09/03/2022
Sure, keeping the leg muscles strong makes you look toned, but they’re also really important for overall functioning. You need leg strength to move around effectively and support good posture standing up, says Rondel King, CSCS, a corrective exercise specialist and New York City-based personal trainer. “It’s your foundation.”
Consider the quadriceps, for example. These muscles, which are the most voluminous ones in the body, help you complete regular daily movements, such as climbing up the stairs, rising from a chair, and extending your knee, according to an April 2020 article in StatPearls.
The hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors, and calves are the major muscles of the leg, though you can also count the glutes, too, King says. Technically the glutes are part of the muscles of the butt, but they’re involved in pretty much all movements that utilize the lower extremities and are called on during most leg exercises (including the ones below).
“The glute is made up of three different muscles that assist with the abduction and medial rotation of the hip, as well as stabilizing the pelvis,” says Sarah Browning, an ACE-certified personal trainer and manager and master trainer at Shred415 in Boulder, Colorado. “Whether you are doing squats, deadlifts, or lunges, you are definitely activating your glutes.”
Strong leg and glute muscles will also help prevent injuries. “Strong Legs do have a protective effect and make you more resilient and guard against injuries,” King says, particularly for athletes completing dynamic moves like jumping and cutting. By having strong legs, you have more control over your body and will be better able to recover if you lose your balance or fall in an awkward way, for instance. “Being weak in the lower extremities exposes you to various injuries and ailments,” King says.