Go to any gym and you’ll see a familiar sight, guys (primarily) doing whatever it takes to only build their “show muscles” like arms, chest, shoulders and back. It turns out neglecting leg training is a huge mistake for anyone, men and women alike, who are trying to gain muscle, burn fat, and/or improve their athletic performance. Why is leg training so beneficial?
1. Fat burning and cardiovascular health: The leg muscles- quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, are some of the largest, strongest muscles in your body. You can tax them with heavier weights at a high level of intensity which in turn taxes your cardiovascular and metabolic system. As a result, you will burn more calories during your leg session than any other workout, and continue to burn calories at an elevated rate afterwards.
2. Injury and back pain prevention: Most of us know one of the very effective ways to prevent back pain is to strengthen your core and back muscles (which exercises like squats, lunges and deadlifts will do). However, lower back pain is also often caused by weak stabilizing muscles, so training your lower body will minimize the risks of lower back injuries
3. Overall muscle growth: Leg training is hard, it should be the hardest of any body part. As a result of the effort and tax on the muscles and central nervous system, your body will release testosterone and growth hormone to aid recovery and adaptation. Numerous studies have demonstrated this natural response helps to build muscle and strength throughout your whole body.
