Question:

My dad was always a nut about good posture. I stood up reasonably straight as a kid, I was not one to slouch or slump over, but my dad was always saying "stand up straight, throw your shoulders back" and I would stiffen my spine and straigten up from the slightly more relaxed posture I was used to. Lately over the last few months however I have noticed that I *always* have the sort of perfect posture my dad tried to get me to have, all the time. When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back. If I try to relax back to the posture I always used to have I can’t do it. I feel slumpy and uncomfortable. I immediately have to straighten up and stiffen those shoulders again. Anyone else notice anything like this? Is this a result of the all the weight training and muscle building I have been doing. It sure doesn’t seem like something that would be affected by diet. Debbie dcusick at prodigy dot net "You can’t leave footprints in the sands of time by sitting on your butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?"

Response:

Not to mention the improved self esteem, Debbie.  I think I walk a little taller every day, thanks to the exercise, and the encouragement I find in this group! Gail 197/185/150 — The fault finder will find faults even in paradise.  Thoreau

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -My dad was always a nut about good posture. I stood up reasonably straight as a kid, I was not one to slouch or slump over, but my dad was always saying "stand up straight, throw your shoulders back" and I would stiffen my spine and straigten up from the slightly more relaxed posture I was used to. Lately over the last few months however I have noticed that I *always* have the sort of perfect posture my dad tried to get me to have, all the time. When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back. If I try to relax back to the posture I always used to have I can’t do it. I feel slumpy and uncomfortable. I immediately have to straighten up and stiffen those shoulders again. Anyone else notice anything like this? Is this a result of the all the weight training and muscle building I have been doing. It sure doesn’t seem like something that would be affected by diet. Debbie dcusick at prodigy dot net "You can’t leave footprints in the sands of time by sitting on your butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?"

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Debbie, I really hope that it IS a result of weight training.  I can’t wait to experience that particular side effect.  I have only been weight training for a couple of weeks, but I have noticed that on occasion I am ’strutting’ in a more upright stance than is normal for me.  I just assumed it was from tighter abs, but I’m not going to question it too intensely lest it disappear. Lori C.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Lately over the last few months however I have noticed that I *always* have the sort of perfect posture my dad tried to get me to have, all the time. When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back. If I try to relax back to the posture I always used to have I can’t do it. I feel slumpy and uncomfortable. I immediately have to straighten up and stiffen those shoulders again. Anyone else notice anything like this? Is this a result of the all the weight training and muscle building I have been doing. It sure doesn’t seem like something that would be affected by diet.

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Debbie writes: When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back.

Have been having the same "problem" here.  Isn’t it great!!! Robin 320/252/160

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Lately over the last few months however I have noticed that I *always* have the sort of perfect posture my dad tried to get me to have, all the time. When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back. If I try to relax back to the posture I always used to have I can’t do it. I feel slumpy and uncomfortable. I immediately have to straighten up and stiffen those shoulders again. Anyone else notice anything like this? Is this a result of the all the weight training and muscle building I have been doing. It sure doesn’t seem like something that would be affected by diet.

Hi Debbie- What a coincidence :) I was just noticing the EXACT same thing today, in fact. Not that I had lousy posture before, but I did notice that I’ve been sitting a lot straighter. I thought perhaps I was imagining it or that maybe I just LOOK like I’m sitting up straighter because my body has changed so much on low-carb/exercise that it might be a sort of optical illusion, but if it’s true then it explains something: I rarely drive. I take the bus to work and only use the car for pleasure on some weekends and to shop (It’s 7 years old and only has 24K miles on it, to give you an idea :) When I started low-carbing, I had to lower the rear view mirror every time because I was losing weight so fast and enough time lapsed between drives that I think that since my butt was doing a disappearing act and providing a thinner and thinner pad, my height when sitting was going down. Lately, however, I’ve had to start raising it to adjust every once in a while even though I’m not regaining. I suspect the improved posture may be the cause. I suspect it’s the weight training, at least in my case. I’m doing serious weights and crunches for my abs and sides. I dead-lift a 70 lb dumb bell with one arm, with the other hand on my waist and lean from side to side, alternating with each set. It seems to work both my sides and back muscles. Since ab and back exercises are supposedly good for back support (unless you already have a bad back and could hurt yourself by doing these exercises) I suppose that may have something to do with it. Stacy Ferguson 199/149/140 (on Atkins/PP since 11/29/97 and enjoying the hell out of it!)

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Diva, What exercises are you doing?  And, do you do them specifically for posture, or do they improve other areas as well? Lori C. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My posture retraining took only two weeks and a ten minute series of simple exercises which I continue every day now. Diva 217/155/150 "Simplify, simplify, simplify" Henry David Thoreau

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said: Debbie writes: When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back. Have been having the same "problem" here.  Isn’t it great!!! Robin 320/252/160 Cheap advice..do  shoulder pinches. I do about a hundred and fifty a day. Also stand against a wall and align your head back hips legs and feet against the wall and walk away from it. I no longer walk, I float.

My posture kind of sucks even now I’ve finished my diet, although that’s probably because I’ve been shirking the exercise up until recently. Diva, could you elaborate on what "shoulder pinches" involve? I’d be grateful for any helpful tips. Dan (231/172/172) "…one of the main causes of the fall of the Roman Empire was that, lacking zero, they had no way to indicate successful termination of their C programs."                                   — Robert Firth  Spam blocker: replace "jovian" with "earthling" in reply address.

Response:

Debbie, I really hope that it IS a result of weight training.  I can’t wait to experience that particular side effect.  I have only been weight training for a couple of weeks, but I have noticed that on occasion I am ’strutting’ in a more upright stance than is normal for me.  I just assumed it was from tighter abs, but I’m not going to question it too intensely lest it disappear.

My posture retraining took only two weeks and a ten minute series of simple exercises which I continue every day now. Diva 217/155/150 "Simplify, simplify, simplify" Henry David Thoreau

Response:

Debbie writes: When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back. Have been having the same "problem" here.  Isn’t it great!!! Robin 320/252/160

Cheap advice..do  shoulder pinches. I do about a hundred and fifty a day. Also stand against a wall and align your head back hips legs and feet against the wall and walk away from it. I no longer walk, I float. — Diva 217/155/150 "Simplify, simplify, simplify" Henry David Thoreau

Response:

Lately over the last few months however I have noticed that I *always* have the sort of perfect posture my dad tried to get me to have, all the time. When I sit, stand or walk I just can’t *not* keep my back straight and my shoulders back. If I try to relax back to the posture I always used to have I can’t do it. I feel slumpy and uncomfortable. I immediately have to straighten up and stiffen those shoulders again. Anyone else notice anything like this? Is this a result of the all the weight training and muscle building I have been doing. It sure doesn’t seem like something that would be affected by diet.

  I think weight training makes us much more conscious of our muscles and how we use them…and that includes posture, too!   I also do barbell shrugs when I do chest and shoulder exercises to avoid that funny hunched shoulder look of some bodybuilders. And to help my chronic shoulder pain (not always "pain" but certainly a tight feeling) I do shrugs without weights at my desk, in the car, etc. just to loosen up the area! Kasey

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Diva, could you elaborate on what "shoulder pinches" involve? I’d be grateful for any helpful tips. i’m guessing that she means where you raise your arms to shoulder height, bent at the elbow, and then pull your shoulder blades together as far as they go.  it’s a quick motion, and easily repeated, but after 30 or so, you might notice soreness between your shoulder blades. janet

The above is correct. I put my fingertips on shoulders and pinch back 40-60 times Then I put my elbows next to my waist with hands  up toward shoulders and pinch another 40-60 times. I lie on my tummy arma at sides and pinch and I do 40 "turtles" holding my head up and pulling it back. Finally line yourself up, back against the wall, quite straight. Do that several tuimes and then walk away holding the good posture positsion. Two weeks of this and you will look a if you had a book on your head. — Diva 217/155/150 "Simplify, simplify, simplify" Henry David Thoreau

Response:

Diva, could you elaborate on what "shoulder pinches" involve? I’d be grateful for any helpful tips.

i’m guessing that she means where you raise your arms to shoulder height, bent at the elbow, and then pull your shoulder blades together as far as they go.  it’s a quick motion, and easily repeated, but after 30 or so, you might notice soreness between your shoulder blades. janet

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