We love leg day over here at Lounge Fitness. All the writers and fitness enthusiasts here, like me, would never even dream of missing leg day in our weekly workout routines. And nor should you. If you’ve been traumatised, like I have, of going to a gym and watching over-built men doing bicep curls while their thin legs make a mockery of their pumped arms, you know what I’m talking about.
It’s not just about aesthetics though. You do use your leg muscles a lot every day, and your entire posterior chain muscles—which comprises the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves—is in use all the time. Whether you’re squatting to pick something up, or sitting on a chair or getting up from a sitting position...heck even if you’re just getting out of bed, you’re using these muscles.
Also Read: The best workouts for stronger legs
Even when you’re working out, and especially if you like to exercise athletically, i.e. on your feet, you’re using the posterior chain muscles. If you’re into playing a sport, no matter that that may be, you will need fit and strong legs. Strong legs and posterior chain muscles also mean that your balance will improve, and that’s important for your overall health. So, given how much you use them, it’s only fair that you take the time to train them. If nothing else, doing so will ensure that you’re free of pain and injuries.
With that in mind, here are three excellent leg workouts that you should try. There’s something here for everyone, whether you’d like to use just your bodyweight, or if you’ve got dumbbells or if you have resistance bands. The bottom line is, train your legs!
Also Read: What your balance can tell you about your life expectancy
Training with dumbbells: This short and sweet ten-minute workout from Chris Heria is an excellent follow-along, for which all you need is a single dumbbell. This has all the good stuff, from squats to calf-raises to split-squats and deadlifts. Just one round is enough, but as you get better with your form, I’d suggest you do the whole routine twice or even three times.
Also Read: Why you need to build big and strong calf muscles
Training with bodyweight: The guys over at Calisthenic Movement are great at not only taking you through excellent bodyweight workouts, but also in breaking down the science of why and how you should do them. It’s no different for the legs. They lay out a step-by-step bodyweight leg workout routine that you can do anywhere and anytime, including time intervals of training and rest. Definitely check it out!
Also Read: Five workouts that go easy on your knees
Training with resistance bands: As I’ve written many times, I love resistance bands. But I’m not a fan of exercises where you have to attach your band to something. Well, I was thrilled to come across this short and sweet follow-along workout from Fit Gent which uses resistance bands for a full range of lower body workouts. As with the dumbbell workout, you should ideally do three rounds of the exercises shown, but build up to that slowly, after you get your form right.
Also Read: Why you need to work on your mobility
