Never skip leg day – many fitness enthusiasts repeat this statement to everyone seeking a healthy lifestyle. You can focus on your biceps, chest, and triceps all you want whenever you hit the gym. However, if you don’t allocate a day in your regular fitness routine to work out your legs, then you’re bound to resemble a Dorito.
Still, sometimes we have to skip leg day at the gym because of our busy schedules or if the weather’s bad. Keep in mind you don’t need fancy machines or weights to pull off an excellent leg exercise. With that in mind, we’ll show you the best leg workout you can do anywhere.
The Benefits of Regular Exercise
Before we show you the top workout for legs you can anywhere, let’s take a quick detour to know the benefits of regular exercise. The beauty of starting a healthy and fit lifestyle is that it’s never too late to start. Perhaps you started exercising even though you’re already in your 60s and that’s okay.
Exercising can make you feel happy. Studies show that working out makes your body release endorphins. These chemicals reduce the perception of pain and can help counteract anxiety, depression, and stress.
Aside from making you feel like a million bucks, it’s without a doubt that exercising can help support any weight loss effort. Eating more healthy foods while staying below your recommended daily calorie count can help you lose weight. Pairing your healthy eating endeavors with proper workout routines can help your body lose weight so you can rock that beach body as soon as summer hits your area.
Last, exercise is great for your muscles. Physical activities help the body release hormones that let the muscles absorb amino acids. These organic compounds help reduce muscle breakdown while helping them grow.
The Best Leg Workout You Can do Anywhere – Squats
Many people regard squats as leg exercises, but doing the proper motion will help build muscle for the entire body. In fact, squats will help you build muscle in your leg and core areas. It improves both upper and lower body strength.
Doing squats will help you make other physical activities easier than before. Squats are functional exercises so they do more than just help you operate gym equipment.
Squats help your body build better muscle and bone density. The activity promotes mobility and balance. The incentives brought by doing squats help you do other activities with lesser effort in the real world.
Let’s not forget that squats can also help prevent injuries. Functional squats help improve flexibility by enhancing the range of motion in the ankles and hips. It also helps develop your balance so you’re less likely to fall over in certain situations.
Lastly, you don’t need weights or fancy gym equipment to do squats. All you need to do is find a corner of your room, get into the right position, then start doing the activity.
How to Squat Properly
Just like most exercises, doing squats require the right form if you want to see results. You just can’t arbitrarily try to lower your butt to a level near the floor and immediately call it a squat. A proper squatting form allows you to build better and stronger muscles, aside from having a higher chance of receiving more health benefits in the long run.
So, what’s the right way to do squats? As we’ve said earlier, you don’t need any fancy equipment to do this workout. Start by standing firm with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Take note that your feet should slightly point outward. Next, ensure that your posture is straight before you start lowering your bottom to the ground.
You can put your arms forward for better balance or you can hold your hips. Put most of your weight on the balls and heels of your feet. This position allows you to be as stable as possible while you’re squatting.
Now, inhale as you break your position at the hip while pushing your butt back. Send your hips back as far as you can up to a point where you can feel your balance waver. Keep in mind that your knees should never go over your toes otherwise you’ll lose the right amount of tension.
Once your behind reaches the lowest level you can achieve, slowly return to a neutral standing position. Don’t rush or else you’ll risk injuring yourself. Also, if you’re not done with the set, make sure you don’t lock your knees when you’re back in the standing position, especially when you’re carrying heavy weights.
Get More Out of Your Squats
Are regular squats boring you? Do you want to take it up a notch?
If you think you’ve reached a point that you want to gain more out of your regular squats, then there are ways to increase the intensity out of the activity. Once again, you’re not required to go to the gym or buy expensive equipment to get more intense squats.
For instance, you can do a squat jump which is when you jump when your thighs are parallel to the floor. Another approach is to lift something heavy while you’re doing the squats. It can be anything from a child, dog, or perhaps even a gallon of water. Adding weights to the exercise makes you work on your core more than doing regular body weight squats.
Squats are an ingenious exercise that you can do just about anywhere. You can do the activity at school, work, or even the beach. Don’t be shy about it even when people are looking at you with that “What’s that person doing” look in their faces.
At the end of the day, you’re going to be the guy or girl with buns of steel, strong legs, and dreamy abs. Just make sure to have the dedication to stick to your fitness routine. Last, don’t give in to fatty and sugary temptations or else all your efforts may be in vain.
