Strong legs also help protect against falls and other injuries. “Our legs can help catch us when we stumble,” says Smith. “But when the leg muscles are weak, we lose that stability and balance, which increases the risk of falling.”
A have a look at the leg muscles
Your legs are powered by 4 principal muscle groups: glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. “Although they each have their own purpose, in their location, size and actions, they work together to move our bodies from one place to another,” says Smith. Here’s a have a look at each.
The gluteals. The three muscles within the hips that make up the glutes (often called the “glutes”) are answerable for the hip mobility and stability required for every step you’re taking. They support posture, protect the back from injury, and supply strength for sitting, jumping, and climbing stairs.
Quadriceps. Also often called the thigh muscles or “quads,” it’s a gaggle of 4 muscles (hence the “quad” prefix situated on the front of every thigh). Together, these muscles connect the hips, extend the knees, and help power leg actions equivalent to standing, walking, running, kicking, and climbing.
Hamstrings. The hamstrings are a gaggle of three muscles that run along the back of the thighs, stretching from the hip to the knee. They enable you to increase your leg behind your body and supply strength and stability for hip and knee movements.
Calves Two muscles make up the calf, which sits on the back of the lower leg, starting on the knee and increasing to the ankle. They work together to propel you forward whenever you walk or walk and supply ankle stability.
Getting a leg up on heart healthAnother good thing about strong legs: They can prevent heart failure after a heart attack. Heart failure is a condition during which the guts muscle becomes too weak to pump blood effectively to satisfy the body’s needs. According to some statistics, about 30% of people that have a heart attack eventually develop heart failure. Previous research has also suggested that reduced muscle strength after a heart attack could also be a predictor of heart failure. A study In the May 2024 issue European Journal of Preventive Cardiology Explored this series. Researchers checked out nearly 1,000 individuals who were hospitalized for a heart attack but didn’t have heart failure before admission or developed heart failure throughout the hospital stay. Patients’ quadriceps strength was measured before hospital discharge. After 4 years, the researchers found that participants with high quadriceps strength were 48 percent less more likely to develop heart failure than those with low quadriceps strength. The researchers explained that the strength of the leg muscles, especially the quadriceps, is closely related to overall physical fitness and cardiovascular health. Strong leg muscles help people stay energetic, which helps with higher circulation, blood sugar regulation and blood pressure control — all of which reduce stress on the guts. He added that it is feasible that quadriceps strength could possibly be a way of identifying high-risk individuals after a heart attack, and that strength training of this leg could help prevent heart failure. |
Three leg exercises
Despite their importance, leg muscles are sometimes neglected and underrated, says Smith. The excellent news is that strengthening leg muscles doesn’t require extensive exercise. “Just a few focused exercises, practiced consistently, can make a big difference in leg strength and stability,” says Smith.
Here’s a three-exercise routine you possibly can add to your regular workout routine or do on your personal to assist construct a stronger lower body. “Consider working with a personal trainer first to learn proper form and reduce the risk of injury,” says Smith. “As you progress, you can do more advanced leg-strengthening exercises like deadlifts, squats, and lunges, which require more stability and technique.”
Pulls (glutes, quads, and hamstrings)
1. Lie in your back together with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Keep your arms at your sides, and rest your shoulders against the ground.
2. Tighten your glutes and lift your hips until your body forms a line out of your shoulders to your knees. Hold the contraction for several seconds.
3. Return to the starting position and loosen up your glutes. Repeat eight to 10 times for one set. Perform two or three sets.
Make it easy: Lift your hips barely off the ground.
Make it harder: Extend one leg straight to perform a single leg pull.
Step-by-step (hamstrings, glutes)
1. Face a low step or the underside of a ladder together with your feet together. Use the back of a chair or stair railing for balance if needed.
2. Press your right foot through your right heel to lift your right foot onto the step, straightening your right leg. Your left foot should hover above the bottom. In short. hold on
3. Lower yourself back to the starting position with control. Repeat eight to 12 times with each leg for one set. Perform two or three sets.
Make it easy: Use a lower step.
Make it harder: Use a high step, or lift your arms up.
Heel raises (calves)
1. Stand together with your feet flat on the ground, holding onto a chair or wall for balance if needed.
2. Stand up in your toes, as high as possible. Hold briefly, then lower to the back position.
3. Repeat eight to 12 times to finish a set. Perform one to 3 sets.
Make it easy: Lift your heels off the ground only barely.
Make it harder: Does the calf lift without holding on to anything? Or, perform a single-leg calf squat by tucking one foot behind the opposite calf before rising onto the balls of your feet for every leg.
Photo: © Mladen Zivkovic/gigety images ; Exercise Photo by Michael Carroll