Four Reasons Not to Skip Leg Day

Nancy Moore provides four reasons why focused legwork should be included in your training program.

It does not matter if you are into bodybuilding, Crossfit, or just day-to-day fitness. You do need to work on the flexibility and strength of your legs.

All athletes require a basic level of general all-around flexibility to benefit from other forms of training. Also, athletes will need to develop specific flexibility for those joint actions involved in their events or sports techniques.

If you fail to undertake legwork, this image may be familiar to you. >>>

The following are four other reasons why "leg day" should be included in your training program.

1. Posture

Getting in a good workout of your lower body will strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and hip flexors. These muscles are crucial to ensuring your proper posture. By getting these muscles all jacked up, your body takes on that confidence, chest forward look most fitness models possess.

The bottom line is that hitting leg day will make you look and feel good. This will also prevent any structural weaknesses in your lower body that will lead you to suffer from rounded shoulders, a hunched back, or a tilted pelvis. Plus, you will no longer have to worry about rocking those pencil legs - just in case you are another barbell pushing jockey.

2. Quick Fat Loss Fix

If you are looking to lose weight fast, this might be the best weight loss tool in your arsenal. Sure, a low-carb diet might be just as important here, but you need these just as much. The legs, packing the largest muscle group in the body, consume more calories than any muscle group when you punish them in your daily workout.

So much so that they give you a greater metabolism spike than you would get working any other muscle during the week. Not only will this help you lose more fat during the exercises, but it will also lead to more fat loss afterwards when you are on the couch watching Netflix.

3. Gains Everywhere

Researchers have found a substantial increase in testosterone and other bodybuilding hormones in the bloodstream during and some days after leg day than any other muscle day. These hormones speed up muscle recovery and quicken the process towards better muscle growth and toning.

Not only do these hormones benefit the legs on that day, but they also help all the other muscles you work out daily. As such, your entire body stands to gain from the extreme intensity of torture that comes with this auspicious day. Therefore, as much as you do dread it, it should be a day to look forward to, considering how much you have to "gain" from it.

4. Soaring Will Power

If you have ever been through a vigorous lower body workout, you know what I am talking about here. Squat real deep with a ton of weight on your back, then there is nothing on this green earth you cannot achieve. Looking past that gruelling pain of a heavy back squat with the determination of hitting your target reps is an empowering endeavour like no other. The satisfaction that comes from it is impossible.

Sure, you will probably have to limp your way back home with a few pit stops on the way, and your legs will be cursing the hell out of you. However, you will feel like you can take on the world by the time you are done.

Ankle Safety First

Having the largest muscle group in the body, it takes a lot of heavyweights, volume, and dynamic moves to get the gears turning training the lower body. Unfortunately, this could expose you to ankle sprains, or even worse, the ones you already have. This is if you are suffering from stiff calf muscles or a reduction in ankle mobility.

So make sure you do a good mobility drill before the workout and stretch out the calves afterwards and before you sleep at night. Wearing an ankle support brace during the workout is a sure way to keep your ankles protected.

Well, there you have it. The ultimate four reasons why you should never skip these divine wonder muscles. Apart from the benefits we just talked about, having a weak lower body have some serious repercussions. These include lower body joint pains, reduced mobility, muscle stiffness, exposure to injuries, and bad posture.

You could be looking at some severe arthritis in the lower back, knees, and ankles in the long term. So, why skip them at all when doing them saves you lots of pain and money in the long run?

Page Reference

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About the Author

Nancy Moore was the founder and creator of Fitnessgrams.com - a haven for people looking to get fit, boost their health, lose weight, or improve their well-being. Here you will find experiences, workouts, information from the experts, healthy living tips, and tools to find well-being and balance.