The day after doing legs, they hurt, it can’t be helped. Not being able to move the next morning should be a watchword, but sometimes it alone is the only reason not to train your lower extremities.
However, what many people may not know is that training your legs can have great benefits for the body in general, not only to improve your athletic performance but even to improve your cognitive abilities. Find out why this happens.
Why training legs can be beneficial for your health?
The researchers followed pairs of identical twins over the course of 10 years and found that the twin with the most leg power experienced the least amount of cognitive decline and aged cognitively better.
“There is good evidence to say that exercise helps brain function better,” says Sheena Aurora, associate clinical professor of neurological sciences at Stanford University.
Why does leg training correlate with better cognitive function?
Learning motor skills helps improve other areas of the brain. Also, increasing your heart rate increases the blood supply to your brain , which is better for your overall cognitive function.
The connection between legs and brain power has not been explicitly proven, but researchers believe it is because the legs comprise some of the largest muscle groups in the body and the ones that can help us the most to stay in shape.
What other benefits does leg training have?
Leg training could also help to gain muscle mass in the upper body, since the torso is in maximum isometric tension, at the same time it can improve athletic performance , and even improve performance during sex.
Heavy multi-joint exercises have been shown to promote post-workout hormone release.
Therefore, the legs need as many days of training as the torso, however, doing this routine twice a week can be too much. So spend a second leg workout doing deadlifts, light squats, calves, and some isolation exercises for your glutes and lower back. But above all remember, don’t skip your leg training for the world.
References
- Cantarero, A. Benefits of leg training. For training.com [Revised December 2015]
- Bodyrock. Here’s Why You Should NEVER Skip Leg Day! For bodyrock.tv [Revised December 2015]
