Aim for Symmetry
We all have that friend that seems to only have tight fitting, short sleeve shirts that show off his built chest, arms and tabletop shoulders. Coincidentally he also almost never wears shorts, can you guess why?
Many of us want to have a great physique, to look healthy and attractive. As a fitness coach, I’m often asked how to achieve rock solids abs, large arms, big buttocks and the list continues. My answers has always been, aim for symmetry. Your ideal body should balance from left to right and upper to lower body. So let’s pledge to never skip leg days, to give it 100% of our effort so we can prevent the dreaded Johnny Bravo physique.
There are generally 3 parts that constitute the human leg: quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. Each part has unique functions and there are specific exercises that target them most effectively. They are mentioned at the end of this article.
So how can I grow and strengthen my legs?
Due to the fact that your legs are used extensively for walking, climbing stairs, standing and such activities, they are very accustomed to these actions. To achieve meaningful growth in your lower body, you must shock your legs’ muscle fibers with weights (body weight included) while performing exercises with movements that do not occur in our typical day-to-day activities, always using proper form.
Since you have now gotten the basic gist regarding our legs and why it is important to train them with maximum effort, I’ll share a sample leg day workout routine you can do at the gym or at home, with or without weights.
- 10 Squats (gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps) 4 times
- 10 Lunges (gluteus maximus, hamstrings and quadriceps) 4 times
- 12 Donkey Kicks (gluteus maximus. and Hamstrings) 4 times
- 15 Standing Calf Raises (Calves) 4 times
- Jump Rope (Calves, gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings)
For sample videos of each exercise, follow @fitnigeria on Instagram. Remember, no pain no gain but make sure you rest your legs for at least 3 days before your next leg training session. Till next time, we are…Stronger Than Yesterday!
Photo Credit: Yagazie Emezi and @fitnigeria
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1 Comments
Nice work Obi!
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