BetaTOR

The Benefits of Leg Day | Erin Stern

September 14, 2018

If you’re like me, you love to train legs. There’s something therapeutic about pushing heavy weight around! It’s stress relief in iron form. But there are other benefits to training legs that you might not be aware of. So, if you’re tempted to skip legs this week, continue reading and you may want to load some plates on the bar after all.
 

Increase Strength in All Other Lifts

Leg day training will obviously help you gain strength in your legs, but did you know that it will also help you gain strength in your upper body? Many upper body exercises depend on core strength and hip drive. Consider the standing military press, t-bar row, and bench press. All of these exercises require total body strength and power. In order to optimize upper body strength, lower body strength needs to be developed.

 
Great for Gaining Muscle

If you’re trying to gain muscle, 1-2 leg training sessions per week can help. Muscle gain is often systemic, so if you’re adding muscle to your legs, you’re also adding muscle to your upper body! Also, many leg exercises train the upper body, too. Squats, deadlifts, RDLs, and all free weight variations require that the upper body put in some work.

 
Boost Healthy Hormones

Big compound movements naturally boost testosterone and growth hormone. These hormones are key factors for building and maintaining muscle – whether you’re a male or female. These key hormones can also help you sleep better and recover better. The larger compound lifts recruit more muscle fibers. The greater the muscle fiber recruitment, the more testosterone is released into your bloodstream. Of course, your body does this naturally, so the result is beneficial.

 
Burn Tons of Calories

Big compound movements burn the most calories. Your legs are the biggest muscle group in the body, so training them can help you get leaner. You’ll burn more calories post-workout, too. Your body requires energy to replenish glycogen stores in the muscle and to recover. You’ll also get a cardio benefit to leg day training, as it will keep your heart rate elevated throughout the workout.

 
Improve Overall Symmetry

Even if you don’t plan on getting on a bodybuilding stage, symmetry is important. You’ve seen the person who neglects training legs, walking around the gym looking like a chicken. Overall health is improved when the body is in balance, and strong legs help to prevent injury. It’s harder to hurt a strong lower body. Create a physique that allows you to continue to live the life you want!
 
I rely on BetaTOR for all of my leg day training sessions. It helps me get a few good extra reps and it helps me with recovery! Thank you for reading! Until next time…. Train hard, y’all!

 


Erin Stern, 2x Ms. Figure Olympia

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