Working out your legs is one of the most critical parts of any training program. It’s right behind working out your chest and upper back. If you’re only performing upper body workouts, then you’re missing half of what doing a whole-body exercise entails. This article will give you a list of reasons to no longer skip leg day!
Contents
Keeps Your Body Balanced
If you’re only working out one part of your body, then the rest will start suffering. Your body works as a whole, and neglecting certain parts will lead to injury and other problems. This creates balance and symmetry in the body, making it look good!
Working Out Your Legs Increases Testosterone & Growth Hormone
The growth hormone and testosterone are essential for building muscles because they help recover from workouts quickly and grow new muscle tissue. Besides getting these hormones naturally through weightlifting, there’s no better way than to work your legs. Increased testosterone can increase strength and reduce fat in the body. Doing things like squats and leg presses at a low weight for 20+ reps will help to increase testosterone and growth hormone.
Weight Loss
Many people turn away from leg day because it only helps gain size in your lower half but not lose weight. Well, think again! Having large quads, hamstrings, and calves may make you look bigger, but they will help burn more calories and fat than any other muscle. Studies show that these muscles use more energy at rest than the rest of the body. This means having large legs will make you lose weight faster if combined with cardio workouts!
Weight Lifting Increases Bone Density
Many people neglect their lower half because it isn’t as sexy as a big upper body or “beach muscles” for men. Instead of building your muscles with all upper-body work, try adding some exercises that also increase bone strength, such as lunges and squats. Yes, the weights you lift matter here, not just how many reps you do! Research shows that women who lift heavy weights with squats and leg presses have a higher bone density than those who do not. You can also try adding some exercises that hit the lower body differently with TRX Suspension Training or battling ropes!
Reduces Lower Back Pain
The smaller muscle groups such as the hip adductors, glutes, and hamstrings help support weight on your lower body. These muscles need to be strong enough to hold your upper body up if you’re lifting heavyweights. If these muscles are weak, the chances of injury increase because they can’t support you as they should. One of the best ways to strengthen these small muscle groups is through deadlifts and hamstring curls at low reps.
Reduces Risk Of Injury
With improper training, some people can become unbalanced in their workouts, where one part of their body becomes much stronger than the other. This can lead to injuries! This is especially true for women who are more prone to stress fractures in the foot because their lower bodies are relatively weaker than men. Putting more focus into leg days will help reduce this risk because you’ll have better body symmetry.
Builds Stronger Joints & Better Posture
Having strong leg muscles helps to keep your joints healthy. Squats, lunges, and deadlifts build large muscle groups that work with the rest of the body. Increasing bone density through weightlifting also reduces the risk for osteoporosis. In addition, having more muscular legs will help you stand taller because these muscles allow you to hold up your torso better! You can do this by doing exercises like squats or hip thrusts to bend over without flexing your back. Doing these exercises will create a more even posture while creating stronger joints.
Conclusion
Working out your legs helps increase bone density, strength, longevity, and quality of life, reduces the risk of injury, improves postural support and balance in the body while also helping to build stronger joints and core muscles! There are so many reasons why you should not skip working out your legs at the gym. Instead, try adding some exercises that hit the lower body differently. This will not only improve your leg strength but also make leg day a little more fun and challenging!
