What are the most neglected muscles and how to train them

In strength training, amateurs often swing muscles that are clearly visible to show off the relief.

Athletes reinforce what will help them perform well in competition. Beginners just do everything, mostly basic movements or exercises that have been seen on the Internet.

And almost everyone overlooks muscle groups that may not affect appearance so much, but still help maintain health and reduce the risk of injury.

1. Rotator cuff

Popular shoulder exercises, such as front dumbbell curls, straight or bent-over extensions, pump the deltoids. Since these muscles are superficial and easily visible under the skin, it is not difficult to track progress.

At the same time, the health of the shoulders largely depends on the muscle group of the rotator cuff: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and lesser circular.

Thanks to them, a very mobile joint becomesM. M. Reinold, L. C. Macrina, K. E. Wilk. Electromyographic Analysis of the Supraspinatus and Deltoid Muscles During 3 Common Rehabilitation Exercises / Journal of athletic training

stable, the bone stays in place, and you can hold heavy objects over your head and do tricks on the horizontal bar.

The weakness of these muscles, especially the supraspinatus, increasesC. Kwan, M. Ko, S. Fu. Are muscle weakness and stiffness risk factors of the development of rotator cuff tendinopathy in overhead athletes: a systematic review / Therapeutic advances in chronic disease risk of getting trauma while playing sports. At the same time, regular shoulder exercises like dumbbell spreads don't really pump the rotator cuff.

How to strengthen these muscles

Include these exercises in your program at least twice a week. You can do them separately from the main workout, for example, include them in your morning exercises.

Full bank

According to researchM. M. Reinold, L. C. Macrina, K. E. Wilk. Electromyographic Analysis of the Supraspinatus and Deltoid Muscles During 3 Common Rehabilitation Exercises / Journal of athletic training, these exercises perfectly load the supraspinatus muscle and at the same time do not strongly affect the deltoid.

Take your lungs dumbbells for 1 kg or pancakes weighing 1.25 kg, lower your shoulders and bring your shoulder blades together. Raise the shells to the level of the collarbones, swinging your hands with your thumbs to the ceiling, as if holding two open cans of soda.

It is important that the hands do not rise clearly to the sides, but go out slightly forward. At the same time, the shoulders should remain lowered, and the shoulder blades should be brought together. Return the dumbbells to their original position along the same path and repeat again. Do 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps.

Abduction of the hand lying down

This exercise will helpM. M. Reinold, K. E. Wilk, G. S. Fleisig. Electromyographic analysis of the rotator cuff and deltoid musculature during common shoulder external rotation exercises / The Journal of orthopedic and sports physical therapy pump the infraspinatus and small round muscles.

Lie on your side, roll a small towel into a roller and squeeze your upper arms under the armpit. This will help increase shoulder stability during movement and increase the stress on the muscles.

Take a 1 kg light dumbbell or a 1.25 kg pancake. Even half-liter bottles of water will do for a start. Press your shoulder to your side, bring your shoulder blades together, bend your arm at the elbow at a right angle.

Expand shoulder outward, raising your forearm to the ceiling, bring your hand back and repeat. Move in a range that doesn't cause pain. Do 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps on each arm.

Abduction of the hand with an expander

This movement was used 1. R. Kinsella, S. M. Cowan, L. Watson. A comparison of isometric, isotonic concentric and isotonic eccentric exercises in the physiotherapy management of subacromial pain syndrome / rotator cuff tendinopathy: study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial / Pilot and Feasibility Studies
2. E. P. Mulligan, M. Huang, T. Dickson. The effect of axioscapular and rotator cuff exercise training sequence in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome: a randomized crossover trial / International journal of sports physical therapy to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles in two rehabilitation programs.

Hook the expander to the stand at waist level, grab the loop with your right hand and step back slightly, stretching the elastic. Turn to the rack with your left side, bend your right arm at the elbow at a right angle and press your shoulder to your side. Turn the brush with the back side out.

Overcome the resistance of the elastic band, move your forearm outward, keeping the shoulder and body still. Hold the position for a second, bring your hand back and repeat again. Perform three sets of 10-12 times with each hand.

Bringing hands with expander

Hook the expander onto the rack, as in the previous exercise, grab the loop with your right hand and turn your right side. Bend your right arm at the elbow at a right angle, turn the hand with the back to the support and your thumb toward the ceiling.

Keeping your shoulder in place, strain your arm, trying to bring your forearm to your stomach. Perform three sets of 10-12 times with each hand.

2. Middle gluteal muscles

Since the gluteus medius muscles are located under the large ones and do not particularly affect the shape of the priests, people do not often think about them. pumping. And in vain.

During walking, running and other movements, where you lift one leg and stay on the other, the middle gluteal muscles holdStrengthening Exercise Program for Low Back Pain Relief / Spine-health pelvis from tilting to the side. And their weakness spoils the gait.

The pelvis deviates to one side, the lower back to the other, the knees curl inward. All this can eventually cause 1. Sean Sadler, corresponding author Samuel Cassidy, Benjamin Peterson. Gluteus medius muscle function in people with and without low back pain: a systematic review / BMC Musculoskelet Disorders
2. Michael P Reiman, Lori A Bolgla, Janice K Loudon. A literature review of studies evaluating gluteus maximus and gluteus medius activation during rehabilitation exercises / Physiotherapy theory and practice back pain, problems with knee and hip joints.

How to strengthen these muscles

Since the movements below do not require equipment, you can include them on your leg day. Or perform at home separately from power loads.

Side bar 

This oneR. A. Ekstrom, R. A. Donatelli, K. C. Carp. Electromyographic analysis of core trunk, hip, and thigh muscles during 9 rehabilitation exercises / The Journal of orthopedic and sports physical therapy of the best movements for pumping the gluteus medius muscles. Lie on your side, straighten your legs and lay one on top of the other. Leaning on your feet and forearm, lift your pelvis off the floor and stretch your body in one straight line.

Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds, then rest and repeat on the other side. Do 3 sets on each side. And to further load the gluteus medius muscles, useK. Boren, C. Conrey, J. L. Coguic. Electromyographic analysis of gluteus medius and gluteus maximus during rehabilitation exercises / International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy Star plank option.

Take a standing position on your forearm, check the alignment of the body. Raise the leg located on top for two counts (seconds), gently lower it at the same time and repeat again.

Perform 6-7 lifts, turn on the other side and repeat. Do three sets on each leg.

Squats on one leg

Stand with your back to a chair or bench about 40-50 cm high. Place your hands on your belt or fold in front of your chest. Raise one straight leg just off the floor.

Keeping your back straight, pull your pelvis back a little and sit down on one leg until your buttocks touch the bench. Climb back up and repeat. Do 3 sets of 10-15 times on each leg.

When this is easy to do, lower the support height and try squat gun on the dais. Stand on the edge of a stable support on one leg, and keep the other suspended. Sit down as low as you can, straighten up and repeat.

Do 3 sets of 6-8 reps on each leg.

Abduction of the leg lying on the side

This exercise was used in a study.K. Boren, C. Conrey, J. L. Coguic. Electromyographic analysis of gluteus medius and gluteus maximus during rehabilitation exercises / International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy as a variation of the usual "oyster" - raising the legs on the side. And they achieved impressive activation of the gluteus medius muscles.

Lie on your side with your hand under your head. Bend your bottom leg at a right angle at the hip and knee joints. Straighten your upper leg at the hip joint and lift it, bending at the knee - this is the starting position.

Keeping the thigh in weight, rotate it inward, trying to direct the lower leg and foot towards the ceiling. Return to the position with the thigh and lower leg in line and repeat. Make sure that the lower back does not bend - maintain a neutral back position.

Perform 3 sets of 15 times on each leg. When this is not enough, try putting a weight on your working leg.

3. Adductor muscles

If you are involved in jogging, soccer, hockey, or any other sport that involves fast movement with abrupt changes in position, strong adductors will help. 1. R. Rodriguez. Measuring the Hip Adductor to Abductor Strength Ratio in Ice Hockey and Soccer Players: A Critically Appraised Topic / Journal of sport rehabilitation
2. G. Markovic, N. Šarabon, J. Pausic. Adductor Muscles Strength and Strength Asymmetry as Risk Factors for Groin Injuries among Professional Soccer Players: A Prospective Study / International journal of environmental research and public health avoid injury to the groin area.

In addition, the muscles on the inner thigh help maintain correct posture. knees while squatting with a barbell on your back. When lifting from the lowest point, the adductor magnus is responsible for extension in the hip joint. If it is weak, the knees will curl inward, which will ruin the exercise technique and can damage the joints.

How to strengthen these muscles

Incorporate these movements into your program on your lower body day. You can do one each week and alternate between them.

Copenhagen side plank

According to researchA. Serner, M. D. Jakobsen, L. L. Andersen. EMG evaluation of hip adduction exercises for soccer players: implications for exercise selection in prevention and treatment of groin injuries / British journal of sports medicine, this exercise is one of the best for pumping the adductor muscles.

To do this, you will need a bench or other solid support. You can also perform a bar-supported movement on stands if you are exercising in the gym.

Stand on the side plank on your forearm, place your ankle on top of your foot on your chosen support. Straighten the other leg and press it to the top from below. Smoothly lower it down until it touches the floor, and then return it back and repeat again.

To make the movement more difficult, place your foot on something high, such as a barbell bar on racks, set at waist level.

For simplicity, use knee support instead of foot support.

Bringing the legs with an expander

Hook the expander onto a rack and loop it over your right leg. Step back, stretching the elastic, turn your right side to the support and lift your straight leg to the side - this is the starting position.

Overcoming the resistance of the elastic band, bring the thigh of the working leg to the supporting leg, and then roll it forward and crosswise, increasing the range of work. Return to starting position and repeat again.

Try not to swing the body so that the gluteus medius muscles do not take the load away from the adductors. Do three sets of 12-15 reps on each leg.

4. Muscles of the forearms

Typically, in strength training, people do exercises for large muscle groups, and the forearms are left unattended. At the same time, the latter not only largely determine how your hands will look, but are also responsible for the strength of the grip.

Weak forearms will limit the number of repetitions in pull-ups and leg raises. horizontal bar on the press, will not allow you to perform deadlifts with large weights or other movements with a barbell.

Moreover, a strong grip will surely come in handy in everyday life: it will help you carry heavy bags home or unscrew the stubborn lid on the jar.

How to strengthen these muscles

Perform one movement per grip strength at the end of each workout. Alternate wrist flexion and extension exercises to evenly pump both the outside and inside of the arm.

Lifting the bar with a straight grip

This movement is aimed at pumping the brachioradialis muscle, located on the outside of the forearm.

Take a curved barbell with a straight open grip with your palms facing down and your thumbs on the bar next to your indexes. Bend and unbend your elbows, raising the bar to the level of the collarbones and lowering it back.

Do 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps. Pick up the weight so as to load your arms well, but complete the approach without swinging the body.

Holding the bar on towels

Place the bar on a power rack, wrap two towels around it, shoulder-width apart, and grab them. Tear off barbell from the support and hold it in straight hands, squeezing the towels with all your might. Pick up the weight so as to hold out for 30-40 seconds. Do 2-3 sets of holds. Gradually increase the weight on the barbell.

Holding the pancakes off the bar

Grab the pancake from the bar with your fingers and hold it as long as possible. It is better to start with light 2.5 kg shells. When you can hold such for about 30 seconds, increase the weight to 5 or more kilograms. Perform 3-5 sets of 30 seconds hold.

Farmer's Walking

One of the simplest and most functional movements, exactly imitating the transfer of heavy objects in the hands. Take a dumbbell or weight in each hand and carry them around the hall.

Define a 10–20 meter segment and complete three passes, resting 60–90 seconds in between.

Dumbbell curl

Sit next to a bench or wooden box for jumping, rest your forearm and elbow on a support, and leave your hand hanging. Take a dumbbell, turn your hand palm up and straighten the hand at the wrist joint, lowering the projectile onto your fingers, like on a hook.

Then squeeze the dumbbell and bend your arm without lifting your forearm and elbow from the support. Return the projectile to its original position and repeat. Perform 2-3 sets of 15-20 times with both hands.

Dumbbell Extension

Press your forearm against the support, take a light dumbbell, turn the hand over with the back side up and bend your arm at the wrist joint - this is the starting position. Extend your wrist and return it back. Perform 2-3 sets of 15-20 times.