How to Balance Leg Workouts with Upper Body Training

Men who focus too much on strengthening their big muscles forget to balance leg workouts at the gym. Have you seen men with big muscles and big arms walking with thin legs, looking like the most ridiculous thing ever? I am sure you don’t want that for yourself. Not only do those tiny thin legs look bad, but they also become vulnerable because of the weight imbalance. 

Often people with big arms, big back, and chest face leg and knee injuries, because of the lack of engagement in the leg exercises gym routine, have made their legs weak and vulnerable. I hope you will not do that and balance leg workouts along with your upper body training so that you look good, and stay strong. 

Let’s find out how you can include leg workouts at the gym with your upper body routine. 

Why It’s Important To Balance Leg Workouts With Upper Body Workouts?

If I ask you why you want to balance leg workouts and upper body workouts, you would probably say it is because it does not look good, it looks imbalanced. But I can tell you, it is not just about aesthetics. Yes, an aesthetically pleasing physique is something that everybody wants, but more than that, I believe you want a body that is fit and strong, and of course not at the risk of any injury. 

If your lower body is weak, and your upper body is heavy, there are high chance that you will develop lower back pain. You may not believe this, but people who have weaker legs and a strong upper body are more likely to fall, which is not something you would want for yourself. Muscle imbalance and heavy weight on the top can also be very hard on the leg joints, particularly knees. People grow irreversible knee pain when they don’t balance leg workouts at the gym. 

Did you know that balancing leg workouts along with upper body training is essential for better upper body performance? Yes, because, if your legs are weak and can’t give you stability while you are doing bent-over rows, deadlifts, and other exercises. If you are planning to do all the upper body exercises flawlessly, you need to balance your leg exercises as well. 

How To Balance Leg Workouts And Upper Body Workouts?

After understanding the impact, I am sure, you are desperately wondering how to ensure safe upper body development with leg workouts at the gym. Here I am recommending more than one alternative gym workout strategy so that you can choose one based on your priorities. 

Full Body Workout Split

So if you want to balance leg workouts at the gym along with your upper body exercises equally, the full body split is the ideal choice for you. In my opinion, if your goal is to get a healthy and fit body which is also aesthetically appealing, you should definitely go for the full body split. Let’s see how you can do that. 

• Day 1: Upper body push exercises like Bench press, Dumbbell shoulder press, Lateral raise, Tricep dips, Tricep pushdown etc. 
• Day 2: Lower body workout like Squats, Leg presses, Barbell squats, Leg extensions, Walking lunges, Calf raises, Calf stretches, etc.  
• Day 3: Rest
• Day 4: Upper body pull exercises like Lat pulldown, Pull-up, Cable row, Deadlifts, and Bicep curls. 
• Day 5: Again lower body including glute workouts. You can include Barbell glute bridge, Squats, Romanian deadlifts, Leg curls, Kettlebell swings, Hip extensions, Plank, and Crunches. 

I would suggest you include leg workouts at the gym alternatively to your upper body workout day. This can help you strengthen both your upper body and lower body equally.
Also Read: 7 Essential Back Exercises Gym Routines You Need to Try

Upper Body Focus With Smart Leg Training Support 

Now, you might not want to give your leg training as much importance as you want for your upper body. In such a case, I would recommend you focus on the upper body with the support of smart leg training. If you are a person who is more into arms wrestling, or modelling, where you wanna show off your big shoulder, biceps, and chest, then this workout plan is ideal for you. Let me help you with the plan,

• Day 1: Upper body workout, you can include Bench press/ Dumbbell press, Overhead extension/ Tricep dips, Dumbbell fly, Shoulder press, and hanging leg raise. You can add a few more push exercises if you are in your advanced training. 
• Day 2: Lower body exercises for injury prevention and stability. Include squats, Walking lunges, Glute bridge, Hip thrust, Calf raise, and Romanian deadlifts.
• Day 3: Take Rest
• Day 4: Again a session of Upper body workout where you can include Pull, Lat pull-down, Barbell and Dumbbell row, Bicep curls, Face pull, and Plank. 
• Day 5: Include both upper and lower body exercises together. Push-ups, Bulgarian split squats, Shoulder presses, Dumbbell shrugs, and some full-body stretching exercises are to be included. 

In this routine, I have designed the plan according to your priority of strengthening your upper body and preparing the lower body to support it. Mix exercises along with adequate stretching will help you improve your stability and flexibility. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I do leg workouts at the gym along with upper body exercises?

Yes, you can do leg workouts at the gym along with your upper body exercises if you have time restraints. It is generally recommended to separate leg days and upper body exercise days so that the muscle groups get rest, and one is focused at one time. But mixed or combined exercises are also recommended if the goal is a full-body improvement. 

2. Should I include leg workouts in my routine if my focus is upper body?

Yes, you should absolutely include leg workouts in your gym routine even if it is not your focus. For upper body exercises, you need stability, and strength in your legs, and you cannot get them if you do not train them. So if you want to focus on the upper body, follow the Upper body focus with a smart leg training support plan. Give 2 days for upper body, 1 day for lower body and 1 day for mixed training. 

3. Is it right to do mixed exercises every day at the gym?

No, while you can do mixed exercises 3-4 days in the gym, it is always recommended to take one or two days rest after two consecutive days of training. Mixed exercises are often very tiring, and doing them every day can negatively affect your health. 

4. How can I balance leg workouts with upper body training?

You can separate your workout days according to your priorities to balance. If your goal is full-body fitness, split the days equally between your legs and upper body. But if your focus is on the upper body, then you can train yourself mostly for the upper body, and give 1 day or more to the lower body. 

5. What leg exercises should I do to prevent injuries for upper body exercises? 

If you are trying to prepare yourself against injuries, then you must include Squats and Lunges in your workout routine as they prevent injuries. 

Final Thoughts

Finally, I want to tell you all that it’s good to focus on particular body parts, but whatever you do, don’t forget to include leg workouts at the gym. You don’t need to do leg exercises every day but ensure, at least you are doing them once a week. You may not reach your big muscle goal if your legs are weak, so remember, always balance your lower body exercises with your upper body exercises to keep yourself safe and aesthetically appealing.