Earned Runs
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Request Bibs/Contact
  • GEAR LOVE
  • FAQ
  • Starter Checklist
  • RESOURCES*
  • Oh the Places You'll Go!
  • Generosity
  • THE HONOR SERIES
  • BONE STRENGTH FOR ATHLETES
  • About

FOCUSED STRENGTH WORKOUT: THE POSTERIOR CHAIN; "TRAIN THE CHAIN"

2/13/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Love lacing up. Taken by PKSenagore February 2016. All rights reserved.
Elizabeth Kovar begins her ACEfitness.org article “The Posterior Chain Workout”, by defining the “anatomical term, ‘posterior’” and then the phase “posterior chain.” Simply put, the chain is the functionally interconnected muscles of the “backside of the body, specifically the low back, gluteal muscle, hamstrings, and calf muscles.”
 
It is important Kovar says, to not just strengthen each muscle in isolation, but to “train the chain” with exercises that contract and lengthen them in a “chain-like manner”. Why? Because Kovar indicates, the chain is important for “athletic movements that require strength, flexibility and fluidity to properly Jump, rotate, lift or land.”
 
Yes, but runners and walkers may mostly move forward, you might be thinking.   However, in moving forward we use these muscles to balance the work performed by the hip flexors and quadriceps muscles, the anterior muscle of the legs, to protect knees from injury.  Developing a  strong posterior chain also improves our ability of the core to maintain an upright posture in endurance events like long distance races, and prevent lower back pain.
 
Those training for the Earned Runs Half marathon with ‘Saints Days’ can consider this set of complex movement exercises as helping with lower body strength and core.
 
The demonstrated exercises include:
  • Loaded squats
  • Forward diagonal lunges
  • Deadlifts
  • Stability ball hamstring curls
  • Planks rows
  • Single-leg glute bridges
 
Think about performing only the single-leg glute bridges to break into posterior chain strengthening if the others don’t interest you.  Just that one exercise will help you start to “train the chain”
 
RUN & MOVE HAPPY!
 
NOTE: If unable to access barbells and dumbbells for the moves that require weights, the glute bridges are a great way to start working on the posterior chain.  If a stability ball isn’t in easy reach, place feet on a chair instead of the ball, and lift hips (like in performing a glute bridge) and hold for 3 seconds. 
 
A stability ball is a relatively inexpensive but versatile piece of gym equipment; it’s worth owning one for doing upper and lower body exercises and core work. Most balls come with a set of exercise instructions. 
 
https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/expert-articles/5012/the-posterior-chain-workout
 
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2017/07000/Posterior_Chain_Exercises_for_Prevention_and.13.aspx
 
https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/benefits-posterior-chain-exercise-18287.html

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    BRIDGE TO PHYSICAL SELF
    Running, walking, and fitness activities enable us to experience our physical selves in a world mostly accessed through use of fingers on a mobile device.
    Picture
    Finished my first 50K challenge, a virtual but real effort April 6, 2021. Qualifies me as an ultra-marathoner! All rights reserved.

    Author

    EARNED RUNS is edited and authored by me, runner and founder.  I began participating in road races before 5Ks were common. I've been a dietitian, practiced and taught clinical pathology, and been involved with research that utilized pathology.  I am fascinated with understanding the origins of disease as well as health.

    Archives

    September 2021
    August 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

    Categories

    All
    Greeting
    Image Only

    RSS Feed

    New! Search Box

    Earned Runs is now searchable! Check it out...
EARNED RUNS LLC                                                                                                                                                                                                    Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Request Bibs/Contact
  • GEAR LOVE
  • FAQ
  • Starter Checklist
  • RESOURCES*
  • Oh the Places You'll Go!
  • Generosity
  • THE HONOR SERIES
  • BONE STRENGTH FOR ATHLETES
  • About