The Posterior Chain Muscles (PCM) are a group of muscle, tendons and ligaments that consist of the lower back muscles, glutes, hamstring, and calves. They are especially important for having a strong back, good posture and a healthy full range of motion in your back, hip, knee, and foot/ankle joints. There have even been studies that have correlated increased mortality with the global loss of functions in these joints.
Classic strength training for these joints are lunges, squats, and deadlifts. However, of equal importantce, is to have flexibility while training these muscles to prevent injury. My favorite exercise for the posterior chain muscles is RDL’s. They work on the flexibility of the whole posterior chain while operating under load. There is a special term for this called eccentric loading (working) a muscle it is stretching. This can dramatically reduce the risk of injury, especially in the hamstrings.
Open the link below to see an excellent explanation and demonstration of this exercise.
Check with me on your next visit for further instructions or to have me observe.
