Why You Should Never Skip Leg Day
The term “leg day” is often used by weightlifters and gym goers to refer to the workout routine that is dedicated to training the legs. This usually includes exercises such as squats, lunges, and deadlifts.
Exercising regularly is always a good thing. But, let’s be real, you’re only human. There will be times when you just don’t feel like working out. You might be tired, you might be busy, or you might not be motivated.
When this happens, it’s tempting to skip leg day. After all, your upper body is probably the most visible part of your body and the part that people see when they look at you. Who cares about your legs, right?
Wrong. There are lots of good reasons why you should never skip leg day, even if all the above is true. In this article, we’ll discuss this growing phenomenon.
8 reasons why you shouldn’t skip leg day
1. You’ll miss out on important muscle groups
Your legs are made up of some of the biggest muscles in your body. Working them out will help you to build strength and improve your overall fitness.
Additionally, by exercising your legs, you’ll also be working out your core muscles, which are essential for maintaining a healthy posture and preventing injuries.
2. You’ll miss out on important cardio benefits
Cardio exercises are important for your heart health and can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Leg exercises such as running, cycling, and walking are some of the best cardio workouts you can do. By skipping them, you’ll increase your risk of heart disease.
3. It will be harder to return to your routine
If you skip leg day several times in a row, it’ll be that much harder to return to your workout routine the next time you feel like working out. Once you start skipping workouts, it becomes easier and easier to do so. Before you know it, you’ll have fallen off the workout wagon entirely.
4. You’ll increase your risk of injuries
When you don’t exercise your leg muscles, they become weaker. This can lead to injuries, particularly if you participate in activities that require a lot of leg power, such as running or playing soccer.
5. You’ll lose out on the fat-burning benefits of leg exercises
Leg exercises are great for burning fat. They help to tone your muscles and increase your metabolism, which means you’ll continue to burn calories even after you’ve finished working out. By skipping leg day, you’re missing out on an opportunity to torch some serious calories.
6. Your abs will suffer
Believe it or not, one of the best ways to work your abs is by doing leg exercises. This is because most leg exercises require you to use your core muscles to stabilize your body. So, if you’re looking to get toned abs, skipping leg day is not the way to go about it.
7. You’ll look disproportionate
If you only work out your upper body, you’ll start to look disproportionate. Your legs will become smaller in comparison to the rest of your body, and it will be noticeable.
8. Breaking one good habit can lead to breaking other good habits
If you’re in the habit of going to the gym regularly and working out, skipping leg day can lead to breaking other good habits as well.
Once you start making excuses to skip leg day, it becomes easier to make excuses to skip other workouts or to do other things that are bad for your health, such as eating unhealthy foods. This knock-on effect can eventually lead to an overall decline in not only your overall fitness but control over other aspects of your life.
Conclusion
Skipping leg day once or twice is not the end of the world. However, if you make a habit of it, you’ll start to see some negative consequences. So, next time you’re tempted to skip leg day, remember all of the reasons why you shouldn’t. Your legs (and your overall health) will thank you for it!