M. E
FEATURE
STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID
These two muscles run from just below and behind the ears( connecting to the base of the skull) to the top of the breastbone and collarbone at the base of the throat. Along with smaller neck muscles, the sternocleidomastoids act to tilt the head forward and to the sides, and also enables the head to rotate. WHY WORK IT? If you don’ t require neck strength for rugby or some other sport you might be doing, you may not need to train these muscles. Some bodybuilders find that their necks expand from isometric exercises like deadlifts and shrugs( not to mention the girth added by trapezius growth), with many pros going really heavy with their neck training to increase muscle size in this area. Before you decide on how much neck work you should include in your programme remember that your neck is usually the most visible indicator of strength, and it’ s always on display, even when you’ re fully clothed. HOW DO I TRAIN IT? Some well-equipped gyms have neck machines. If you don’ t have access to one, lie face-up on a bench with your head off the end. Put a folded towel on your face and hold a weight plate to the towel, then let your head drop down as far as possible and lift it back up as far as possible. Repeat this while lying on your right and left sides, and while lying face-down; the latter works the muscles at the rear of the neck. Do two or three giant sets of this four-directional exercise for 12-20 reps.
Sternocleidomastoid
Wrist extensors
WRIST EXTENSOR
The extensor muscles, which lie on the top of each forearm, have various functions in manipulating the complex mechanics of the hands, with their primary function to move the top of the hands backward toward the wrists. WHY WORK IT? Forearms are frequently neglected and many bodybuilders who throw in a few sets only do wrist curls, which work the wrist flexors, not the extensors. Like the tibialis, wrist extensors are relatively weak, but that’ s no excuse for bypassing them. With training their new strength will assist your grip in other lifts. The best reason for working extensors may be that, after your neck, your forearms are typically your most visible muscles, fully exposed whenever you wear short sleeves. HOW DO I TRAIN IT? Target wrist extensors with reverse wrist curls, either with a barbell, dumbbell or a bar attached to a cable. Move your hands through a full range of motion on each rep, going down as far as possible and back up as far as possible, for four sets of 12-20 reps.
Tibialis anterior
TIBIALIS ANTERIOR
The tibialis anterior is situated on the lateral side of the tibia( shinbone) and spans the length of the bone from the foot to the knee. The primary function of this muscle is dorsiflexion( pulling the foot upward towards the ankle) and it also works to stabilise the ankle and balance the leg. WHY WORK IT? There are two reasons to train the tibialis anterior. The first is injury prevention. If you participate in sports that involve running you’ re probably aware of shin splints, a common issue often caused by a strength imbalance between the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior. As a bodybuilder who regularly trains the back of your lower legs, the much weaker front of your lower legs may be especially vulnerable to problems any time you run. The other reason to work the tibialis anterior is for visual effect. It’ s a small muscle but it can impact depth in the lower legs when viewed from the front, especially when you’ re at a lean bodyweight and standing on a competition stage. HOW DO I TRAIN IT? Most gyms don’ t have a tibialis machine, but you can duplicate the motion by sitting on a leg curl machine facing the ankle pads. Hook your toes under the pads and lift your toes toward your shins. A small amount of weight will be necessary to work these small muscles. Do three or four sets of 10-15 reps in each calves workout.
All five of the small muscles mentioned above play crucial roles in moving you about. Also, all of these muscles are worked in the bigger exercises we all do in the gym. However, if any of these small muscles is lagging or neglected the overall completeness of the physique takes a knock because, from just below your head to just above your toes, they’ re each highly visible. Taken together they can have a major impact on your bodybuilding, making the difference between being viewed as an athlete with precision or shrugged off as just another semi well-trained physique. The choice is yours, but remember the difference is in the detail. M. E
78 Muscle Evolution