Neglected Body Parts and When to Train Them

[wildonsquats]

Everyone knows to train the big body parts (legs, back, chest , delts, arms, abs etc.) But how about the other unseen body parts?

Toe extensors? Neck? Rotator cuffs? Grip strength?

Can anyone think of any more?

How and when should we train these?

 

[The Red Dragon]

Neck, you can get a head harness and hook it to a cable machine. (I never do these)

Toe extensors...I feel muscles in my toes while doing standing and seated calf raises. (chest/calve day)

Rotator cuffs I do them independantly using VERY light weights for 3x12. Internal/external rotation and lateral raises (arm day)

Grip strength = pullups chinups deadlift shrug farmerswalk, any pulling exercises basically (back day)

 

[Lee]

grip strength just comes with time. shit like deadlifts, cleans, curls, pretty much any pulling excersize works your grip.

 

[bigstve12]

i do light rotator cuff work at the end of shoulder workout. sometimes i throw them in as supersets during the workout also, provides a good burn

 

[casualbb]

I'd say those little muscles are only necessary to work if they affect larger movements. A fullbody compound routine is gonna cover pretty much everything. Unless you have some sport-specific reason to train your neck muscles, why do it?

-casual

 

[JOKER47]

I'd say those little muscles are only necessary to work if they affect larger movements. A fullbody compound routine is gonna cover pretty much everything. Unless you have some sport-specific reason to train your neck muscles, why do it?

-casual

The only major problem I have with this statement is regarding rotator cuffs. To often you won't know they are weak until it's to late.

I do rotator cuff work three times a week. (chest/tri, shoulder and leg days.)


Most people will also believe that those little muscles make more of a difference than one might expect. (Rear delts supporting your OHP strength, for instance.) I think they should be worked if you can't hit them sufficiently with compound movements.

.02,
Joker

 

[Lord_Suston]

I usually only train thr rc cuffs after my heavy shoulder day... I don't suggest doing it before you lift heavy since it would fatigue them before heavy weight...

 

[casualbb]

Heh, I was just being overly general. Obviously muscles like rear delts and RC are very important because they allow other movements to be better performed.

But stuff like anterior tibs, toe flexors and extensors...working these aren't likely to help any compound movements and/or joint health.

-casual

 

[collegiateLifter]

Heh, I was just being overly general. Obviously muscles like rear delts and RC are very important because they allow other movements to be better performed.

But stuff like anterior tibs, toe flexors and extensors...working these aren't likely to help any compound movements and/or joint health.

-casual

might also want to include toe raises to work ant tibs, to prevent shin splints syndrome that a lot of guys end up getting.

 

[big4life]

Rotator cuffs should be trained at least twice a week, and like others have said, "with very light weight". I see far too many people using way too heavy weight for this.