POSTERIOR CHAIN EXERCISES

In our Strength Training System, most exercises that are being considered for a specific program will be placed into one of three general movement categories. Posterior Chain Exercises is an additional category often overlooked. These strength training exercises target the muscles on the backside including the glutes, hamstrings, calves and lower back. Strength in this portion of the “Power Zone” is imperative

GLUTE / HAM EXERCISES

The Glute / Ham Bench is a very effective and popular piece of equipment to help the athlete train the Posterior Chain, and all the muscle groups involved, in a compound and synergistic fashion. Should you not have access to a Glute / Ham Bench, we include a “Nordic” version which only requires a Airex pad, long resistance mini band and a training partner, to hold your ankles.

Glute / Ham Raises: Negatives

To set up the Glute/Ham Bench correctly, begin from a Tall Kneeling position on the bench. Adjust the ankle support / foot plate so that, while you’re in the tall kneeling position with your feet flat on the foot plate, there is only an inch between your knees and the thigh pad. If you flex your calves, you should be able to press your knees into the thigh pad. A rookie mistake is setting foot plate too far away, allowing to slide away during the movement, or too close, which puts too much strain on the knee joint and is very uncomfortable

• Begin from the Tall Kneeling position.
• Cross your arms across your chest, or leave them by your sides
• Engage your glutes and anterior core to maintain a neutral spine posture. Slowly lean forward, bending only from the knees.
• With your feet, push your knees into the thigh pad
• Ideally you should lower torso until you’re straight in line with your legs, parallel to the floor. But it’s OK if you don’t get that far.
• You can either get help from a training partner, or like here, use a stack of plyo boxes to push off of and assist returning to starting position
• But concentrate mostly on the eccentric (lowering) portion of the exercise