Often Neglected Muscles Men Should Focus on More

All too frequently, men focus on workouts that will give them results they can see in the mirror, but at the same time they leave other parts of their bodies completely neglected. Doing this can hold back your progress as a whole and can mean that you won’t be able to get the results you could be achieving and you may even end up placing yourself at risk of an unexpected injury.

The muscles that typically get the most attention are called the “mirror muscles.” They include the abs, pectorals, biceps and triceps. At the same time, smaller muscle are often left completely ignored in workouts, despite the fact that they’re just as important as the ones you want to show off in your selfies.

What many men don’t realize as they try to work those most visible muscles is that if you don’t work the smaller ones as well, even your look will suffer, let alone your growth and workout performance. If you aren’t trying to grow your muscles equally, you can end up looking ill proportioned, hunched, or just “off” somehow. If these muscular imbalances are allowed to progress, they can place your body and joints under unnecessary stress, causing them harm and leading to a damaged posture as well as opening you up to potential injuries.

To better control your muscle growth, shape and overall health, there are certain neglected muscles you might want to make sure are getting some more attention. Consider the following and look into the way you can work them into your overall routine.

• Calves – Many guys are so focused on their chests and abs that they nearly forget about their lower halves. This can make them look like a mistake in a fantasy novel, with a massive upper body compared to slim legs that look like they belong on another man’s body. The calf muscle is a tough one to work but it is important to keep them strong, particularly when you’re building your upper body. These relatively smaller muscles are packed with nerves and can be quite painful if they are over-stressed. Growing them gradually with the rest of the body is key.

• Forearms – There really isn’t any point to building your biceps to try to create a huge arm when you flex, if your arms are going to thin out to a tiny end that doesn’t match. Focus on developing strong arms right from your wrist up through your shoulder.

• Rhomboids – This muscle is so commonly ignored that most people don’t even know where it is. It’s located in the upper back between the shoulder blades. It’s the connection between the two sides of your body across your spine. If you want to get the most out of your shoulders and chest, you’re going to need this support or you could risk throwing out your lower back which will be forced to compensate for weaker rhomboids.