Strength Training and Poise
 

I have a theory that strength training improves your posture and makes you more poised. In other words, it gives your more control over your body.

Has anyone who regularly engages in strength training noticed this? Do you feel as if you're more poised and graceful now than before? Do you think that you carry yourself better ever since you started incorporating it into your routine?

My posture has improved dramatically since I started weight training. Before, it felt like a work out to sit up straight or to walk with confidence, now I notice it comes more naturally because of the strength I have gained. :)

For sure!!! People have even commented on it. I stand up much straighter. I have a lot more control over my body, and it shows.

Strength training has made my shoulders bigger - harder to slouch this way :P

Originally Posted by krampus:
Strength training has made my shoulders bigger - harder to slouch this way :P

Yes strength training improves posture, but my forearms have become big. My tummy is almost flat. I want my arms lean too. Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by puneri:
Yes strength training improves posture, but my forearms have become big. My tummy is almost flat. I want my arms lean too. Any suggestions?

Lose more fat :). That's the only way to become smaller.

I have spent a lot of time working on a better posture. What has worked better for me are glute activation exercises and doing heavy weighlifting exercises that focus on the glutes like glute bridges or hip thrusts. Whenever I stand now I can feel my glutes helping keeping me up whereas before it was my back doing all the work. Also as Krampus said my shoulders are wider now so its easier to keep a better posture.

I also think that people that do heavy lifting spend some good time stretching their muscles after their workouts even with foam rollers or a tennis ball which also help with having healthier muscles. And if you add some mobility exercises, or some yoga then you will have not just a better posture but also less pain and a better quality of life.

Originally Posted by carpediem:
I have spent a lot of time working on a better posture. What has worked better for me are glute activation exercises and doing heavy weighlifting exercises that focus on the glutes like glute bridges or hip thrusts. Whenever I stand now I can feel my glutes helping keeping me up whereas before it was my back doing all the work. Also as Krampus said my shoulders are wider now so its easier to keep a better posture.

I also think that people that do heavy lifting spend some good time stretching their muscles after their workouts even with foam rollers or a tennis ball which also help with having healthier muscles. And if you add some mobility exercises, or some yoga then you will have not just a better posture but also less pain and a better quality of life.

Well said.

Don't get me wrong... I think strength training is great... but for me pilates and to a lesser extent yoga is what helps me be more "poised"

But then again I might be a little bit biased here, because to me the most graceful and poised people are ballet dancers... so that's kind of where I'm coming from...

Yup! My posture is better. I used to slouch all the time but I stand up straight now! :)