muscles pushing shoulders forward??? Need help with posture correction!!!!

i've been working out all the muscles behind my shoulders and back for a couple of months now with 20 pound dumbells.

It seems my shoulders are always being pushed forward and they are ruining my posture

is this only because i haven't been working my chest? Would working out my chest push my shoulders back? Or should i stop working out a specific muscle behing my shoulders? what should i do to correct my posture? i t seems i am always leaninng forward now. Also my shoulders are starting to pop a lot.

any one else ever had this problem

if any questions just ask. thanks

It sounds to me like what you mentioned- you need to work out your chest and also the front of your shoulders (if you are not doing that) so that your shoulder and chest muscles develop at the same rate. Developing your chest muscles will open up your shoulders and make you stand straighter. I'd hold off on the shoulder workouts and give your chest a chance to catch up. -Just my thoughts.

Original Post by courtking:

It sounds to me like what you mentioned- you need to work out your chest and also the front of your shoulders (if you are not doing that) so that your shoulder and chest muscles develop at the same rate. Developing your chest muscles will open up your shoulders and make you stand straighter. I'd hold off on the shoulder workouts and give your chest a chance to catch up. -Just my thoughts.

 +1 You always want balance between the front of your body and the back. Wouldn't it feel weird to only work out your hamstrings and not your quads?

If it's just a technique issue then this may help:

http://exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ShouldWt.html

This article might help: Neanderthal No More, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Strengthening the muscles behind your shoulders will pull your shoulders back, not the other way around.  Read Amethystgirl's articles.

i think i may have damaged my shoulder rotator cuff? it kind of feels like a bone is out of place? i'm kind of freaked out right now. i might have to go to the doctor very soon

Scapular winging is a not-uncommon postural deficiency, and one that's usually fixed with physical therapy based around weight training.  Where you basically do a lot of rowing, face pulls, chinups and scapular pushups.

 While waiting for the doctor you should perhaps check out one of Jim Smith's shoulder rehab protocols which you can do on your own assuming you don't have a scapular tear or similar acute injury, merely a training deficiency.

 Most common postural deficiencies for Computer Guy (and if you're reading this, you are Computer Guy) are caused by too much anterior training, too little posterior training, and too much sitting hunched forward. And for the imbalanced it's actually recommended doing a workout that's more pull than push; if you're imbalanced and try to train evenly, you risk magnifying your existing imbalances in the process.