Only training the larger muscles, or the muscles you can see in the mirror, might be holding you back from performing at a higher level and feeling your best!
I know MANY people can relate to the above!
Here are 5 important muscles (or muscle groups) you are probably not training (or not training enough).
All of these exercises are in my brand new home-workout friendly Ultimate Full Body Program For Experienced Beginners To Intermediates. In this full body program, which is for “experienced beginners” to intermediates in terms of strength training experience and ability (you should have a minimum 3-6 months of strength training experience), I’m giving you a whopping 105 different exercises (38 are in the bonus PDF of my top accessory exercises).
#1) Band Resisted Psoas Marches From Modified Plank
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), and shoulder and scapular stability.
Many people do not give their hip flexors the strengthening attention this muscle group deserves! As a result, they often wonder why their hip flexors ALWAYS feel tight. In many instances your hip flexors might feel tight as they actually need to get stronger!
Coaching Tips:
- Place a fairly light resistance band around your feet, elevate your forearms on a stable surface, and get into a plank position from your forearms and feet. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to heels.
- Place your elbows so they are approximately underneath your shoulders.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt, and squeeze/flex 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.
- You may perform all reps on one side before switching sides, or you may alternate sides.
- For the duration of the exercise, press your body away from the surface/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart and move them away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulder blades or shoulders to elevate towards your ears.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heels. 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/flex your glutes on the planted side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps per side.
#2) Copenhagen Plank Lift-Offs
This exercise strengthens the adductors (inner thigh muscles), improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Many people do not give their adductors the strengthening attention this muscle group deserves!
Coaching Tips:
- Bend your knee of your upper leg to 90 degrees, and place your knee/lower leg on a box, bench, or other stable elevated surface.
- Get into a side plank position from your forearm and knee/lower leg.
- Your shoulder should be roughly above your elbow.
- 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 lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now use your adductors (inner thigh muscles) and press your body away from the surface and towards the ceiling.
- Pause for a count in the top position.
- Then use your adductors to control the movement as you lower your body towards the floor and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. This will likely be several inches max!
- For the duration of the exercise, pay attention to your supporting arm. Push away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.
- 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, 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.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side. If you add weight, do a warm-up set using bodyweight.
#3) Staggered Stance Hip Hinges + Posterior Band Resistance
This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles (hamstrings and glutes), and the muscles in the lower leg and foot.
If bodyweight feels comfortable you can add posterior band resistance. Be conservative with the resistance you select, and only progress when ready.
Adding the posterior band resistance can also be a great tool for learning how to hip hinge as this is something countless people struggle to learn!
Coaching Tips:
- Attach a band around a secure surface that is behind you, and loop the band around your hips. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Adopt a staggered stance. Figure out what stride length works and feels best for you. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- On the foot of the front/working leg, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor. Be on the forefoot of the back foot.
- Keep your arms rigid, and pretend you are crushing oranges in your armpits.
- 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 lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now take 1-2 seconds and hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.
- Don’t think about going as “low as possible.” MANY people make this mistake and instead “hinge” by rounding their back, collapsing their chest, squatting, or a combo. Instead think about moving backwards with your hips.
- When you are hinging, pretend you are “pulling” your body back/down with your posterior chain muscles. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- When you reach your full range, use your hamstrings and glutes and press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by using/squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee. Use as little assistance from the supporting leg as possible.
- 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 head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side. Do a warm-up set using bodyweight, and another using 25-50% of your working resistance (if you decide to use even more band resistance).
Build full body strength, mobility, and athleticism. For ‘’experienced’’ beginners to intermediates in terms of training experience and ability, and also coaches. Home workout friendly, and great for gym workouts!
#4) Hollow Body + Dumbbell Presses
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and to some extent upper body strength.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on your back on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Hold a weight in each hand. You may also use band resistance.
- Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, fully extend your knees, and point your feet away from you (plantarflex).
- Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your anterior core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- While keeping your body in a fixed position, extend your elbows and press the weights. In the top position, your wrists, elbows, and shoulders should be in a stacked position, and the weights should be over your armpits.
- In the top position (with how I’m coaching this variation), your shoulder blades should be protracted. As you are performing the press, think about moving your shoulder blades away from your spine and around your ribcage. Do not keep them pinned.
- Gain a moment of control in the top position, then take 1-2 seconds and lower the weights to the bottom/starting position with control. Pretend you are “rowing” the weights down versus letting your arms/the weights be pulled down.
- As you are lowering the weights, your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movement as it did during the pressing/concentric component, and should move in towards your spine (retract). Do not overdo this movement.
- In the bottom position, your forearms should remain vertical. Do not allow them to collapse in or fall out.
- In the bottom position, keep tension in your upper body. Do not relax! Your body and upper arms should resemble an “arrow,” not a “T”.
- Do not allow your upper arms to touch the floor.
- 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, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- 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.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps (of the presses).
#5) Banded Multidirectional Taps From Bear Crawl
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (on the side that is moving), and stability (on the side that is planted), and strengthens the serratus anterior muscle. The serratus anterior is a highly important muscle COUNTLESS people neglect!
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your wrists, and lightly press your wrists out against the band. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Get into a bear crawl position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place your thighs so they are in a vertical position, bend your knees, and keep them a few inches above the floor.
- Your shoulders should be roughly above your hands. Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning or screwing your hands and fingers to the floor.
- Before each rep (each tap), take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and squeeze/flex your glutes.
- Now perform controlled taps in multiple directions.
- Pay attention to your supporting side. Push away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug.
- 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, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to pike or collapse, or weight to shift from foot to foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, aside from your moving arm, the rest of your body should remain in a relatively fixed position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps per side. 1 rep = 1 tap.
Build full body strength, mobility, and athleticism. For intermediates to advanced in terms of training experience and ability, and also coaches. Home workout friendly, and great for gym workouts!
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