The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Usually, legs are neglected

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Usually, legs are neglected

Special Correspondent

Most of the time you can only show off your biceps

Bangalore: Men like to show off broad shoulders, muscular arms and chest and as flat a stomach as possible but usually neglect the legs when it comes to working out. There may be a simple reason for it; most of the time we are seated, at our office desks, in cocktail lounges or even while travelling. You can only show off your bulging biceps and not the quadriceps, except at swimming pools or perhaps, at the tennis courts.

"Neglecting to build up the leg muscles can even spoil your appearance, you will look top heavy and when it comes to chasing that tennis or cricket ball and or swimming an extra lap on the pool, you may be at a decided disadvantage,'' cautions Bijou John, trainer at a gym in Indiranagar.

Most gyms now have, in addition to multiple treadmills, "exercycles" with a stepper or stair-climbing attachment, that helps build up the legs, thighs and calves included. Weight lifting in certain forms targets the legs too. The "calf rise" where you grasp a bar, push up on your toes and raise your heels and eventually, the legs, is supposed to help too. Of course, actually riding a cycle up and down gradients as can be found in Bangalore strengthens the legs and the cardiovascular system too.

"For those not used to walking or running on a regular basis, it takes time to get used to exercising the legs. And after a few weeks you can easily walk up to 4 km or 5 km without getting pains in the calves, if you are otherwise fit,'' says Bijou John. Powerful legs can be as easy to get as muscular arms but they need some working at.

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