4 muscles you're probably ignoring and the best exercises to build them, according to a personal trainer

• Most gym goers are ignoring important muscles in the hips, back, and core, said a personal trainer.
• Hip abductors and adductors, deep core, and spinal support muscles are key for stability.

Whether you're a workout newbie or veteran gym rat, you're probably missing out on stability and strength gains by ignoring key muscles in your legs and core, according to a personal trainer.

Most people tend to neglect important muscle groups in their hips, back, and abs, which are important for providing stability, according to Cat Kom, CEO and Founder of Studio SWEAT onDemand.

Adding in exercises to work underrated muscles like the abductors, aductors, longissimus, and traverse abs can help you get more out of your workouts and prevent injury, Kom told Insider.

"I try to throw those exercises in, because people aren't doing them on their own," she said.

Hip muscles like the abductors and adductors balance your lower body

One of the most underrated muscle groups across the board is hips, according to Kom: however, men and women tend to have different weak points in this area.

For women, glute workouts are popular, but often don't include the hip abductors and gluteus medius or "side butt" on the outside of the leg.

"For an overall well-rounded lower body, and to support the upper body, we often forget to work the smaller muscles in the hips," Kom said.

To target the outer hip, she recommends curtsy lunges, in which you step one leg behind the other while bending your knee. You can also do clamshells, lying on your side and stacking your knees, then lifting the top knee toward the ceiling (with an optional resistance band for extra challenge).

In contrast, men tend to overlook exercises for the inner thigh, or adductor muscles that help stabilize the lower body and are essential for hip mobility.

A squat variation called sumo squats, with a wide stance and feet pointed outward, helps target the adductors.

"You don't often see men comfortable doing sumo squats and they absolutely should," Kom said.

Don't forget the deep core muscles in ab workouts

While core exercises are popular, people often focus too much on the top layers of muscle, and not enough on the transverse abdominis, the "deep abs" that help provide core stability and strength, according to Kom.

She recommends movements like bicycle crunches and pilates roll-ups, in which you lie on your back, arms over your head, and slowly curl your body up to a seated position (and then reaching for your toes) by engaging your core.

Both hit all the muscles of your abs — and the more slow and controlled your movement, the more benefits you'll get.

"If you just slow it down, you're going to get twice as much out of it and are more likely to avoid injury," she said.

Work your back muscles to support your core

To prevent injury and provide stability, a strong back is key, and often overlooked, Kom said.

"You may be working your 'core' abs in the front, but missing the same spot on the other side of the body," she said.

The "superman" exercise is a great way to build your back, including the erector spinae muscles that support your backbone, made up of three muscles called the longissimus, spinalis, and iliocostalis. The exercise also targets your glutes and abs.

Perform the exercise by lying on your stomach, and lifting your legs up behind you while raising your chest and arms off the ground to create a "Y" shape, and holding the position for a few seconds, then repeating. Two to three sets of 8-12 reps is a good starting point.

While traditionally done with palms facing the ground, Kom recommends turning your hands so your palms face inward toward each other, to take pressure off the shoulder joint.

One of Kom's all time favorite exercise, the deadlift, also strengthens your back, and provides serious bang for your buck by working your core, glutes, hamstrings, and hips at the same time for full-body benefits.

"You can load it heavy, and really see some big gains," she said.

Just be sure to warm up properly, and use proper form to prevent injury with all exercises.