Posture

[shinebrightlikea]

I have terrible posture - years of trying to make big boobs look smaller and generally disappear - I have sloped, hunched shoulders. I look OK straight on but when I feel myself side on, I cringe.

I'm getting married next year (Covid depending) and would love to look elegant, confident and poised.

Any tips would be greatly received! I will invest in new bras so I'm thinking more along the lines of stretches or techniques!

Place marking because I hunch too.

Pilates! I am also generous of nork, and inclined to slouch, but Pilates will help you strengthen your core and back muscles, and teaches you better posture and more graceful movement. Find a small class (less than 10 definitely, but the fewer the better) run by a teacher with a Pilates accreditation ( eg Stott, Body Control, there are others).

If you can afford to, take a few one-to-one classes to learn the movements and the breathing routine, before joining a group. The moves are small and need to be done with precision control, and factors like how you hold your head can defeat you -- I still have to be reminded to drop my chin. Lots of teachers begin as physiotherapists and approach Pilates as a therapy for bad backs, but I prefer those whose practice aims at developing a better body shape, long lean muscles and good posture. It's not a cardiovascular workout, so you still need a complementary exercise for general fitness but Pilates will help you improve your physique for any sport you enjoy.

Yoga, OP. As a fellow big boob-er this is the one thing that has consistently helped me. Makes you very conscious of your posture. Also the focus on breathing makes you aware of how yucky it feels breath-wise when you slouch. Otherwise, a good pair of heels under your dress should help. But more to the point, congratulations and have a wonderful day xx

Me too. Years of trying to slouch down so I wasn't as tall. I actually now have a small hump at the top of my neck. I find it really uncomfortable to sit straight, even when I try I don't think I'm doing it properly. I bought a shoulder corrector thing. Looks like back pack straps, but I'm not sure it's helping really. It's pretty uncomfortable and reduces the circulation in one of my arms but if I losen it any further, it doesn't support me. I was anning on going to a physio but then lock down happened.

Following, I look like I should be ringing bells in Notre Dame!

Google the Alexander Technique....i don't know if it's just bullshit though! Pilates could be good too. I think you have to be quite committed to wanting to change though?

Alexander Technique is also good.... definitely not BS, @Carole, but there are not many teachers.

I second yoga. I have done Pilates for years but it was yoga that seriously improved my posture. Try yoga with Adriene n YouTube

Thank you much everyone - will find some online classes until I have the chance to look into some real life ones!

Thanks again!

One of my Pilates teachers is happy to do one-on-one via Zoom. Please PM me if you'd like an intro. She's 73, and her posture would make most of us weep.

She's also really persnickety about the detail, and nags you to improve.

I found reformer pilates really helpful for my posture (It's still a work in progress!) The straps and carriage isolate the muscles so much more effectively that being on a mat.

All agreed but I still think basic mat is the best entry level.

@XingMing amazing, thank you - I am very keen. Let me work out how to DM first...!

@BemidjiMinnesota there is a reformer studio near me that I'd like to try once they are open, thank you!