Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — There are more than 600 muscles in the human body, and it is impossible to strengthen each one of them. However, you can boost the power of many of them, and doing so is key to enjoying a healthy life.
Adults should do muscle-strengthening exercises involving all major muscle groups two or more days a week, per the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
However, more than 80% of adults do not adhere to the federal government’s guidelines for muscle strengthening, and strength-trainers tend to train the same well-known muscles.
And while this can be a great start, there are many muscles that are often overlooked that, if strengthened, can help avoid some common injuries and pains.
Here are 5 of the muscles you should be strengthening:
The gluteal muscle
The gluteal muscle makes up the buttock area and can assist with daily activities.
These muscles “give us good support and stability when walking, climbing stairs, and transitioning from a sitting to standing position,” said Amy Koch, MD, director of physical therapy at Methodist Physicians in Nebraska.
By promoting pelvic stability, these muscles can also help prevent knee pain, as an unstable pelvis can place more pressure on the knee.
In turn, the weakness of these muscles can lead to chronic lower back pain, which can progress to degenerative disc disease.
External oblique muscles
The external oblique muscles are on your side, or waist area, that connect to your spine.
They help with bending and rolling your body from side to side, and are necessary for a good alignment and balance of the spine.
You may develop back and hip problems when you ignore these muscles.
grip strength
Having a firm grip allows you to lift and carry things more easily, and it also helps you do many daily activities, like opening a jar for example.
And if your normal activities do not require a lot of lifting and carrying, your grip may weaken over time.
Your grip strength can also be negatively affected by hand, wrist, shoulder or neck injuries, said Zack Webster, a physical therapist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
A weak grip can limit how much weight you can lift, how long you can hold it, and your fine motor skills.
Rotator cuff muscles
The four muscles surrounding the shoulder joint make up the rotator cuff, and they help strengthen arm and shoulder movements.
Since the shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body, it is easy to get injured through misuse or overuse.
Posterior deltoid muscles
The posterior deltoid muscle is located under the back of your shoulders and helps maintain an upright posture.
We also find these muscles opposite the pectoral muscles.
Kat Koum, certified personal trainer and founder of Studio SWEAT and Studio SWEAT onDemand in San Diego, said that many people train their chest muscles, but neglect the posterior deltoids, which can lead to muscular imbalances, injuries, and suffering. Not upright position.
“We spend so much time driving,[sitting]in front of computers, doing things upright that shortens the anterior deltoids and pectoralis muscles in the front of the body,” Koum said.
So, “it’s important to stretch it out. Strengthening the posterior deltoid and relaxing the trapezius muscles is a great way to do that,” she says.
