Don't Skip Leg Day! Leg Workouts for Improved Overall Fitness

Don't Skip Leg Day!

Vastus lateralis. Rectus femoris. Biceps femoris. Semimembranosus. Semitendinosus. Gastrocnemius. Soleus. Plantaris. These are the leg muscles. While weight lifters and exercise enthusiasts may be more familiar with terms like biceps and pectoralis major referring to upper-body muscles, the leg muscles equally deserve as much attention - maybe more so - as other muscle groups.

Leg workouts and lower-body workouts are invaluable for building overall fitness and, when incorporated into exercise regimens, actually produce some astounding results.

Squats and Deadlifts

Let's talk about the basics. Trainers point to squats and deadlifts as two of the best and most effective exercises for building raw strength.

You might think squats and deadlifts only strengthen the back and legs, but both exercises also involve upper-body muscle groups. During a deadlift, for example, your hands and forearms must hold and keep steady the heavy weight of the barbell. During a squat, the upper body also works to maintain the bar and torso in position.

Your abdominal muscles - part of your body's core - have to work during squats. The abdominal muscles work naturally with your other muscles to help stabilize the torso and maintain position under load.

During deadlifts, muscles throughout the upper back and torso also work to maintain position as the bar is lifted.

Overall Strength

Stronger legs and a more powerful core can support your ability to do other exercises. Strong legs provide a sturdy foundation for many standing movements. Strong upper thighs and a strong lower back contribute to stability during exercises such as the overhead press. Even curls require the lifter to maintain a stable position when performed standing.

Muscular Balance

A well-developed upper body on Popsicle-stick legs just doesn't look right. Regular lower-body workouts help create more balanced muscular development and can transform your exercise routine.

Mental Muscle

The squat, the deadlift, and other exercises in a leg workout build confidence and raw strength. All the upper-body exercises require setting goals and pushing through the strain of the last few repetitions of a set. But when the amount of weight for a deadlift is more than your body weight - or even twice your body weight - you're doing something impressive. It's the same with squats. How about squatting more than twice your body weight? Now that's reason for confidence.

IRON COMPANY Provides Power

IRON COMPANY's portable squat stands and modular weight training racks provide space-efficient options for barbell training in different gym environments. A squat stand is a fixture in many home and commercial gyms.

Squats, deadlifts, and even some of the more advanced leg workouts often use a good strong set of bumper plates. Our IRON COMPANY Premium Rubber Bumper Plates provide an option for barbell training where bumper plates are appropriate.

About the Author: IRON COMPANY Editorial Team

The IRON COMPANY Editorial Team creates and maintains buyer-focused content for gym equipment, gym flooring, cardio equipment, strength training equipment, free weights, and related fitness facility solutions. Our content is developed to help residential, commercial, government, military, school, institutional, and facility buyers compare products, understand key specifications, avoid common buying mistakes, and make more informed purchasing decisions. When appropriate, content is reviewed against manufacturer information, product specifications, IRON COMPANY category knowledge, and current purchasing considerations before publication.