8 Exercises to Strengthen Your Posterior Chain

When we talk about the posterior chain, people usually refer to the glutes, particularly the gluteal muscles, says Mathew Welch, MS, CSCS, ATC, USAW-1, an exercise physiologist at HSS Sports Medicine Institute West Side. The rest of the chain includes the gluteus maximus, hamstrings and calves. Some of the muscles around the back that stabilize the lumbar (lower) spine are also considered part of the chain, Welch says. “A strong posterior chain is important for performance and also for being able to do activities of daily living – like running, jumping and changing directions as you move.”

Strengthening the posterior chain is also important for preventing age-related loss of bone and muscle mass, a condition known as sarcopenia, he adds. As you get older, if you don’t train these muscle groups properly and often enough, you may see an even greater decrease in your muscle mass. “You may also be at increased risk for arthritis and other health problems, including injuries,” says Welch.

Low back pain can also be related to deficiencies in the posterior chain. “The lower back is there for stability and support,” says Welch. “So you have to make sure you train it to some degree as well.”

Exercises that strengthen the posterior chain

These posterior chain exercises offer the most bang for your buck and are what Welch recommends to clients.

Here is a sample routine he created.

• Do each of these exercises 1 to 2 times a week.
• Performing 3 to 6 sets of 5 to 10 reps per muscle group per week is a great starting point for most people.
• Don’t hold your breath! Focus on deep breathing, filling your lungs as you perform each movement.

With any of these isolation exercises, start with more reps and lighter weights, or just use your own body weight, Welch suggests. You can gradually add weight to these movements over time. “For example, in the glute bridge exercises below, start by holding a dumbbell in your lap, and eventually put a weighted barbell in your lap while you’re bridging,” says Welch.

Deadlifts

These will isolate your hamstrings and glutes.

3. When you get to the point where you can’t hinge anymore because your hamstrings won’t allow it, bend your knees and continue to lower your body with your hips back until your hands reach the weights sitting on the floor.
4. Inhale to prepare to lift the weights or barbell. Grab the weights in both hands while squeezing your shoulders together and drop down your back (imagine there’s a pencil between them that you don’t want to drop). Keep your spine straight.
5. Exhale and squeeze your glutes to start the hips moving up and forward as you stand with the weights in your hands, pushing the ground away from you.
6. At the top of the pose, the front of your hips should be completely straight and your glutes squeezed, butt fully tucked down, quads tight, core engaged. This is a key step that will protect your back.
7. Swing your hips back, head and chest reaching forward with the weights close to your body as you lower them back to the ground and repeat.

You could also do deadlift variations with barbells, kettlebells and machines.

Romanian deadlifts

This is a deadlift with an overhead approach and half the range of motion of a deadlift to really work the glutes.

3. Keep the weights tight to the front of your feet as they move down, which will keep your lats engaged and help stabilize the spine. Press your shoulder blades together.
4. When you reach a point where your hamstrings are preventing you from going down any further, pause. Don’t round your spine to try to get down.
5. Exhale as you squeeze your butt and drive your hips forward as you push the ground away from you with your feet. Your pelvis, hips and shoulders should hinge as one unit as you return to the starting position.

Buttock bridges

You could also do barbell glute bridges and hip thrust variations on a bench when a simple weighted glute bridge is easy.

Squats/half squats

Reverse falls

These lunges are important for strengthening the gluteus max muscles.

1. Start by standing and holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step back with one leg, dropping into a split squat where your knees are both at 90 degrees.
3. Push off with the back leg to stand up. Your glutes will work to get you out of this pose.
4. Do one set on one side, then switch for one set.

Seated hamstring curl

In most gyms, there will be a machine where you can do knee extensions for your quads and then you can put your feet on top and do leg curls for your hamstrings.

This is a great move for building hamstring strength, says Welch.

Try it at home using a sturdy chair and a resistance band.

1. Tie the ends of a resistance band to a sturdy object, such as a piece of furniture.
2. Sit in front of the assembly on a sturdy chair, 1 to 2′ behind the sturdy object to which it is attached.
3. Place the loop around only one of your heels and keep your feet together.
4. Bend your knees to pull your heels back, stopping when you can’t pull any further. Keep the knees together the whole time.
5. Extend your knees to return to the starting position.
6. Complete 5 to 10 repetitions. Then repeat with the loop on the other leg.

Nordic hamstring curl

This is a good exercise for building hamstring-specific strength for sprinting and running, Welch says.
Look for a “Floor Nordic Hamstring” bench at your gym or a “Glute-Ham Developer”. You could also enlist the help of a friend.

1. Kneel on the floor with your knees on a pillow and a friend holding your ankles behind you.
2. Try to fall forward towards the ground with your arms crossed over your chest
3. Use your posterior chain muscles to control yourself all the way to the ground and then straighten up.

Modify it: Place a box in front of you if you can’t control your movement all the way to the floor. Over time, use a smaller box until you reach the floor with a 4-second lowering tempo.

Calf raises

You could try this seated calf raise, standing calf raise, or doing calf raises on a machine at the gym for variations.

Seated Calf Raise:

1. Sit in a chair with your right knee bent 90 degrees.
2. Place your right foot on a 4-inch box, yoga block, or book.
3. Next, hold a kettlebell or dumbbell over your right knee.
4. Raise your heel as high as you can, squeezing the lower calf muscle.
5. Lower your heel under control without letting it touch the ground.
6. Perform 8-10 repetitions on each side.

Standing Calf Raise:

1. Stand tall with your left toes on the edge of a step with your right hand holding on to something for support.
2. Hold a weight in your left hand.
3. Lift your heel as high as you can, squeezing your calf muscle.
4. Lower under control without letting your heel touch the ground.
5. Hold the stretch position for 2-3 seconds.
6. Repeat for 5-10 reps and switch sides.

Doing knee crunches will target your calf muscles (the longer back part of the calf) a bit more as opposed to standing up and doing calf raises on a machine, which will target your gastrocnemius muscles (the bulbous, rounder part of the calf).