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Click HERE for Consultation Section Training the BacksideThis article appears in the October issue of Natural Muscle Magazine By: Scott H. Mendelson CFT, SSC, SPN Would it be of value to you to use a training program that would improve your backside? Do you want the so-called buns of steel ladies? Athletes do you seek to run faster, jump higher and be more explosive? If so, read on and learn how to train the consistently neglected posterior chain, which is primarily composed of the glutes and hamstrings. The tendency to focus on the upper body mirror muscles is well documented. Trainees often times put the most work into the chest, shoulders and biceps so they can admire gains in the mirror. Over time many writers have pointed out the problems with over emphasizing certain upper body parts, but the posterior chain has not been well addressed. Lower body training traditionally features the quads and calves because they are mirror muscles and are relatively easy to work. The hamstrings and glutes present a mystery for most trainees who seek a solid backside to improve ascetics and performance. Below the mystery will be resolved and you will be equipped with a training program that will deliver results NOW! I have been lucky to work with a diverse group of clients over the years as a trainer ranging from the average Joe to elite athletes and bodybuilders. Trainees seeking to improve looks, performance or a combination of both have sought my help and often times I run into the same concerns. Women especially wish to focus on their "buns", which is a problem area for many women due to the lack of attention the area receives in terms of training and the abundance of certain fat receptor sites. Athletes enlist my services wanting to improve speed, vertical jump and explosiveness and upon a review of their training I quickly discover that the posterior chain has been trained inappropriately or neglected completely. Back HealthDr. Eric Serrano MD who sees thousands of athletes and average patients each year believes that proper training of the posterior chain is one of the keys to lower back health. Those who have trained the backside rarely run into the lower back problems encountered so frequently in our nation. The Posterior chain is the key to explosive athletic movements such as sprinting and jumping according to Powerlifting and athletic coach Louie Simmons of Westside barbell who sites the glutes and hams as the foundation for athletic function. The program below will enable you to improve muscle tone by increasing muscle tissue in specific areas. New lean tissue will contribute to a higher resting metabolic rate and contribute to fat reducing efforts. A reduction in body fat will take place if a proper nutrition and training plan are in place, but there is no such thing as spot fat reduction. Please contact me at scott@infinityfitness.com for questions about a proper nutrition and training plan. Women who fear gaining appreciable amounts of muscle should have no worries. It is highly unlikely that too much muscle will be added due to female genetic and hormonal realities. Athletes must emphasize the glutes and hamstrings when gaining functional muscle mass to promote balance by building a low center of gravity. Get Back Into BalanceTrainees who have overemphasized the quadriceps must pay special attention to the posterior chain to correct muscular imbalances, which increase the likelihood of injury. Aim to create balance in terms of strength and size between antagonistic muscle groups such as the quads and hamstrings for higher levels of performance and better health. Exercises such as seated and prone hamstring curls are a sub optimal way to utilize the hamstrings since these movements use the hamstring like a bicep muscle instead of a hip flexor. Furthermore traditional hamstring curls can make knee ligaments tight and potentate serious injuries. Exercises such as the glute ham raise work the hamstring at two insertion points and decrease the incidence of troublesome hamstring pulls. The Training RoutineWe will use lower rep ranges with these exercises because of the specific fast twitch muscle fiber dominance in these muscle groups. Research has proven that the hamstrings in particular respond best to lower rep ranges ie 6-8 as opposed to 12-15. Warm up: Do as many preparation sets as needed, especially when doing movements for the first time.
Exercise Sets Reps Rest Please email Scott SCOTT for pictures of the exercises above Power lifting stance Box Squat
Box squats for our purposes are a method of increasing glute and hamstring involvement during the squat. Act is if you are reaching back with your behind for an object and carefully sit on a "box". Sitting back will simultaneously lower the body into the parallel position. Ensure you are breaking parallel by adjust the box to one inch below parallel. A low bench or wood box will do, but make sure the object can support your body weight and load on the bar. Sometimes a bench is your only option if nothing else is around, but be creative and find or build something that will work for you, sometimes I use a stack of 45 lb plates. Mats or towels can be placed on top of the box to add height. Pause on the box for one second and accelerate out of the hole by initiating the movement from the glutes. Glute Ham Raises
Supine Ball Rolls
Band Unilateral Seated Leg Curls
Back Extensions
Please email Scott SCOTT with questions about consults and comments on the article LEGAL DISCLAIMER |
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