Exercises for the Lower Body
Thursday, November 5th, 2009If you think a lower body workout using only cardio exercises on a bike or stairmaster is enough, you’ve been kidding yourself. Strength training will not only help to tighten and tone the body in conjunction with your cardio program, but it will also increase muscle mass and endurance, and help to prevent deterioration in bone density as you get older.
Exercise benefits everyone no matter what shape they are in. You may have bird legs, or heavy thighs on a pear-shaped body, or be in good condition from swimming or running, but you can still improve your health by doing weight-bearing exercises every week.
Since the large muscles of the lower body comprise over 60 percent of your muscle mass, it is necessary to include a workout to target them. In order to work these muscles properly, they require the use of heavier weights and a higher volume of work than say smaller muscles like the biceps.