Slouching while playing

[StringPicker6]

Recently I've noticed that I tend to slouch and hang over my guitar when playing. I'm trying now to straighten my back and hold up my rib cage. It's definitely nicer to sit upright, but it's a bad habit I never realized.

[Queequeg]

Recently I've noticed that I tend to slouch and hang over my guitar when playing. I'm trying now to straighten my back and hold up my rib cage. It's definitely nicer to sit upright, but it's a bad habit I never realized.

Some players won't put their abdomen against the back of the instrument because (they tell me) it dampens the resonance.
Might be some truth to that but Lord save me from this kind of obsession, while I concentrate on my fingers.

[William2]

This topic kind of reminds me of people slouching over their shopping carts at grocery stores LOL. Maybe that's why I like dreadnoughts. There is more to slouch on. When I watch a player, I mainly look and see if they look comfortable. I guess that is why when I returned to guitar, I adopted a sitting position unlike the classical guitar position. I like the look of the guitar on the right leg. It just looks more natural and comfortable to me.

[jasonchamb]

I think a lot of folks develop this because they are trying to see their hands on the fretboard better. I catch myself doing it not infrequently and then try to correct.

[B0WIE]

IMO, it's only a bad habit if it affects you negatively. Classical players have been bent over their guitars for the longest and I'm not aware of any problems. This is something I've talked to my physical therapist about and his only concern was keeping the feet flat on the ground so that the hips and lower back aren't strained. If you're standing, then you obviously don't want to be leaning but doing it while sitting appears to be fine and probably beneficial as it means you aren't straining to get your elbows and wrists in the optimal spots. The things that lead to trouble are often the elbow and wrist positions.

[B0WIE]

Some players won't put their abdomen against the back of the instrument because (they tell me) it dampens the resonance.
Might be some truth to that but Lord save me from this kind of obsession, while I concentrate on my fingers.

That's absolutely a thing. You can hear it if you strum and press the back against your body vs letting it vibrate freely. The volume and tone change. I see so many people fuss over buying a guitar with a particular back and sides but most of them mute the back anyway with their bellies.
Right leg playing makes it harder to avoid but classical form helps minimize contact.

[Queequeg]

That's absolutely a thing. You can hear it if you strum and press the back against your body vs letting it vibrate freely. The volume and tone change. I see so many people fuss over buying a guitar with a particular back and sides but most of them mute the back anyway with their bellies.
Right leg playing makes it harder to avoid but classical form helps minimize contact.

And this applies to anyone playing standing up with a shoulder strap.
 

[Silence Dogood]

I don't mind slouching (watch Chris Thile play the mandolin: he cranes himself over it like a vulture).  I only try to straighten up more when I'm singing as slouching will negatively affect the vox (not enough air). 

I've tried to sit like a classical player because I think it looks cool, but I can't make it work.

[unclrob]

When I played dreads boa constrick around it  I also called it the Neil Young effect.Then I started playing jumbo's and had to loss the hunch,jumbos make you play with a better posture.Right now mt main guitar is a 74 Guild F30 which is jumbo shape it has a 15 3/4 lower bout.I do own and play when I can play an L10 koa which was a lefty that the only change I made was  it has a righty nut and a baggs active Ibeam that I either go strait to an amp when need just a direct box.Also I have an OMO3PA maple 12 fret and the same as above pu.Play them all the same now no hunching.