Is it possible to correct a lifelong slouch?

I'm 6'2" with a slouch. I'm not an ugly dude by any means but the slouch def hampers my shot with the ladies.

In all seriousness, do you guys have any tips to fix it?

I don't need to read any other post in this thread to tell you that, if you think your slouch is hampering you with the ladies because it lowers your height? then that is definitely not a problem.

also, you can correct that shit but its as hard as any habit about yourself you're trying to change. i made a point of not touching my face so much, i work as a bartender and don't think it looks nice when bartenders scratch their faces, rub their noses etc. also i thought it would help with my skin. It has! :) but it took me months and months of telling myself, "don't rest your face in your hands" "dont touch your face" apparently you touch your face 3000 times in a day! that's insane! i bet i only do it 1000 times.

i have to fix my posture too, it's funny, i've met my grandpa only a few times and I stand exactly as he does. there are videos online of exercises to do with your back against a wall for 5 mins 3 times a day.

also, set aside times in your life where you will will work on the muscles and endurance by holding correct posture for 30 secs, then 60, then 2, 5 10 you get the point. i used this method on a balance board to strengthen my weak ankles for boxing, i used it to learn how to skip rope, and i'm starting to use it to learn to meditate in a fixed position monk style.
 
Having had a 6'4" friend who had slouched his whole life (as many kids who grow tall fast do) and a girlfriend (now wife) who had a pretty extreme pelvic tilt, these things CAN be corrected.

The first step is to stand up straight. Seriously. Nothing else you do will work if you don't stand up straight, ALL THE TIME. Constantly re-adjust your posture, look at yourself in the mirror and PRACTICE standing up straight. Get a feel for what it is like when you are standing up straight, and pay attention to make sure you are doing that. If it's possible, get a partner/friend to remind you to do so (I actually got my girlfriend's work mates to tell her she wasn't when her posture slipped).

Standing up straight is going to be both difficult and uncomfortable. It's going to be uncomfortable because it's no longer your 'natural' way of standing, and hard because it's going to take constant (and I mean CONSTANT, rest of your life every waking moment) effort.

For the comfort part, do it more. The more you stand up straight, the better off you are and the easier it gets. Don't 'slump' in exhaustion or to relax. What will help you here is stretching to correct your imbalances. The muscles in the direction you are slouching forward are going to be tight and pulling your posture back to your current 'normal', so stretching them, lengthening them, relaxing them, ect, will help. Spend some time laying flat on your back as well, and try pushing your shoulders back to the ground (this is what you should be doing instead of slouching into a chair to relax). Also, sleep with a much flatter pillow.

For the hard part, lift. It's going to take constant muscular effort to pull yourself upright and maintain that, so start lifting and focus on an upright posture and strengthening your back (lower and upper). People often recommend lifting to fix posture issues, and this is the reason for it. Again though, this will just give you the strength and stamina to stand up straight, YOU need to actually STAND UP STRAIGHT all the time to make it work.


For another big tip, if you sit down a lot, figure out a way to do it right. Standing up straight for 30minutes a day isn't going to matter if you're slouched over a keyboard for 6 hours. Move the Keyboard to the edge of your desk. Get your elbows off the desk so they are at your sides, pull your shoulders back. Since you're tall, try elevating your monitor (ie avoid laptops). If you get sore from doing this, your back hurts, ect, it's because you are fighting against your current 'bad' posture. It will become easier as you get stronger (from lifting), your muscle imbalances start to go away (from stretching), and it becomes habit.

Posture is something that can be fixed, but like everything else, it takes real work.

this guy is explaining things i'm way too baked to. add my post on top of his and i think you're gonna be fixing your posture right away! :)
 
First you need to identify what kind of slouch you have (ex. Kyphosis). Once you've identified it you need to stretch the tight muscles (pectoralis muscles in Kyphosis) and strengthen the antagonist muscles for the inactive muscle group (Lats, teres minor, upper back in case of kyphosis).

And be conscious about your posture at all times
 
Deadlifts are the answer to all of life's problems
 
hold a back bridge for 10-30 seconds once a day or more
 
Vibrating buttplugs imo.
 
No. He probably has an imbalance in his muscles. If he does this his pelvis will tilt forward and give him lower back problems. If he has the particular issue I had.

I have the same problem. I try really hard to stand correctly but it feels so weird.
 
Look up Elliott Hulse on youtube. He's all about correcting posture 'n shit like that.
 
Back bridges everyday or learn to self suck.
 
Ive had two surgeries for pectus excavatum (my chest was concave). I had terrible posture. I had terrible back pain. You have to lift weights, find a good pilates instructor and visit occasionally to discuss posture, foam roller to stretch out your back.

Im glad I did the pilates thing. She helped me realize how to fix my posture big time. Also stand up straight against a wall and think about what has to happen for the to be natural and focus on it throughout your day to day.

Good luck brotha
 
i had trouble w pain in my shoulder after bench pressing. got on youtube to see what i can find and found this video which stresses the importance of posture. i tried what he suggested (used a foam roller instead of the contraption he made w the stool) and the difference was quite noticeable. not only did it help w my shoulder pain but i felt like i was standing taller. still do the stretch every morning

[YT]Cd83ZeghE78[/YT]
 
Some people appear to slouch but it's actually their spine is different. I'm not a chiro or dr but I was told that some peoples vertebrae bend forward (just below or at the shoulder blades) more then others. It looks like a slouch but it's really the natural curve of their backs
 
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