Chronic sitting keeps you from using your glutes or firing your core muscles. It also means your hip flexors and hamstrings are getting tight. All of this contributes to strain on other areas of the body. One of the muscles getting overworked is the quadratus lumborum (QL), which originates at the hip bone and attaches to the spine. This can leave you chronically tight and chronically sore.
This exercise was originally designed to stretch those QL muscles, but it has the added benefit of some isolated glute work at the top.
Your goal should NOT be to go heavy with this, but rather stretching and reaching (across the body) with a very slight, pain-free twist.
related posts
Smart Training 2
Dr. Ken Kinakin, much like Dr. Mike Leahy, knows your pain. In fact, he's made a living off of it. The doc is one of the best in the world at devising training protocols to help make you injury-proof. Yeah, he likes bodybuilding and powerlifting routines, too, but when it comes to figuring out how to fix what ails ya', he's one of the best.
Tip: Build Your Glutes, Boost Athleticism
Add this exercise to your program if you want complete leg and glute development that transfers perfectly into sports.
Tip: The Two-Up, One-Down Calf Press
Use the leg press for this one. Lift with both feet, hold the contraction for 3 seconds, and lower slowly with one foot.
Tip: The World's Hardest Curl Workout
Shock your biceps into growing with this brutally effective, plateau-busting workout.