Digging stance

[babycart]

I think we all know the correct stance to adopt when looking for records situated at waist level. Square on, head down, both hands on, mildly proprietorial. These guys have got it right. Nobody´s gonna barge in on the geezer at the back.



But yesterday at the Rastro in Madrid I had a nightmare with ground-level records. When I crouched down inna 1970s footballer stylee, it killed my knees after a minute or two, and I got the vertigo swirls every time i got up again (this was partly due to the iced vermouth I´d started the expedition off with, but I also get it when sober.)

I noticed other hunters bending from the waist, a stance I have never considered, but they seem to be able to keep it up for ages. Bloody ages, in fact, while I wait for a crack.

Ideally, e. g in an empty shop, I lift up a wodge of records and look through them standing up, but this isn´t practical in a competitive scenario.

I have never knelt in front of records in my life, nor would i ever do so

Any posture tips? Yoga exercises?

[amidar]

Ha, am always getting the 'vertigo swirls' after bending down only ever fainted once in my life though. I've no problem going into a kneeling position as long as its not wet grass day at the car boot. I learnt a lot about lifting properly and correct posture when younger and its served me well.

These things are good to learn about as even though a car accident has put my wife's back out its her bad posture that has caused her to rupture a hamstring and damage a sciatic nerve albeit as a result of the initial hit, its no fun administering morphine every 3-4 hours and having to watch her every move but I've been trying to teach her how to lift and not to stretch for years. My sister has issues too because of working in a bar lifting barrels in her student days.

Anyway good question and a sensible one for us diggers! Any thoughts on 'builders arse' whilst digging, personally I don't care even got tutted at t'other week. It was at a car boot like, and probably had gone too far for the sake of a box of Kaempfert.

[treeboy]

We found something similar to this at work a while ago. It's been folded up in the crew room, but I've been eyeing it up for just the reason you have alluded to.

[amidar]

Or one of those spike in the ground things fishermen/walkers use, handy in a grassy situation.

[babycart]

These things are good to learn about as even though a car accident has put my wife's back out its her bad posture that has caused her to rupture a hamstring and damage a sciatic nerve albeit as a result of the initial hit, its no fun administering morphine every 3-4 hours and having to watch her every move but I've been trying to teach her how to lift and not to stretch for years. My sister has issues too because of working in a bar lifting barrels in her student days.
.

I learnt lifting techniques as a youth and it´s partly why I don´t bend over. Straight back always better. I´m tall, with a long back, and for the last 10 years I've found hanging from a bar for a minute or so every day or two really helps
Could be age, but I´m pretty fit and was wondering if it´s more lack of practice. I used to have to hunker down all the time, but don´t really need to do it much these days.

Those spike in the ground things are called shooting sticks, I think, but if you google that you get loads of American gun nuts warming up for their next trip to the abortion clinic.

[Sam]

I've started sitting down on the floor in shops for ground-level records. People look at you funny. But then I'm used to that.

[Sonovox]

[Carlitos]

I have never knelt in front of records in my life, nor would i ever do so

Have you considered these little beauties? With inbuilt knee pads, 100s of extra pockets for your everyday record digging needs (magnification glass, mould detector, gloves, mask, chewing gum, etc.) and an ever expanding array of colours, this is the perfect outfit for the modern day record digger.

[Col Wolfe]

Have you considered these little beauties? With inbuilt knee pads, 100s of extra pockets for your everyday record digging needs (magnification glass, mould detector, gloves, mask, chewing gum, etc.) and an ever expanding array of colours, this is the perfect outfit for the modern day record digger.

I use these at work sometimes, they're great. Actually saw a couple of people at Utrecht sporting kneepads too.

[amidar]

My wife is about 6 foot same kind of thing I guess, trying to get size 10 shoes for tall women is a pain if you'll pardon the pun. 'Evans' seem to think you must have elephant calf muscles if your'e a female 10, bizarre.

I'll pass on the bar thing when she hopefully gets better but I've been on at her about posture and lumbar support for years with no luck despite emphasising its importance.

Knee pads are essential to avoid 'electricians knee' although my dads mate jumped out of planes during the WW2 on a regular basis then worked down a mine for 40 years and he never had any knee issues! My sis moves some barrels as a youngster and needs a special chair!

I learnt lifting techniques as a youth and it´s partly why I don´t bend over. Straight back always better. I´m tall, with a long back, and for the last 10 years I've found hanging from a bar for a minute or so every day or two really helps
Could be age, but I´m pretty fit and was wondering if it´s more lack of practice. I used to have to hunker down all the time, but don´t really need to do it much these days.

Those spike in the ground things are called shooting sticks, I think, but if you google that you get loads of American gun nuts warming up for their next trip to the abortion clinic.

[ashra]

Keep one of these in the car just in case

[reza]

prob the reason I dont go to car boots often, most records on the floor [mud] which kills me as I'm 6' 2 [and old]
we have these scattered round the shop for floor crate rummaging and very well used they are

[Sonovox]

My sis moves some barrels as a youngster and needs a special chair!

This is what I use:



I have what might be termed a "sedentary" job, and sitting all day used to play havoc with my back. But I've used that basic kneeling chair for the past 10 years to get me into a more back-friendly upright semi-active postion, and it has made a huge difference to me. I can get down to those low-lying boxes with nary a twinge.

[eine]

Bit of secondary question here. But is my tactic good form? I like to go through the boxes (happy to neel btw) picking out anything of interest (even moderate interest), collecting a pile and then examining condition/thinking more once once the initial sweep is done. Is this honorable?

[treeboy]

Bit of secondary question here. But is my tactic good form? I like to go through the boxes (happy to neel btw) picking out anything of interest (even moderate interest), collecting a pile and then examining condition/thinking more once once the initial sweep is done. Is this honorable?

Perfectly I'd say. As long as you put them back where they came from