Rihor

I wouldn't know how to rate my posture.  If I remember I can sit or stand up straight but it's way too easy to forget.

 

I probably have not done enough pulling exercises for one...  I've gotten okay at push ups but still can't do one full pull up.

 

Would me adding photos tell you that much?  Looking through pictures on facebook I stand up tall but too many times my head is out infront of me more than I would like.  :/

 

Thanks for the feed back Rihor

No problem! Full body pics from four sides can tell a lot, but lifestyle can too. Like are you sedentary and sit much? Work at a computer? And typical workouts would really pad out the picture. I'd probably suggest most of those exercises I've already mentioned, but I'd love to help you work it into any routine you're doing and balance it out so your workouts are corrective along with helping you reach your goals. And no biggie on the pull-ups! They are way harder than push-ups!

Hi All,

 

Apologies if this has been asked before, but does anybody have any successful stories having bad posture but getting better posture?  What worked for you?  Are there any exercises I can do daily or at least every other day to help?

 

Thanks!

I had okay posture and got awesome posture.

Partly balancing push and pull exercises, strengthening core and working through a full range of motion. Some asymmetrical work and unilateral work. Things like goblet/front squats, different types of carries, and suitcase deadlifts are some of my faves. What's your posture like now? Pictures?

I had posted on your squat form check and just found your DL one.

Were you going for a conventional deadlift or a Romanian? In either case, you're lifting primarily with your lower back and not enough glutes and hams. Your glutes and hams will be able to handle more weight than your lower back...and it will be a lot safer. You definitely want to keep a neutral spine while lifting...no arching or rounding (older you will thank current you). Tight hips and a weak core are what I think you need to work on. If you still want to deadlift, I'd try a regressed version for now (DB sumo DL, rack pulls, trap bar DL, etc.) and focus on bringing your hips through the movement rather than pull with your back.

If you want try these tests to see where your hip mobility is at. It'll either rule out a tight hip capsule as a problem or give you an idea of what needs work.

p.s. Just saw your last DL video...heck of a lot better, man.

Back squats looked pretty good! Nice work. I think as you got deeper into the set you got more of a forward lean from quads taking over. Squeeze those glutes and bring the hips through!

Front squats...looking good!

Press...rotate your hands forward more instead of having them bent back...leaking power by doing that. Ah, just saw that someone else covered that. Maybe get under the bar a bit more at the top, but that's being super nitpicky.

All in all, nice work, lady.

Thank you both randomguy2014 and the ever so charming Rihor! I have been/ or currently in both of your situations (though luckier for me, my coming out was treated more trivial than yours, poor randomguy2014)

I don't like CBT, I must admit, as I'm quite the skeptic but absolutely good luck to you. I hope that everyone grants you paitence as you go through this and that you don't in anyway feel like a burden to anyone! You, good sir, sound wonderful and I hope to hear more from you.

Rihor, you've hit the nail on the head! That's exactly what it feels like... That is the perspective I shall adopt for the new challenge! Slowly but surely everything is making sense

Like a Sir,

JollyOldMrPhelps

Glad to be of assistance! It's something I've been trying to do...and it's easier said then done. I still have trouble reining myself in. I'm working on it, but it's frustrating. And I've been sitting here for a couple of minutes thinking of what else I might have to say...and I realized it's not even worth being frustrated about.

Anyways, looking forward to seeing what goals you set for yourself!

Welcome all 3 of you!

The druids are more than some excercises

If I had to choose ONE Druid Virtue it would be balance!

 

Balance between BODY, MIND and SOUL.

A healthy mind will live in a healthy body.

 

 

 

I guess you will find what you seek with us.

Many of us do strength Training or Crossfit. Many do struggle with life, too.

It is a great start to improve on the inside and the outside.

 

Lifting heavy things does great things for your self esteem and your feeling about yourself and your capabilities!

There is even more on the inside. Work on both and see where it goes!

 

Good luck!

Didn't mean to imply that druids aren't physical if it came across that way! I think what I was trying to say is that for me, life and my attitude towards working out became terribly imbalanced through neglecting important things to healthy living for myself. So maybe mindfulness is what I seek? I'm sure I'll find something with druids! Even if it's more questions 

@ J.Sark Just gave your vids a quick look through. You're doing a lot of stuff right, but here's what I noticed...Your chest is up, but in some videos it seemed like you accomplished this through arching your lower back more than necessary which I would take to mean a weaker core. The tilting you have going on may be from tight hips...thought I saw something where you mentioned some trouble with deadlifts...would it be not feeling your glutes and hams firing? If that's the case, I'd say hip mobility is something to work on. Especially the left hip capsule.

Goblet squats might be a good option if back squatting is giving you too much trouble atm. It'll also help strengthen up your core. Front squats are also another good option if you have the wrist flexibility. And pause squats which I saw someone mention are another tool that can help...holding at the bottom can make you more aware of your posture while you're balancing the load and make minute changes.

Salutations, sir!

I'm new to NF as well as going through depression mixed with anxiety! I once was fit, but now, not quite so fit. And it hasn't been as simple as do what I did before to get to where I was. It's almost like rolling entirely new stats for a pre-existing character. So some of my goals are learning about these new "stats." Like, "What isn't working? What am I capable of now?" That and trying to find victories in things that I would definitely have taken for granted before.

I don't know if that'll help any, but you're not alone. And to throw some Buddhism at you, "Suffering is the one thing that unites us all."

Lifts for:

Bench presses (I use dumbbells): 27.5kg for 8-12 reps (1RM with Barbell at 80kg)

Squat with 92kgs for 8-12 reps.

BB Curls with 25kg for 8-12 reps.

Bent over rows on barbell at 45kg for 8-12

Db shoulder presses (overhead) at 20kg for 8-12

RDL with barbell at 85kg for 8-12

 

So from your information:

1. Could I split the days for body weight training and weight training or should I replace some exercises with body weight?

 

2. By increasing a few each week while increasing target every week , would it look something like this?

Week 1: Half my max so: 15 reps a set until target (150 for the day) Week 2: (Increase by 5) 20 reps a set until target (160 (increase by 10) for the day)

 

3. How many days a week should I do them? Consecutively?

 How about like:

Day 1

Squat, curls, bodyweight work

Day 2

Bench, row, bodyweight work

Day 3

RDL, press, bodyweight work

Then you'd want to consider how get swimming and running in there. Preferably on off days, but it's possibly to pack it into workout days.

One way to attack your goal is by getting as light as you possibly can. It'll make push-ups, pull-ups and running a lot easier (because the heavier you are, the harder those will be). I don't swim so I will refrain from commenting on that. Calisthenics seems like a good choice as you'll typically be more top-heavy (top stronger than the bottom) which is what you'll want for the pull-ups. You'll also probably want some low-intensity cardio in there to help train your body to efficiently remove waste from your muscles. The high-intensity cardio is beneficial as well (removes waste by making your heart pump quicker). If you want to weight train, maybe take the lower body movements down to maintenance volume/intensity?

Don't take what I said as scripture. Just something to consider and based off my own experiences  with pull-up reps going down as muscle mass goes up while trying to keep sub-20 5k times.

Hi all!

I'll be hangin' with the druids! Been training like a warrior, but a ranger at heart. Need some of that druid going on in my life, me thinks. Going through depression/anxiety and need to focus more on taking care of the inside rather than the outside.

Also, I hope being a meat-eating, leather-crafting Druid doesn't go too much against the Druid way.

IIRC the druid's alignment is True Neutral...so it's about balance. If it's a balanced lifestyle for you, you're on the right path!

Man, definitely see a doctor.

Anything else giving you a similar feeling? Working out can certainly produce a lot of "feel good" junk, but it doesn't change the fact that it is still a stress. This is something I'm dealing with currently. I'll save you the reminiscing of what I used to be able to do...but now I'm capable of a lot less and find myself having to leave the gym early because I'm about to lose it. It's something I'm trying to sort out though by being mindful of volume and intensity. I'm also seeing a therapist and waiting to hear back from a psychiatrist about meds for depression/anxiety. Working out can lift you up, but if you're already fighting a battle, working out can beat you down.

Hmmm...is cooking cheating since it makes food taste better? (Well, if skillfully prepared that is...)

Of all the supplements I know of, they're all naturally occurring...their supplement form has just been processed.