Leg workouts are often neglected by gym-goers, who focus more on upper body work, but training your legs is essential if you want to achieve a balanced fitness routine. Your legs contain some of the biggest muscles in the body and making sure they stay strong ensures that your body is more balanced and improves your overall fitness greatly.
You need to work the muscles in your legs to help them to grow, but over-training can actually be counter-productive, as your body doesn't have enough time to rest and repair itself after a session. Here, we go through some of the key questions over how often to work your legs.
How many times a week should you train legs?
Generally, it's recommended to train your legs three times a week, with each workout lasting 15 to 20 minutes and targeting different parts of the legs in each routine.
For instance, a good plan would be to work on calves one day, thighs the next and then hips during the final session. This provides a far more balanced workout and keeps all sections of your legs strong.
Don't be tempted to overwork your leg muscles, however, as too much training won't give the body the time it needs to repair and rebuild its tissues. This could even lead to injury.
Your body needs the time to rest, meaning five days of leg training would actually be a counterproductive exercise, so stick to three days with recovery in between sessions.
Listen to your body when working your legs
If your legs feel particularly sore after a tough workout or you're sick, don't hesitate to skip a day to give your body the time it needs.
Patience is key in any fitness regime and strength training shouldn't be rushed. If you take your time and train your legs properly, you'll see the benefits to your whole athletic performance.
