Strong Legs For a Stronger Body

Safer Lifting, Less Injury Strong legs, hips and back are the essential foundation for upper body strength and the ability to lift safely and play most sports. When lifting something, the leg, hip and core muscles are responsible for a majority of the power. In the golf and tennis swing, strong core and leg muscles generate straight, powerful shots. Weak legs contribute to poor body lifting and hitting mechanics and upper body overuse and injury. Common injuries seen are lower back strain, rotator cuff injury, tennis elbow and carpel tunnel syndrome.

Good examples of everyday lifting are picking-up the kids, pushing a heavy wheelbarrow full of dirt or cleaning out the garage. Any of the tennis strokes along with wood and iron shots in golf apply as well. So to minimize your trips to the chiropractor, here are a series of leg strengthening exercises to help build core and leg strength when you need it the most.

The Best Leg Strengthening Exercises 

To work safely and effectively, strong legs need a strong core (the back and abdominal region muscles) to push against. The best four exercises for creating strong legs and core are squats, lunges, box jumps and vertical leap. In combination, these four exercises create a strong and unified lower body as well as a balanced and stable core. What makes these exercises so good for leg strength? They most closely imitate the lifting movements we perform in daily life as well as the sports based hitting motions. These four exercises are also effective at training your muscles and brain to work in harmony while stimulating your cardiovascular system.

Lower Repetitions and Higher Weights 

The leg and core muscles are designed to provide both strength and support for the entire body. These are large muscles so they respond better to fewer repetitions and higher weights. Of course, you only use weights that you can handle safely. The higher weights do not present a problem for women concerned about the size of their legs. The higher weights just strengthen the muscle fibers faster. Following this approach gives you stronger, more balanced leg muscles in much less time.

A Brief Exercise Review 

Squats are the corner stone of any good leg workout. With your feet hip width apart, back straight and head up slowly lower your body until your legs are bent 90 degrees. If you do have knee problems or are very de-conditioned, start with a ball squat against the wall. This takes weight and stress off the knees while you learn good technique. Have an instructor at the club show you good form so as not to injure the knees. Squats strengthen gluteus maximus and hip flexors.

Lunges, both stationary and walking, are a great exercise to add movement and balance to your leg strengthen program. Standing with your feet hip width apart, take a larger than normal step forward. Pause and balance your body. Return to your staring position and step forward with the opposite leg. Always keep your back knee at least 6 inches off the ground. Lunges strengthen quads, core and back muscles.

Box jumps can start with box steps (a 4 to 12 inch step is good) if you don't feel comfortable jumping. Using your arms for balance and lift, jump on the top of the step landing with your knees nice and soft. You can step back down or jump depending on your ability and confidence. Box jumps are a total leg, hip and core strengthener.

Vertical leap is a great total body exercise. You will be surprised how much cardiovascular benefit you get from this one. Stand facing a wall with arms above your head. With both feet, jump straight up noticing how high on the wall your fingers touch. After 10 or 12 tries, mark the highest spot on the wall as your effort. Next time try and beat your mark. Vertical leap is a great total leg, hip and core and cardiovascular strengthener.

Woody McMahon has been working as a healthy lifestyle professional for over 25 years. Before starting his career as a healthy lifestyle coach, Woody earned his Bachelor of Science degree in human biology from the University of Maryland, his Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine from Palmer College of Chiropractic and is certified as a personal trainer through the National Strength Professionals Association.

He currently offers an integrative healthy lifestyle program called Fresh Start. With its unique set of tools, Fresh Start makes it easy to lose weight, improve conditioning, have more energy and eliminate the aches and pains that slow you down keeping you from living life to the fullest.

By Woody McMahon