There is a great deal of debate among gym goers whether a leg workout is better or some other form of weight training does more for you. Well, when it comes to total calories burnt, the afterburn effect, and the muscles are under damage (damage as in the muscles exercised), leg workout takes the first spot.

A leg workout does more for you than any other group of muscles. It burns more fat due to a larger afterburn effect. It's the king of exercises and if you are allowed to do only one workout in a week, it better be a leg workout.

The reason I stress so much on a leg workout is that it involves the whole body. For example, when one does unsupported squats, he utilizes not only the leg muscles, i.e.

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Pelvic Stabilizers

but also uses the following muscles

• Abdominals, as they have to be kept tight during the entire duration of the squat
• Shoulders, as the bar rests on the shoulder girlde
• Lower Back, as it is under isometric contraction
• Erector Spinae and multifidus, as they help to maintain the curvatures of the spine

So in effect the leg workout is a whole body workout. The major muscles being exercised are the leg muscles, but a total workout happens. It improves ones functional strength, i.e. the ability to do everyday tasks. These become easier and easier.

Prerequisites for a leg workout:

1. Good shoulder strength, as the bar would rest on them.
2. Good calf flexibility or the form may be compromised.
3. Good hamstring flexibility
4. Fresh core: This means that the abdominal muscles should be fresh, as in a person should not have performed an abs workout in the last 48 hours. This is very important because a lot of leg workout movements are power movements and if the core is not fresh it may lead to wrong form, causing a problem in the lower back.
5. Last but not least, one needs a good gym which has the proper equipment.

A leg workout plan is a must for any person wanting to be a fit and functionally strong and not just have big muscles.

Do this workout in the beginning of week after the weekly off from exercise. This, according to me, is the best time to do such a workout as the core is fresh and all the other muscles which are involved in the leg workout are well rested.

A last word of advice for beginners: Do not start doing heavy weights straight away. Develop proprioception first. Also increase the flexibility by doing static passive stretches at the end of a workout.

People who have very tight hamstrings need to do these stretches everyday. Squatting, for eg, for such people would not be a full range exercise. They must do squats up until the point they can maintain a straight back... the whole range will come once they develop the required flexibility.