Gym Speak: What is the Posterior Chain?

November 4, 2:10 PMChicago Personal Training ExaminerHaley Stone

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For this week's Gym Speak, I asked Andrew Eaton, Certified Strength Conditioning Specialist, to explain the term "Posterior Chain". 

The Posterior Chain will include the calves, hamstrings, and gluteals. These muscles are referred to as a chain both because they overlap at the knee and hip joints, and because they work in conjunction with one another during multiple activities, including standing, walking, climbing stairs, and running.

Many individuals suffer posterior chain weakness, but I find the condition most common in people who sit for long durations. Without getting overly technical, in a seated position, the abdominals, hips flexors, and hamstrings (at the knee) are in a shortened position, while the low back, glutes, and hamstrings (at the hip) are lengthened. The resulting imbalances and weakness often lead to poor posture and back pain.

A challenge facing most back pain sufferers is the prescription of ‘crunches’ and treadmill walking as solutions. Crunches will reinforce the too-short position of the abdominal muscles, possibly worsening the problem, as well as causing additional wear and tear on spinal disks. Treadmill walking does very little to engage the posterior chain muscles; the belt of the treadmill does the job of the glutes and hamstrings by carrying the legs back, leaving the user to engage already-tight hip flexors to take each step. Simply stated, if you want to engage your posterior chain muscles, walk or run without a treadmill.

Even if you are not a back-pain sufferer, incorporating exercises that engage the posterior chain muscles into your daily regimen pays dividends, ranging from reduced back pain to a better running stride. My favorite exercise for strengthening the glutes and hamstrings is the ‘hip bridge.’ I’ve outlined two versions below.

Basic Hip Bridge

This exercise engages the glutes. Lie on your back with your knees bent more than 90 degrees. Lift your toes off the floor. Press your heels down into the floor, pressing your hips toward the ceiling. Tighten your rear end at the top, then lower hips to the floor. Perform 15-20 repetitions.

(a) Basic Hip Bridge starting position.                      (b) Tighten your rear at the top of the bridge.
          
 

Hip Lift with Stability Ball 

This exercise engages the glutes and hamstrings. Lie on your back with your heels on the top of a stability ball (a). Bend your knees to 90 degrees. Flex your toes toward your shins, digging your heels into the ball. Holding the 90-degree angle at the knee, press your heels down into the ball (b), lifting your hips toward the ceiling. Perform 15-20 repetitions.

(a) Hip Lift starting position.                                  (b) Press your heels into the ball and lift your hips.
          

     Andrew Eaton has been a Certified Personal Trainer since 1991.  He has a long list of certifications including Resistance Training Specialist,  NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, and IYCA Certified Youth Conditioning Specialist.  You can find him training and coaching at many locations in the Deerfield area north of Chicago.  Contact Andrew via email, facebook, or twitter. 

For more information:  Athlete's Sports Performance Training