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Why Leg Day is Important

Sprout Admin -

You might have heard the phrase ‘never skip a leg day’ in the past. Despite this popular phrase in the fitness community, many people are guilty of skipping their leg workouts.

But you shouldn’t be skipping leg day on a regular basis for several reasons.

Leg workouts aren’t just about trying to grow your quads or get bulging calves. They’re also crucial to building your lower body strength.  Here are some key reasons why leg day is so important.

Total Body Balance

Building strong legs alongside a strong upper body ensures balance across the whole body.  Don’t forget to include your glutes and hamstrings too.

Increased Strength

When you perform resistance training, you cause stress in your muscles. This stress causes adaptations that result in the muscles becoming stronger and larger. Your weekly leg day sessions will help you gain strength and reach your fitness goals.

Better Performance

By building strength and stability in your lower body, you may also notice improvements in your athletic performance.  Depending on the type of training program that you follow, you can cater your leg workouts to your needs.

For example, if you play a sport that requires a lot of power, you can focus on low reps and heavyweights in your workouts. If your sport requires agility and coordination, you might want to include some plyometrics into your leg day routine.

Increased Stability and Balance

Having a strong lower body increases your stability and balance, which are essential skills to maintain as you age. Strong legs build a strong foundation! Without your leg workouts, you might not properly build the strength to support your joints and tissues.

What Exercises Should You Do On Leg Day?

If you’re looking for some great lower body exercises to add to your leg day workouts, here are some great options.

  • Squats
  • Deadlifts
  • Hip thrusts
  • Leg press
  • Lunges
  • Glute bridges
  • Kettlebell swings
  • Box jumps

Aim to include various exercises in your leg routines to maximize your chances of strength gains and muscle growth while avoiding injuries.