Fitness / April 4, 2022

Posterior Chain Strength Circuits

Posterior chain workouts are a great thing to have in your regular training rotation.

They help you create a strong, upright posture, bring awareness to your alignment, and build a solid base for functional movement by strengthening the muscles all along the back side of your body like calves, hamstrings, glutes and back.

I love doing posterior chain focused workouts and you will always find these types of moves in my programs and other workouts too.

This workout is a little bit longer than some of my other workouts, but as always, feel free to just do what you have time available for. You’ll want to have an elevated surface and some weighted objects like dumbbells or water bottles handy – anything to add resistance to help strengthen your muscles.

For the best results, be sure you are fueled coming into your workouts (not fasted) and that you hit your optimal refueling window for women of 30-45 min post workout.

We’ve been discussing this in depth in Rock Your Life in my regular office hours, as one of the reasons many women won’t see body composition changes is because they’re not a) eating enough in general, b) eating enough protein, and c) not fueling optimally around their workouts.

If you are in a catabolic (muscle breakdown) state coming into your workout because you are under-fueled or fasted, and the workout itself breaks down your muscle tissue, and then you don’t eat within your optimal timing window your body continues to stay in that breakdown state and you do not reap the rewards of your training.

Remember that not eating enough protein with each main meal causes your body to break down your precious muscle tissue to access the amino acids it needs for cognitive function, hormone and enzyme function and immune health – and rather than promoting the building of muscle tissue, it continues to break it down.

Elevated cortisol from the stress of training under-fueled can create a greater propensity to store body fat, and not eating within your optimal timing window (men have up to 3 hours, we have 30-45 min) you miss the opportunity to spare your muscle tissue and support the replenishment of muscle glycogen stores. Optimal fuel pre and post workout includes protein and carbohydrates.

Say you had breakfast 3 hours ago and want to train. I would have a light protein shake with maybe a half a banana or some berries, then train and have lunch in that post workout window. Say you want to do an earlier morning workout, and don’t have time to eat a full breakfast first – have that light shake before you do your training, and eat breakfast after your workout. If you choose to limit your food intake at some point in the day do it AWAY from your workouts.

To further support your muscle tissue and delay soreness, drink my essential amino acid formula, Rock and Restore during your workout. This is not a substitute for dietary protein, so do not rely on it alone.

Now let’s get right to it!

Great job with today’s workout! Now let’s get you a plan with workouts like this put together in a complete sequence that will strengthen your entire body!

Check out the Rocking Abs and Booty 30 Day Challenge in Rock Your Life! It’s one of our most popular challenges and will work your entire body with an emphasis on strong legs, glutes and core work! Featuring posterior chain, barre, strength and cardio workouts – it’s a great way to level up your fitness routine.

Posterior Chain Super Circuits Click to expand and see all workout move descriptions

Circuit 1:

Move 1: I-T-Y’s (1:00)

Begin lying face-down in a supported plank or superwoman position with your torso resting on an elevated surface, core braced, back flat, and legs engaged with toes pressed into the mat for stabilization.
Holding a lightly weighted object in each hand, draw your arms up straight behind you, engaging between the shoulders.
Keep your gaze neutral (don’t look down or up), hold for the allotted time and release.
From the same supported plank position, raise your arms straight out to the sides into a T-position, hold for the allotted time and release.
Finally, raise your arms in front and overhead in a Y-position, being mindful to maintain core engagement, neutral gaze, and a flat back as you hold for the allotted time and release.
MOD: Complete this sequence without weighted objects.

Move 2: Plank Walkout to Renegade Row (8-12)

Place a weighted object at the top middle of your mat so that it’s easy to grab from a tall plank position.
Begin standing tall at the back of your mat.
Bend your knees to hinge at the hips, planting your hands to walk yourself out to a tall plank position with shoulders stacked over your wrists, core braced, and back flat.
Grab the weighted object with your right hand and, keeping your hips square to the ground and core braced, perform a row with your right arm by pulling your elbow straight back along your body and squeezing the base of your shoulder blade.
Slowly return your right arm back to the ground and repeat with your left arm.
Walk your hands back towards your feet to stand at the starting position and repeat the sequence for allotted reps.
MOD: Drop your knees for a modified plank position and/or perform the rows without any weighted objects

Move 3: Conventional Deadlift (8-12)

Begin standing with your feet hip distance apart, core braced.
Push your hips back and hinge forward, bending your knees. If you’re using dumbbells, you’ll keep them in close to your shins (at mid-shin) and lift your chest, straightening your back and dropping your hips down. If you’re using a barbell this is where you’ll grip the bar and lift your chest, dropping your hips slightly, and engaging between your shoulders.
Drive through your entire foot as you straighten your legs (imagine you’re pushing the earth away from you), keeping your weight moving in a straight line close to your body.
Feel your glutes and hamstrings working through this lift, and do not lean back at the top.
MOD: Remove the weighted objects and do this move with just your bodyweight.

Move 4: Prisoner Squat to Overhead Press (8-12)

Begin in a kneeling position, chest upright, core braced, and a weighted object in each hand at your shoulders.
Step your left foot forward, planting and driving through the entire foot to come up to standing and press the weighted object in your right hand up towards the ceiling without shrugging your shoulders.
With control, lower the weight back to your shoulder as you step your right foot, then left foot back to return to a kneeling position.
Switch sides and repeat alternating this sequence for allotted reps.
MOD: Remove the weighted objects and do this move with just your bodyweight.
Place a rolled up towel, mat, or pillow underneath your knees for extra cushion.

Build lean muscle, recover faster, boost your immune system and improve cognitive function with Rock and Restore essential amino acid powder.

Click here to try it for yourself!

Circuit 2:

Move 1: Single Leg RDL to Lunge R (8-12)

Begin standing with your feet hip distance apart, core braced and step your left leg back to a staggered stance. Most of your weight should be balanced in the front leg.
With a weighted object in each hand, keep your upper body engaged and shoulders back and down, not allowing them to rotate forward as you push your hips back, hinging at the waist, keeping the weights close to your front shin.
Bend forward as far as you can while maintaining a flat back and then drive through your right heel to come back to standing and squeeze your glutes at the top.
Shift your weight so that it is equally distributed between both legs and bend both knees to come down into a lunge position until your back knee almost touches the mat.
Drive through your front heel to come back up to the staggered standing position.
Repeat this sequence for the allotted reps.
MOD: Remove the weighted objects and do this sequence with just your bodyweight.

Move 2: Single Leg RDL to Lunge L (8-12)

Begin standing with your feet hip distance apart, core braced and step your right leg back to a staggered stance. Most of your weight should be balanced in the front leg.
With a weighted object in each hand, keep your upper body engaged and shoulders back and down, not allowing them to rotate forward as you push your hips back, hinging at the waist, keeping the weights close to your front shin.
Bend forward as far as you can while maintaining a flat back and then drive through your left heel to come back to standing and squeeze your glutes at the top.
Shift your weight so that it is equally distributed between both legs and bend both knees to come down into a lunge position until your back knee almost touches the mat.
Drive through your front heel to come back up to the staggered standing position.
Repeat this sequence for the allotted reps.
MOD: Remove the weighted objects and do this sequence with just your bodyweight.

Move 3: Narrow Pushups (8-12)

Begin in a tall plank with your core braced, back flat, and hands stacked below and just inside your shoulders.
Keeping a neutral gaze (not looking up or down) and your elbows close to your body, lower yourself toward the mat while keeping your shoulders away from your ears. Be mindful that your hips and torso are moving in one line.
Maintaining a braced core and flat back, push yourself back up to the starting position.
Repeat for allotted reps.
MOD: Perform this sequence with your knees on the mat or with your hands on an elevated surface like a couch, chair ottoman or bench.

I hope you enjoyed that workout! Take some time to stretch your body afterwards – in Rock Your Life I have a library of quick cool down stretches you can choose from to follow up your workouts with.

You can click this link to check it out with your 30 day trial.

Looking for a well-balanced workout plan with variety, accountability and support for your fitness journey? Want to talk to me and the coaches in our office hours and get your questions answered? I’ve got you covered!

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– Denise S.

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