There are not too many exercises that rip your leg muscles to shreds and leave you as breathless as the walking lunge. It is a popular exercise in many functional strength and fitness classes for this very reason but there is a lot more to this than many people realize, especially if you add some of the variations I am about to discuss in this article. For those of you who want a new challenge in your workout or, perhaps find it a bit boring and monotonous doing the same walking lunge variation, you will find these advanced progressions exactly what you need. Enjoy.
Best Leg Strengthening Exercises for SENIORS To Improve Quality Of Life
Having worked closely with older adults for 13 years in our Stronger for Longer program we have seen a real shift in the way seniors look at exercise, in particular strength training. It is fair to say the older population is extremely interested in not just maintaining their health and vitality as they age, but finding ways to improve it. Right at the top of the list of things that most seniors would like to improve is their leg strength. There has been many studies completed showing how leg-strength is associated with the ability to rise from a chair, walking speed, and the risk of falling. These studies also show that deteriorating leg strength is a good predictor of frailty and mortality with older adults. Due to the cumulative effects of aging and physical inactivity a certain percentage of older adults struggle with performing many basic functional tasks such as walking and climbing stairs both requiring a fair degree of leg strength. Those who are unable to perform one task are much more likely to be unable to perform additional tasks and very quickly the likelihood of functional impairment increases. The good news is you can reverse this decline by using carefully selected strength exercises and in this article we will show you exactly how. The pictures and videos shown in this article are all from 70-80 year old clients in our Stronger for Longer program.
6 Reasons Why You Should NEVER Skip Legs Day
Developing incredible leg strength and power is very important for those who play sports for the muscles in your legs are the engine room that provide the ability to run, spring and jump. Spending time in the gym to build leg strength is one of the most important goals during the off-season training for many sportsmen and sportswomen. You only have to look at the thigh development of sprinters, rugby and football players to see how important leg strength and power is. However, it is an area of the body that is often neglected by many of the general population who just wants to get fit and lose a bit of weight. This is a real concern, for apart from the obvious benefits for sporting performance, strong legs can prevent many of the injuries we see today with the knee and the back. Strong quadriceps enhance knee health, and strong glutes and hamstring muscles can be real back savers when lifting heavy objects from the floor. And in terms of losing weight and obtaining that toned and athletic appearance, the strength of your legs can play a massive role in this department too. The message is clear, leg strength is critical to your overall health and daily function so it is never a good idea to skip legs day.