Posterior Chain Exercise – Your posterior chain encompasses all of the muscles on the backside of the body and provides the foundations for a stable movement system, counteracting forces, sudden movements, and physical demands on the body (Lane, Mayer 2016).
What Is Best Posterior Chain Exercise?
Posterior Chain Exercise – A healthy posterior chain also encourages optimal posture and motor control which, when combined with the previously mentioned, helps in the prevention of injuries and lower back pain. (Lane, Mayer 2016)
Posterior Chain Exercise – Although there is no “cure” for lower back pain as its origins vary (and are typically unknown), having a strong, stable, and well-developed posterior chain can certainly help!
For me, the single-leg row is the epitome of a great Posterior Chain workout as it activates pretty much everything. The benefits of unilateral training are widely researched and documented, so it won’t come as a surprised that the single-leg position for rows is favorable for injury prevention training purposes (De Men et al, 2011)
If you’ve read our previous posts then you’d know I’m all about bang for your buck, and these single-leg rows provide just that!
Posterior Chain Exercise – It is important to note that, whilst the single-leg row is a very effective workout; this only stands true if you can complete them correctly. In essence, it is an intermediate-advanced exercise that should be treated as a tool for progression.
To complete:
- Start off feet hip-width apart
- Keep your weight shifted in your heels, feet flat
- With a soft knee, hinge back on one leg, holding the kettlebell (or dumbbell) on the opposite side of the body (lowering the weight towards the floor as you do)
- When you reach parallel to the floor (or as close as you can to parallel), hold the end position
- Row the weight towards your hip, driving back through the elbow
Tips:
- Keep your hips inline
- Avoid any rotation through the trunk
- Maintain a proud chest throughout
Watch it in action here: https://youtu.be/KMqhyxy07LI
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