The Importance of Leg Day
Do you often skip leg day? According to PT Carly Yue, you might want to give that one a re-think…
Leg day is tough, no doubt because your legs are your biggest and strongest muscle group, but if it's an all over lean look that you're after, leg day is the workout you cannot afford to miss.
It can be easy for both guys and girls to miss leg day and instead focus on more obvious parts of the body, such as arms, shoulders and abs, however from an aesthetic point of view it's best to follow this advice for the sake of avoiding an unbalanced physique.
As an example, ladies often want to improve their glute muscles, though they don't realise that leg day is actually essential to achieveing that desired pert butt. And believe it or not, the release of hormones promoted when training legs can even help men to grow their upper body.
In a nutshell, legs are your secret weapon to burning that unwanted fat. It might surprise you to know that squats actually burn more calories than any other exercise, and not only that, but training your legs will also help to strengthen your knee, hips and ankle joints, and help reduce risk of injury.
Feeling ready to take on leg day? Here’s a simple workout for you to try…
Warm up
Walk on a treadmill for 5 minutes (incline 8, speed 3)
Main routine
(Take 45-60 seconds rest between each set/exercise)
Exercise 1 - Squats
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Tip: use a smith machine and concentrate on slow, low movements
Exercise 2 – Walking lunges
Reps: 10 steps forward and 10 steps back (alternating legs)
Sets: 3
Tip: hold a dumbbell in each hand for increased intensity
Exercise 3 – Sumo Squats
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Tip: keep your legs wide and toes pointing outward, also hold a kettlebell in your hand to target your glutes and inner thighs
Exercise 4 – Narrow leg squats
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Tip: use a barbell to target the front of your thighs and glutes
Exercise 5 – Elevated lunges (with one foot on step/box)
Reps: 10 (each leg)
Sets: 3
Tip: hold a dumbbell in each hand to target your glutes
Exercise 6 – Good mornings
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Tips: keep your legs straight and lean forwards whilst holding a barbell on your back to feel a stretch in your hamstrings
Exercise 7 – Bridges
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Tip: rest a barbell on your hips to target your glutes and core
Exercise 8 – Lying side leg raises
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Tips: no weights are required for this as each rep directly targets the sides of your legs
Repeat x3
If this leg day left you feeling fantastic, albeit a tad sore, let us know either on Twitter, Facebook or in the comments below!
[caption id="attachment_641" align="aligncenter" width="150"] Guest post by PT & Media Fitness Expert Carly Yue.[/caption]