sitting properly.. - JP Fitness Forums

shamguy4 · 03-05-2008, 12:44 PM

Well I havent posted here in a long time.....
I have still been working out with rippetoes startinmg strength at 5x5 with everything.

I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, military press, and power cleans all at 5x5
and I am adding weight to the bar each time so I guess its working... though I havent gained that much weight... I think I need top eat more...

well anyhow I realized that when I stand up, I have nice broad shoulders and a nice arch in my back....
but when I sit down my shoulders shrug... and its hard to keep them upright and erect........
I sit in college classes trying to see how long I could hold my body straight and erect and after a few minutes I give in... its hard!!
what can I do to have a broader back and more erect body?
thanks

Aoife · 03-05-2008, 12:50 PM

make sure you're sitting on your sits bones, not your tail bone. if you sit down and your lower back rounds because your butt is tucked, it makes it hard to sit up straight. if your butt is pushed back so that you're not on your tailbone but pelvis and legs more it makes it much easier. The rest is just to correct the problem every time you notice (like mom used to) and it'll become better. Tight tva, pull your shoulders back, practice stacking your body on your spine over your hips. Reaching forward for computers or writing or leaning on desks will make it harder. Be aware, correct, and set a good base.

smittygouv · 03-05-2008, 02:31 PM

Have a friend/roomate tape your shoulder blades with you sitting in your "erect posture". Then head to class, every time you slouch you'll feel the tape pull. It works well as it gives you tactile feedback as to when your posture is slipping. I have terrible sitting posture as well, after about 30 secs of consciously sitting erect I go right back to the comfortable slouch.

maxattack · 03-05-2008, 03:12 PM

those are some great tips. I'm a college student as well and I fight myself on sitting properly in class alot. I have been working on "making myself" sit better in class for about the past 3 weeks or so, and I have actually started to maintain a semi-proper posture without having to think about it all the time.

Being tall, and sitting in desks that are small and uncomfortable, really makes it a chore though!

shamguy4 · 03-05-2008, 06:21 PM

thanks for the tips!
I already tried it... I basically sat with my butt sticking out into the person behind me's face and I straightened my back and stuck oout my chest....I hope I didnt look to stupid....
well I was able to do it for 4o minutes but after that it was on and off with spasms in my back....
hopefully they will go away...

I also hope I have good posture... how can I tell if when I stand my body is in correct form? am I supposed to make a stomach muscle at all times?

diamondpete · 03-05-2008, 07:41 PM

try putting your feet under your chair, far enough to cause your pelvis to tilt for ward, unrounding your back. (works especially well with stools)

Mon · 03-05-2008, 11:18 PM

On a lot of chairs and especially the seats on the bus or train, I cannot get my feet to touch the ground when I sit all the way back. Is that okay if feet do not touch the ground and just hang?

AFI82 · 03-06-2008, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shamguy4

I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, military press, and power cleans all at 5x5.....

Are you doing any kind of rowing/pulling exercises? Seems like a lack of that could cause your upper body to round forward.

shamguy4 · 03-07-2008, 10:28 AM

I do pullups... but no rows....

also I wanted to get my biceps working more. I know I do a lot compound exersises, but I want to him my biceps more... so I do curls but I dont know if its working... I sometimes lean back when lifting the curl -is that bad? should I sit or stand and should I perhaps do something else for my biceps?

Mon · 03-07-2008, 01:05 PM

You can do pull ups with an underhand grip to keep it compund. If you want to do actual bicep curls to get bigger biceps (if thats your goal), go ahead. =)

By the way speaking of leaning back when lifting the curl, that means its too heavy and its cheating. You are supposed to stand up straight with shoulders down and back.

In the deadlift, squat, RDL....make sure you anterior tilt your back (done by sticking your butt out) and don't round your back. Look straight ahead and slightly up and also make sure your knees do not go over your toes and that both legs are taking the weight evenly. Find animations/clips of the correct form of the exercises you need to look at for form.

I don't want you to hurt yourself and have back problems especially if you are rounding your back. Rounding your back period is bad posture and will experience back pain in the future.

shamguy4 · 03-07-2008, 02:35 PM

thanks a lot for all the answers.
I have one last question...
since were talking about posture ans stuff...
I looked up posture and found that your suppose to stand with your pelvic tilt in, and your suppose to flex your abs and hold in our stomach at all times!

apparently I dont know how to flex my abs and hold in my pelvic muscle because I dont know what im doin'...

so I started with an easy thing I found.
I take a deep breath in and then let it out and pinch my stomach fully closed and suck in my gut... then I continue breathing threw my chest and try holding my stomach in.
I dont know if this will help or not...