legs

[tactic27]

I have heard many people say work legs if you want to gain muscle. I just wanted to know why squats are so important and what exactly happens when you work legs compared to the other muscle groups.

May sound dumb but i am really interested

[heath145]

Originally Posted by tactic27

I have heard many people say work legs if you want to gain muscle. I just wanted to know why squats are so important and what exactly happens when you work legs compared to the other muscle groups.

May sound dumb but i am really interested

Doesn't sound dumb at all if you don't know you should learn.
Working muscles releases growth hormones and as legs are the biggest muscle group of the body doing something like say squats which work pretty much every muscle in the leg to some extent, then there is a greater release of growth hormone. This is why compound movements help increase muscle more than isolation movements.

[Saurus]

Yes - working the upper body alone does not produce enough hormones needed for good progress in bodybuilding.

Most of the necessary hormones are produced when working the powerful, huge muscles of the legs. Skip the legs and you'll take more than twice as long to build the upper body muscles, simply due to hormone production.

[tadolfi]

Not only that - but think about the problems you'd have with balance and using your core for lifts such as overhead presses, skull crushers and even benching.
Believe it or not - your legs, hips and overall balance factor in to this.

Did you also know that if you do these lifts you increase bone density, which could prolong breakdown of the bone later in life?
It will also build the areas around the ligament and tendons in the knees ankles and hips which may help keep them from failing prematurely or giving you problems at an early age.

[NicoSuave32]

legs are the biggest muscles in the body and when worked they release more testosterone then needed and that extra testosterone goes to other muscles which makes them bigger.

squats not only work your legs but also your core and all your stabilizer muscles.

[British Rich]

Don't forget the HGH releases too!

yummy! LOL

[tactic27]

wow thanks for all the great explanations! I will continue to do squats sounds like its a great way to gain muscle. I love how it is always open in the gym, nobody likes working legs.

Thanks again guys

[JrHighHercules212]

Originally Posted by tactic27

I love how it is always open in the gym, nobody likes working legs.

XD
i wanna see the monsters there haha

[whiteyismc]

i have been trying to build a big upper body for ages but never seem to get anywhere. after reading this post i cant believe that i have never heard this before. I never knew working your legs helped build a upper body!!! and from the past couple of years when i did workout my upperbody and tryed to put on muscle i never put any leg workouts in with the upper body workouts. i am thinking this is why it has taken me so long to improve my upper body. just want to say thanks alot guys this thread helped me alot!!