8 Reasons To Love Leg Day (2024)

FAQs

Why do I love leg day so much? ›

On leg day, you (1) build strength and (2) improve mobility. Both are important in preventing injury. Strong muscles and bones mean that you have a more stable foundation. Leg day will build some of the biggest muscles in your body, along with your entire posterior chain.

Leg workouts can stimulate the release of large amounts of hormones. Working your legs helps to produce hormones such as cortisol, testosterone, and human growth hormone (HGH). Cortisol helps your body to respond to stress and increase fat metabolism.

You reduce your risk of injury.

Leg day isn't all about strength or aesthetics! By having a strong lower half — and a left and right side that can equally take on challenges without compensation — you can sidestep injuries, too!

In summary, personal trainers may dislike "leg day" for various reasons, such as the demanding nature of exercises, the fatigue that it causes, and the need for specific equipment and space.

Generally, it's recommended to train your legs three times a week, with each workout lasting 15 to 20 minutes and targeting different parts of the legs in each routine. For instance, a good plan would be to work on calves one day, thighs the next and then hips during the final session.

How you enjoy it depends on what makes you tick. In some cases, it simply means wearing a pair of shorts to see that pump. In other cases, lifting heavier with low reps, or lifting lighter with higher reps is a fun experience. The other option is to do it with a friend.

From an evolutionary standpoint, women have long since carried the majority of their body weight within their lower extremities. For this reason, building muscular and toned glutes, calves, thighs and hip flexors takes relatively little effort compared to men.

A common height myth is that certain exercises or stretching techniques can make you taller. Many people believe that activities like barbell training, rock climbing, and swimming can increase height. However, there is no evidence or research on the effects of these exercises on height growth after adulthood.

It can be tempting to skip “leg day” when the results from your upper body and core workouts are more noticeable. But it's essential to work all muscle groups for your overall health and well-being, says Marquese Stallworth, EP-C, a Piedmont exercise physiologist.

Whether you love it, hate it, or simply endure it, leg day is important to embrace. Including lower body-focused exercises into your periodized training plan can elevate your strength gains, boost your muscle growth, and crank up your calorie burn, helping you reach your goals faster.

Which day is best for leg day? ›

The best day for a leg workout depends on personal preference and individual schedules. Many people prefer scheduling leg workouts earlier in the week when energy levels tend to be higher. Monday or Tuesday is common as it allows for ample recovery time before the weekend. However, the key is consistency.

As stated by the lead researcher, "There are good evolutionary reasons for the preference. Long legs are a sign of health." UCLA associate psychology professor Martie Haselton said, "Legginess is something that we know men prefer in mates.

In brief, a woman's legs can at once please and tease. And while the partial display, or exposure, of a woman's breasts or butt “function” more obviously in this seductive manner, it's undeniable that for many men a pair of shapely legs alone have the power to effect this enthralled response.

The quads, hamstrings, adductors, and abductors are all important major muscle groups in the legs that can be targeted with leg workouts at the gym or leg workouts at home.

Fifty-two percent of Tonal members surveyed said lower-body workouts were their least favorite type of strength session while only 8 percent said lower-body workouts were their most favorite. But no matter your goals, lower-body work should be a regular part of your routine.

One recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology measured the hormonal response during single bouts of heavy resistance exercise such as squats and variations of the deadlift. They found that the most striking changes in testosterone response occurred when heavier weights were used.

Is It OK to Do Leg Workouts Every Day? Ultimately, it's not recommended to work the same muscles every day or do the same workout every day. The reasons for this include putting yourself at a greater risk of injury, impairing muscle growth and even risking overtraining and burnout.