Working the Muscles of the Lower Body

Many People want to build muscle in the arms, shoulders,back and chest - the show muscles - at the expense of what are sometimes perceived as the less flashy muscles of the lower body. That's unfortunate, because there are some very sound reasons not to reglect those muscles for the benefit of the whole body. First off, the total volume of lower body muscle tissue accounts for approximately two-thirds of the body's overall muscle mass. That should come as no surprise, really, since this region consists of large muscle groups including the glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps. The more tissue involved while performing a given exercise, the more energy that particular exercise will expend. It's an elegant example of the principle of supply and demand. Physiologically this results in fat loss and an increase in lean muscle tissue.

For a general fitness prescription, any exercise program that involves the lower body extensively can be said to be superior for overall fitness compared to those that do not. Ideally, the body's entire musculature should be involved when possible in order to achieve maximum results from any exercise program. This applies to all workouts, aerobic and resistance.