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Posture Problem (pictures of me, where my tightness is, imbalance, etc)
Please help me before I get any worse...
I cannot afford going to any personal trainer and CSCS. The gym won't be open at my school again until Spring semester and my parents don't want to pay for a gym membership, so I am limited in what I could do. My parents won't pay me to go to anything and it sucks. I don't have a job yet, but I am planning on getting one soon after I find out Jan 15th-16th at tryouts for softball if I make my JC team or not. My mom also says my posture is fine and everything and to stop worrying and reading all this stuff on the internet. My mom does not even exercise or workout and she smokes too. There is no way I am going to listen to her and mess myself up even more in my posture. I am lucky I am even seeing a chiropractor (she wants me to go once a month now instead of every week or every 2 weeks) According to my pictures, my posture and muscle balance is not good. I have to do things for free online and get the best information that I can. I have not lifted weights in a while because I want to figure out what my problem is first and find the right exercises to do for the muscles.
I hate having to try and rely on the internet because you guys can only look at pictures of me. You cannot feel me or anything. It's also hard to find people that is willing to help you out as well because their busy or want you to pay money for tem to help you.
On the other hand,
In these pictures I think I look a bit stiff and I am trying my best to stay in the same spot. My camera was on a 10 second timer to get myself set up
About me (below in - list) and what you should know about what is tight and such before you give me weigtlifting exercises to do (also what to avoid right now), dynamic stretches to do, locomotion exercises, etc.
Note: I wrote a lot of stuff here and I don't know how to write things in simple sentences and in the shortest possible because of my little learning disability and reading comprehension. I explained the best that I could. I don't want to have to keep asking questions and one of you asking me questions, so I am trying to get everything all in one thread about me as much as I could think of because this is the internet. The more info you know about me, the more you could help me. Also, there are people that like to reply to threads once, but then disapears after one reply and the persons next question is never answered.
- I'm 5'0, 21 years old, 105 pounds, I am athletic, and I play softball and sometimes Soccer. I can also run pretty fast.
- I play softball and I bat left handed, throw right handed; therefore, as you could see in the pictures, the sides of my body has an inbalance. One oblique is stronger than the other side and according to my pictures, you can see the slight lean to one side
- I used to be a stomach sleeper (is why I most likely have a lot of these inbalances and I used to be very twisted in the hips according to my chiropractor)..and this is how all my problems probably started. I started sleeping on my side a day before Christmas.
- my right hip pops sometimes depending what I am doing, but no pain
- my left knee has a clicking sound when I walk, but no pain. probably snapping syndrom like the hip
- left glute is more flexible than right glute
- left hip abductor is more flexible than right hip abductor according to the laying on back 90 degree hip abductor stretch (view picture)
- I have tightness hip flexors, glutes, and right QL, upper trapezius/levator scapulae/Sternocleidomestoid muscles
- Neck Rotation: I could turn my head to the right side more than I can to the left. Tension or something is blocking me from turning my head fully to the left. I also hear a little weird noise like there is something swimming around in the muscle thats doing it (no pain though) when trying to turn further
- One hip is higher than the other. My right leg is longer than my left
- I used to have one shoulder higher than the other and hunched shoulders, but the chiropractor fixed it during my first session 2 months ago. Hopefully they still are good. I am trying my best to keep my shoulders down and back; especially when I am lifting weights. My throwing arm has gotten better too.
- I do not have scoliosis according to my chiropractor and I do not experience any pains anywhere. Just knotts, tension, and tightness and sometimes aches from being in a certain position for a certain period of time.
- I hate how my butt looks and I used to sit at the computer a lot throughout the day without getting up and such, It looks fat and ugly (especially when I sit down)
- I think I have anterior pelvic tilt
- When I try to reach for my fingers of the top/bottom hand behind my back (see picture), I could bring my left arm (bottom arm) up to touch the finger tips of my right arm (top arm). When I try the other side, I cannot do it. My wrist of my right arm does not seem like it has the same ROM as my left. I do not know what muscles the bottom arm is stretching.
- I cannot touch my toes, but getting closer the more flexible my hip flexors, glutes, and abductors get.
- I made myself a stretching routine with 10-15 seconds of passive stretching, 10-15 seconds of isolated stretching, and 10-15 seconds of passive stretching again for each muscle. My flexibility is improving using this method (PNF). I have used static in the past, but static stretching is crap for me.
- When I foam roll, the knotted/tension areas I find is the QL, glute max, glute medius, TFL, hip flexors, more left quad than right quad,
- I could do bodyweight Pull Ups, regular push ups, and inverted rows, so you know how my strength in that is.
- I could balance better on my left leg than my right leg even though I am right handed.
As you can see and that I can see is that I have a lot of muscle inbalances and possibly weaknesses in areas. I have trouble making weightraining programs because of this and I am finally trying to actually post pictures of myself to see what I should exactly be doing to correct these inbalances. I know I should stay away from squats and deadlifts (2 legged) until my hips get even length where it belongs.
When I squat or deadlift (I can squat down fine with good ROM), my weight shifts a little more to my right leg than my left. As you could see in my pictures of my back, my right lower back is stronger than the left lower back. and my right QL is tight (I feel a knott when I put a tennis ball there to try and massage it) and this is probably why and also because left leg is longer than the right. By the way, for one legged RDL, my balance is not very good (especially with right leg), but I am practicing with just bodyweight for dynamic warm up right now.
any specific dynamic warm up exercise muscles I should be doing/focusing on based on my inbalances/inflexibility? I have a long list of a bunch I found over the internet that I can choose from and learned in person through playing sports and watching others. How many lower body ones should be done in one warm up session for dynamic flexibilty and the full body warm up like skips and such. When should the skips/high knees/butt kicks, and such be done? Before the mobility (dynamic flexibility stretches) work or after? I have always done then before the mobility (dynamic flexibility stretches) as warming up my legs (If thats the right way). This mobility work I could maybe do a couple of times a day and then stretch afterwords to improve the flexibility. maybe I should do stretching before mobility work when muscles are cold (what mike boyle said because when muscles are warm and then you stretch the warm muscles after the workout. After your muscles get cold again, you lose the flexibility. Boyle is right because I do lose it.). I stretch cold now. I most likely won't do it before a softball practice or sprint work or whatever because I hear that muscles don't work at 100% when stretched before a workout), but I could stretch every morning and do dynamic work right when I wake up and also before I go to bed.
for the weightroom - What I need to know is what exercises I should stay away from and what exercises I should be doing. I like doing full body workouts all in one session. I have dumbbells, medicine balls, lat pulldown machine, and barbells at home with plates). Also, I am thinking about doing a workout A and B workout or maybe just stick to one or just switch from A to B each training session. What should be the best sets/reps I should be doing these in?
Quad Dominant
Hip Dominant
Upper Body Horizontal Push
Upper Body Horizontal Pull
Upper Body Vertical Push
Upper Body Vertical Pull
Any extra shoulder work or whatever I should be doing?
Core Work
I know for the push/pulls, they will be probably done back to back probably to save time in the weightroom and I was thinking core work between sets of the push/pulls or if its a good idea to do it after all the lifting. I want to make sure I am not getting fatique and I want to be spending time on my lifting the shortest time possible.
Another question here (Last question):
What is the neutral non-compensatory position for sleeping? Am I sleeping in the neutral non-compensatory position now? The only thing I want to change is my shoulder position for my right shoulder thats on the bed. It bothers me in the morning when I wake up. I hope this is the right sleeping position and that no problems will occur. When I am sleeping on my side, I know that I will stay in one spot and not move around. I know that sleeping wrong could bring things out of alignment and make muscles tighten up. The ache/tightness I feel in the morning when I wake up is the right shoulder/trapz and right glute medius above my hip abductor (I have been foam rolling this area like crazy lately and my glute medius is tender from all the foam rolling (tennis ball)). I don't get anymore ache feeling in my back though since changing to this position. The thing I am worried about in this position is my right shoulder and tender glute medius (I am hoping the foam rolling is working and the tender feeling after rolling so much on it is a good sign)
It's late and I have some people waiting for me out in the living room to do the countdown to midnight, but I'll quickly say this:
Though I'm certainly no Bill Hartman, from your pictures and descriptions, you don't seem to have anything all that bad going on. If I'm not mistaken, it seems the only pain you've been having is aching in the morning in your hip and shoulder? I certainly don't want to dismiss that, but from what you've said, the imbalances/tightness issues are all pretty normal.
The only reason I'm saying this is not to say you don't need any corrective work, but rather that you don't need to worry as much as you seem to be.
Stretching and foam rolling definitely has it's place, but it sounds like you're probably going to be needing some various activation work as well. Sometimes over-stretching (or too much rolling/massage) can be detrimental. I don't know how much you're actually doing, but keep that in mind.
Right off the bat, the fact that your right leg is less stable than your left makes sense. It's nearly always the case that your stronger side is less stable. Think about pivoting to throw a ball, or to shoot a layup: you move the ball with your dominant hand, but you end up balancing your body on the opposite leg. It's normal. For those that play sports and repeat this motion many many times, this can become a problem.
Anyway, more later from me... and hopefully UConnJulie or Bill will show up and help you too. Happy New Year!
Thanks! Happy New Year. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow on here or the day after because tomorrow is New Years Day and you may not be on.
The aching is in my glute medius (above my hip abductors) and shoulder. It's only my right side because I sleep on my right side. I slepped on my left side last night and the left side in the same exact places ached. I am still sleeping wrong. If I tried the left side and it produced the same problem when waking up, then I am not sleeping right.
One thing I want to get help filled in and understand also when you or anyone has time...
Transfering from these basic movements and examples....
Upper Body Horizontal Push - Push ups, Bench Press
Upper Body Horizontal Pull - Inverted Row, Bent Over Row
Upper Body Vertical Push - Don't know a good exercise for this one except for shoulder press or push press or one arm snatch. I dont like Dips very well.
Upper Body Vertical Pull - Pull Ups or Lat Pulldown or Barbell/DB Pull Over
Quad Dominant - Squats or one legged Squat or Lunges
Hip Dominant - RDL, Deadlift, or One Legged RDL
to the 3 plane of movements for the hip, trunk, and shoulder below...
I cannot figure out how to transfer some of these exercises listed above to the plane of movements below. Can you help me? I will put whatever I can in, and you could add in and fill in the blanks as well. I would like as many exercises as possible for each, so I can have choices to choose which ones I want to do for that plane of movement/pull/push exercise. A lot of the exercise examples on the website I got these movements Fitness Anywhere®: The World Leader in Suspension Training® from are not very good example ones and some I do not reconize. I wish my reading comprehension was better, so I would not have to ask so many questions in order to understand something.
I don't want any machine exercises by the way except for Lat Pulldown. I want all freeweights dumbbells or barbells.
Hip Saggittal: Flexion/Extension - Forward/Backward Lunge, Squats Frontal: Abduction/Adduction - Lateral Lunge, Lateral Step Up (the site says for both LL and LSU is that both works adduction and abduction just says hip abduction. I am confused here. It should work both the outside hip and inside hip) Transverse: Horizontal Flexion/Extension - ? (what is a transverse plane lunge that the site lists)? I know there are rotational lunges that mike boyle says in his mobility article at t-nation. I thought it was an actual lunge and twist, but it wasn't.
Shoulder Saggittal: Flexion/Extension - DB Front Raise, Are Pull Ups, Lat Pulldowns, and Pullovers apart of this? (the Flexion) Frontal: Abduction/Adduction - DB Lateral Raise Transverse: Horizontal Flexion/Extension - Y/T/L/W, Push Ups, Inverted Rows, Bent Over Rows, Bench Press
Trunk Sagittal: Flexion/Extension - Superman, Reverse Crunches, Prone/Supine Plank, Glute Bridge for Flexion. For extension - side plank, what else? Frontal: Right Lateral Flexion/Left Lateral Flexion - Side Plank with Reach Transverse: Right Rotation/Left Rotation - Side Plank with Reach/woodcops/diagonal rotations
Using all 3 plane of movements for the 3 joints (hip, shoulders, trunk) I think is the best way to train in the weightroom to prevent muscle imbalances and probably fix the imbalances for me. What do you think? Also, is the same weight for all the movements used for the hip, same weight for the shoulders, and same weight, time, and reps for the trunk? Or is the same weight used for frontal, same weight for saggittal, and same weight for transverse? How does that work to make sure a muscle that has to be the same size as another muscle? example - shoulders.....I use all the same weight for the shoulder exercises/rotator cuff (3 lbs).
I want to be able to understand everything the best I could to be able to do everything on my own and pick exercises without having to worry about imbalances, if I am doing something wrong, and such. Also, let me know what or push/pull movements I should not be doing right now to help with balancing out the body if something is too strong or not. I know I need to really work on my waste and my butt (I want a normal butt again from sitting a lot at the computer in the past).
If you are experiencing sharp pains or aching joints it is indicative that some sort of imbalance as you previously assumed. There is no way to objectively tell you what you should be doing since I can't test you in person, so the following is just some speculation based on the limited information I can get from your posts.
First, I must compliment you on your goal to avoid machines. Most young trainees gravitate toward them, but you have a good foundation understanding of the types of movements that you need to be doing. You have a head start!
You are right that sitting too much could be a problem. I don't know that you can avoid that since you are a student who must have her butt planted in front of a computer. I really liked the advice of Bill Hartman (from his blog) that suggests a stand-up desk. Your glutes turn off and your hip flexors shorten from excessive sitting. He call the result "gluteal amnesia," which is a term I love, and use all the time.
It may actually help you with your studying too, as your brain activity is higher when you're standing versus sitting.
My band-aid for your hip problem is to suggest band-resisted lateral locomotion drills. Get some jump-stretch bands (http://www.functional-training-with-resistance-bands.com/index.html) and possibly a good book while you're there with some exercises, and start doing the drills. Bands really help create more reactive ability in the muscle.
Also, to create more stability in the injured hip, I suggest standing low pulley adductor/abductor exercises. Balance on the injured side (the side you want to create stability in), and with your other foot attached to a low cable, adduct and abduct (try for about 15 reps). Do not use your hands to stabalize you against something... If you can't balance, that is precisely what you need to develop to create more stability in that hip, and balancing against a solid object (other than the floor) sort of defeats the purpose.
The reason I call this a "band-aid" is that you might get some relief by training those muscles, but I'm not sure if that is what is the root cause of your problem. Things like this could possibly take years to show up from some postural problem or weakness. You could have not properly rehabilitated an old ankle injury, and over the years, your compensation pattern overloaded those muscles. That is something I cannot advise properly without analyzing you in person.
You do appear to have a slight anterior pelvic tilt. Not sure if that is the cause of your hip problems, but one thing that might help with that is to increase your hamstring strength.
I use a foam roller on my knotted muscles as well, but for my hips I have graduated to a soft ball. Hurts so good! If you can get access to an ART specialist, they can usually do wonders for you. You may have tight piriformis muscles and they can get those adhesions out with ease.
I use a softball for my hips too and also for my right QL that is tight. I think the one hip higher than the other (right leg is longer) is from my right QL being tight. I don't know what causes it, but I found an exercise called "Hip Corrections" on T-Nation to correct one hip higher than the other. I have some resistance bands at home. I have blue and red (the ones that you can tie in knotts). The Hip Corrections exercise I found is the letter "Q" at TESTOSTERONE NATION ITBand/TFL rolling and then hip corrections exercise. Once I saw this, that is what got me thinking why one hip may be higher than the other (right leg longer, left leg shorter). I hope I am right that that if I keep doing this exercise throughout the day multiple times a day with the shorter one that the shorter one will go even with the longer one.
On the other hand, I don't need to go on the computer a lot, but I do (especially when I am on break from school). It's a little habit I have that I am slowly trying to decrease time from and at least walk around every half hour or so. My new year resolution is to not be on the computer a lot, do things around the house, walk the dog more, and get a job. Anything that will keep me off the computer all the time. I don't have a job yet, but I am planning on getting one soon. I have my schedule different for the spring semester, so I will be able to get a job (especially if I make the softball team and I find out on Jan 15th-16th if I make it or not). If I don't make it (which I hope I do make it because I love softball), I can get a job earlier.
By the way - I have no pulley's at home (only resistance bands, but only a few), so I can do the hip abductor/adductor work with the bands. The only thing about the bands I have to worry about is putting it in the same exact spot and standing in the same exact spot for both legs to make sure both legs are getting worked evenly.
For the anterior pelvic tilt (might be due to the big butt I hate from sitting so much. I hate my butt sticking out), what hamstring exercises should I do at home? I have dumbbells, few resistance bands, and a barbell. For my butt, I can do stuff like Superman Y's, T's, and W's with my butt tighten the whole time. I did that once before way early last year and my glutes were so tight filled with lacid acid (I heard that causes the soreness) that it was not very comfortable sitting for like 2-3 days. I should of continued with that exercise though. I know that if I do that again, my butt will be really tight again. It's worth it though. Good idea?
For stretching, should I stretch the side that is less flexible than the other side until they are both even and then stretch them both together, or stretch the other side too regardless, but try to stretch at the same spot as the other side?
I want to stay away from anything that can put me in a position that tilts my pelvis due to one hip being higher than the other like squats, deadlifts. I was told that when I took pilates class last semester at my JC that when I was in the hands and knees position (like a cat camel exercise) or doing glute bridges that I had a tilt going on. I've also done the core strength and stability test that can be found online, and I could do the one leg off ground only, but not the one hand off ground only (my pelvis shifts to one side) and I cannot do very well with balancing with the one hand and opposite leg off ground
By the way - I have no pulley's at home (only resistance bands, but only a few), so I can do the hip abductor/adductor work with the bands. The only thing about the bands I have to worry about is putting it in the same exact spot and standing in the same exact spot for both legs to make sure both legs are getting worked evenly.
Bands will work just fine. It is slightly different type of tension, but it is still beneficial.
For the anterior pelvic tilt (might be due to the big butt I hate from sitting so much. I hate my butt sticking out), what hamstring exercises should I do at home? I have dumbbells, few resistance bands, and a barbell. For my butt, I can do stuff like Superman Y's, T's, and W's with my butt tighten the whole time. I did that once before way early last year and my glutes were so tight filled with lacid acid (I heard that causes the soreness) that it was not very comfortable sitting for like 2-3 days. I should of continued with that exercise though. I know that if I do that again, my butt will be really tight again. It's worth it though. Good idea?
Well, it's not a severe pelvic tilt, and your butt doesn't look too big at all. It is actually very nicely proportioned to the rest of your body.
You can do RDLs with DBs, you can do split RDLs with bands, one-leg RDLs (unilateral) are good.
Make sure you also do some work to get your torso working with your hips. See the resistance band site I posted above for more suggestions on that. If it doesn't give you what you're looking for let me know. I can try to describe a few exercises for you.
I think its important to remember everyone is going to be asymmetric to some degree. It's just a matter of correcting it to the point where you will not get injured.
I have somewhat of the same problem, thinking about it too much.
Do your stretching, do your your pre-hab exercises and be confident.
__________________
"...this is the way it goes, sometimes you're flush, and sometimes you're bust... and when your up its never as good as it seems... and when your down you never think you can be up again, but life goes on, remember that..."
As far as a balanced workout goes this one you suggested usually does the trick. Except snatch is not 1 arm push would be a one arm pull. A Variation on this is to cut off one of the push and one of the pulls, then rotate vertical to horizontal between workouts.
Upper Body Horizontal Push - Push ups, Bench Press
Upper Body Horizontal Pull - Inverted Row, Bent Over Row
Upper Body Vertical Push - Don't know a good exercise for this one except for shoulder press or push press or one arm snatch. I dont like Dips very well.
Upper Body Vertical Pull - Pull Ups or Lat Pulldown or Barbell/DB Pull Over
Quad Dominant - Squats or one legged Squat or Lunges
Hip Dominant - RDL, Deadlift, or One Legged R
__________________
"...this is the way it goes, sometimes you're flush, and sometimes you're bust... and when your up its never as good as it seems... and when your down you never think you can be up again, but life goes on, remember that..."
I wouldn't worry so much about the 3 plane of movements for the hip, trunk, and shoulder. If you do the split you mentioned most will take care of themselves. Others can be done as part of a warm up or on an off day.
__________________
"...this is the way it goes, sometimes you're flush, and sometimes you're bust... and when your up its never as good as it seems... and when your down you never think you can be up again, but life goes on, remember that..."
Well, it's not a severe pelvic tilt, and your butt doesn't look too big at all. It is actually very nicely proportioned to the rest of your body.
You can do RDLs with DBs, you can do split RDLs with bands, one-leg RDLs (unilateral) are good.
Make sure you also do some work to get your torso working with your hips. See the resistance band site I posted above for more suggestions on that. If it doesn't give you what you're looking for let me know. I can try to describe a few exercises for you.
I don't really like working with resistance bands because I have to try to remember the same spot I stood in before and it just feels akward when I do them. They are fine for band walks or abductors/adductors or shoulder/rotator cuff work, but thats about all. Plus, I only have 2 type of bands. I rather use dumbbells for shoulder work instead because I get more ROM. Some of the exercises I have tried to do for rotator cuff/shoulder work, the band sometimes gets in my way. I rather have full ROM than limited. I can use the bands for hip abductors/adductors and band walks though.
Can you name some exercises that involve the torso working with the hips with either dumbbells or barbells or plates or bodyweight? Diagonal chops with dumbbells or plates use the torso and hips together right? Torso twists I think do too because when I do those, I have my arms extended out and go on the same toe that the side I am on moving my hips and torso together. Also, Glute bridges work the torso and hips together too and Superman I think.
Oh and I forgot to add that I do have a stability ball.
As far as a balanced workout goes this one you suggested usually does the trick. Except snatch is not 1 arm push would be a one arm pull. A Variation on this is to cut off one of the push and one of the pulls, then rotate vertical to horizontal between workouts.
Upper Body Horizontal Push - Push ups, Bench Press
Upper Body Horizontal Pull - Inverted Row, Bent Over Row
Upper Body Vertical Push - Don't know a good exercise for this one except for shoulder press or push press or one arm snatch. I dont like Dips very well.
Upper Body Vertical Pull - Pull Ups or Lat Pulldown or Barbell/DB Pull Over
Quad Dominant - Squats or one legged Squat or Lunges
Hip Dominant - RDL, Deadlift, or One Legged R
Can you help me name some Vertical Push exercises for upper body other than shoulder press, dips, and push press? Are there good compound exercise for vertical push? I could do a shoulder press with a push with my legs to make it more compound than single joint.
military press/push press/jerk etc: are already multi-joint - shoulder & elbow
they are as compound as pull ups in that direction and as compound as bench or rows in the horizontal direction.
one thing I can think of to change it up is to fix the hands - as in handstand pushups (or approximations of that movement)
Some good vertical push movements are: standing press, seated press, push press, push jerk, split jerk, handstand push ups feet against the wall, standing alternating dumbbell press. All these movements can be performed either barbell or dumbbell for more variety.
I would say learn the standing press sufficiently before working on push press or push jerks.
__________________
"...this is the way it goes, sometimes you're flush, and sometimes you're bust... and when your up its never as good as it seems... and when your down you never think you can be up again, but life goes on, remember that..."
Dips are horizontal? I think they are only horizontal if you bend over when you do them? When I have done them in the past, I just stay vertical for the triceps.
Tricep Pushdown are also vertical pushes, but I don't have access to a cable row. Lateral raises and Front raises are also upper body vertical pushes. I am searching at google for as many I can find. The thing about the the lateral raise, front raise, and also shoulder press is that they should be used with light weight for me because I play softball and I've been told that we don't want a lot of muscle in the shoulders (mostly endurance is what we would want).
By the way - how would you balance upper body vertical pushes with upper body vertical pulls? It is easy to do it with horizontal pushes and pulls, but I cannot figure it out with vertical pulls/pushes to make sure there are no imbalances.
Like for example - on exrx forums, there was a post about balancing out the push and pulls with the bench press and bent over row (upper body horizontal) and to make sure the bench press is not higher than the bent over row and that the bent over row is not too much higher than the bench press. I make them equal so I won't have to worry about it. The upper body vertical pulls and pushes I am having trouble with. Do you know how it works for this as far as how much weight needs to be between each other or whatever? It's hard to figure this one out because one person can do a pull up (bodyweight) or lat pulldown (machine/cable) for pull and then do shoulder press, lateral raise, diagonal/ front/back raise for push or just shoulder press or push press or tricep pushdown.
edit -
Look what I found - I found a compound shoulder press (one arm) exercise. A lot of synergists. =) I am going to add this one as my vertical push.
Dips are horizontal? I think they are only horizontal if you bend over when you do them? When I have done them in the past, I just stay vertical for the triceps.
Tricep Pushdown are also vertical pushes, but I don't have access to a cable row. Lateral raises and Front raises are also upper body vertical pushes. I am searching at google for as many I can find. The thing about the the lateral raise, front raise, and also shoulder press is that they should be used with light weight for me because I play softball and I've been told that we don't want a lot of muscle in the shoulders (mostly endurance is what we would want).
By the way - how would you balance upper body vertical pushes with upper body vertical pulls? It is easy to do it with horizontal pushes and pulls, but I cannot figure it out with vertical pulls/pushes to make sure there are no imbalances.
Like for example - on exrx forums, there was a post about balancing out the push and pulls with the bench press and bent over row (upper body horizontal) and to make sure the bench press is not higher than the bent over row and that the bent over row is not too much higher than the bench press. I make them equal so I won't have to worry about it. The upper body vertical pulls and pushes I am having trouble with. Do you know how it works for this as far as how much weight needs to be between each other or whatever? It's hard to figure this one out because one person can do a pull up (bodyweight) or lat pulldown (machine/cable) for pull and then do shoulder press, lateral raise, diagonal/ front/back raise for push or just shoulder press or push press or tricep pushdown.
Be very careful about what you read when you "google" something. You'll get ideas and off-hand remarks from a million different people who may or may not have a clue about what they're saying.
Dips are considered horizontal push. Triceps pressdowns as vertical push? I've never heard that... what is the reasoning?
Balancing the bentover barbell row with the bench press is a misunderstanding as well. The immediate problem with this is leverage. On a bench press you can press through your feet and push off of the board for support. During a bentover row you do not have these advantages.
The concept really stems from maintaining a balanced "attack" on the muscles in the upper body. Getting enough volume for the "pulling muscles" (back, rear delts and bis) to balance out the work for the "pressing muscles" (chest, front delts and tris). So matching weights (ie a 300 lbs row for a 300 lbs bench) is unnecessary. Think more along the lines of equal volume (sets x reps x weight). So you can do a little less weight for the rows, and simply add another set, etc. I've seen some pretty strong guys with quite a bit of knowledge do their thing... and none of them matched their rows to their bench press. They did do more sets/reps for the rows.
I definitely appreciate your interest in gaining this knowledge. Just (a) be careful where you get it from and (b) don't get tangled up in all the small stuff. You're over-analyzing a bit, which can inhibit real progress if you let it. You have to really lift before you need to nitpick!
Thanks Ian kay. Sometimes when I read something I also get over excited as well.
How should the weight be between the upper body vertical push and pull if it should not be the same?
How should the weight be between the upper body horizontal push and pull if it should not be the same?
Can you give some examples of a balanced body using these movements so I can understand it so I know basicially how much weight between each other is too much or too close or whatever? I am trying to get rid of my worrying about getting imbalances due to too much weight from one movement to too little weight for the next, etc. Worrying is what makes me stop what I am doing and I don't want that to happen to me. My goal for the new year is to not worry, be able to make my own workouts, and also continue doing my own workouts instead of worrying, which makes me want to change things up a lot.
Upper body vertical push and pull... I would say the levers are very different on these motions and they do not offer a fair comparison.
Upper body horizontal push and pull... Maybe something like bent row 60-80% of your bench press.Thats just guess work though. I think posture would also be a good indicator of whether or not this is a problem. And it doesn't look like it for you.
I would say the main thing is start a solid routine like you described then the balance stuff will take care of itself. I mean if you have not been training consistently then it's doubtful that you have trained any imbalances.
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Yeah I am working on making a routine right now and stick with it for about a month and then take pictures of myself again to see if there are any improvements. Once I get the exercises together, I'll post it in here and you guys can let me know how it is and if any changes need to be made.
By the way, what should I do about my sleeping position? This has not been really discussed much in here yet. I need to change it. I can sleep sound on my side, but when I wake up, I have an ache in my shoulder/upper trapz that I am sleeping on, which is my right shoulder and an ache in my tfl/glute medius (whatever muscle it is above my hip abductors..probably because its super tight or something. left side does the same when I tried sleeping on that side). Also when I used to sleep on my stomach, I would wake up a lot and have trouble sleeping
What is the correct sleeping position and the best one that will not give any aches and problems? I know when I was a stomach sleeper, I had alignment problems (hips were very twisted) and lower back tightness every morning. I still have a tight right QL I am trying to get rid of. That's most likely due from sleeping on my stomach and being twisted.
Thanks Ian kay. Sometimes when I read something I also get over excited as well.
How should the weight be between the upper body vertical push and pull if it should not be the same?
How should the weight be between the upper body horizontal push and pull if it should not be the same?
Can you give some examples of a balanced body using these movements so I can understand it so I know basicially how much weight between each other is too much or too close or whatever? I am trying to get rid of my worrying about getting imbalances due to too much weight from one movement to too little weight for the next, etc. Worrying is what makes me stop what I am doing and I don't want that to happen to me. My goal for the new year is to not worry, be able to make my own workouts, and also continue doing my own workouts instead of worrying, which makes me want to change things up a lot.
First of all, if you're a beginner to lifting, don't drop weight on a lift simply to keep it "balanced" with another. For now only drop weight if your form is suffering. As long as you get the lifting in, things will come around. It's only when you give little attention to (or completely ignore) something important that things get screwy.
A quick, off-hand example (and don't quote me on these numbers... this is just a "suppose" situation):
Miss X can bench press 135 pounds for 3 sets of 8 reps.
If she can only do a bentover row with 55 pounds for 3x8, she needs to work on her rows! If she can row 105-115 for 3x8, its not bad at all!
What she might want to do (if she only rows 55) is to (a) do more sets - say 3x8 of the 55 and 2x8 of 45-50, and/or (b) do an extra day of rowing (the other day might be with dumbbells). She might also want to do her rows first in the workout, and bench press second. This way she'll be freshest while working on her weak spot.
If she can do 105-115, then simply doing 1-2 more sets than the bench press would be fine.
The vertical motions are a little different. First of all, which exercises will you use to judge? A chinup is the most difficult - and most valuable - vertical pull. But if you try and do a vertical push with your bodyweight (105 lbs in your case) it may not go so well. What if you use the lat pulldown? Well in this case, you are hooked in to a seat at the knees, and you have the aid of a pulley-system. How would you balance this out with a strict military press, in which your entire body needs to stabilize itself? You can't.
In other words, don't get hung up on the ratios. Make sure you include all four planes of motion (VPr, VPull, HPr, HPull) with fairly equal attention. What do I mean by "attention"? Make sure overall volume is similar. Make sure relative effort is similar (if you sweat your ass off during bench press but aren't even breathing hard during rows, you may want to up the effort on the rows).
Cynic - one oblique is stronger than the other is most likely why I am shifted more to the right side in my pictures, which looks like I am curved if thats what you mean by curved back. Correct me if I am wrong. I just tested my oblique strength by holding onto a dumbbell with my left hand (everythings fine holding the DB with my left hand); however, when I held onto the dumbbell with my right hand I saw a bigger shift in weight. That means my left oblique is weaker. I also notice this when I do high band/low band chops (when I had access to a gym) that my weaker side is when I swing right handed and better when I swing the cable left handed. This is all probably due to me swinging left handed for softball. For me to fix this imbalance, I need to work more on the opposite side with weights. Also with side planks, I have better control when my right forearm is on the ground than the left.
I am hoping doing side bends (for the weak side only) and side planks will fix this imbalance I have. If I am wrong, then I need a corrective exercise that will fix this imbalance. I know side planks will help for the left side, but I am not exactly sure about side bends.
First of all, if you're a beginner to lifting, don't drop weight on a lift simply to keep it "balanced" with another. For now only drop weight if your form is suffering. As long as you get the lifting in, things will come around. It's only when you give little attention to (or completely ignore) something important that things get screwy.
A quick, off-hand example (and don't quote me on these numbers... this is just a "suppose" situation):
Miss X can bench press 135 pounds for 3 sets of 8 reps.
If she can only do a bentover row with 55 pounds for 3x8, she needs to work on her rows! If she can row 105-115 for 3x8, its not bad at all!
What she might want to do (if she only rows 55) is to (a) do more sets - say 3x8 of the 55 and 2x8 of 45-50, and/or (b) do an extra day of rowing (the other day might be with dumbbells). She might also want to do her rows first in the workout, and bench press second. This way she'll be freshest while working on her weak spot.
If she can do 105-115, then simply doing 1-2 more sets than the bench press would be fine.
The vertical motions are a little different. First of all, which exercises will you use to judge? A chinup is the most difficult - and most valuable - vertical pull. But if you try and do a vertical push with your bodyweight (105 lbs in your case) it may not go so well. What if you use the lat pulldown? Well in this case, you are hooked in to a seat at the knees, and you have the aid of a pulley-system. How would you balance this out with a strict military press, in which your entire body needs to stabilize itself? You can't.
In other words, don't get hung up on the ratios. Make sure you include all four planes of motion (VPr, VPull, HPr, HPull) with fairly equal attention. What do I mean by "attention"? Make sure overall volume is similar. Make sure relative effort is similar (if you sweat your ass off during bench press but aren't even breathing hard during rows, you may want to up the effort on the rows).
Thanks! Helps a lot as far as what weights to use and such.
Let me know if any changes need to be made in this workout below I just created. I added in the shoulder/rotator cuff work in its push or pull area instead of seperete, and these are going to be part of workout B. Also, I think its a good idea to keep away from the bird dogs and any exercise that tilts my bodyweight to one side due to one of my obliques being stronger than the left right now and also any deadlift or squat right now. I want to work on my imbalances and not make anything worse.
Exercises like hip corrections and band walks I can do in my dynamic warm up.
3 sets of 5 reps for all the weightlifting and 3 sets of 15 reps for all the bodyweight and 5 reps each. for the bodyweight ones that has a wide grip/close gril/neutral grip
Workout A and B will alternate each training session. I am thinking about working out 3 days a week or every other day. Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday. I am also thinking light weights for some of these right now until I even out my obliques and hips.
Workout A
Quad Dominant: Forward & Backward/Lateral/Transverse Lunge
Hip Dominant: Modified One legged RDL, Hip Abduction, Hip Adduction
Upper Body Horizontal Push: DB Bench Press Neutral/Wide Grip/Close Grip
Upper Body Horizontal Pull: One Arm One Leg Bent Over Row
Upper Body Vertical Push: DB One Arm Shoulder Press (targets: anterior deltoid) , DB Raise (targets: lateral deltoid)
Upper Body Vertical Pull: Lat Pulldown with overhand grip/underhand grip
Core Work: Flexion - Reverse Crunch | Extension - Superman Y/T/W | Lateral Flexion - DB T Push Up | Rotation - Diagonal Plate Chops | Stability - Plank & Side Plank
Workout B
Quad Dominant: Forward/Backward/Lateral/Trans verse Step Up with One Legged Squat at the top
Hip Dominant: One Legged RDL, Hip Abduction/Hip Adduction laying on side leg raises
Upper Body Horizontal Push: Push Up Neutral/Wide Grip/Close Grip
Upper Body Horizontal Pull: Inverted Row Neutral/Wide Grip/Close Grip DB Lying External Rotation(Targets - Infraspinatus) / DB Lying Internal Rotation (Targets - Subscapularis ) / Rear Delt Row Y/T/W/L (posterior deltoids)
Upper Body Vertical Push: I don't know what I want here...
Upper Body Vertical Pull: DB Diagonal Raise Sitting Down (Supraspinatus) / DB Shrugs (upper trapz..only exercise that works the upper trapz. no exercise has upper trapz even as a synergist according to exrx.net)
Core Work: Flexion - Reverse Crunches | Extension - Superman Y/T/W | Lateral Flexion - DB Side Bend for weak side (the weak side tilts when I hold one DB when standing up straight and you could tell even without a DB in my hand in my picture that I am leaning more on my right side due to this imbalance | Rotation - Hip/Torso Twist with Arms Extended | Stability - Plank & Side Plank
or should I just focus on my imbalance areas only first? my obliques and torso/hips? before starting a program like what I just posted. I am not sure what to do first. I want to make sure I am doing the right thing and making the right choices.
I have good news guys. I went to school today for my first day of winter semester class and after my class was over, I went to see if the fitness center was opened for the winter and it is Mon-Thurday 7am-3pm. I'm so happy. Now I can do pull ups and cable exercises instead of the bands and lat pulldown if I wanted to.
I have read the Neanderthal No More articles before, but the fitness center at my JC does not have all the equipment needed and plus some of these exercises are standing up on 2 feet or an exercise that requires the external obliques (the 2 feet require both hips to be even and the external obliques require both sides to be even in strength to prevent tilting)
I could add just some of the exercises from the articles in my routine that is not affected by my sides imbalance and one hip longer than the other imbalance
Also because the fitness center is opened only Mon-Thurs, I could have an upper body day and a lower body day. Now that the fitness center is open, it is easier for me to pick exercises I really want to use and not be really limited. Because I have anterior tilt (what the imbalances I have shows), I am going to do what mike robertson was talking about in TESTOSTERONE NATION He also says in the article that those with AT should focus more on Hip Dominant than Quad Dominant until the imbalances are gone. I am going to have to take his advice in the article try this. I hope its still okay for me to do pull ups though, inverted rows, bench press, and such. None of those make me tilt to one side I dont think because the shoulders are the ones hanging onto the bar or/and heels and/or toes are on the ground or laying down. I am going to do this progression from dead bugs to leg raises here TESTOSTERONE NATION
Winter Session is only 5 weeks and after the 5 weeks are over, I want to post pictures of myself again to see if there are any improvements. I am going to work hard on my hip dominant work and external oblique work.
Here is what I am planning with corrective exercises I think will help me...
Tomorrow in the fitness center I am planning on trying this routine and the focus will be mostly on rotational and side bend work. I show the guy who works in the fitness center whats going on with my body with the side bends and hopefully he can help me. I will also tell him even without holding onto any dumbbells that my torso tilts to the side a little. Before I do any exercises that require the torso to not be tilted, I need to fix it up.
What I am planning on doing in this order tomorrow morning and give this a try and also add one extra set on my weak side...
Note: I have not done weightraining in a while, so I know I will be sore the next day. Tomorrow is Thursday, so I will not be in the weightroom until Monday. I am going to work hard. My core will be sore, but its worth it.
For sets and reps, I am thinking probably 3x6-8 reps for everything to start out with an extra set on the weak side for the sides (the side that is causing the tilt). For Pull Ups, I hope I did not lose my 6 rep max each. for all 3 grips for not being able to do them anywhere over christmas break. If I do, I'll just make my way back up. I was going to do the one legged RDL, but my balance is horible and my right hip wants to pop and when I try to do one legged RDL with my right leg, my torso tilts because of the external obliques. Because it affects it, I can't do it.
- Theres no other exercise other than the RDL and one legged RDL that I can find that will work for hip dominant. I think glute ham raise is hip dominant, but I'll have to see if I can find a spot in the weightroom to do those and I have never done GHR before.
- Pull Up with 30 sec rest between each...underhand/overhand/neut ral grip and then One Arm Shoulder Press between sets
-Cable Push Pull (I heard these also take care of the horizontal push/pull area, but I am really doing these for the torso and hips to work together)
- High/Low Band Chops
- Side Hip Thrusts
- Side Plank (15 relaxing breaths. I rather do it by breathing rather than time)
This is all I can think of for a workout tomorrow.
I tried to look at your first two pictures but they wouldn't load ... I did get to see the one for your sleeping position and there is nothing inherently wrong with it. You could try sleeping on your back, or perhaps your mattress is old and at fault.
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My mattress is old (I have had it for as long as I could remember) and there is also one on the top bunk too, but no one really ever sleeps up there. I can change mattresses, but I don't think it will make much difference. Both are the same age. The mattress is also not very soft either. It feels hard. Not as hard as a hotel bed though, which is good. I am getting a new one (a water bed) soon.
Posture Problem (pictures of me, where my tightness is, imbalance, etc)
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