Working The Posterior Chain Muscles
I’ve suffered from hip flexor strains throughout the years, primarily due to poor flexibility and a weak core. These injuries peaked my interest in developing my posterior chain muscles and lead me down the path to becoming a Core Conditioning Specialist.
The posterior chain musculature includes the hamstring, gluteus, and lower back muscle groups. Working these muscles will decrease hamstring, hip flexor, knee and lower back injuries.
Deadlifts, Good Mornings and Reverse Hypers are all excellent exercises for working the posterior chain muscles. One of my favorite exercises for working this muscle group however is the Pull Through.
Here’s a video of Turbulence Training Founder, Craig Ballantyne, performing this often passed over exercise:
Being that Catapult Fitness Blog is all about the ability to get a kick-butt (literally in this case!) workout at home, I wanted to be certain to provide at-home workout enthusiasts with an alternative exercise that will reap the same benefits as the Pull Through. In this case, that option is the 2-Arm Kettlebell Swing, as seen here being performed by Kettlebell Workout.com founder, Chris Lopez:
A few people have asked me how to choose the right starting kettlebell weight. I know that there are some web sites that will specify a starting kettlebell weight, but I don’t feel that is prudent advice as this is a rather subjective topic.
First and foremost, choose a weight that you’re comfortable with and that you can control. Remember, you’re going to be swinging the kettlebell and for many exercises the kettlebell will be above your head. No dropping allowed!
My recommendation is to go to a local gym or sporting good store that sells kettlebells and give them a try. Purchase the correct weight for you. Remember, it’s better to start off at a lower weight and avoid injury!
Train hard; stay strong.
Peace.
Susan
Try working with a yoga block under your sacrum, keeping knees bent and thigh bone right over the hip socket. Place your fingers in the hip socket and you feel how you can dis-engage the flexors, then lengthen one leg down and out, but don't touch the floor. Make sure to keep the bottom tip of shoulder blades on the ground, as well as the back of the ribs. This will strengthen your hip flexors in a way that makes them long, while tightening the core in a 360degree relationship to the spine.
Check out my blog, christi-idavoy.blogspots.com
Good Luck!
Thanks Christi … Great feedback and I loved your article on Movement and the Aging Process (http://christi-idavoy.blogspot.com/2009/09/movement-and-aging-process.html)
Susan