairwells, but AFAICT the majority are one-way, emergency-only. I've worked in buildings as you describe: one-way, down-only. Sucks when you don't know this yet, think you'll take the stairs to the fourth floor only to discover that you need to climb all the way to the bottom then…

did "as far as i can tell" really need an acronym?

Re: We have an epidemic of bad posture

#120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds great but I'm wondering, would this be accepted in any company?

I work at a Fortune 500 company, in an open office area. I was the first person to use a standing desk, by cobbling some cardboard boxes together. And then I was kind of a promoter, and also mentioned to the department chair: "By any reasonable measure, computer use is a workplace safety problem waiting to explode." In fact I goaded him into getting one for himself. Since then, quite a few people have gotten a VariDe…

You "goaded" your department chair?
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