Strengthen These Often-Neglected Muscles for Optimal Movement
Isn't it a great feeling to check another successful workout off your list? The feeling you get from pushing yourself mentally while strengthening your body to work its absolute best. But exercise is more than doing squats and crunches; have you ever stopped to think about the other, frequently neglected, muscles that need as much - if not more - attention than the ones you may be focused on when working out on your own?
As active adults or athletes, it's quite easy to forget about the less noticeable but incredibly essential muscles that bolster your strength and form. Today, let's review these often-overlooked muscles, understand their importance, and learn some effective Muscle Activation Techniques (M.A.T.) exercises to add to your fitness regimen, ensuring you're building a balanced and powerful body.
After all, we believe exercise is the best medicine for an active lifestyle!
"Building a robust workout regimen involves more than focusing on the popular 'show-off' muscles such as abs, biceps, and glutes. It's about giving attention to the commonly forgotten muscles that, when strengthened, can significantly improve your overall athletic performance, and help people live an active lifestyle." Maurice Harden, M.A.T. Specialist and Kinesiology Doctoral Candidate
The Most Commonly Neglected Muscles in Workout Routines
Let’s move right to the point. These are some of the most common muscles and muscle groups that don't always get their due during your workout routine.
Hip Flexors: One group of muscles often overlooked in workout routines is the hip flexors. These muscles are crucial for movements involving the hip and knee, such as running or jumping. Neglecting them can lead to decreased mobility and potential injury.
Your Posterior Chain: Another commonly neglected muscle group is the posterior chain, which includes the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles. These muscles are vital for maintaining good posture and providing power for movements like lifting and sprinting. Strengthening these muscles can help prevent back pain and improve athletic performance.
Lower Legs: The muscles in the lower leg, particularly the soleus and gastrocnemius, are often neglected. These muscles are key for balance and propulsion in activities such as walking, running, and jumping. Neglecting these muscles can lead to issues like shin splints or calf strains. Since these muscle groups are so key to your movement, we'll come back to it later in the article.
Rotator Cuff Muscles: Located in the shoulder, these muscles are essential for stabilizing the shoulder joint and facilitating arm movements. Neglecting these muscles can lead to shoulder instability and increased risk of injuries.
Deep Core Musculature: The muscles of the core, particularly the transverse abdominis and the obliques, are often overlooked in favor of the more visible 'six-pack' muscles. However, these muscles are essential for stabilizing the spine, maintaining good posture, and generating power in many movements! Strengthening these muscles can lead to improved performance and reduced risk of back injury.
Signs of Muscle Imbalance
Progressive pain and edema, particularly surrounding the lower leg, could indicate severe muscle imbalance. Often, the pain escalates over extended periods or intensifies with elevated levels of activity. In more serious circumstances, muscle imbalances around the tibialis posterior can lead to Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) which is defined by chronic inflammation or tearing of the posterior tibial tendon.
One notable trait of PTTD is the foot starting to evaginate/turn out, resulting in complications such as stability issues and misalignment in the lower leg's biomechanics. Moreover, these muscle imbalances can induce posterior tibial syndrome, a condition often accompanied by flat feet or fallen arch complication, which in turn, might precipitate injuries such as plantar fasciitis. Heightened pain in tasks that were previously straightforward, such as standing, walking, or running, is a classic PTTD sign. (These are issues that M.A.T. Exercises can help with.)
Other notable signs of muscle imbalance include a burning sensation, numbness, or tingling in the foot. These symptoms start by lightly tapping nerves, triggering a sensation of tingling or 'pins and needles' along the path of the nerve. Weakness in the foot and other muscle imbalances can lead to an increased risk of conditions like Acute Compartment Syndrome (ACS) and Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (TTS), both are associated with muscle imbalances. Such disorders dramatically affect performance and can have serious health implications if left untreated.
What Are Some Muscle Activation Exercises for Balanced Muscles?
Exercise is not just about gaining strength or building an aesthetically pleasing physique—it’s also about maintaining our overall health and well-being, of which balance plays a crucial part. Just as you focus on the muscles that give you visible results, don't forget to work the muscles that keep you moving well.
One such muscle group found deep in the posterior portion of the leg, is the popliteus muscle. Strengthening this muscle helps in maintaining lower leg alignment and ensuring optimal knee function.
Another area often left out of workout regimens is the tibialis posterior. The tibialis posterior, found in the lower leg, is essential for maintaining stability and alignment of the lower leg. One exercise for strengthening this muscle is—heel raises.
Heel raises can be performed with minimal equipment, and they can be executed in a variety of positions. Whether standing, sitting, or even lying down, my clients like these exercises to help improve both strength and flexibility. As a bonus, it can improve foot arch control and work to prevent or treat conditions associated with muscle imbalances.
Here's How to Properly Do a Heel Raise Exercise: Stand near a table, chair, or wall for additional balance if needed. Start with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly rise on the balls of your feet, keeping your abdominal muscles pulled in so you move straight upward instead of leaning forward or backward. Lower yourself down, always in control of your movements. Repeat this exercise with varying sets and reps depending on your capacity.
The plantaris muscle, although small and often overlooked, is significant in helping the plantar flex the ankle. Applying a balanced strengthening workout approach that factors in even these frequently forgotten muscles can revolutionize your exercise and overall body movement.
Plantar Fasciitis Exercises: You're going to need a towel for these. For the Towel Stretch, sit on the floor with your legs extended and knees straight. From there, place a towel around your foot just under your toes. Grab each end of the towel with your hands, keeping them above your knees. Gently pull back with the towel so that your foot stretches toward you. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, repeat 2 to 4 times. You can do this stretch several times throughout your day.
To complete Towel Curls, from a seated position, place your foot on a towel on the floor and scrunch it toward you using your toes. Then, you will push it away from you using your toes. You can vary the sets and reps as needed, and to make this exercise more challenging you can place a weighted object, like a soup can or small weight, on the other end of the towel.
Evaluating and testing these muscles, such as the assessment of muscle strength and palpation of the tibialis posterior, is important in customizing the appropriate fitness regimen for strength and balance training. Remember to be intentional with your movements, they all play a vital part in how you move and live.
Reduce Muscle Imbalances with Muscle Activation Techniques
Now you know the importance of the often-overlooked muscle groups throughout your body. Maintaining balance and stability in your daily movements is important, let's take the next step together. After a comprehensive body and fitness assessment, we will create a plan of strengthening exercises to help you move your best!
When you’re ready to give all your muscles the attention they deserve, call Dynamic Fitness & Rehabilitation. We're flexible - with two convenient Tampa, FL locations and working with clients remotely. Plus, Maurice Harden has thoughtfully chosen holistic healthcare partners that help our shared clients feel their best outside of the gym too. We believe in building a balanced and stronger version of you! Contact us today.