Legs are your foundation. Other than not exercising at all, ignoring direct strengthening of your leg muscles is the worst thing you can do for your health, physique, and body functionality. We’ll review the benefits of leg day and a few unique ways to incorporate leg day into your routine.
Why do people skip leg day? It’s because it’s hard, and seeing results from your effort takes time. Also, your legs are covered most of the time, so for those who work out purely for aesthetics or ego, the results of leg training are not as easily seen as chest or arm muscles.
But you are reading this because you’re ready to do the work. The benefits below make training your legs worthwhile.
- Balanced physique
- Improved testosterone
- Lower risk of injury
- Better athletic functionality
Balanced Physique
When you do see men who clearly work out their upper bodies much more than their legs, the unbalanced physique looks weird – like they have chicken legs.
It also leaves you physically unbalanced. When you’re top-heavy, it’s harder to balance doing almost everything. And most physical activities, including walking, require balance.
If you want a more balanced look and to have better balance, it’s important to train your legs as much as your upper body.
Plus, women love muscular legs.
Improved hormone optimization
Numerous studies show that direct leg training stimulates the release of testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH). Some studies also show that increased thigh mass can lead to improved insulin sensitivity (important for avoiding type 2 diabetes). These are great benefits to leg day.
Testosterone levels have been dropping over the last few decades for numerous reasons. No one is quite sure why, although it’s likely due to diet and environmental factors, but it’s up to you to do your part to keep your T levels as naturally high as possible.
Compound exercises using multiple muscle groups release the most testosterone compared to other exercises. Different forms of squats and deadlifts, lunges, box jumps, sprinting, hill sprints, and high intensity interval training (HIIT) fall into this category.
Lower risk of injury
The stronger your foundation, the better you can protect your body from injuries. Many injuries originate from muscle imbalances. For instance, if you have weak glutes, you’re more likely to experience lower back pain. Weak hamstrings lead to knee problems. You can prevent chronic pain and muscle imbalance injuries by training your leg muscles regularly.
Also, with less leg strength, you’re more likely to lose balance and fall, which can lead to impact injuries – broken bones, sprains, concussions, etc…
Create a strong, balanced foundation. Your body will thank you for it.
Better athletic functionality
For those of you who like playing sports or enjoy physical activity, legs likely play a big role in whatever you enjoy doing.
Stronger legs will make you a better athlete. I can think of very few sports where this wouldn’t apply (arm wrestling?). Leg strength increases speed, jumping, and explosiveness, all of which make playing sports more fun. If one of your hobbies includes competing in traditional or extreme sports, leg day will make this time much more enjoyable.
You also never know when you’ll need to use your legs in a real world situation. Self-defense, carrying your sick child up a few flights of stairs, pushing a stuck car out of the snow, running down a purse-snatcher – leg strength can come in handy in a tight spot. The benefits of leg day will have you ready to act like a man when the time comes.
Ways to incorporate leg exercises
The easiest answer is to go to the gym and do the traditional leg workouts that men have been doing for decades. The most basic workout would include 2-4 sets of 1-2 squat pattern exercises, 1-2 hip hinge/hamstring exercises, and calf raises. Below is a dead simple example:
- 3 sets by 6-8 reps of regular or split squats
- 3 sets by 6-8 reps of Romanian or traditional deadlifts
- 2 sets by 10-12 reps of leg extensions
- 2 sets by 10-12 reps of hamstring curls
- 2 sets by 12-15 reps of calf raises
This is the most basic workout. Although it may seem boring, if you apply progressive overload, your health and athleticism will improve.
One tip, when you squat or deadlift, try to do so barefoot or in flat shoes. Much better for stability.
Feel free to adjust depending on your experience level, training goals (if you play sports regularly, might be good to replace leg extensions with box jumps, for instance), or exercise preference. If you hate traditional deadlifts, for instance, you don’t have to do them, there are many alternate exercises that train the same muscles. Try some kettlebell swings, for instance.
Outside of the gym
You don’t have to do your leg day in the gym. There are plenty of alternative exercises that provide the same benefits. Below are a few options.
- Hill sprints or regular sprints
- High-intensity-interval-training
- Jumping/plyometrics
- Bodyweight
- Cycling intervals
- Rowing
- Jumping rope
Pick whatever workout you’ll do consistently. Doesn’t matter if it’s in the gym or not, the workout you do is better than the workout you don’t.
As you can see, the benefits of leg day create a more balanced, more functional physique. Make sure to incorporate a regular direct leg training day as a part of your regular routine.
