Did you know that your leg muscles impact your health and wellness significantly? This is what Flex Wheeler recently emphasized. So, let's take a look at how, according to Wheeler, your leg muscles can impact your health.

On May 9, Wheeler shared an Instagram reel featuring a section of his chit-chat with Greg Nagaye during an episode of the Flex for Life podcast. Amid their conversation, Wheeler shared something important about the role of leg strength on longevity and improved quality of life.

He said, "We talked about this and that muscular strength, not, you know, being big or anything else, but that's directly equated with longevity and quality. And leg strength specifically is really highly equated with longevity."

According to Wheeler, "You're not going to be able to get strong unless you're lifting something off the ground." Given that this activity requires leg strength, it's understandable why the 4x Arnold Classic winner views it as such an important factor to maintain good health.

Also, to build leg strength, one needs progressive overload, which is where exercises like squats, deadlifts, and presses come in handy. These exercises build strong muscles, and they support healthy aging, preserve joints and mobility, and reduce the risk of falls and injuries later in life. 

And when it comes to building strength, bodyweight workouts alone may not produce results, so it's important to build leg strength. Here are some more reasons to pay attention to it.

Effects of Leg Strength on Longevity

According to a report by Confluent Health, leg strength can even predict mortality, disability, and recovery outcomes. Here are the metrics: 

• Senior citizens with lower quad strength had a 51–65% higher risk of earlier death, even after adjusting for age, race, body size, physical activity, and inflammation. 
• People who take longer than 15 seconds to stand from a chair face a 3% increased in mortality rate and 84% more likely to be hospitalized. 
• People with great leg strength are likely to recover faster from surgery, illness, and injury and reduce the risk of needing long-term care. 

How to test leg strength:

• If you can squat, deadlift, or perform lunges with control and resistance, it is a good sign. Try to do as many as you can. 
• For seniors, check how much time it takes for you to stand up and sit down five times. That will be a good test of lower-body strength and function.  

How to improve leg strength:

• Squats – It helps build strength and mobility via the hips, knees, and ankles. 
• Deadlifts – It helps strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and hip hinge mechanics. 
• Lunges & Step-Ups – They help improve single-leg strength, balance, and stability. 
• Sled Pushes & Carries – Improves lower body strength and coordination. 
• Machine lifts – A great choice for improving leg strength.

So, now that you have learnt so much about the impact of a strong pair of legs on your health, are you thinking of following the leg strength-building exercises?

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Souvik Roy