We’ve all seen those guys who have massively jacked upper bodies and comically small twig-like legs. Obviously, these people spend a lot of their time in the gym working out the upper part of their bodies and, for inexplicable reasons, forget to do the same to their lower bodies. So common is this occurrence that it gave birth to the “Friends don’t let friends skip leg day” meme and the internet is awash with photos that show exactly why it isn’t a good idea to neglect working out our lower bodies.
Most of us will see such photos (or perhaps encounter such guys on the street) and have a good laugh about it. However, few of us stop to ponder just why we should train our legs along with the rest of our bodies.
It turns out that there are several valid reasons not to skip leg day. Here are some of them:
1. Skipping leg day increases your risk of incurring injuries.
Working out one part of the body more than another leads to an unequal proportion of strength. In this case, your upper body will be stronger than the lower part, limiting your flexibility and predisposing you to injuries. This spells disaster should you decide to play sports or do activities that rely on the leg muscles.
2. Skipping leg day limits your ability to build muscle.
If you’ve ever done a solid leg workout, you’re familiar with the soreness that sets in during the next few days. It makes it hard to walk, take a flight of stairs or use your legs for anything more than shuffling at a slow pace. This soreness is referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS and it can be a good thing. It means that your muscles were damaged in your workout which in turn leads to muscle growth and repair. Passing on the leg workouts means that you’ll miss out on this muscle growth.
3. Skipping leg day messes with your calorie burn.
Let’s say you’re trying to lose weight. You’d have to concentrate on workouts that burn the most calories. Incidentally, the leg and hip muscles are the largest in the body and require more energy to work out, hence burning more calories. Additionally, exercising these muscles increases your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) allowing your body to burn energy even at rest. Sounds like a good reason to jump on that incline trainer and start shedding calories.
4. Skipping leg day makes for an odd-looking body.
Lastly, you’ll end up looking ridiculous if you skip leg day. Spending hours at the gym hammering your upper body then neglecting to work out your glutes, hamstrings and quads will give you a disproportionate body that will make you the butt of numerous jokes. Save yourself the embarrassment and incorporate more exercises that target muscles in your rear, front, upper and lower bodies for a well-rounded body.
Next time you’re tempted to skip training your lower body, remember all those hilarious memes and resolve to keep strengthening your leg muscles.
