Back Issues – Page 3 – Alexander Method of SMR

Quadratus Lumborum

Pictured above is the quadratus lumborum (QL). It is one of the deepest of the lower back stabilizers and it hikes your hip (pulls your hip up toward your spine).

It is commonly too tight in persons diagnosed with one leg longer than the other. You can't move your hip or lower back in any direction without using this muscle. 80% of all adults over 18 years of age have some form of back pain. If you aren't checking the QL for excessive tension you are missing one of the most significant links to proper back function.

The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual hip, lower back & thigh muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Click here to see the hip flexor muscles as a group.

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint (attaches to the spine and the femur)

Psoas

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Hip Flexors

Pictured above are the hip flexor muscles. All of them pull your leg up toward your spine, and one of them pulls your spine toward your leg (like when you sit up). They are BY FAR the most influential group of muscles in the body. You can't move your hip or lower back in any direction without using one or more of these muscles. 80% of all adults over 18 years of age have some form of back pain. If you aren't checking your hip flexors for excessive tension you are missing the most significant group of muscles that contribute to proper back function.

The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others. On the left side you can see the other muscles that are present in the same area as the hip flexors, and a couple muscles that act as mild hip flexors (Tensor Fasciae Latae & Sartorius).

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual hip, lower back & thigh muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint (attaches to the spine and the femur)

Psoas

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Psoas

Pictured above is the psoas. It is one of the hip flexor muscles, and pulls your leg up toward your spine (like when you lift your leg), or your spine toward your leg (like when you sit up). It is BY FAR the most influential muscle in the body. You can't move your hip or lower back in any direction without using this muscle. 80% of all adults over 18 years of age have some form of back pain. If you aren't checking the psoas for excessive tension you are missing one of the most significant links to proper back function.

The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.

Individual hip, lower back & thigh muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Click here to see the hip flexor muscles as a group.

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint (attaches to the spine and the femur)

Psoas

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Rhomboid Major

Pictured above is the rhomboid major. It is a stabilizing muscle for the shoulder blade (scapula) and it pulls the scapula toward the spine.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual upper back & neck muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Muscles that cross the shoulder joint (attach somewhere in the torso and to the upper arm)

Muscles that attach to the shoulder blade (scapula) & the spine or ribs

Muscles that attach to the scapula & the arm

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Rhomboid Minor

Pictured above is the rhomboid minor. It is a stabilizing muscle for the shoulder blade (scapula) and it pulls the scapula toward the spine.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual upper back & neck muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Muscles that cross the shoulder joint (attach somewhere in the torso and to the upper arm)

Muscles that attach to the shoulder blade (scapula) & the spine or ribs

Muscles that attach to the scapula & the arm

Deltoids
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
Teres Major
Triceps (long head)
Biceps Brachii
Coracobrachialis
Latissimus Dorsi

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Latissimus Dorsi

Pictured above is the latissimus dorsi. It is the largest muscle in the back of your body (attached to your hips, spine, ribs, shoulder blade, and upper arm), and it pulls the arm down to your side and towards the back of the body.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual upper back & neck muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Muscles that cross the shoulder joint (attach somewhere in the torso and to the upper arm)

Muscles that attach to the shoulder blade (scapula) & the spine or ribs

Muscles that attach to the scapula & the arm

Deltoids
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
Teres Major
Triceps (long head)
Biceps Brachii
Coracobrachialis
Latissimus Dorsi

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Trapezius

Pictured above is the trapezius. The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. The trapezius is the outermost muscle in your upper back with 4 layers of muscle underneath it. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others. You can access individual muscle detail for all the other muscles in the body with our Coach membership.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual upper back & neck muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Muscles that attach to the head (mastoid or other skull bone) and the neck (cervical vertebrae) and/or head & torso (thoracic vertebrae and/or ribs)

Sternocleidomastoid
Trapezius
Splenius Capitus
Longissimus Capitus
Semispinalis Capitus

Muscles that attach to the neck (cervical vertebrae) and another area of the spine (cervical or thoracic vertebrae) and/or ribs

Anterior Scalene
Medial Scalene
Posterior Scalene
Splenius Cervicis
Semispinalis Cervicis

Muscles that attach to the head or neck & the shoulder blade (scapula)

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Rectus Femoris

Pictured above is the most influential of the quadriceps, the rectus femoris. The leg on the right has the rectus femoris labeled. This is the only quadriceps that acts on the 2 largest joints in your body - the hip AND the knee. If this muscle goes dysfunctional with too many muscular knots, then all movements involving either of these two joints will be compromised. If you only have time for one SMR exercise, DO SMR FOR THE RECTUS FEMORIS! (It is that important.)

The leg on the left has all the muscles that cross your thigh in the region of the rectus femoris. All of the muscles in the left leg are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Click here to view the quads all together.

Additional Quads you might be interested in:

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Adductor Longus

Pictured above is the adductor longus.

The leg on the left has all the muscles that cross the inside front of your thigh in addition to the adductor longus. All of the muscles in the left leg are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others. You can access individual muscle detail for the quads and all the other muscles in the body with our Coach membership.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Click here to see the adductors as a group.

Individual muscles you might be interested in:

Muscles that attach to the thigh bone from either the spine or hip bone above (attached anywhere on the femur)

Psoas
Iliacus
Rectus Femoris
Tensor Fasciae Latae
Sartorius
Gracilis
Adductor Magnus
Adductor Longus
Adductor Brevis
Pectineus
Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus Medius
Gluteus Minimus
Piriformis
Superior Gemellus
Obturator Internus
Inferior Gemellus
Quadratus Femoris
Biceps Femoris - Long Head
Semitendonosis
Semimembranosis

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Iliacus
Rectus Femoris
Tensor Fasciae Latae
Sartorius
Gracilis
Adductor Magnus
Adductor Longus
Adductor Brevis
Pectineus
Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus Medius
Gluteus Minimus
Piriformis
Superior Gemellus
Obturator Internus
Inferior Gemellus
Quadratus Femoris
Biceps Femoris - Long Head
Semitendonosis
Semimembranosis

Muscles that attach to the thigh bone (femur) and the knee cap (patella)

Muscles that cross or attach to the thigh bone (femur) and attach below the knee joint and DO NOT attach to the knee cap (patella)

Sartorius
Gracilis
Semitendonosis
Semimembranosis
Biceps Femoris - Long Head
Biceps Femoris - Short Head
Gastrocnemius
Popliteus
Plantaris

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

The Quadriceps

Pictured above are the quadriceps. The leg on the right has each muscle labeled. The muscles are also layered just like in your thigh, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others.

The leg on the left has all the muscles that cross the front of your thigh in addition to the quads. All of the muscles in the left leg are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual Quads you might be interested in:

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!