4 Underappreciated Exercises (And Why You Should Love Them)
They aren’t glamorous.
They aren’t popular.
In fact, most health clubs don’t even have them.
But the reality is, they are REALLY effective exercises.
Let’s look at the value of each of these underappreciated exercises.
Tibia Dorsi Flexion. This machine is a brilliant tool for strengthening the tibialis anterior, the muscle that runs along the front of the shin. Not only is the muscle important for balance and fall prevention, but a stronger, better conditioned tibialis prevents shin splints (often associated with running, walking, and hiking) and even lower leg stress fractures. One of the reasons this machine and exercise is so important is that no other exercise targets this muscle, and thus, it’s largely ignored by most exercisers.
Pullover. The pullover could be nicknamed the king or queen of upper body exercises. Invented in 1971 by Arthur Jones, it was the first Nautilus machine ever built and represented a breakthrough in training the muscles of the upper back (the entire upper back). The pullover eliminates the weak link of the biceps and forearms, muscles that are always involved in pulling movements like rows, pulldowns, and chin-ups. By taking these smaller and weaker muscles out of the equation, direct resistance can be applied to the powerful muscles of the upper back. The irony is the very machine that spawned Nautilus (and the exercise equipment industry) is now rarely found in commercial health clubs. Why? Because very few people understand its design and value. If Leonardo Da Vinci had one regret, it’s that he didn’t think of it first.
Neck Extension. The neck extension targets the splenius musculature, the muscles on the back of the neck that allow us to maintain an upright posture. Not only does this exercise help improve our posture and prevent kyphosis (a forward curvature of the spine that gives a moderate hunchback appearance), performing neck extensions can alleviate headaches and neck pain in general (especially for professions such as dentistry that may require prolonged periods of demanding head and neck posture). Research also indicates that a stronger neck reduces concussion severity (important for athletes or anyone who drives a car). Emerging studies indicate that in female trainees, training this muscle makes it stronger, but it actually doesn’t grow larger.
Shoulder External Rotation. At Discover Strength, we love to use a shoulder horn apparatus to perform external rotation of the shoulder. This exercise serves to protect our shoulder joint, reduce chronic pain, and is therapeutic for the 25% of adults over 40 who have a partial tear to their rotator cuff. The rotator cuff muscles are “deep” muscles; so although they are important to strengthen to promote shoulder health, they won’t improve your beach physiques (for that, turn to lateral raise or shoulder presses).
