Posterior chain primer for strength and muscle
This workout focuses on building strength and muscle in your glutes and hamstrings through fundamental compound and isolation movements, leaving your posterior chain feeling strong and engaged.
Train safely
This workout is general fitness education, not medical advice. Skip movements that hurt, scale loads to your level, and stop if you feel chest pain, dizziness, or joint pain. If you're pregnant, recovering from injury or surgery, or have a heart, blood pressure, or musculoskeletal condition, get clearance from your physician before starting.
The workout
Warm-up
- 1.Jumping Jacks1 × 60sLight pace to elevate heart rate
- 2.Cat-Cow Stretch1 × 60sFocus on spinal mobility
- 3.Leg Swings (forward and backward)2 × 30sEach leg
- 4.Hip Circles (each direction)2 × 30sEach leg
Main Strength Block
- 1.Barbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL)3 ×
- 2.Dumbbell Glute Bridge3 ×
- 3.Dumbbell Single Leg Romanian Deadlift3 ×
- 4.Good Mornings (Bodyweight)3 ×
Cool-down
- 1.Hamstring Stretch (seated or standing)1 × 30sHold each leg
- 2.Figure-Four Stretch1 × 30sHold each side
- 3.Child's Pose1 × 60sDeep breathing
Warm-up
Begin with some gentle movement to get your blood flowing and prepare your muscles for the work ahead. Focus on dynamic stretches to improve range of motion without overstretching cold tissues.
Workout
This session is all about your posterior chain – the muscles on the back of your body. We'll start with a foundational barbell movement, then move to some dumbbell and bodyweight exercises to target the glutes and hamstrings effectively. Remember, quality over quantity. Focus on feeling the right muscles work on each repetition.
Coaching notes
- Barbell RDL: Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout the movement. The primary movement should come from hinging at your hips, pushing them back as if you're trying to touch a wall behind you. Your back should remain straight, not rounded. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings at the bottom and squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Dumbbell Glute Bridge: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, close to your glutes. Place a dumbbell across your hips. Drive through your heels, lifting your hips towards the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top. Control the descent.
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (Single Leg): Maintain a slight bend in the standing leg. As you hinge forward, extend the non-standing leg straight back, keeping your hips level. Imagine a straight line from your head to your extended heel. You should feel a significant stretch in the hamstring of your standing leg. Use a lighter weight and focus on balance.
- Good Mornings (Bodyweight): Stand tall with hands behind your head or crossed over your chest. Keep a soft bend in your knees. Hinge at your hips, pushing them back and lowering your torso towards parallel with the floor. Keep your back straight. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes.
Scale it
- Easier: For the Barbell RDL, use lighter weight or switch to Dumbbell RDLs to refine your form. For Single Leg RDLs, hold onto a sturdy object for balance or perform bodyweight only. For Glute Bridges, use just bodyweight. Reduce the number of sets or repetitions.
- Harder: Increase the weight on the Barbell RDL, Dumbbell Glute Bridge, and Single Leg RDL. Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase of each movement to increase time under tension. Increase the number of repetitions or sets if your form allows.
Cool-down
Focus on static stretches to improve flexibility and aid in recovery. Hold each stretch gently for 20-30 seconds, breathing deeply.
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