Posterior Chain by George
The importance of having a strong posterior chain
Firstly, what is your Posterior Chain?
The muscles it consists of are:
Glutes
Hamstrings
Erector Spinae
Multifidus (spine support)
Gastrocnemius/soleus (calves)
External Obliques
Trapezius
Rear Deltoids
Looking at all those muscles just have a think about the amount of movements and focus that rely on these muscles to be functioning well.
Quite commonly the focus on the posterior chain is not the same as the Anterior (front) of the body.
Having a strong posterior chain is crucial for performing at your best and the way you move in general. It contributes to your jumping power, pushing, pulling, running, even things like getting down and up from a chair or the ground.
Seeing the importance of the posterior chain makes it clear that it is the prime mover of your body.
Unfortunately for the majority of people making sure their posterior chain is strong and balanced can be at times tricky –
Firstly for the fact of everyday activities such as sitting at work all day on your bum, which will lead to being quad dominant and losing the glutes as a primary mover and that mind to muscle connection.
Secondly through the incorrect programming of your workouts focusing primarily on the anterior (front) of the body you can see – AKA Beach Muscles.
As time goes on and your focus relies more on the anterior part of the body, e.g.. Quads more than Hamstrings/Glutes you will notice a big loss in power and explosiveness. Glutes/Hamstrings are your power muscles. The fast twitch muscles that provide you with the staying explosive and powerful. Im not saying the quads are not important. Im just saying the balance is needed for your body to perform at its best. The quads for instance are especially important when it comes to squatting or other movements as when they are contracted they cause knee extension (allowing your body to move down and up being one example).
Realising how important it is to include a balance between the posterior and anterior chains of the body and putting them into practice will not only keep your body performing at its best but burn more calories naturally.
The more muscle you have the more calories you burn!
Some big movement exercises that keep your posterior chain strong include:
Deadlifts
Squats
Barbell Hip Thrusts
Romanian Deadlifts
Glute/Ham Raise
Lunges
Some other exercises to also include that work the posterior chain include:
Lying hamstring curl – single and double leg
Back Extension
lying pelvic lifts – single and double leg
Single leg romanian deadlift
swiss hamstring curls
eccentric hamstring curl
Making sure you keep your body in balance with correct programming will ensure your body stays and looks strong and prevent your body from imbalances that can potentially lead to poor posture and injuries down the track.
For more information on correct programming or wanting to get your body feeling and looking great contact me at [email protected]