When a lot of people train they focus purely on the larger muscle groups, or the muscles they can see in the mirror. Can you relate to this? Only training the larger muscles, or the muscles you can see in the mirror, is holding you back from performing at a higher level and feeling your best!
Here are 5 important muscles you are probably not training (or not training enough). Don’t worry, you are not alone!
Read part 1 of this series here.
#1) Tibialis Anterior Muscle – Seated Tibialis Anterior Kettlebell Curls
The tibialis anterior muscle, which starts under the knee and runs down the shin, plays a key role in deceleration, and can play a key role in how your knees function and feel. The tibialis anterior muscle also acts to dorsiflex and invert the foot.
This is an awesome tibialis anterior strengthening exercise!! This exercise also improves ankle mobility (particularly active ankle dorsiflexion). Everyone should be doing foot and lower leg strengthening exercises!
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on a stable elevated surface.
- Hold a kettlebell on one or both feet (you can do this bilaterally).
- Fully extend your knee, and dorsiflex your foot (point it toward you).
- While keeping your leg as still as possible (this set-up isn’t as stable as a tib bar but still works great), slowly plantarflex your foot (point your foot away from you), and lower the sole of your foot towards the floor with complete control.
- Gain a moment of control, then dorsiflex your foot (point your foot towards you) and return your foot to the top/starting position.
- Pause for a count and contract the muscles on the front of your lower leg.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. If you find you are struggling to keep your leg from rotating, you can lightly stabilize using your hands.
#2) Obliques – Side Plank + Isometric Wall Press + Band Resisted Psoas Marches
While many people focus on the rectus abdominis muscle, aka the “abs,” a lot of people do not devote enough attention to their obliques.
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular stability, and strengthens the hip flexor muscles.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Set yourself up so you are relatively close to a wall/stable surface.
- Get into a side plank position from your forearm and ankle/foot. Your shoulder should be above your elbow.
- Press your hand on the upper side against a wall/other stable surface. Maintain this pressure for the duration of the exercise.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes (on the planted side).
- While remaining in a fixed position, perform a “march” and bring your knee and thigh in towards your body.
- Gain a moment of control, then return to the starting position with complete control.
- For the duration of the exercise, push away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- On this same side, imagine you are trying to slide your forearm down towards your feet (without actually doing so). This will help you generate even more tension. Do not mindlessly hang out.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to foot. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes on the planted side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#3) Hamstrings – Psoas Marches From Straight Leg Bridge
This exercise strengthens posterior chain muscles, hip flexors, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.
If you have knee issues, you can do this exercise while keeping your knees more bent.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor, and elevate the back of your feet/ankles on a bench, chair, or other stable surface.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place your feet so they are approximately hip width apart, or slightly closer together. In the starting position, your knees should be bent to approximately 160-180 degrees (your knees should be close to fully extended).
- Extend your hips by pressing through the back of your feet and squeezing your hamstrings and glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to feet. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- For the duration of the exercise, press your body away from the bench/towards the ceiling. Do not mindlessly hang out.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes and hamstrings (on the planted side).
- Now perform a “march” and bring your knee and thigh in towards your body. Gain a moment of control, then return to the starting position with complete control.
- You may perform all reps on one side before switching sides, or you may alternate sides.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your shoulders to feet. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to drop.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes and hamstrings.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#4) Posterior Core – Band Resisted Reverse Hypers
When most people think of core training, they think of the anterior core. Most people neglect training their posterior core muscles.
This awesome exercise strengthens the posterior core muscles, and glutes.
Coaching Tips:
- Anchor a resistance band under a secure surface, and place the band around the back of your ankles.
- Get into a prone position on your couch (or another stable surface). Your hip crease should be towards the edge of the surface. Figure out what position works and feels best for you. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Fully extend your knees, contract your quadriceps, and keep your legs and feet together.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now with complete control, and while keeping your knees, ankles, and feet in a fixed position, use your glutes and posterior core muscles and lift your hips and legs so your legs are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Avoid excessively arching your lower back, and move very smoothly.
- In the top position, pause for a count and contract your glutes and posterior core muscles.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend (a slight extension is ok), excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Mid And Lower Traps – Weighted Prone I-T’s Plus Lift
The mid and lower trap muscles play a key role in how the shoulders function and feel.
This exercise strengthens the mid and lower traps, and improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Place two objects like yoga blocks so they are over your head, and are outside of shoulder width apart. Start off using a low surface.
- Start so your body and arms form a “t.”
- While keeping your wrists and elbows in a fixed position and off the floor, use the muscles around your shoulder blades to move your arms over the objects and overhead so your arms and body form a ‘’I.’’
- Pause for a count in the ‘’I position,’’ and return your arms to the starting “t” position.
- When you do the ‘’I’’ your shoulder blades should upwardly rotate, protract, and elevate (move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip).
- When you do the ‘’t’’ your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or hands or arms to touch the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not compensate and perform the movements by hyperextending your lower back, flaring your ribcage, or excessively lifting your chest or head off the ground.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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