Burn Calories on Leg Day
There are a number of benefits to leg day. To name just a few of the positives to be had from a leg workout, your overall strength, balance and core capability all derive from the work you put in to develop your leg muscles. Further to this, aesthetically, you will be more symmetrical and less top-heavy from upper bodybuilding all the time.By weight lifting from a standing position – for example, squats and deadlifts – you will also contribute to increasing your bone density. Finally, with such compound lifts being used and large muscle groups being targeted, your overall testosterone will naturally increase.
If these aren’t enough for you, how about this: did you know that leg workouts are one of the most effective calorie burners and that all it takes is up to a 30-minute session? It’s not a secret or a cheat – ask the average lifter who you see waddling out of the gym after an effective session.
Weight lifting burns more calories than you might have realised. Because we perform weight lifting for strengthening, toning, recovery and building muscles, we rarely consider it in the same bracket as cardio for burning calories.
How many calories do you burn on leg day?
You use up energy as your muscles counter the strain of the weights – in other words, you burn some of the calories you’ve consumed. Leg Day targets the largest muscle groups in your whole body, meaning they put to use more muscle fibres than other parts of your body. The Quads and Glutes are among the muscle groups within the body that contain numerous muscles in their make-up. Hitting these areas with big compound lifts such as deadlifts and squats will work for the groups all at the same time. This, in turn, will increase your fat-burning capabilities both during, and after your session. Compound exercises that use multiple joints, such as the squat or lunges, burn more calories than isolation-style moves such as calf raises.
Note: For anyone who thinks in terms of specific body parts, when it comes to weight loss it’s time to look at your entire body. If it’s muffin tops or belly fat you’re trying to shed, yes, leg exercises will help you to achieve flatter abs. However, this is part of the bigger picture. To specifically lose weight from your belly and achieve a six-pack you need to perform regular cardio exercise, a healthy diet and routine abs exercises. Leg day is a fat burner and core strengthener that will target your core as well as your legs and particularly work your lower abdomen.
Burn calories with these leg exercises
As mentioned, the more muscle fibres you put to work, the more calories you will burn. That means you need to focus on the exercises which will hit the biggest muscle groups. To do that, you should go for multi-joint compound lifts, which work for several muscle groups at once. That isn’t to say you should neglect isolating exercises such as leg extensions and curls, rather you should use them to pre-and post-exhaust at the start and end of a session. We recommend the following multi-joint lifts:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Leg presses
- Weighted lunges
- Sumo lifts
As for how many reps and how much weight you should lift, that depends on your goals. Lower reps of higher weights will build your mass and strength, but if it’s calorie-burning that you’re looking for, choose a moderate weight and 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Timing is just as important when deploying leg exercises for calorie burning; by performing them first thing at the start of a session you’ll be at full strength. If it’s arm day, or you have cardio lined up, by exercising your legs at the end of the session you’ll continue to burn calories once you’re back home after the gym.
How to burn calories on leg day - your questions answered
How many calories does leg day burn?
Depending on your weight and intensity, you could be looking at a high number of calories burnt in a full leg session. Include supersets and big compound lifts, and you could be looking at anywhere between 350-700 calories in a one-hour session.
How many calories do squats burn?
A person who weighs 165 pounds performing high-intensity squats burns approximately 52 calories. 25 minutes of low intensity squats for someone weighing 140 pounds will equal approximately 97 calories. The same person performing high-intensity squats is aiming for closer to 220 calories.[Text Wrapping Break]
Do leg workouts burn belly fat?
Exercise, in general, can not target a specific area to burn fat however, a number of leg exercises to require your core to be engaged meaning the muscles in that area will strengthen and increase producing a more toned look as your body fat drops.
