Hey there, we talked about our upper body and the musculature found there yesterday and today, we’re going to take a look at our lower body and understand the muscles we have there. It’s important to understand our muscles so we can identify what is the best way to work those muscles to achieve our goals.
Let’s start with our core, this area includes our:
- Rectus abdominis
- Internal and External Obliques
- Gluteus maximus
The rectus abdominis is the muscle that runs from just below your chest to the top of your pelvis. This is the area that allows you to flex your spine, helps to engage your lower back to maintain your stability when you are moving or lifting. This is also the area that most of us want to strengthen and to flatten when it comes to weight loss and getting in shape. It’s important to remember that your abdomen is not your stomach – your stomach is an organ and your abdominal muscle is a muscle that can be strengthened. When you’re in a fitness class or performing an exercise and they tell you to engage your core – this is the primary area they are referring to.
Your internal and external obliques are located along the sides of your rectus abdominis. These muscles help you twist and they work in combination with your lower back and rectus abdominis to help support your spine and the rest of your body while you are lifting or carrying. You use them when you are putting groceries into and out of your car or when you are bending down to pick up the baby.
Your gluteus maximus is indeed, your butt, your rear end, your hind quarters, that part of your body you are sitting on right now. It’s easy to forget that your glutes are not just a mass of tissue or fat, it’s also a muscle group. The glutes are what you use when you jump, climb or straighten your legs as you stand. You use them when you are standing up or sitting down.
Below Your Trunk
The rest of the lower half of your body is comprised of your:
- Hip abductors
- Leg adductors
- Quadriceps
- Hamstrings
- Gastrocnemius and soleus
- Tibialis anterior
Yes, the language is complicated, but let’s talk about them for a moment. Your hip abductors are located along your outer thighs and hips. You use them to move your legs from side to side, whether you are sidestepping, skating or skiing – you are using the hip abductors. The leg adductors are located along your inner thighs and they are what allow you to put one leg in front of the other. So when you are walking, you are engaging your leg adductors.
Your quadriceps are a large group of four muscles located along the front of your thighs. These muscles allow you to straighten your knee and this is fundamental for walking, running, hopping, jumping, climbing and more. Your hamstrings are actually three muscles that are located along the back of your thigh and they work in opposition with your quadriceps. They are what allow you to bend your need and to help support your glutes when you stand up from sitting.
Your gastrocnemius and soleus are your calves and they are what help you spring when you jump and stand up on your tippy toes. The last group of muscles in this area are your tibialis anterior also known as your shin. These are muscles that run from your knee to along the top of your foot. They allow you to bend your toes up towards your leg and to pick your foot up when you need to walk or run.
As you can see, each and every muscle has a job and is important to your ability to move comfortably and confidently. It’s important to not ignore any of them. Maintaining your muscles is easier when you understand them.
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