A fitness routine should keep all your muscles strong, lean, and functional, but most people are not exercising all key muscle groups, according to an article in Popular Science. Forgetting certain muscle groups can have serious consequences on aging and health span, but it’s easy to incorporate the right movements that will keep your body strong and muscles intact — here’s what you need to do.

The Function of Muscles

Figures with strong, toned muscles might be on the cover of all our favorite magazines, but muscles are for more than show. The primary function of muscles is to help us move. In order for them to do that, they need to be able to contract.

Contractions (no, not the same as the kind associated with childbirth 🍼) can serve four major functions: 

• Movement

• Posture

• Joint stability

• Heat production

Movement lowers your risk of developing many chronic or age-related diseases. It also strengthens the bones, boosts mental wellness, and helps us stay independent.

Posture is often said to be the most important part of an anti-aging body, as it allows the diaphragm to fully expand on each breath. This promotes better overall lung capacity, a key determinant of longevity.

Joint stability reduces your risk of injury or falls, which can have serious long-term consequences (especially as we age), and heat production helps us regulate an approximately 98-degree internal temperature to fight harmful viruses, bacteria, and other intruders.

Muscle contractions are an integral part of keeping us alive.

Fun Fact

♨️ Nearly 85% of your body heat is caused by muscle contractions. So if you are the type of person who tends to run cold, let’s get those muscles moving!

Muscle quality (muscle strength 💪) and muscle mass also affect metabolism, heart disease risk, and mortality as well, according to a paper published in the Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (jomes). 

“Muscle mass is the main factor in basal metabolic rate,” writes Mayo Clinic. More muscle translates to higher metabolism.

• 🔥 Muscles burn more calories at rest than fat and they are better at breaking down fat.

• 🦴 Low skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) is bad because it reduces insulin sensitivity (linked with higher risk of type 2 diabetes), increases oxidative (cellular) stress, and reduces the body’s ability to break down unhealthy fat.

As aging is a huge risk factor for sarcopenia—because we lose muscle faster and have a harder time maintaining (or growing) it as we age—maintaining fitness across muscle groups can have numerous effects on health aging and longevity.

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Target five key muscle groups 

There are 650+ known skeletal muscles in the human body. To put it into perspective, walking uses less than a third (200 skeletal muscles) of muscles, even though it’s widely considered to be a full-body form of exercise.

The best way to target more of these muscles is to engage in a diversity of different movements.🤸 It is key to long-term functionality.

The benefits go beyond muscular health.

• Prevent overuse injuries: Overexercising any one muscle can cause pain, stress and injury, actually increasing the risk of becoming immobile.

• Improve overall fitness: When all key muscle groups are functioning properly, performance improves and you are able to move more freely.

• Keep it interesting: Performing a variety of movements will keep you interested and disciplined about getting daily fitness.

Below is a list of the most ignored muscles you should be exercising, plus exercises to incorporate into your routine, according to Popular Science.

Muscle group 1: Rotator cuffs

The rotator cuff includes four muscles (plus muscle tendons) that stabilize the shoulder and create movement in the shoulder/upper arm area.

Exercises

• Doorway stretches

• Reverse flies with dumbbells

• Wall angels

Muscle group 2: Abdominal core and back

A strong abdomen is important for posture, balance, movement, and stability. Having a strong core also prevents low back pain, injuries caused by straining, and falling.

Exercises

• Planks

• Bridges

• Deadlifts

Muscle group 3: Neck flexors

These muscles hold your head up. In a neutral position, your neck expects to hold a 10- to 12-pound head, but for every inch your head tilts forward, the neck has to carry an additional 10 pounds. 

• This means a head tilted three inches weighs 30 pounds! Imagine carrying that 16 hours a day.

“We abuse the flexors when we stare at computer screens with our head forward all the time,” says Christopher Geiser, an exercise science professor, physical therapist, and trainer at Marquette University, in Popular Science.

Exercises

• Supine neck retractions

• Active assisted neck flexions

• Supine cervical flexions

Muscle group 4: Glutes

Weak glutes set off a cascade of injuries and pain in the rest of the body, as other parts of the body must overcompensate. This can lead to immobility and lower quality of life.

Exercises

• Squats

• Lunges

• Bridges

Muscle group 5: Tendons

If the skeleton is a puppet, tendons are the puppeteer which control it. While not inherently muscles, tendons control the movement of the skeleton because they connect the muscles to bones. Aging and overuse can cause injuries, which are harder to heal as you get older. 

Vary tendon exercises between prolonged weight holds and fast contractions, recommends Popular Science.

Exercises

• Eccentric movements – lengthen muscles

• Isometric movements – engaging muscles without movement

• Plyometric movements – jumping/explosive movements

Other muscle groups to consider

The tibialis muscles

The Tibialis Anterior and Posterior run along the front of your lower leg. Weak tibialis muscle cause shin splints, calf strains, and foot issues. Rehab Hero has a huge portfolio of exercises for a healthy tibialis. Here are three to try first.

• Banded ankle inversion

• Japanese sit stretch

• Tibialis posterior calf raise

The pelvic floor

The pelvic floor stabilizes the core, according to Cleveland Clinic. Weak pelvic floor muscles can impact your ability to control your bowels, sex, and posture. In women, prolapse (fallen pelvic floor) can also increase risk of frequent urinary tract infections, genital issues, and more.

• Kegels

• Pelvic tilts

• Bird-dog

⬇ LIVE AND LEARN MORE+

• Eat for your bones: The role of diet in long-term strength

• Fitness for aging: featuring the healthy aging experts

• Fitness and fasting: What we know about risk of muscle loss 

Until next time,

Erin

Longevity Media LLC

Look good, feel better, live longer.