Exercises all my clients do
(…At some point)
As a personal trainer, I know that there are just some exercises that all clients should do. Yes, all clients should do the basics: Squat, Hinge, Push, Pull, & Carry. This ensures that a client develops muscle mass, strength, & endurance in a well-rounded manner. There are some other less obvious exercises that I think all clients should do. These exercises help clients build resilience in their bodies, create a solid foundation of health to build upon, & aid in the what the modern daily life looks like.
What does the modern daily life look like?
It looks like a whole lot of sitting and a whole lot of sitting down. Yes, even you who doesn’t work the typical 9-5 or typical desk job. You still sit & look down at some type of device more in one day than our ancestors did in their entire lives. Even if you aren’t at a desk most of the day, you most likely drive a decent amount, or are in a car a decent amount.
Common Imbalances
One of the most common postural deviance I see in my clients is an anterior pelvic tilt. While this may not be an issue at first, over time this creates a multitude of imbalances which can make smaller issues much bigger ones in the long run.
An anterior pelvic tilt typically involves tight hip flexors, a tight low back, lengthened hamstrings, lengthened glutes, and a lengthened core. Basically, tight = overactive and lengthened = weak. So you’re looking at an overactive low back and hip flexor complex combined with weakened hamstrings, glutes, and core.
In addition to an anterior pelvic tilt, I see a lot of upper back kyphosis, or an excessive rounding of the upper back. This manifests itself as a jutted-forward head, rounded shoulders, & a hunch-back look. This upper back kyphosis is most likely due to hunching over or forward a lot, which is typically done when driving, typing, or looking at a screen. This causes the shoulders & chest to become tight and overactive while the upper back becomes lengthened & weakened.
What can you do about it?
Here is where the exercises come in. The right combination of strengthening & stretching the appropriate muscles is exactly what my clients (and maybe you need). Exercises targeting the lengthened & weakened area should be done at least 2-3x/week while the mobility exercises can be done daily! So here we go: exercises to fix your posture.
Anterior Pelvic tilt exercises
Strengthening Exercises:
Great for strengthening the glutes, a key component to fixing their weakened & lengthened position!
Overall leg-strength exercise
It also forces the core to be engaged & is great for increasing upper back strength which is another common weakness in most people.
A hamstring-focused exercises that can also aid in improving glute strength
This is also a hinge movement which is really important to train to reduce back injuries & encourage lifting with the legs!
An isolated hamstring exercise
Oftentimes weak hamstrings are misdiagnosed as tight hamstrings — when in a lengthened position, hamstrings will feel tight. They actually need to be strengthened to fix an anterior pelvic tilt.
A great core exercise that encourages lower core activation while the legs are moving
An isometric core strengthening movement
This exercise is tougher than a regular plank
As a bonus, it can also aid in shoulder stability
Mobility Exercises:
An easy, at-home stretch to reduce tightness in the hip flexors
A good warm-up mobility exercise to reduce hip flexor tightness
The overhead reach increases the stretch felt in the hip flexor
A good low-back stretch that also targets the hips
A good combo stretch to increase range of motion at the low back & glutes
Kyphosis exercises:
Strengthening Exercises:
My favorite exercise for improving upper back strength & endurance
An essential exercise for targeting lower traps
Lower traps are often neglected in most training programs
Another staple for increasing upper back strength & endurance
Can be done using dumbbells or a cable machine
Mobility Exercises:
One of the most popular exercises for improving posture
Bench-Assisted Upper Back Stretch
A good overall upper body stretch
Targets the lats, chest, & upper back + neck
A good exercise for upper body mobility & t-spine rotational ability
Mobilizes the entire back (low, mid, & upper)
Can add a band for added activation & mobilization
Works the spine in flexion & extension
Now it’s time to put these into action! Choose 3-4 exercises to focus on for both strengthening & mobilizing. Do them at least 3 times a week, more if possible! For strengthening exercises, aim to increase weight over time to make sure your making progress. Let me know which exercises are your favorite & if you have any exercises you would add to the mix. Message me on TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest @trainwithtorik or email me at trainwithtorik@gmail.com!