One of my clients asked me this question today:  “I put down below what I’ve been doing recently and was wondering if I’m doing sufficient work on the posterior chain.”

Here is his list of exercises:

  • Wheel Roll Out
  • Anti Rotation Planks
  • Bird Dog
  • Bulgarian Split Squat
  • Deadbug with Physio Ball
  • Glute Bridge
  • Reverse Lunge
  • Hip Flexor Stretch (Knee hug on back) – with core activation
  • Knee Hug, Calf Raise, Warrior Lunge Walk
  • Rotating Plank (lifting one arm up and then into a side plank)

The posterior chain, or PC for short, is composed of normally three muscle groups:

1. Paraspinals which line your spine
2. Gluteals
3. Hamstrings 

These muscles are considered the PC because they are on the back side of the body.  Some coaches include any muscle you can’t see as part of the PC (e.g. upper back and calves); however, normally, only these three muscle groups are considered part of the PC.  Therefore, any exercise that utilizes and strengthens these muscles would be a PC exercise.  
Makes sense right?

Typically, runners have overdeveloped quadriceps and hamstrings, but more importantly is the strength ratio between the hamstrings and the gluteus maximus.

Runner’s need to have a strong posterior chain because that is where a lot of the power comes from seen in the running stride.  Typically, runners have overdeveloped quadriceps and hamstrings, but more importantly is the strength ratio between the hamstrings and the gluteus maximus.  The big glute max should be the power house of hip extension, but most of the time, the hamstrings like to crash the party and take over.  This can be problematic for a runner.  This muscle imbalance can lead to long term issues with the hamstrings, hips and knees.  Runners need to improve the strength and recruitment of their posterior chain to:

  • improve power output (improve running performance and top end speed)
  • improve gluteus maximus strength relative to hamstrings (injury prevention)
  • improve tissue resiliency to overuse injuries

Well, lets go through the list of exercises above and see what their individual focus is.

Wheel Roll Out – Core stability (anti extension); target muscles anterior core; NOT PC specific.

Anti Rotation Planks – Core stability; target muscles entire core; paraspinals are involved but not PC specific.

Bird Dog – Core stability; target muscles abdominals, paraspinals and gluteals.

The paraspinals are activated to maintain a neutral spine.  This is one of Professor Stuart McGill’s favorite core stability exercises.  He’s the man who wants to kill crunches.  Anyway, the gluteals are also activated to maintain an extended hip to hold the leg straight out.  This exercise however is still not PC specific enough.  The main focus of this exercise is core stability.  Also, it can only be progressed and loaded so much that it will not develop strength in the PC as other exercises can.  These exercises will be discussed a little later…

Bulgarian Split Squat – also known as a rear foot elevated split squat or RFESS; target muscles quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals

This exercise is one of my favorites for developing lower leg strength and pelvic stability.  Because this exercise is performed on one leg, the stance leg’s hip has to stabilize the entire body.  This muscle does not get strengthened with running alone and is associated with knee injuries and IT Band Syndrome.  (This muscle I’m referring to is the gluteus medius by the way).  Anyway, like I said, this exercise is great and can be progressed by adding more weight or holding the weight in different positions.  For example, a weight can be held in each hand like a suitcase or a barbell can be placed on the upper back.  To increase difficulty, a heavy kettlebell can be held in the front racked position or even over head.  However, after saying all that, this exercise is still not as PC specific as others.

Deadbug with Physio Ball – Core stability; target muscles entire core; NOT CP specific.

Glute Bridge – WINNER; CP specific; target muscles gluteals, hamstrings and paraspinals.

This exercise is considered PC specific because it utilizes the posterior chain to work together to perform the exercise.  Essentially, by lifting the hips, they are moving from a flexed position to an extended position.  The movement can be performed for reps or held for time.  It can also be loaded by placing a dumbell or barbell across your hips.  This exercise can actually be loaded very heavy depending on how much weight is added to the barbell.  However, in most gyms, you wont see any one perform this exercise loaded, unless they have been coached.  To improve strength, runners should lift heavy (sets of 5 or less) and this is one example where sets of 5 can be performed with a heavy bar held across the hips.  Normally, I include this exercise, unloaded with weight, but enhanced with a band in the muscle activation section of a runner’s warm-up.  The version in the picture not only activates the gluteals to extend the hip but also the hip abductors and the tibialis anterior (front shin) (both very important to a runner’s health!).

Reverse Lunge – target muscles are similar to the RFESS; NOT PC specific enough even though the hamstrings and gluteals are involved in the lift.

Hip Flexor Stretch – obviously a stretch to lengthen the hips flexors; NOT an exercise.

Knee Hug, Calf Raise, Warrior Lunge Walk – this is a dynamic warm up exercise I have my runners perform in their dynamic warm up (duh!).  The quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals are involved in the lunge but this drill isn’t loaded; it’s only performed with body weight; therefore, it does not strengthen the PC as good as other exercises which are loaded can.

Rotating Planks – Core stability; target muscles entire core; NOT PC specific.

So, out of the exercises listed above, only one focused on improving the entire PC. Therefore, to answer his question, I would say he is NOT training his posterior chain as effectively as he could.

Stay tuned for important posterior chain exercises that are important for runners to perform.

Thanks for reading,

RUN STRONG.

-Jon

I heard really good things about it from my sister, and I could see the positive results she was getting.  I needed to do something.  I was overweight, depressed, and recovering from a back injury.  I had reached a point where simply getting up out of a chair was becoming difficult.  I knew that if I didn’t do something about it my senior years would be very burdensome to the people close to me.  I’m so glad I did!  After just a few weeks my day-to-day pain was drastically reduced, and my mobility increased. I had the confidence to try sea kayaking, and I now play ice hockey twice a week!

The key difference is the expertise.  The trainers know the gym equipment and the exercises, but they also have degrees in kinesiology, and can apply what they know to your workout.  As someone who was in poor physical condition starting out, I was worried about hurting myself.  Previously I tried an outdoor weekly bootcamp and injured my knee by pushing too hard.  The trainers at JKC constructed a program that started at the right level for me, evolving it as I grew stronger and more fit.  I feel well looked after.

I have never previously seen the passion and level of care that Jon and Thomas bring to everyone who works out at JKC. Their knowledge, insight and skills are extraordinary, and they work with everyone individually to ensure the best possible results. The attention to detail and to every person’s specific requirements and goals, and the incredible, constant encouragement they provide, is, in my opinion, what truly distinguishes JKC from any other program in which I’ve participated. I am extremely pleased with the progress I’ve achieved thus far, and it’s largely attributable to Jon and Thomas and the approach they take to training and working with people.

I came to JKC through recommendations from my peers from lululemon. As a current ambassador, I’ve been introduced to legacy ambassadors, like Jon, and I knew a bunch of other people from the store were working out here so I wanted to give it a go. I often dread lower body workouts so I started coming here to do legs. I’ve had such great progress that I now come twice a week— and, I no longer hate leg day!

I’ve never experienced this sort of hybrid between group workouts and personalized service. Many group strength training services offer a sort of one-size-fits-all workout for the general population, which has never been of interest to me, because I want my workout tailored to my needs! I LOVE that you can be in a group setting while doing your own personal program; I love the camaraderie and community at JKC, and, I’ve seen incredible results thus far! Jon is always so attuned to what I need.

I’m 34 and started at JKC in 2015. My wife joined while I was working away in 2015 and started making amazing progress while also completing exercises I’d never perform on my own. I felt I was missing out so I signed up. JKC helps in establishing goals while also having clear direction of what to do, and how, in each session. They also measure your progress which is another means of motivation! At other gyms I wouldn’t have a clear plan and would just use whatever equipment was free, it was hard to see any results. Between setting some personal bests and making good friends its hard to identify a favorite memory.  One that does come to mind was when I hit my target goal/PB in both bench and squats in the same session, big day.

JKC is different from other gyms/fitness regimes I have tried in the past because of my level of comfort with the facility and other JKC clients and the amount of knowledge both Jon and Thomas demonstrate through personal attention to form, core development and overall strength is outstanding. JKC is by far the best training hands on attention that I’ve experienced period and I have experienced many over a lifetime of activity and playing various sports. The facility has everything you require plus, as you will learn there are many ways to use every piece of equipment and Jon and Thomas are very creative! There are many age groups and professions who attend this gym from elite athlete’s to the rest of us and the casual but focused atmosphere in the gym makes each visit interesting, friendly and challenging at all levels.

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