The Difficult But Important Areas To Target During A Workout

We all have trouble spots that can be tough to tone and tighten. By following these tips, though, we can start to gain more strength in these difficult areas.

The main reason we have hard-to-work muscles is due to size. "Because of [a larger] size, there is greater strength and, therefore, dominance over the smaller muscles," Aaptiv trainer Mary Onyango said. Since these larger muscles are doing the majority of the heavy lifting, it can be hard to actually work the smaller muscles. Flexibility can also be an issue. "If a muscle cannot be fully lengthened, then it reduces its performance. So if a person lacks flexibility, they cannot fully achieve the muscle's maximum potential," Onyango added.

Down below, we have some muscles and moves listed out. With all of them, it is important to remember to focus on the correct form and to keep isometric exercises in mind, as you squeeze your muscles when working them. Onyango also stated that "proper nutrition and a challenging exercise regimen" are needed to "produce visible results." 

Let's talk about your core. "Your core is your abs, obliques, and your lower back. It's the trunk of your body," personal trainer Ackeem Emmons, who is also an Aaptiv strength and running coach, told NBC News. "You see people at the gym performing a thousand crunches, but to get a strong core, you need work on stabilization."

For abs, a suggestion is mountain climbers with gliders, and to do these, you will first get into a plank position. You will then alternate legs, pulling your right knee to your right elbow and your left knee to your left elbow.

Obliques, the muscles on the sides of your core, can be worked by bending and twisting. Instead of a traditional crunch, twist your body up and to one side, go back down, then repeat on the other side. You can also do side bends while holding a dumbbell or side planks, as mentioned by Right Path Fitness.

As pointed out by fitness studio Right Path Fitness, our triceps tend to be areas with excess tissue, so you must give them some special attention. A great move is a dip, which is done by placing your hands — backward — on the edge of a chair or bench. You then lower yourself down, focusing on the back of your arms.

Ackeem Emmons believes that "the best move for triceps are push-ups." In particular, he suggests a plank to push up. "A lot of people can't do a push-up, but this move will get you there. If you don't work out that often, begin on your knees," he told NBC News. This exercise involves a forearm plank and then pushing yourself up into a high plank. You will also alternate between the left and right hand, as you lower down and push up again, over and over.

Finally, we have the glutes and/or butt, which many peope like to concentrate on when working out. "The gluteus minimus and gluteus medius tend to be hard parts of the glutes to target, because they work and perform in planes of motion that most civilians don't move through every day," Aaptiv trainer Mike Septh told their magazine. Additionally, those areas can get dominated by quads and thighs.

One exercise to try is a glute bridge. You will lie down on your back, with your knees bent, and you will then lift your lower half up into the air while focusing on squeezing your butt muscles. You then lower back down and repeat.

To make the move harder, as seen via NBC News, you can do a single-leg glute bridge by holding one leg up or out and just balancing on the other leg, while moving up and down. You can also add weight across your hips, to make it even harder and get even stronger!