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Take your lower-body workout to new levels with Stronger Legs & Lower Body. Tim Bishop, one of the world's leading strength and conditioning experts, brings you the most effective exercises and programs for increasing strength, size, power, and definition.
Focusing on all lower-body muscle groups, especially those previously neglected by popular workouts, Stronger Legs & Lower Body features more than 90 exercises for both serious lifters and athletes, including detailed instructions for perfecting your technique and advanced variations to help you break through plateaus.
With 15 unique programs and ready-to-use workouts, detailed anatomical illustrations, exercise explanations and variations, and the latest advanced training methods, Stronger Legs & Lower Body is the comprehensive, hard-core guide you need in order to achieve the ultimate results!
Part 1 Training the Lower Body
Chapter 1: Lower-Body Anatomy
Chapter 2: Principles of Training
Chapter 3: Exercise Planning
Part 2 Lower-Body Exercises
Chapter 4: Gluteal Exercises
Chapter 5: Quadriceps Exercises
Chapter 6: Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
Chapter 7: Lower-Leg Exercises
Chapter 8: Explosive Multijoint Exercises
Part 3 Goal-Oriented Workouts
Chapter 9: Increasing Mass and Strength
Chapter 10: Boosting Power and Stamina
Chapter 11: Ready-Made Workouts
Tim Bishop owns and operates PerformFit, a sport performance and fitness facility, in Lutherville, Maryland. He also creates strength and conditioning programs for Ripken Baseball’s summer camps and clinics. Bishop served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Baltimore Orioles for 14 years. He also played professional baseball for the New York Yankees and, as a two-sport star, took part in the NFL training camp in St. Louis.
He has appeared on numerous television and radio stations to promote health and fitness and is a frequent contributor to Men’s Health, Maximum Fitness, and Men’s Fitness magazines. His training advice has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times, and the NSCA Journal. He has lectured on a variety of topics for the NSCA, M-F Athletics, the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society, and various colleges and universities. In addition, he is coauthor of the Power for SportsDVD (Human Kinetics, 2006).
Bishop has a bachelor’s degree in human movement and sport studies and a master’s degree in exercise science. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and a registered strength and conditioning coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
“Stronger Legs & Lower Body will show you an effective method of achieving strong and powerful legs. It is a must-read for anyone looking for a stronger, leaner, and more functional lower body.”
—B.J. Surhoff, Major League Baseball All-Star, 19-Year Major League Baseball Veteran"Finally! A strength training book that doesn't waste your time with pseudo-science and fad exercises. Stronger Legs andLower Body delivers all the information you need to develop a powerful, well-built lower body in a thorough, easy-to-read text.”
—Rich Fitter, Editor of Exercise for Men Only, Men’s Exercise, and Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Ready-Made Workouts
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up.
The following are common programs that may be used for various situations, such as when you are trying to develop strength, size, or endurance in a specific muscle or muscle group, or when time is short. You can use these ready-made workouts instead of your current program, or in addition to your current program, as a means of mixing things up. Feel free to make substitutions for specific exercises if you have an injury or if you simply do not like a particular movement. Use the specified number of sets and reps for each exercise as a guideline rather than an absolute prescription. Make sure you are warmed up properly before going into these routines. Do 1 or 2 sets of the first exercise in each program as a warm-up to make sure you are ready to dive right in at a fairly high intensity.
Troubleshooting Routines
Everyone has weak areas that need improvement. These troubleshooting routines address specific problem areas such as small quads, skinny calves, and flat glutes. You will also find routines that save time, allow you to work on cardiorespiratory training, and focus on strength development. By reviewing chapters 2 and 3, you can also design your own routines using these general guidelines to meet your specific goals. With the templates provided, along with your personal designs, the variations that can be created are almost endless.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing.
Proper Form and Technique
Throughout the exercise section of this book you will notice instructions that relate to posture, specific joint movements (such as extending, flexing, and descending), foot placement, tempo, and breathing. These aspects of strength training are often overlooked, but they have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a strength program and, more important, the risk of injury.
Posture and Joint Movements
Maintain good posture, especially in the spinal region, when you squat, lunge, or step. Keeping your back straight (not rounded), your shoulders drawn back, and your pelvis in a neutral position allow you to handle heavier resistances without compromising your spine. When you lunge or step, keep your knees at 90 degrees to prevent the knees from moving out over the toes. Keep your body weight evenly distributed throughout your feet or even slightly back toward your heels. The combination of limiting knee flexion to 90 degrees and keeping the weight distribution toward the heel takes the pressure off your patellar tendon and the knee joint itself.
Execute machine-based exercises correctly and carefully, too. Proper posture during a leg-press exercise is just as important as proper posture during a squat. Keep your back flat against the pad of the machine and drive the platform with your feet flat, keeping your weight toward the middle of your foot. Limiting the amount of flexion during a leg-extension exercise on a machine protects your tendons and joints just as keeping your knee at 90 degrees during a lunge exercise does.
Foot Placement
Foot placement is addressed in almost every lower-body exercise in this book because where you place your feet on the floor or on the machine will functionally change the exercise. Pay close attention to the width (distance apart) of your foot placement and the direction of the toes (pointed out, in, or straight ahead). Generally speaking, widening your stance and turning your feet outward place greater stress on the inner portion of the thigh. Turning the feet inward is usually performed on machine-based exercises only, such as those on a leg-extension machine, and places a greater emphasis on the outer portion of the thigh.
Tempo
Tempo refers to the pace at which you go through each movement in the exercise. How many times have you seen someone in a gym race through an exercise with his entire body rocking in order to generate enough momentum to move the weight? Racing through an exercise often compromises technique and increases the risk of injury. There are times when a faster pace is appropriate, such as when training for explosive power; however, for the most part, a slow, controlled movement is best.
An exercise has two actions or phases of movement: the concentric phase, or the shortening of the muscle (often referred to as the exertion portion of the exercise); and the eccentric phase, or the lengthening of the muscle (often referred to as the negative or resisting portion of the exercise). During a squat, for example, the eccentric phase occurs during the part of the movement when the hips, knees, and ankles are flexing and the weight is being lowered. The concentric phase occurs when the hips, knees, and ankles extend, pushing the weight back up to the starting position. The tempo is the rate at which you move during both the concentric and eccentric phases of the repetition. It's the speed of the movement.
Depending on your goals, it may be advantageous to favor a slightly quicker tempo or a slightly slower tempo. Generally, it is important to control the weight. A slow, controlled lift is usually the safest and most effective way to perform an exercise. A general rule would be to lower the weight (eccentric movement) at a pace of about 2 to 4 seconds and to lift or push the weight at a pace of about 1 to 3 seconds. The soreness you often feel from resistance training is usually the result of the negative, or eccentric, portion of the lift. While there are some lifting techniques that are ballistic in nature (for instance, power cleans) and require a very fast tempo, generally speaking, a controlled lift with good technique is best.
Breathing
Proper breathing is an important part of weight training. Often people hold their breath while lifting weights, mistakenly thinking that this gives them more power. Inhaling brings oxygen into the lungs and allows it to be transported throughout the body via blood cells. Exhaling rids the body of toxins such as carbon dioxide. Proper breathing during exercise oxygenates the working muscles, supplies them with nutrient-rich blood, and prevents the buildup of the waste products.
You have probably heard that you should breathe in during the concentric (shortening) phase of the lift and breathe out during the eccentric (lengthening) phase of the lift. Breathing out during the entire eccentric phase, however, is not the most effective procedure.
The proper way to breathe during a lifting exercise is to exhale during the work (push) phase and to inhale during the recovery (rest) phase. In the leg-press exercise, for example, inhale just before you exert force with your feet on the platform. As you exert the force and push the weight of the platform, exhale.
For healthy people with no heart or blood pressure conditions, a modified version of the Valsalva maneuver is a safe and effective way to lift heavy loads. This maneuver involves holding your breath against a closed windpipe and exerting pressure. This procedure was named for Valsalva, a 17th-century physician who studied the human ear and esophagus. Let's apply the modified Valsalva maneuver to the squat exercise. Once you have the bar on your back, expand your chest with your head and neck in a neutral position. Take a deep breath down into your belly and then begin to descend with the weight. Hold your breath through the bottom of your descent and then begin to breathe out after you push through the sticking point of the lift on the ascent. The intra-abdominal pressure that is built by holding in your breath helps support your spine while holding the heavy load. Note that if you have high blood pressure or any heart conditions, you should talk with your physician before attempting any weight-training program, and you should not use the modified Valsalva method.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.
Hamstring and Posterior Chain Exercises
The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect.
The hamstring muscles—the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris—are located on the posterior thigh. They are responsible for bending and flexing the knee, and they also assist with hip extension. The hamstring group is often overlooked and undertrained. When people think about developing bigger and stronger legs, they usually think about the quads first. The hamstrings are hard to see, which leads to an “out of sight, out of mind” effect. But the quads are naturally stronger than the hamstrings because of their size and weight-bearing responsibility, so it is important to train the hamstrings as much or even more than the quads. A lack of strength in the hamstrings compared with the strength in the quads not only can create a cosmetic and functional imbalance, but it can also result in an unstable knee joint and assorted lower-body injuries.
The term posterior chain refers to the series of muscles that include the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and even the calf muscles. Posterior chain exercises involve most, if not all, of these muscles in a chainlike manner. Athletes in sports that involve swinging, throwing, and lifting know that generating power in one area is not enough; the muscles must be strong enough to transfer it along the chain.
Posterior chain exercises also contribute to a strong core. A common assumption is that the term core applies only to the abdominal muscles, but the low back, glutes, and even the top of the hamstrings are all part of the core as well. This back side of the core must also be developed and maintained.
Strong and flexible hamstrings and posterior chain muscles are an important part of an injury-prevention strategy. The low back is one of the most commonly injured areas, often leading to lost work hours and high medical expenses. And in the world of sports, athletes are routinely sidelined by hamstring injuries. Performing hamstring and posterior chain exercises can help you avoid becoming one of these statistics.
As with the quads and glutes, you can train the hamstring group and the posterior chain muscles by using compound movements such as deadlifts or isolation movements such as leg curls. You will see the best strength gains in this region of the body from using a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
Read more from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop.