Having a tighter and extra toned buttocks is on the “wish list” of many individuals. A related a part of the physique and potential downside space is your decrease again. You won't suppose a lot about this space except you expertise again ache. Not all again accidents may be averted, however some can. Strengthening the muscle tissues across the hips and decrease again is a crucial step towards minimizing any potential backaches or accidents. Of course, any time you train your decrease again straight, you could keep a excessive degree of focus and care, as a result of sloppy train type may end in the kind of ache you’re making an attempt to keep away from.

Wouldn’t or not it's great if a single train may tighten your gluteal and hip muscle tissues and on the identical time, agency and strengthen your decrease again? Prone thigh extensions (additionally referred to as reverse again extensions) can activate all of the muscle tissues on this space and do it very properly. Performing this train on a ball makes it just a little extra enjoyable and comfy and offers pelvis stability and freedom of motion as you strengthen and agency your gluteal muscle tissues.

Gluteal and Hip Muscles

Prone thigh extensions activate the gluteus maximus. This is the most important and strongest of all of the hip muscle tissues and it kinds the vast majority of the form of the buttocks. The gluteus maximus muscle attaches to the bones of the hip and the sacrum, and alongside the lumbar space of the decrease again. It additionally attaches to the posterior a part of the femur (thigh bone) at a piece known as the “gluteal line” or “gluteal tuberosity.” When the torso is mounted (as in inclined thigh extensions) and the hip joint is free to maneuver, the gluteus maximus muscle forcefully extends the femur bone of the thigh.

Although you won't suppose that the hamstring muscle tissues have a lot to do along with your behind, they supply a part of the form that accentuates a agency buttock. Furthermore, the hamstring muscle tissues strongly contract throughout inclined thigh extensions by pulling the femur bone of the thigh towards the again. The biceps femoris muscle of the hamstring group has two heads. The lengthy head attaches to the ischial tuberosity of the hipbone construction. The fibers of the brief head start on the decrease one-third of the femur bone simply above the knee, however as a result of they don’t connect to the ischial tuberosity, the brief head isn’t thought of a “hamstring” muscle. Both heads of the muscle fuse right into a thick tendon, which crosses the lateral facet of the knee joint to connect to the fibula bone (and a few ligaments) on the knee.

The second muscle of the hamstring group is the semitendinosus. The semitendinosus fibers connect to the ischial tuberosity and insert right into a cord-like tendon about two-thirds of the way in which down the posterior thigh. The semitendinosus crosses the knee joint posteriorly to connect to the medial facet of the superior a part of the tibia (the big medial bone of the leg). As a outcome, they develop into essential extensors of the again and help the erector spinae throughout inclined thigh extensions.

The erector spinae are a gaggle of three postural muscle tissues located alongside the backbone. They encompass the iliocostalis, longissimus and spinalis muscle tissues. The fibers of the erector spinae come up from the iliac crest (a part of the hipbone) and alongside the perimeters and center projections of the vertebrae. They run superiorly (towards the pinnacle) and insert into the ribs and vertebrae which are superior to the place they start. The thoracolumbar fascia covers these muscle tissues posteriorly. This is a troublesome sheet of connective tissue (fascia) that doesn’t have a lot flexibility. Thus, it’s vulnerable to accidents from excessive stretching or jerking. The erector spinae lie simply deep to this fascia overlaying.

Collectively, the erector spinae group is the strongest extenders of the vertebral column. Acting on one facet of the physique at a time, every of those muscle tissues can bend the vertebral column laterally (for instance, when doing facet bends), rotate the vertebral column in a twisting motion and naturally, prolong the backbone from a flexed place. The backbone is mounted in inclined thigh extensions, so the erector spinae fibers that connect to the hipbones and decrease lumbar vertebrate assist to drag the hips and stabilize the pelvis throughout the factors when the thighs transfer upward (thigh extension) in inclined thigh extensions.

Prone Thigh Extensions

If you’ve had a previous decrease again damage, you need to select one other train that received’t generate as a lot torque by means of the lumbar and sacral areas of the hips. However, in case your again is weak, however in any other case wholesome, begin with 10 repetitions and work as much as three units of 15-20 repetitions over a few weeks.

1. Lie facedown on a big ball. The ball must be comfortably positioned underneath your pelvis, higher thighs, and decrease stomach. Don’t put the ball too low throughout the thighs or too excessive on the stomach.

2. Place your palms on the bottom along with your elbows straight. Extend (straighten) your knees however let the toes of your footwear contact the ground. Your ft shouldn’t contact the ground except you flex your hips. Make positive your arms are secure on the ground, so the ball received’t roll out from underneath you.

3. Keep each ft collectively. Lift your legs however hold your knees straight. Continue lifting them upward till your thighs and legs are parallel to the ground. The motion ought to come from the hips. Make your raise clean however forceful and take about one second from the underside to the highest.

4. Don’t raise greater than this otherwise you’ll hyperextend your again as this could create pointless compression forces by means of your intervertebral disks, with out bettering the standard of the muscle activation. The drive ought to come easily (no jerking or uncontrolled, quick actions ought to happen) out of your erector spinae, hamstring, and gluteal muscle tissues. Exhale as you raise your legs (thigh extension).

5. Hold the highest place for a rely of three. Slowly reverse your course, flex your hips, and management the descent of the load of your legs till they’re simply wanting the beginning place. Inhale as you decrease your legs. It ought to take 3-4 seconds to decrease your legs again to the place your toes nearly contact the ground. Don’t allow them to contact the ground as you begin upward once more. This will keep pressure on the muscle tissues all through the hassle.

6. Work as much as 15-20 repetitions earlier than resting. After a break of a few minute, repeat the set for an additional 15-20.

You’ll in all probability discover that there’s a little bit of a “burn” in your gluteal muscle tissues by the point you get to the tenth repetition, whereas your again and hamstrings could really feel tight after your set is over. If your hamstrings develop into too tight (and in the event you do a whole lot of sitting throughout the day, they’ll already be too tight) this might contribute to decrease again ache if left unchecked. The treatment for the tight muscle tissues is to stretch your hamstrings and decrease again between units. Toe touches with straight knees or sitting on the ground and bringing your chest to your thighs will do the trick.

Don’t let your legs drop too shortly from the highest place. The muscle tissues will probably be extra absolutely activated when you have a sluggish and managed leg descent. The key to injury-free train is at all times sustaining strict management of your physique. It’s additionally price emphasizing that you just shouldn’t swing your legs upward.

After only some weeks, you need to discover that this train has revitalized your decrease again, and your buttocks will probably be a lot firmer. Your again stiffness and the fatigue you get from sitting at a desk for lengthy durations of time will all however vanish. Furthermore, your threat of damage will probably be considerably diminished.

References:

1. Davis DS, Ashby PE, McCale KL, McQuain JA and Wine JM. The effectiveness of three stretching strategies on hamstring flexibility utilizing constant stretching parameters. J Strength Cond Res, 19: 27-32, 2005.

2. Lehman GJ. Trunk and hip muscle recruitment patterns throughout the inclined leg extension following a lateral ankle sprain: A potential case research pre and put up damage. Chiropr Osteopat, 14: 4-9, 2006.

3. Lehman GJ, Lennon D, Tresidder B, Rayfield B and Poschar M. Muscle recruitment patterns throughout the inclined leg extension. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 5: 3-9, 2004.

4. Plamondon A, Serresse O, Boyd Okay, Ladouceur D and Desjardins P. Estimated moments at L5/S1 degree and muscular activation of again extensors for six inclined again extension workouts in wholesome people. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 12: 81-89, 2002.

5. Plamondon A, Trimble Okay, Lariviere C and Desjardins P. Back muscle fatigue throughout intermittent inclined again extension train. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 14: 221-230, 2004.

6. Stevens VK, Vleeming A, Bouche KG, Mahieu NN, Vanderstraeten GG and Danneels LA. Electromyographic exercise of trunk and hip muscle tissues throughout stabilization workouts in four-point kneeling in wholesome volunteers. Eur Spine J, 2006. revealed on-line forward of press DOI 10.1007/s00586-006-0181-1.