What Are Your “Bully Muscles” — and Why Should You Care?
Have you ever been in the middle of an exercise and felt it in all the wrong places?
Maybe you’re working your core, but your lower back starts to ache. Or you’re doing shoulder work and suddenly your neck (hello, trapezius) is screaming at you.
That’s your bully muscles stepping in.
What Are Bully Muscles?
Bully muscles are the ones that take over when the muscle you’re trying to strengthen gets tired, weak, or can’t keep up with the load.
Instead of the right muscle doing the work, these overachievers jump in — often leaving you with tension, strain, and sometimes even injury.
The problem?
Once your bully muscles take over, you’re no longer targeting the area you intended to strengthen. Your body is basically waving a red flag, telling you to slow down, adjust, or stop.
Why Bully Muscles Matter
If you push through the discomfort, you risk:
Training the wrong muscle groups
Worsening imbalances
Creating lingering pain or injury
It can look like people rushing through reps, not checking where they actually feel the work, and unintentionally letting bully muscles run the show.
I used to do it.
As I got closer to midlife, my body sent clear messages: sore joints, slower recovery, and fatigue that stuck around. Those bully muscles were firing hard, and I didn’t even realize it. I ignored the signs… until I couldn’t.
When I finally pivoted to walking and low-impact workouts like Pilates, it felt like I was “giving up.” I was convinced I’d lose all my progress.
I didn’t.
I got stronger — but in a way that fit the body (and life) I have now.
Why?
Because I was focusing on the quality of my workouts. Not the quantity, speed or intensity.
The results started showing up (better posture, back pain gone, pelvic floor healed and I actually looked forward to exercise) Slowing down and tuning into where I was feeling the muscles activate in my workouts was exactly what I needed. I just hadn’t been listening.
Common Bully Muscles
Every body is different, but these are the usual suspects:
Trapezius (upper neck/shoulder area)
Lower back
Hip flexors
What to Do When Bully Muscles Kick In
The moment you notice them taking over:
Stop and reset your form.
Lower the load — drop your weights or lighten resistance.
Reduce the range of motion.
If they’re still firing? Take a break.
Remember: Less is more when it comes to effective, safe workouts.
The slower you go, the more you can focus on proper alignment and really activate the right muscles. That’s when progress happens — without your bullies stealing the spotlight.
The Bottom Line
Bully muscles aren’t the enemy — they’re just stepping in to protect you when something’s off. The goal isn’t to “eliminate” them, but to build enough strength, awareness, and control so they don’t have to take over in the first place. By slowing down, tuning in, and making form your priority, you’ll get stronger in the right places, protect your joints, and make every workout work for your body — not against it.
– Christine Kirkland is a certified Pilates instructor and creator of the EASE Method, an online Pilates studio helping people over 40 build strength, improve posture, and move with confidence through low-impact, accessible workouts.