Leg exercises are an important part of of a balanced, whole-body workout routine that will tone and shape your legs and also increases strength, speed, and stability.
Some of the benefits of leg exercises include:
- Increased muscular strength and endurance. Your legs make up around 50%Â of your total muscle mass, making it one of the largest muscle groups in the body. Stronger legs allow you to perform other exercises better, including cardiovascular activities such as walking, cycling, and swimming.
- Improved functional strength for everyday activities. Just about every physically demanding task you might face during the day involves the legs. From walking up the steps to just standing up from a chair.
- Improved sports performance. There are very few sports where the legs do not play an important part. Strengthening the leg muscles will improve athletic performance in any sport that involves running, jumping or kicking. However, it can also benefit even seemingly upper body dominant sports like boxing, which require good leg strength.
- Increased metabolism. Well-developed legs are also important for fat burning and weight control. Muscle is metabolically active which just means that it needs energy to sustain it. More muscle means an increased calorie requirement and that makes for easier fat loss.Â
- Stimulate hormones. Leg workouts are closely associated with producing a cascade of hormones throughout your body. These hormones include cortisol, which increase fat metabolism and helps your body to respond to stress, and HGH which stimulates muscle growth, boosts fat metabolism, increases immunity.Â