Leg Exercises

The leg muscle groups are the largest in the body because we use them all the time to support our bodyweight and they are often subjected to the highest loads during lifting, running and so on. This has several implications:

1. Large muscle groups require more oxygen and energy than smaller muscle groups. For this reason it is usually better to train your legs first or separately to the rest of your body in a workout routine.

2. Larger muscle groups also need to be subjected to higher loads before any results are seen. Another reason for training them first so that the exercise form is good enough to avoid injuries.

3. Going back to point 1, leg exercises burn more calories (second only to whole body exercises). A point worth noting if weight loss is your primary goal.

Unless you are involved in a sport or leisure activity where your legs are heavily trained (e.g. cycling, running) leg exercises should be incorporated into every workout routine.

If you are a beginner you might like to read my article beginners workout leg exercises.

Here are some example leg exercises (click the pictures to speed up viewing):