A Superior Posterior -

The POSTERIOR CHAIN muscles -aka the powerhouse that helps propel you forward as you move, walk, or run and are very important to be mindful of!

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Ever since I started running races and adding more milage, I’ve also added some strength exercises to my weekly routine to keep the “running muscles” strong for injury prevention. Some of the best exercises you can do to balance your body are ones that work the posterior chain muscles. The posterior chain includes some of the biggest and strongest muscles in your body (back, glutes, hamstring, calves) which we use everyday for a numerous amount of activities that you do.

Ever heard someone say “Oh my back is just killing me” after they bend over or “I can hardly get out of the chair alone” well… this is because they are lacking strength in the muscles that support doing those activities. Your body is a system and when one thing is off kilter, it affects other areas.

It’s common for runners to become quad dominant and push our glutes and hamstring muscles to the back burner, which is a big NO-NO! The key to having an optimal stride is to balance your anterior and posterior chain systems. Since running is a flexion movement, try adding these extension exercises to your training routine and see if you notice a difference in your running.