- Personal trainers say most gym-goers neglect important muscles in the hips, back, and core.
- Hip abductors and adductors, deep core, and spinal support muscles are key to stability.
- Strengthening underrepresented and weak muscles can help prevent injuries and improve training results.
According to personal trainers, whether you’re a workout novice or a seasoned gym rat, you’re likely missing out on stability and strength gains by ignoring key muscles in your legs and core.
Most people tend to neglect the important muscle groups of the hips, back and abs that are important for providing stability. Studio SWEAT on demand.
Adding exercises that target underrated muscles like the abductors, adductors, longissimus and traverse abs can make your workout more effective and prevent injuries, Kom told Insider. .
“People aren’t doing them themselves, so I try to incorporate those exercises.
Hip muscles, such as the abductors and adductors, balance the lower body
According to Comm, one of the most underrated muscle groups overall is the hip, but men and women tend to have different weaknesses in this area.
for women, gluteus maximus training Although popular, it often does not include the hip abductors and gluteus medius, or the “lateral buttocks” on the outside of the leg.
“It’s easy to forget to train those little muscles in your lower back to support your overall rounded lower and upper body,” Kom said.
To target the outer hips, she recommends kurtz lunge, bend your knees and step one foot behind the other. You can also do a clamshell.Lie on your side, bring your knees together, and then lift your top knee toward the ceiling (optional resistance band for an extra challenge).
In contrast, men tend to overlook inner thigh exercises, or the adductor muscles that help stabilize the lower body and are essential for hip mobility.
A variation of the squat called sumo squata wide stance and feet pointing outward help target the adductor muscles.
“It’s rare to see men comfortably doing sumo squats, but they definitely should,” Kom said.
Don’t forget your deep muscles with ab workouts
in the meantime core exercises According to Kom, people often focus too much on the top layer of muscle and not enough on the transversus abdominis, the “deep abdominal muscles” that help provide core stability and strength.
She recommends moves like bicycle crunch Pilates roll-ups involve lying on your back, placing your arms above your head and slowly curling yourself up into a seated position (then reaching for your toes). pull in the core.
Both attack every muscle in your abs, and the more you slow down and control your movements, the more benefits you get.
“Simply slowing down can double the effect and increase your chances of avoiding injury,” she said.
Work your back muscles to support your core
To prevent injury and provide stability, strong back is important and often overlooked, says Kom.
“You may be working the ‘core’ abs of your body forward, but losing the same spot on the other side of your body,” she said.
The “Superman” exercise is a great way to tone your back, including the erector spinae muscles that support your spine. The erector spinae is made up of three muscles called the longissimus, spinalis, and iliocostalis. This exercise also targets your glutes and abs.
Lie on your stomach and lift your legs back as you lift your chest and arms off the floor to form a “Y” shape, hold the position for a few seconds, then repeat. He does 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions is a good starting point.
Kom recommends turning your hands so that your palms face inward toward each other to take pressure off the shoulder joint, as opposed to traditionally with your palms facing the ground.
One of Kom’s all-time favorite exercises is deadliftIt also strengthens your back and works your core, glutes, hamstrings and lower back at the same time, providing great benefits for your whole body.
“You can take it heavy and actually see some big gains,” she said.
surely warm up Use proper form with all exercises to prevent injury.
