This post is part of our Best Parks for Running in London series – put together by our dedicated running clinic team.

Hyde Park is a sprawling, green and beautiful park providing the ultimate in Central London running opportunities. Whether you like trail running, road running, casual running or power walking, you can really do it all in this park.

The perimeter loop of hyde park is almost dead on 7km and there are plenty of 5km run tracks you can find and that we will talk more about here.

About Hyde Park

When you think of Central London parks, the first that comes to mind is likely Hyde Park. Located right in the centre of London is Hyde park, a huge, green, open space which enables visitors to relax, exercise and connect with nature.

Like Central Park in Manhattan Hyde Park is a wonderful escape & resource to all those that live nearby and visit. It is one of Central London’s largest parks and provides a wide array of amenities and activities including swimming in the serpentine lake which is located in the centre of the park and roller skating alongside the lake.

For runners, Hyde Park offers a huge range of routes, running types & terrains to work from providing endless amounts of opportunities to get enjoyable and really effective exercise sessions completed.

Another great benefit of running in the Royal Parks in Central London is that there are refreshment huts located within each providing you with the opportunity to purchase water OR get a post workout meal should you need. There are also public toilets available in most of London’s Royal Parks which are usually kept to a clean hygienic standard and are appropriate for all genders.

Within Hyde Park you also have the Serpentine cafe which is located right next to the lake and produces some really great breakfast, lunch & dinner options servicing your needs all day long.

Getting to Hyde Park

Hyde Park has lots of tube station access points. Please find below a list and the rough entry points to the park which are closest to the tube station

1. Marble Arch (Central Line) – 2 min walk to speakers corner which is located in the far north eastern part of the park
2. Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly Line) – 30s walk to the most southern eastern park of the park
3. Knightsbridge (Picaddilly line) – 2 mins walk to the south central section of the park
4. High Street Kensington (Circle, District and Overground) – 4-5 min walk to the most south western part of the park which contains Kensington Palace
5. Queensway (Central Line) – 2 min walk to the most north western section of the park which has Diana’s childrens playpark 
6. Lancaster Gate (Central Line) – 2 min walk to the north central section of the park which enters where the most beautiful fountain display are located

Hyde Park Corner Bus Stop Routes: 2, 13, 16, 36, 38, 52, 148, 390, N2, N38 (N provides night service providing 24 hours access via these routes)

Marble Arch Bus Stop Routes: 2, 13, 16, 23, 36, 74, 137, 148, 390, 414, N2, N16 (N provides night service providing 24 hours access via these routes)

Hyde Park is also one of the best connected locations for Santander bikes.

Hyde Park is located between Notting Hill & High Street Kensington, Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner. On the far west side of the park you will find high street Kensington and on the far east side of the park you will find Mayfair. All surrounding locations are in the boroughs of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea and are considered to be the wealthiest and most affluent boroughs in Central London with Hyde Park providing one of the major attractions and reasons for living nearby.

Hyde Park 5km Running Routes

The total perimeter of the park is approximately 7km meaning there is ample room for you to complete your 5km run without having to complete loops or laps of the same park.

This is one of the really nice things about running in Hyde Park – it provides you with an amazing scenery and an amazing escape from the hustle and bustle of the busier parts of the city.

If you prefer to complete loops & laps you could start near the serpentine lake and run around the lake itself. The lake is beautiful and passes the fountains located at the far north section and then comes back around to pass the Serpentine swimming club and Princess Diana’s memorial fountain – which is spectacular to say the least.

Hyde Park 10km Running Routes

If you’re looking for a relatively flat (with no incline) opportunity to complete a 10km run in Central London then look no further than Hyde Park.

No matter where you start from, a perimeter lap of Hyde Park is roughly 7km making 1.5 laps almost dead on 10km.

If you want to challenge yourself by adding different terrains types to your 10km run in Hyde Park you can run in the horse track which is located roughly between the Knightsbridge section of the park all the way around to Marble Arch and then continues around to almost Lancaster Gate section – this provides for a really tough running workout.

If you are looking for a simple 10km run then sticking to the paths and perimeter of the park for 1.5 laps will do the job really nicely. The park itself isn’t very hilly (there are a few minor ups and downs but mostly flat). 

Hyde Park Trail Runs

Not keen on running and concrete and prefer to run trail? No worries, Hyde Park has you covered. Its possible to complete an entire lap of hyde park hugging the perimeter with barely having to touch concrete.

The horse tracks provides for excellent trail running practice and if you want to delve of course from the perimeter there are plent of wooded and wild grassed areas for you to run through without having to step foot on concrete at all. This provides an excellent training ground for improving your trail running technique and for training your body to become more used to different terrains.

Favourite Running Routes Around Hyde Park

Again depending on where you start from our favourite routes are:

1. Clockwise 10km lap starting high street kensington end moving to notting hill end and then looping round to Marble Arch, down to Hyde Park corner, along past Knightsbridge section and back to high street Kensington finishing with a sprint back to Notting Hill
2. Anti clockwise 10km starting from Hyde Park corner entrance, moving up to Marble Arch, running along the length to Queensway before heading down through Kensington Gardens to High Street Kensington section and then back along the length to Hyde Park corner passing Knightsbridge
3. 5km lake loop – starting anywhere on the Serpentine and completing two laps in either direction – this is a beautiful, scenic and exhilarating run.

Running in Hyde Park at Night

Hyde Park is open 365 24/7 and is totally open with no gates or restrictions. The lighting around the park is exceptional providing amazing running facilities for runners year round.

Hyde Park is a safe and open space which is usually policed heavily as the police station is located in the centre of the park – adding to the secure and safe feeling overall. 

Does Hyde Park have an Organised Parkrun?

The Royal Parks Half Marathon is an excellent run that runs annually and starts from Hyde Park.

There are hundreds of other runs available and further to this if you are a Strava user you will find literally thousands of routes to use and work from providing you with endless opportunities and also mini competitions!

This post is part of our Best Parks for Running in London series – put together by our dedicated running clinic team.

Kensington Gardens provides excellent opportunities for long slow duration runs, interval running, trail running and personal best attempts.

Mostly flat with small inclines and declines this park and its vistas provide for a wonderful place to complete your exercise for the day whether running or other. It’s not uncommon to see people practicing yoga, Pilates, HIIT training, strength training on the benches, roller skating, skateboarding, cycling & more – this really is a park for the fitness enthusiast.

Kensington Gardens offers a range of different running options from a 5km loop to a min 100m slight incline sprint distance hill.

About Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens forms a part of Hyde Park and is home to Kensington Palace most famous for Princess Diana’s London residence.

The park and its surrounding are beautiful and incredibly well manicured by the royal parks. The lake which is located opposite the palace used to be used by the Royals for their firework displays and special occasions.

The Royals and their guests would gather in the rooms and terraces that face the lake and watch the displays whilst socialising and courting. At the far north western side of the park you will find Princess Diana’s children’s playground which is a huge hit with both locals and tourists providing children with an incredible and magical playground.

At the far north eastern side of Kensington Gardens you will find the most exquisite fountain display which is well worth stopping for, even for a short couple of seconds to take a quick photo!

At the south east section of Kensington Gardens you will find the iconic Royal Albert Hall and the Albert Memorial itself.

The park is surrounded by a fantastic collection of restaurants and cafes providing you with endless options for pre workout and post workout eating and drinking options. The parks contain good public toilets which are kept clean and hygienic at all times by the Royal Parks and their team.

Getting to Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens has lots of tube station access points. Please find below a list and the rough entry points to the park which are closest to the tube station

1. Knightsbridge (Picaddilly line) – 5-10 mins walk to Kensington Gardens
2. High Street Kensington (Circle, District and Overground) – 4-5 min walk to the most south western part of the park which contains Kensington Palace
3. Queensway (Central Line) – 2 min walk to the most north western section of the park which has Diana’s childrens playpark 
4. Lancaster Gate (Central Line) – 2 min walk to the most north eastern section of the park which enters where the most beautiful fountain display are located

In terms of bus routes the park is surrounded by the major roads into London and depending on what side of the park you are entering from or indeed which location in London you are travelling from you are almost guaranteed to have a stop that services your needs. Please find below the stops which service Notting Hill Gate and High Street Kensington which provide access to the park and enable you to get close to any area of the park within a 10-15 min walk max.

Notting Hill Gate Bus Stop Routes: 70, 94, 148, N207 (N provides night service providing 24 hours access via these routes)

High Street Kensington Bus Stop Routes: 9, 23, 49, 52, 70, 452, N9 (N provides night service providing 24 hours access via these routes)

Kensington Gardens is also one of the best connected locations for Santander bikes.

Kensington Gardens is located between Notting Hill & High Street Kensington. On the far west side of the park you will find high street Kensington and ‘millionaires row’ which you will find and be able to view some of the largest and most luxurious residential properties in London and on the far east side of the park you will find the start of Hyde Park which then leads east all the way through to Mayfair.

All surrounding locations are in the boroughs of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea and are considered to be the wealthiest and most affluent boroughs in Central London with Kensington Gardens providing one of the major attractions and reasons for living nearby.

Why Kensington Gardens is a good choice for runners

Incredibly centrally located with the added bonus of spectacular views and opportunities to take in history whilst on the go, Kensington Gardens provides an excellent ground for most levels of runners.

Whether you’re attempting your 5km personal best OR out for a quick 20-30 min run whilst on business, this park ticks a lot of boxes and is highly ranked as one of the best parks for running.

The park provides the ability to run on the pathways which are always kept clean and immaculate and you also have the ability to run completely off concrete for an entire lap using the slightly internal trails that hug the main concrete paths.

WIth slight inclines and declines the terrain and gradients change ever so slightly but not enough to put a big challenge in front of any level of runner. The Serpentine gallery is located on the east side of the park and just behind is a long grassy stretch which is perfect for completing lower impact sprint interval training. 

Runs in Kensington Gardens

The are so many route options many of which can be found if you use apps such as Strava.

Our favourites include the two triangle approach which can be done in any direction and involves running down the diagonal path which cuts across the park splitting the park essentially into two triangles OR simply completing a perimeter lap.

If interval training is what you are looking for you won’t beat starting at the bottom of the most south west section of the park and working your way up to the most north east section near Queensway/Notting Hill Gate which includes a slow but increasing uphill section which is a little more challenging than first meets the eye. 

Kensington Gardens 5k route

The full perimeter of Kensington gardens is approximately 4.3km providing you with an excellent opportunity to complete a lap and then finish with a 600-700m sprint finish.

This can be done in any direction however if completing anti-clockwise its worth noting that there is a small incline south-north running on the side of the park closest to Kensington Palace which runs from the High Street Kensington end all the way up to the Notting Hill gate end of the park.

Kensington Gardens 10k route

If you’re looking for a slightly longer run and want to achieve distances of 10km+ in Kensington Gardens, our recommendation is to combine your run to include Hyde Park also.

If you really want to stay within Kensington Gardens then you could simply do two laps (either direction of your choice) and then add a spring finish 4.3km x 2 = 8.6km with a 1,400m sprint / faster finish. If you opt for combining Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens the perimeter of both parks is approximately 7km so completing a lap and then almost a lap of Kensington Gardens again ensuring you finish where you start out is the best option.

Due to its central location and through 100’s and 1,000’s of runners participating in running using Strava app you will find 100s of different route suggestions on the app which you could use as interactive guidelines.

Overall – the parks provide for a fabulous 10km run for anyone at any level and produce some opportunities to see some stunning wildlife & iconic London landmarks.

Running in Kensington Gardens at night

Running in Kensington Gardens at night is very safe and it’s incredibly well lit.

The park is open 24/7 and is lit especially well on the main paths which are predominantly the perimeter paths. Not only will you be running alongside other runners for comfort all year round you can take comfort in knowing the the palace is protected 24/7 by Police and that Hyde Park police station is very close by making it doubly protected and heightening the safety feeling for all those who wish to enjoy the park and its amenities. 

Kensington Gardens opening times

Good news for runners who enjoy midnight winter runs! Kensington Gardens is open 24/7 – 365 days per year.

This post is part of our Best Parks for Running in London series – put together by our dedicated running clinic team.

Flat terrain and picturesque all year round means that Victoria park is a solid choice for a lot of runners in and around East London.

86 hectares of well kept greenery to play with that is also home to some beautiful lakes and fountains, making this park a popular choice for runners of all abilities.

Victoria Park is about 2.7 miles (4.4km) around and is divided into two sections by an intersecting road, with Regents canal running directly along the west side. The canal is a 9.3-miles (15km) almost traffic-free jog through the heart-and-soul of London, linking Victoria and Regent’s Park together for those long run days.

(We’re also got a great guide for running in Regent’s Park too)

Here’s a little more info our running clinic team have put together about Victoria Park.

Getting to Victoria Park

Victoria Park can be accessed via Bus, Train or Tube. The 5 closest bus stops are Gascoyne Road (SK), Christie Road (G), Barnabas Road (K), Wick Road (SA) and ​​Alice Lane (A). Gascoyne Road being a 2min walk away and Alice Lane 11. The others are approximately 6-8minutes. With bus lines 26, 30 and 388 stopping the closest to the park.

Access via Train and Tube requires a slightly longer walk/ run to the park itself. Homerton is the closest train station and is a 28 minute walk away and the closest tubes are Bethenal Green and Mile End, both approximately a 28 minute walk as well. 

About Victoria Park

Victoria Park is the oldest purpose built park in London and was established in 1841. Sat in the heart of East London it creates an access to Islington at one end and Regents canal and Limehouse basin at the other.

With its tree lined paths and all round energising atmosphere, Victoria park is popular with families, runners, and general day out explorers.

It is the home of Burdett Court Gardens which are groomed and kept pristine all year round, as well as The Chinese Pagoda. Rebuilt in 2010, the Pagoda is the perfect place to meditate, read, relax and take in the ambient surroundings.

Although the park is a lot busier on the weekends, the weekly Sunday food market is a must. Produce is available 10-4pm and street food 10-5pm. The market is located along the street called the Nightwalk which is inside the park between Bonner Gate and Gore Gate. Nearest postcode is E2 9JW.

And, as if this park couldn’t get any better, there is a skatepark situated right in the heart. Unveiled in July 2011, it features a huge bowl and bike ramp, plus a cafe. There is literally something for everyone.

Why Victoria Park is a good choice for runners

Victoria Park is the perfect choice for runners of all abilities but especially beginners looking to start out.

The park is 2.7 miles (4.4km) around and is divided into two sections by an intersecting road. The nearest section to the canal is the most picturesque with formal gardens surrounding a stunning lake.

The notoriously flat and fast terrain is a mixture of sandstone, dirt and grass loop and circular tracks that are suitable all year round and if trail running is your thing, there are a multitude of trail runs to take your fancy.

The picturesque tree lined paths make it a very quintessential park to choose. It is extremely well kept with wide avenues for running and space for everyone.

Benches dotted frequently around the park can provide a well deserved rest bite or can be used for bodyweight workouts and/or pre and post run stretches. There are plenty to go around and you’d be hard pressed to not find one. The bandstand can also be used for covered workouts or stretching if the weather takes a turn for the worst and you get caught out at any point.

If you are more of a distance runner then the Regent’s canal runs directly along the west side of the park and is a perfect traffic free option to add onto any planned routes you may have. At 9.3-miles (15km) long in total and almost traffic-free it is the perfect running route to take you from Victoria Park up to Regents Park.

And it wouldn’t be a good park to run in without a cafe for that pre or post run nutrition or coffee. There are two cafes in Victoria park, one on the west side, the other on the east. The park cafe is situated next to the skatepark and the Pavilion cafe next to the boating lake. 

Victoria Park 5k route

Having mentioned previously, a full loop of the sealed perimeter road is about 2.7miles (4.3km). So add a loop around the boating lake to the perimeter run and you’ve hit your 5k easily.

The perimeter is sealed, so it makes it a safe option for runners and you won’t be the only runner along there. Can be run clockwise or anticlockwise to change things up if needed.

Victoria Park 10k route

A great 10km route for Victoria park would be to start at neighboring Mirabelle Gardens. From here run down Honour Lea Avenue across Eastcross Bridge and down to the Hereford union canal.

From here enter Victoria park via St Marks Gate. Take the perimeter circular route around the outside anticlockwise. Once you get to the boating lake, do a loop of this before heading anti-clockwise again on the perimeter route back round up to Mirabelle Gardens.

If you wanted to stay in Victoria Park specifically, then 2 laps of the perimeter with a loop around the boating lake each time would bring you to 10km as well. 

Running in Victoria Park at night

The dusk closing times make Victoria Park a lunchtime or before-work option in winter.

Victoria Park opening times

The park is open daily from 7am-dusk. Dusk obviously changes throughout the year so don’t leave it too late in the winter time to pay a visit.

Does Victoria Park have an organised Parkrun?

Unfortunately Victoria Park doesn’t have it’s own weekly park run but you will find one just down the road at Victoria Dock, Siemens Brothers Way, London, E16 1GB every Saturday at 9am.

There are multiple 5k and 10k events run at Victoria Park throughout the year though, so keep an eye out for any weekends they are on and you are available. They are usually once a month and run by different charities or running organisations.

There are also two running groups based in the park, Victoria Park Harriers and Tower Hamlets Athletics Club has its home in the northeast corner of the park in St Augustine’s Hall.

This is part of our series of blogs on the posterior chain. In this blog, we’ll take a detailed look at the best posterior chain exercises for beginners – with detailed walk-throughs and the expert thinking behind our recommendations.

Why might beginners want to improve their posterior chain?

For any beginner a crucial first step in ensuring the exercises you are performing are performed effectively is to practice and execute perfect (or at least as close to perfect) form possible. If you can learn how the muscle in focus moves each body part and what its main movement ranges are you are more than half way on your journey to understanding and learning how to move effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, developing what we know in the industry as ‘mind-muscle” connection is also an important skill to learn prior to increasing load (weight) in the exercises you choose to add to your posterior chain workouts.

This adage is particularly true when it comes to using the posterior chain and performing exercises which are posterior chain dominant. Due mainly to our adapted lifestyles (think desk posture and long periods of sitting) the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles mainly speaking) tend not get activated and remain much of their time in a stretched and non-active position which over time causes weakness. 

Whilst all muscle systems in the body are important, paying a biassed attention to the posterior chain is (in most people’s case – general population) a very worthwhile investment of time and energy as the posterior chain is what keeps us upright (erect) and in good posture. Simply put, all the muscles on the fronts of our bodies pull us forward and all the muscles on the back of our bodies help pull us back & keep us erect. Balancing out the pulling back and ‘erectness’ is crucial for most of us who spend large amounts of our day seated and in a forward, curled up position.

Including posterior chain exercises in your daily/weekly program will ensure that you remain strong, supple and stable across all movement plans whilst at the same time it will assist with improved overall strength & good posture. An efficient posterior chain usage will cross over to many day to day tasks providing the additional benefit of improved daily function.

Why are posterior chain exercises important for beginners?

The main reasons posterior chain exercises are important for both beginners and indeed anyone participating in programmed resistance exercise are:

1. They help improve your overall posture
2. They use the largest muscles in the body therefore providing a lot of ‘bang for buck’ from a workout and energy expenditure standpoint
3. They look great! Sorry – had to say it!
4. The mastery of the posterior chain movements will provide a direct crossover into almost any sport & also almost any day to day functional activity (think putting the dishes away, picking up your children or putting them to bed)
5. They help build full body strength, stability and suppleness

In short, whether you’re training to be a better sports person, a better person OR just to move better in general, you want to consider making the posterior chain your friend! Master the movements, apply time to practising deliberately, gradually increase the load and stress you apply to your body using the movements and watch all the above come to reality.

Bodyweight Pelvic Bridge

How do I do it?

1. Start by lying on a mat on your back on the floor
2. Bend your knees and have feet hip width apart (your feet want to be approximately 1 hand distance away from your bottom)
3. Tilting your pelvis towards your nose, gradually roll your hips upwards towards the ceiling (peeling the spine off of the mat one vertebrae at a time)
4. Once you reach the top position, hold for 1s and then slowly return in the same manner (one vertebrae at a time) until you reach the bottom
5. Reset and complete as many reps as you have programmed

Why is it good for me?

The bodyweight pelvic bridge is great exercise for a number of reasons:

1. It helps improve your understanding of you hips and correct movement of the hips and lower back
2. It activates the major posterior chain muscles (hamstrings, glutes and lower back)
3. It improves overall strength and activation of the hamstrings, glutes and lower back
4. It improves overall spinal mobility
5. It’s great to to be used as either a warm up exercise OR as a part of your main workout

How do I make it easier?

With the floor lying bridge, this is really as easy as it can get, however, if you are suffering or recovering from injury, completing half reps and half range of motion versions of the above are totally fine also. This way you can build slowly towards a full range bodyweight pelvic bridge.

How do I make it harder?

To progress this exercise you can use a step or platform (or anything you can place your feet on which is stable and is above floor level). Place your feet onto the higher surface and complete the exact same steps as above. By taking your feet higher you increase the range of motion therefore making the exercise more challenging. You can also add a small weight by holding a dumbbell or plate on your hips to increase the load.

Coaches top tip

To engage the hamstrings more, lift your toes off the floor and focus on really pushing the heel into the ground.

Can I see someone demonstrate it?

Long Lever Pelvic Bridge

How do I do it?

1. Start by lying on a mat on your back on the floor
2. Bend your knees and have feet hip width apart (your feet want to be approximately 1 hand distance away from your bottom)
3. Tilting your pelvis towards your nose, gradually roll your hips upwards towards the ceiling (peeling the spine off of the mat one vertebrae at a time)
4. Once you reach the top position,walk your feet anywhere between 6 inches and 12 inches from where they currently are therefore lengthening the position of the body by placing your feet further away from the bottom
5. Hold the position isometrically (no movement just hold) as per your program and requirements

Why is it good for me?

This exercise is a fantastic way to build strength in the posterior chain due to its isometric nature. It’s very user friendly and can be performed by almost any level of fitness. Its also an incredibly effective way to teach you how to engage your hamstrings (which some people struggle with in the early phases of training). 

How do I make it easier?

Simply don’t take your feet too far away from the bottom therefore lessening the distance between feet and bottom. If you are a complete beginner simply holding a standard pelvic bridge could be enough of a challenge.

How do I make it harder?

To progress this exercise you can use a step or platform (or anything you can place your feet on which is stable and is above floor level). Place your feet onto the higher surface and complete the exact same steps as above. By taking your feet higher you increase the range of motion therefore making the exercise more challenging. You can also add a small weight by holding a dumbbell or plate on your hips to increase the load.

Coaches top tip

Use this as a pre-exhaust superset with exercises such as barbell or dumbbell hip thrusts or deadlifts. By activating the hamstrings and glutes first you will find you gain better overall recruitment in the main exercise prescribed.

Can I see someone demonstrate it?

Split Stance Single Leg Deadlift Using Dumbbell

How do I do it?

1. Using either dumbbells, kettlebells or even just bodyweight to start (depending on experience) start with one foot forward approximately 1 foot’s length in front so you are essentially in a small split stance stance.
2. Ensuring you keep your shoulders neutral, core engaged and feet firmly planted on the floor, drive your hips backwards keeping a soft bent knee with the foot that is behind and keep the foot in front straight
3. Hinge from your hip as much as you can taking flexibility and exercise experience into account and aim to feel the exercise working hamstrings, glutes and lower back
4. When returning ensure that you extend the hips using the glutes and keep shoulders set at all times

Why is it good for me?

This is a fantastic way to build up your skill acquisition towards completing a full deadlift. Its also a great way to activate the posterior chain and strengthen at the same time. By being in a split stance it’s also a great way to build up skill acquisition towards completing a single leg deadlift. 

How do I make it easier?

Using bodyweight only is one of the best ways to make this exercise easier.

How do I make it harder?

You can make this exercise harder by increasing the load (adding weight) and also taking it further into a single leg deadlift which is where your back foot will leave the floor and reach out backwards with a straight leg adding the further challenge or balance and core stability.

Coaches top tip

Practice the hinging motion from the hips ensuring you learn how to maintain core stability, shoulder stability and foot connection with the floor before going into full range of motion. Skills first, then execute.

Can I see someone demonstrate it?

Prone Lying Isometric Hamstring Squeeze

How do I do it?

1. Take a mat and lie on your front with your forehead parallel to the floor and neck position nice and neutral (use a towel or something soft to support if needed)
2. Bend both knees until 90 degrees at the knee joint
3. Squeeze and activate your glutes and then, without changing the position of the knee, aim to lift your upper leg off the mat towards the ceiling. Although you won’t get very far in terms of the range of motion, this queue will provide you with the right information to engage your hamstrings and glutes.
4. Hold the heightened position isometrically as per your program

Why is it good for me?

This exercise requires very little equipment and can be done anywhere at any time. It’s fantastic for those needing to learn how to engage the posterior chain, and it’s also fantastic as a warm-up/activation and/or pre/post exhaust superset in a main program.

How do I make it easier?

You can make this exercise slightly easier by working with a straight leg as opposed to a bent knee position.

How do I make it harder?

You can make this exercise harder by squeezing a ball (preferably pilates ball) Or Pilates ring between your knees. This will further engage your hamstrings and adductors making the exercise more challenging.

Coaches top tip

Keep your head parallel to the floor whilst at the same time keeping ever such a small gap between your belly button and the floor to ensure you are holding a neutral spine at all times. This will provide you with the added benefit of your core working during the exercise also.

Safety First

Remember, the movements and techniques you see demonstrated here are advanced exercises, and our team has practised them countless thousands of times. It’s always a good idea to have professional guidance when you’re exercising – and this is especially true when you’re using free weights.

If you’d like to talk to us about training with us here in London at our Soho, Fitzrovia, or Mayfair studios, we’d love to help. Equally, if you’re somewhere else in the world – we can be by your side virtually using our innovative online training app and video call guidance.

This article is part of our series of blogs on the posterior chain. In this edition, we’ll take a detailed look at the best posterior chain barbell exercises – guaranteed to give you a great workout!

Why are barbell exercises an important part of a posterior chain workout?

When compared to machines, movements performed with a barbell require more stabilisation to perform safely and correctly. As stabilisation is one of the key functions of many muscles in the posterior chain, including the glutes, lats, spinal erectors and shoulder stabilising muscles, performing exercises with a barbell may give you more ‘bang for your back’.

Furthermore, a barbell allows for greater loading when compared to dumbbells and kettlebells allowing you to keep making linear progression for longer. Barbell movements can also be performed in a power rack meaning you can adjust the starting position of the movement. For example, a barbell can be loaded with a heavy weight in the rack, ready for you to perform a squat without having to lift the weight from the floor, as would be the case for a dumbbell loaded squat.

Barbell Hip Thrust

This may be the greatest glute builder there is. When performed properly. It may look simple, but there are a few boxes to tick to ensure you perform the movement safely and effectively.

You can check out our how-to walk-through here:

Position yourself with back up against the edge of a bench or box. Roll a loaded barbell into the crease of your hips, ensure you add a bar pad so that you can perform the exercise comfortably. Once the barbell position is set in your hip crease, set your feet and bend your knees to roughly 90 degrees. Drive your feet into the floor and drive your back towards the bench or box.

Lean back into the bench or box, with the edge of it sitting just below the shoulder blade. Your upper body and hips should be in one straight line.

Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine. Drive your feet into the floor and drive up through the hips.lever. Your upper back should act as a pivot point on the bench. Squeeze for a beat at the top and return to the starting position, maintaining a braced core.

Conventional Deadlift

Often termed the ‘King of Exercises’ (a title for which it often battles with the back squat) the deadlift is an incredible strength builder for the entire posterior chain. It’ll hit the glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors and traps to name just a few.

You can check out our how-to walk-through here:

To set up, step under a loaded barbell on the floor, setting your feet so that the bar sits just halfway across them. Set the feet about hip-width apart, and then ‘screw’ them into the floor by twisting them slightly apart- imagine you’re spreading a towel. Maintaining a relatively vertical shin angle, hinge your hips back and set your shoulders over the bar.

Contract your lats to pull the bar tight into the body, lift your chest (think ‘proud chest’) and set your back to a neutral position. Brace your core and ‘pre-load’ the barbell with slightly less force than you need to lift the bar. Your arms should be taut. Think of yourself like a crane, with your hands acting as the hooks and your arms acting as the wires. To move efficiently your wires need to be tense before you pull.

Drive your feet into the floor, think about pushing the floor away, as you stand up, driving through the hips and maintaining a neutral spine and braced core.

To complete the movement, contract your quads, squeeze and push through your glutes to come to a standing position. Lower the bar under control by reversing the movement, re-set it to the floor and repeat for the desired number of reps.

Pendlay Row

This is one of the best movements for building strength across the whole back, as well as developing significant core strength and challenging your hamstring mobility.

You can check out our how-to walk-through here:

Start with a loaded barbell on the floor, step under the bar so it sets roughly halfway over your feet. Hinge into position and take a slightly wider than shoulder width grip. Set your hips slightly higher than a deadlift. 

Brace your core and maintain a flat back throughout. Build tension in your arms before you pull, imagine you’re generating 99% of the force required to perform the rep. You should hear the bar ‘click’ into place against the plates. There should be tension through your body. 

To perform the rep, explosively pull the bar up towards the lower part of your chest. Ensure you maintain the same shoulder and hip position. 

Lower the bar under control towards the floor. Allow it to come to a dead stop and then repeat for the desired number of reps.

Safety First

Remember, the movements and techniques you see demonstrated here are advanced weightlifting exercises and our team have practiced them countless thousands of times. It’s vital to have professional guidance when you’re exercising – and this is especially true when you’re using free weights.

If you’d like to talk to us about training with us here in London at our Soho, Fitzrovia, or Mayfair studios, we’d love to help. Equally, if you’re somewhere else in the world – we can be by your side virtually using our innovative online training app and video call guidance.