If you’ve spent a lot of time at the gym — or taken online fitness classes at home — you’ve probably heard a trainer refer to the “posterior chain” as if it were the plans of the death Star.
This is perhaps not an overstatement of the importance of this muscle supergroup, which is involved in the majority of human movement.
But very few users really understand what it is, why it matters, and how to boost it.
Let’s change that, shall we?
What is the posterior chain?
The posterior chain refers to all of the muscles that make up the back of your body, ranging from your heels to the base of your skull, explains the St. Louis-based strength trainer. Kourtney ThomasCSCS.
Although it includes many small muscles that you’ve probably never heard of, the major posterior chain muscles should look familiar.
Glutes
You can think of your glutes as the powerhouse of your body.
They are the largest muscle group in the human body and are primarily involved in hip extension (pushing the hips forward) and abduction (raising the legs sideways).
They also help stabilize your pelvis and control sideways movement.
Hamstrings
Connecting your knees and hips, this large muscle group at the back of your thighs is responsible for flexing your knee and extending your hips.
Calves
Comprised of two muscles – the gastrocnemius and soleus – the calf muscle connects the ankle and the knee and governs plantar flexion (think: pointing your toes).
slats
The largest muscles in your upper body, the latissimus dorsi are your “wings” and extend from your pelvis and spine to your humerus (upper arm bone).
They are extremely important for posture and most pulling movements.
spinal erectors
Running along your spine, the spinal erectors help extend (arch) your back. They also work to stabilize your spine, promoting healthy posture and reducing the risk of spinal injury.
Upper back
This is a catch-all term for the rhomboids, scapular muscles, trapezius, etc. They are essential to shoulder function and postural alignment, and often work in tandem with the lats.
Why is the posterior chain important?
There are few movements you can do in life that don’t involve at least one posterior chain muscle.
When it’s not busy extending your hips during jumps or pulling your arms back during rows (the two main moves people associate with the posterior chain), it supports your chest as you push, stabilizes your spine when standing and prevents you from curling up into a ball when sitting in a chair, says Janet Hamilton, CSCS, exercise physiologist with Run hard in Atlanta.
And as the term “chain” suggests, they are all linked.
“Muscles work as members of a team,” she says. “Almost every muscle in the human body passes through more than one joint, so there are multiple muscle interactions at each joint.”
This creates an interconnected chain of muscles that constantly work together to create different movement patterns.
Interestingly, the movement patterns enabled by the posterior chain work in opposition to – by balancing – the anterior chain or the muscles in the front of the body.
However, in today’s office culture, the muscles in the posterior chain are often not strong enough to defend themselves against their anterior counterparts, pulling the spine forward, creating pain in the top and back. lower back and even limiting shoulder mobility.
“Neglecting the back of the body can lead to wonky imbalances and weaknesses in important muscles and muscle groups,” says Thomas.
What exercises to do for the posterior chain?
Performing dedicated posterior chain workouts and exercises is essential for overall health, with Thomas recommending that you perform at least two upper body (posterior) pull exercises for every upper body push exercise ( earlier) that you make.
While most lower body exercises work both the posterior and anterior chains of the body, adding extra work to the glutes and hamstrings with posterior chain exercises like hip thrusts and deadlifts can help you give the lower links of your posterior chain the love they deserve.
1. Squats
Squats work both the posterior chain and the anterior chain to a high degree.
2. Deadlifts
Arguably the most comprehensive posterior chain exercise of all time, the deadlift movement pattern trains the hamstrings and glutes to an incredibly high degree. They will also help strengthen your shoulders, upper back, and core (which extends all the way around your torso).
3. Hip extensions
Hip extension-based exercises like the hip thrust are the best posterior chain exercises when you really want to focus on your butt to build glute size, shape, and strength.
4. Slots
Similar to squats, lunge variations will work both the posterior and anterior sides of your body. However, stepping back, keeping your weight in the heel of your flat foot, and even leaning forward slightly can increase the stake on your posterior chain.
5. Rows
All pulling exercises focus on the back muscles. However, the exact way you shoot changes the accent.
Horizontal pull exercises like bent rows, resistance band rows, and reverse flies emphasize the middle and upper back.
Meanwhile, vertical pull-up exercises such as pull-ups and chin-ups place even more emphasis on the lats.
