TOP 5 WORST EXCUSES FOR NOT TRAINING YOUR LEGS

I have noticed a disturbing trend lately: More and more guys are saying "no thanks" to leg training and only working their upper bodies. For the past few months, the leg room at my gym has been as empty as a Pauly Shore movie. Why? I decided to get to the bottom of it and ask five people.

Excuse #1: "Girls Don't Care About Legs"

Tom is a college student training for his Cancun vacation. I asked why he doesn't work his legs and he said, "Girls like a guy with ripped abs and a big chest. They don't care about legs, so why should I train them?" Well, I did some research. I asked a group of 10 girls how important a man's legs are, and they all said they are not attracted to a man with a huge upper body and no legs. I then found a major woman's magazine with an article on the top 10 things that attract a woman to a man - a man's legs and butt ranked higher than chest. So our friend Tom is going down to spring break expecting the girls to fall all over him because of his big chest, when they are secretly laughing at his disproportionate physique.

Excuse #2: "I'm Not A Bodybuilder"

John is a 37-year-old accountant who has been training his upper body for over 10 years. He said, "I am not a bodybuilder, why should I train my legs?" He then added, "I need to fit into my suits; I don't want to gain any size in my legs." John's reasons are just excuses. Most people working their legs are not bodybuilders - they are ordinary people who want to prevent the muscle weakening and atrophy associated with getting older. If John trained his legs once a week, he would benefit tremendously. Since he is not a bodybuilder, his leg routine would be geared toward strengthening and toning. His suits might even fit better.

Excuse #3. "I Don't Want To Lose Flexibility"

Rich is a 27-year-old policeman who runs l OK races in his spare time. He said, "I don't want my legs to get too big because I run a lot; I also don't want to lose flexibility." Well, according to Runner's World, weight training and running go hand in hand. A repetitive movement pattern like running can lead to joint, tendon and muscle imbalances, and weight training helps balance out the body. The only way your legs will get too big for running is if you inject hormones into your body As far as flexibility is concerned, you should have no fears whatsoever. Are you going to stop stretching your legs before and after you run? Of course not. Weight training will not restrict your flexibility, as long as you do a routine that is conducive to your running program.

Excuse #4: "I Have A Bad Back And Bad Knees"

Jim is a 56-year-old man who recently started exercising because he is way out of shape. He said he abstains from leg training because he has a bad back and bad knees. Now, that's a legitimate excuse, right? Wrong! If Jim has been cleared by his doctor to train, then he can train his legs. If he feels pain or restricted movement, then he should get his knees or back fixed. There are also leg exercises that take the stress off the back and knees - leg extensions, for example. At Jim's age, he needs to do everything he can to strengthen his muscles and keep fit. He is a leading candidate for cancer and heart disease, and studies show that weight training can help reduce some of the risks. If Jim refuses to work his legs, then they will only become weaker and weaker, which sets him up for worse leg ailments later in life.

Excuse #5: "I Only Need Upper-Body Strength"

Matt, a 34-year-old bouncer, says he doesn't train his legs because he only needs upper-body strength to push people out of the club. Now, let's take a look at two sports: pro football and pro wrestling. Both involve a lot of physical contact. What do the athletes have in common? They all train their legs, and they all use their legs when driving an opponent back. You see, your legs are much stronger than your upper body When was the last time you heard of someone bench pressing 1,000 pounds? I bet never, but 1,000-pound leg presses are extremely common. Matt should train legs to increase his overall strength.

Benefits Of Leg Training

What can we learn from our five friends? There are no reasons for not training your legs. There are excuses, and excuses don't bring you results. Leg training (1) balances out your symmetry, improving your appearance, (2) strengthens muscles, (3) increases circulation, (4) prevents muscle atrophy and weakness, (5) helps prevent certain diseases, (6) helps sports performance, and last but not least (7) girls love a man with a great set of legs.

Leg Routines For Beginners
Before each workout, do a 5 to 10 minute warmup (bike or walk on treadmill), and stretch your whole body for 5 minutes. Start with Routine One and do it for 6 weeks After that, progress to Routines Two and Three, also for 6 weeks each. By this point, you should see an improvement in your legs. Don't stop there - continue to make each workout more challenging than the last.
Routine One (6 weeks)	Sets	Reps
Leg extensions	2	12 to 15
Smith machine squats	2	12 to 15
Leg presses	2	12 to 15
Lying hamstring curls	2	12 to 15
Standing calf raises	2	12 to 15
Routine Two (6 weeks)	Sets	Reps
Leg extensions	3	10 to 12
Smith machine squats	3	10 to 12
Leg presses	3	10 to 12
Lying hamstring curls	3	10 to 12
Standing calf raises	3	10 to 12
Routine Three (6 weeks)	Sets	Reps
Leg extensions	3	12-10-8
Smith machine squats	3	12-10-8
Leg presses	3	12-10-8
Lying hamstring curls	3	12-10-8
Standing calf raises	3	12-10-8
*Note: Rest for 90 seconds between sets or until you can breathe normally.