Staying healthy and fit is becoming a popular trend around the globe, as an increasing number of people are starting to work out regularly. However, not many people understand that working on all the muscles of the body is necessary if you want to prevent a variety of injuries. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the most commonly neglected muscles, and let’s take a look at what you can do to keep them activated on a regular basis.
Leg muscles
Leg muscles are probably the most neglected ones in the whole body. The tendency to avoid training legs is so prevalent across the globe that there are many popular references to it, such as the hilarious “never skip leg day” memes that are circulating the internet these days. Not only does neglecting leg muscles look funny, but it is also a source of many injuries and chronic problems that occur due to big muscle imbalances.
No matter what your workout regimen is, you should always have a whole day dedicated to sculpting your leg muscles to keep them in balance with your upper body muscles. Many people skip leg days, because training legs is hard and painful, and you have to rest a lot after the workout. There are plenty of leg exercises that you can do, but these are several of the absolutely basic ones, so make sure that you do them every single workout:
- Squat – this is one of the most important exercises if you want to keep your quads activated. If doing them is particularly easy for you, you can always put some weights in your hands or on your back to make the workout more intense.
- Split squat – split squats are a good exercise for your quads as well, but it is also going to do wonders for your hamstrings. It is very important to pay attention to your form while you are performing this exercise to avoid injuries. Like with squats, if you want to bring up the intensity of this exercise, simply take kettlebells or dumbbells in your hands and split squat while carrying them.
- Calf raise – this is a pretty easy exercise but it is very important if you want to keep your calves engaged and in good shape. Adding more weight is a must for this exercise, as it is very easy to perform.
Never neglect your leg workouts, they are going to help you keep your body mass balanced.
Back muscles
This is another muscle group that people often neglect, as it is much harder to work this muscle group compared to the chest muscles. Pulling exercises usually demand more work than pushing exercises, which makes these exercises less popular. There are plenty of ways to work on your back muscles. If you want to gradually build up your back strength, using a rowing machine is a perfect way to do it, as it will let you mix up cardio with strength work for your back muscles.
There are many types of rowing machines, so reading online reviews is going to show you what the best option for you is before you start using one. On the other hand, there are several basic exercises that you should regularly do to ensure the activation of back muscles:
- Pull-ups – Pull ups are the first indicator of how strong your back muscles are. Include this exercise in all of your back workouts and give it your best shot to do as many reps as possible. This will ensure that you are working on your upper back muscles regularly. If you want higher intensity and better results, add more weight when you are doing them.
- Deadlifts – Deadlifts are one of the most undervalued exercises of all time. Deadlifts train the lower back muscles, as well the glutes and hamstrings and some smaller muscles to a degree. Lower back muscles play a crucial role in our everyday lives and not working on them can cause serious injuries, as these muscles are passively used in a variety of other exercises, so make sure that you work on them regularly. Pay special attention to your form when performing the exercise, as performing it with a bad form can cause serious damage to your spine.
Body core
Many people think that it is unnecessary to work on the muscles of the core, but this is a mistake, as they are constantly working passively during all of your workouts. This actually points to the fact that you should use one whole day per week to work only on the abs, lower back and other smaller muscles that work together to stabilize the core. It is going to keep you safe as you make more progress with increased weights on other exercises, so make sure that you do them regularly. The most important core exercises are:
- Weighted sit-ups – this is a basic exercise that is very easy to perform, but by adding a little bit of weight, you can really spice it up. Do not count reps with these, but do them for a set time, you will start looking at this exercise completely differently after that.
- Planking – planking is a great way of working on your core endurance, which is going to make all of the core muscles much more resistant.
- Leg raises – working on your lower abs is equally important and this exercise can help you achieve incredible results. When you can do a lot of reps, start adding a little bit of weight on your legs to make the exercise more intense.
These are the most common muscles that people neglect. Don’t make the same mistake, as you can cause serious injuries and end up with an unbalanced physique. So make sure that you include them in your regimen. The results are going to be amazing.