Lower Body
Love it or hate it, lower body exercise is crucial to increasing overall fitness and improving mobility. Often, we try to target our so-called “problem areas” or the parts of the body we think need the most improvement. Maybe this is the lower body, maybe not. Either way, it will do you a disservice to only work on parts of your body, and an even bigger disservice to ignore the lower half of it!
Keep in mind, it is not uncommon to have the muscles of the legs and glutes take longer to develop and strengthen. Much has to do with their size – the quad group is on of largest muscle groups in the human body and the gluteus maximus (the biggest booty muscle) is the largest muscle period. Give yourself some time to see these parts develop. It will be worth the wait! Here are some benefits of training the lower body:
Can Improve Bone Health – Effects and risks of arthritis and osteoporosis are greatly decreased by resistive exercise. Joints in the legs are particularly susceptible to deterioration, especially when individuals live a sedentary lifestyle.
Improve Overall Posture – The lower body is our base, LITERALLY! Maintaining strength in our legs, booty, and low back provides foundation for a strong core and thus proper posture.
Boost Metabolism – Lower body training challenges the largest muscle groups of the body, requiring more effort and developing good stamina and overall health for an individual. More muscle = more calories burned at rest. Do the math!
Improved Agility and Decrease Falls – Research shows the stronger our lower body is, the less likely we are to fall and the better our coordination is. Why? Well, to start, our innate balance strategies (those things that automatically kick in to help prevent us from hitting the ground) come from the ankles, knees, and hips.
Decrease Pain – Stronger legs equal a better steadfast for your hips and low back. This means you are less likely to experience the awful sensation of low back pain. When you have more muscle activity in the glutes, hamstrings, quads (etc) you also reduce your risk of low back injuries. Winning!