[Prophylaxis]

(06-11-2013 09:16 PM)Nascimento Wrote:  

Not really.

But I think a factor for me having some APT is due to more fat in my gut than normal.

What I mean is, I am considerably average body fat (maybe around 18%) but my body stores it mostly around my centre gut and obliques.

Hey Nascimento,

I work with a lot of athletes who predispose themselves with hamstring tears due to an overly anteriorly tilted pelvis.

What you want to do is work out what is causing this anterior tilt - is it 1) tight hip flexors 2) poor glut control/activation 3) postural issues
OR is it an adaptive response to the body (i.e. a disc problem - forcing the back to adopt this ATP).

Assuming this is NOT the latter. First thing's first. You want to get good at posteriorly tilting the pelvis - this completely changes lumbo-pelvic mechanics and 'unlocks' the back really well.



Really get good at isolating this movement - what I like to tell guys - pretend like you are peeing up a wall.

Second stretch - As people have already mentioned, perform a hip flexor stretch -



Perform this WHILE posteriorly tilting the pelvis for maximum effect

Secondly - plenty of glut strengthening - think bridges/clams/side lying hip abduction.

Summary:
* posterior tilt pelvis
* hip flexor stretch (without hyperextending from the back!)
* glut strengthening

[Nascimento]

Yea, I'm also familiar with shortened and tightened hip flexors, along with lengthened hamstrings.

I was doing some hip flexor stretching after some foam rolling daily, but after 2-3 weeks I failed to see any progress and just stopped. Although I do still foam roll after workouts.

I definitely feel I don't have a problem with glute activation. My glutes are one of my strongest muscle groups and I know I work them well due to deep squats with a slightly wider than usual stance.

Having said that, any idea if this can also be corrected by just holding more of a posterior tilt, as you walk and stand and do things around the day?

It causes me to contract my abs, harden my glutes, and bring my shoulders back so that I am in a neutral stance.

[Prophylaxis]

(06-12-2013 06:28 AM)Nascimento Wrote:  

Yea, I'm also familiar with shortened and tightened hip flexors, along with lengthened hamstrings.

I was doing some hip flexor stretching after some foam rolling daily, but after 2-3 weeks I failed to see any progress and just stopped. Although I do still foam roll after workouts.

I definitely feel I don't have a problem with glute activation. My glutes are one of my strongest muscle groups and I know I work them well due to deep squats with a slightly wider than usual stance.

Having said that, any idea if this can also be corrected by just holding more of a posterior tilt, as you walk and stand and do things around the day?

It causes me to contract my abs, harden my glutes, and bring my shoulders back so that I am in a neutral stance.

It's often not just about STRENGTH of gluts, but getting the right ones working (often glut med). You don't need to constantly hold a posterior tilt, but rather regular go back and forth between 'neutral' and posterior tilt - say 5 times every hour, or just when you remember when you stand especially.

[GenJx]

Prophylaxis how would you know if you had a disc problem, would there be pain?

[Prophylaxis]

(06-12-2013 08:16 AM)GenJx Wrote:  

Prophylaxis how would you know if you had a disc problem, would there be pain?

Yes, often there would be pain if you tried a posterior tilt, as the body is naturally protecting the disc by forcing it into an APT. In that case, you would need to address the underlying disc problem before you can look at correcting APT.

[the virgin chronicles]

Hey guys,

as someone dealing with this, you guys should check out CreativeLIVE's talk by Kelly Starrett.

Or just check out some of his videos on MobilityWOD/CrossFit.

This guy is all about getting people to stand / sit with correct posture.


This is my understanding of what he says:
An easy fix for APT when walking around is to squeeze your ass muscles together. This pushes your pelvis forward and takes stress off your lower back when you're walking around.

So basically use your ass muscles and abs to support yourself while walking around.

[Nascimento]

Appreciate the feedback prophylaxis.

I think creating a habit of activating/contracting the glutes which will force a neutral posture is what I need right now.

Even if it doesn't produce instant results, overtime I'm sure this will be very beneficial.

[babelfish669]

(04-04-2013 12:07 AM)durangotang Wrote:  

In the meantime, if anyone out there is sitting a lot, I picked up one of these chairs which is helping.

Any updates on this one? Very interested.

I've spent a ridiculous amount of money on different chairs, keyboards, monitor arms. I fixed most of my issues from strength training, went from 24/7 pain to pain free, but this current ($1500) chair is starting to give me issues.

[cybermutiny]

I have to chime in on this one because I'm currently in the process of fixing pretty bad anterior pelvic tilt and I'd say I've fixed it about 80% so far over the course of 2 months.

As people have already said, you have to stretch the appropriate muscles (hip flexors, psoas, lower back) and strengthen the opposing muscles (glutes, hams, abs). You need to experiment with different stretches until find the right one that works for you (for example I couldn't properly stretch my lower back until I found a good yoga routine on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqYmcYBPt2s ). I bought a PVC pipe to use as a foam roller for targeted stretching on the hip flexor and IT band muscles at the top of my legs. This hurts like a bitch but it quickly fixed my problem with tight hip flexors ( http://youtu.be/bte6rg995ZI?t=2m50s ). This is the kind of thing you have to do this religiously, not a half-assed effort.

Another consideration is that you need to focus on doing more "hip-dominant" exercises as opposed to "quad-dominant" exercises. Examples of great hip-dominant exercises are the Romanian deadlift (don't activate your lower back when doing these), cable rope pull-through, barbell hip thrust, and traditional deadlifts (using perfect form). Examples of quad-dominant exercises include squats and leg presses. So you need to alter your workout schedule to over-emphasize hip-dominant exercises and minimize quad-dominant exercises.

An amazing thing happened to me after doing these exercises and stretches religiously: for the first time I was able to fully extend my hips. Before, when I had to fully extend my hips (while doing deadlifts, for example), I would just kind of lean back at the end. Once I learned what it felt like to fully extend my hips, it was like a whole new world for my body. My girlfriend commenting on the difference in my thrusting power, but that's besides the point.

There is no quick fix for this so try to approach it in stages instead.
Stage 1: You have ATP and you don't even know what "good posture" feels like.
Stage 2: You have ATP, but right after stretching you can momentarily pose in a mirror with correct posture (by sucking in your stomach, squeezing your glutes, and extending your hips fully).
Stage 3: Any time during the day, even if you haven't stretched yet, you can momentarily stand with good posture (but when you're not paying attention, you default back to ATP)
Stage 4: You stand with good posture all of the time.

[Nascimento]

(06-13-2013 10:43 PM)cybermutiny Wrote:  

I have to chime in on this one because I'm currently in the process of fixing pretty bad anterior pelvic tilt and I'd say I've fixed it about 80% so far over the course of 2 months.

As people have already said, you have to stretch the appropriate muscles (hip flexors, psoas, lower back) and strengthen the opposing muscles (glutes, hams, abs). You need to experiment with different stretches until find the right one that works for you (for example I couldn't properly stretch my lower back until I found a good yoga routine on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqYmcYBPt2s ). I bought a PVC pipe to use as a foam roller for targeted stretching on the hip flexor and IT band muscles at the top of my legs. This hurts like a bitch but it quickly fixed my problem with tight hip flexors ( http://youtu.be/bte6rg995ZI?t=2m50s ). This is the kind of thing you have to do this religiously, not a half-assed effort.

Another consideration is that you need to focus on doing more "hip-dominant" exercises as opposed to "quad-dominant" exercises. Examples of great hip-dominant exercises are the Romanian deadlift (don't activate your lower back when doing these), cable rope pull-through, barbell hip thrust, and traditional deadlifts (using perfect form). Examples of quad-dominant exercises include squats and leg presses. So you need to alter your workout schedule to over-emphasize hip-dominant exercises and minimize quad-dominant exercises.

An amazing thing happened to me after doing these exercises and stretches religiously: for the first time I was able to fully extend my hips. Before, when I had to fully extend my hips (while doing deadlifts, for example), I would just kind of lean back at the end. Once I learned what it felt like to fully extend my hips, it was like a whole new world for my body. My girlfriend commenting on the difference in my thrusting power, but that's besides the point.

There is no quick fix for this so try to approach it in stages instead.
Stage 1: You have ATP and you don't even know what "good posture" feels like.
Stage 2: You have ATP, but right after stretching you can momentarily pose in a mirror with correct posture (by sucking in your stomach, squeezing your glutes, and extending your hips fully).
Stage 3: Any time during the day, even if you haven't stretched yet, you can momentarily stand with good posture (but when you're not paying attention, you default back to ATP)
Stage 4: You stand with good posture all of the time.

Just remember that ATP and APT are two different things..

Haha, seriously though, good post.

[rudder]

Today I was feeling somewhat self-conscious about my "pot belly" so I did some internet searching. I spent a while doing searches for the term "pot belly" and then finally I came on here to post a new thread about the topic, when low-and-behold this here was the first thread on the page.

After reading through the thread, I think this is what I have. "Pot belly" is not a good description, because all the information I found was talking about how that indicates too much fat. I exercize every day of the week except Sunday. I alternate days of upper body weight lifting, and days of intense trailrunning for an hour to 1.5 hours up mountains. I seem to have low body fat, and I've always been skinny, but I've also always seemed to have a bit of a "pooch" if I just let my stomach relax.

What is the difference between APT and a pot belly?

Also, I just realized that we had one of those swopper chairs in the other room. I never enjoyed it, so I never used it, but now that I've learned the benefits...I'm using it right now while typing. It's nice because I can actually wiggle.

I'd like to know if the APT is just a vain, superficial concern, or if there are some really negative health implications? Personally, I know I'm prone to lower back problems. I do landscaping sometimes, and it's always hard on my back if I've just been doing office work prior for a few weeks.

I do lots of desk work, plus I'm just a nerd and love to learn, so I spend a ton of free time on the net reading about various things.

Well, I've decided to include some pictures of my "natural" relaxed stance from the profile view. I thought it was going to be caused by something like too much grain consumption, but it sounds like lousy posture, and too much sitting is the main reason.

Please comment regarding whether you think my posture is indicative of APT. I think so, because I don't have much body fat. In the third picture you can see my skinny wrist as I poke my stomach. There's only about a 1/4" layer of fat before I hit the ab muscle with my fingertip. So, it's not like I'm obese. But how much of the APT posture is just genetics vs. laziness?

[T and A Man]

I'm no expert, but that looks like text book APT to me.

That arch in your lower back, you could stick your forearm behind that if you leaned up against a wall.

Likewise, the elastic band on the top of your pants is not horizontal to the ground in the first two pics.

As I've corrected my back more, I've noticed the alignment of my pants/underwear change, to be progressively more horizontal. The correction of the alignment of your pelvis (in theory) indicates to me intuitively this is the way it should be.

As far as being a vanity thing, I can say quite the opposite. Probably having this for over 20 years since my teens, and always flaring up from acute lower back pain and soreness, and also giving me tight hamstrings and and less optimal range of movement through my hips, the relief is a godsend.

The impairment catches up with you and once corrected, you'l experience a lot of relief. It has been to the betterment of my well being, just feelings better has made me happy.

[Nascimento]

@ rudder

Probably a bit of both man.

Definitely make it a goal to lean up a little bit more, but at the same time work on improving (rather than correcting) your posture. There are no red flags here, rather yellow ones.

Basically do some foam rolling, practice holding great posture, stretch the necessary muscles, and strengthen the weak ones.

[rudder]

I'm not totally convinced that it's even possible to correct this. The most frustrating realization for me right now is that I've never had a doctor even mention this to me.

I'd like to talk to a professional or someone who has really studied this sort of thing as opposed to say "brohbrah's guide." Who could I go see that would be really qualified to talk about this? A general practitioner? Chiropractor?

The reason I'm not convinced is because I think it might have something to do with the natural shape of my back or just a lifetime of essential mutilation by being forced to sit through school throughout my youth, perhaps I was more genetically vulnerable to this mutilation than the next kid. Like the western equivalent of foot binding or neck rings.

My favorite stretch for hip flexers is to lay on my back with my legs folded underneath me like this, and then to do a posterior pelvic tilt while in that position:


I also used to do tai chi, qi gong, and kung fu, for which hip flexibility was extremely necessary. I did a lot of core workouts as well. But I don't ever remember truly getting rid of the "pot belly."

[rudder]

http://www.naturalblaze.com/2013/05/the-...ently.html

[RexImperator]

I have this problem and l believe that lifting weights (back squats) has possibly made it worse, because it seems my hip flexors have gotten even tighter as my quads have strengthened.

Anyone have luck strengthening the glutes with hip thrusters or other exercises?

[Menace]

I'm going to try some of this, especially foam rolling. I have the same posture as rudder in his pictures. It's APT.

[Dr. Howard]

I've let myself slip back on APT correction. When I was on top of it I found that stomach vaccums, hip flexor exercises and focusing on having correct posture when doing squats and deadlifts really helped.

[heavy]

(06-14-2013 11:52 PM)rudder Wrote:  

I'm not totally convinced that it's even possible to correct this. The most frustrating realization for me right now is that I've never had a doctor even mention this to me.
...

From the BB forum link posted earlier about this...

Can you compeletey correct APT?
No. Everyone has a little bit of APT, and it's natural, so don't freak out if you have a little curve in your spine.
...

[RIslander]

Shit! I definitely have this. Too much time spent squatting. Time to hit the foam roller.

Looks like KB swings are pretty effective in treating this... anyone have any luck with that? I do them once a week... going to ramp it up to 3x/week.