- 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.
According to Cat Kom, CEO and founder of Studio SWEAT onDemand, most people tend to neglect the important muscle groups of the lower back, back, and abs that provide stability.
Adding exercises that target underrated muscles like the abductors, adductors, longissimus and traverse abs can make your workout more effective and prevent injury, 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, glutes workouts are popular, but often don’t 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 hip joints, she recommends the curtsy lunge, where you step one leg behind the other while bending your knees. She can also do clamshells. Lie on your side, stack your knees, and then lift your top knee toward the ceiling (optional resistance bands make it even more challenging).
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 the sumo squat, where your stance is wide and your feet are turned out to help target your 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
Core exercises are popular, but they often don’t do enough for the transversus abdominis, the “deep abs” that help provide core stability and strength, and focus too much on the top layer of muscle.
She recommends moves like bicycle crunches and Pilates rollups. In these movements, she lies on her back, places her arms over her head, and slowly curls her body into a seated position, clenching her core (and placing her hands on her toes). stretch).
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
A strong back is important to prevent injury and provide stability, but it’s 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, lift your legs back and 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 favorite exercises, the deadlift strengthens your back and works your core, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back at the same time, giving you a big impact on your whole body.
“You can take it heavy and actually see some big gains,” she said.
Be sure to warm up properly and use proper form with all exercises to prevent injury.
