It is a nice headline, right? I was taught this way in my Chinese medicine education and it is also important in case of stress/trauma when you start working with the nervous system. Let’s explore why that is.
In gyms there are many devices with which you can train your legs, such as leg extension, leg curl, dead lift and the best in my book is without a doubt the leg press. Training your lower body is a challenge and can demand a lot from you both physically and mentally, but it will be so worth your while.
The largest muscle groups are in your legs (glutes, quads and hamstrings). Now why is it so important to regularly train your legs? What are the benefits?
- Your muscle mass and muscle weight increases the most by training these musle groups regularly.
- By training your legs, you consume the most calories and therefore it is good stuff for people who want to lose weight.
- Doing squats and deadlifts, for example, releases hormones that stimulate musle growth and strength.
- By training your legs you train your entire body, such as the abdominal- and back muscles.
- By training your legs, you will burn fat and therefore also belly fat.
- When your legs grow stronger, your core will get stronger. When your core gets stronger, you will get stronger mentally and emotionally.
- When you are working on trauma, you need to be grounded. And for a good grounding you need your legs.
Not everybody can go to or has access to a gym, so what is following are 4 leg exercises you can do at home at any chosen moment.
- The squat
- Stand up straight and face forward. Choose one point and focus on that while you are doing this exercise.
- Bring your arms at shoulder height. Your palms face downward.
- Your feet shoulder width and your feet point forward.
- Bend your knees as if you are going to sit on a chair. Move your hips back at the same time.
- Drop to the point where it gets uncomfortable. Your knees are not over your toes.
- Your back is and remains straight.
- Repeat.
- Bulgarian squat
- This is a variation on the previous exercise. Stand in front of a bench or other platform, with your back to it. Place one leg on this bench.
- Slowly lower through your front leg. Keep your torso straight up and keep your knee aligned with your foot. As soon as your leg is at an angle of about 90 degrees, you slowly rise again.
- Change sides.
- Lunges
- Stand up straight.
- Put your feet hip width and make a big step forward.
- Place both hands on your hips.
- Tighten your abs, so you can keep your back straight.
- Slowly lower through your front knee and keep straight.
- Come back up when it is enough and then put your other foot forward.
- Repeat.
- You can increase the impact of this exercise by holding weights.
- Up the wall
- Stand up straight.
- Push your whole back against, f.ex., a wall or a closed door.
- Your legs are free from the wall/door.
- Now lower through both legs until your knees make an angle of about 90 degrees.
- Your feet don’t go past your knees.
Have fun trying these exercises!
