Too few people focus on legs -- I love to see guys with skinny legs...I always think about how bad I could rip their knee joints with a nice muay thai kick
If I told you the reason I have a mental block against working my legs, you might think I am crazy. A long time ago, I read that riding a bicycle would slow me down as a sprinter. The article went into some explanation about muscle groups, etc, but in my adult life I have come to realize that people write all sorts of things that aren't true. This "fear" has perpetuated, and it is the reason that I don't work my legs as the result of this fear. I now think this is bogus and I think that if I stretch correctly, it shouldn't be an issue.
Yeah, you're crazy. Do you have Olympic aspirations as an chubby, middle-aged guy? Honestly, it sounds like you don't want to work.
Doing some bicycle riding won't slow you down as a sprinter. However, intense, prolonged and frequent bicycle riding WILL slow you down. It's not so much about muscle groups but about a key difference: in a bicycle you "push", whereas when you sprint you "kick". Prolonged bicycle workouts will cause you to lose some of your kick's "sparkle" for lack of a better term. If your cardio is jogging/walking fast, as long as you're in the fat burning phase working out hard on your legs won't do you much good and in fact, especially if you're past 30, will interfere with your jogging (soreness, cramps, hurting knees, etc.). Just burn the fat and when you're happy with your stomach cut down on your jogging and substitute half of it for intervals/sprints and the other half for a leg workout. If you can't wait, then half of the days do some static rowing instead of jogging (easier on the legs) - although that will make it harder for you to grow your arms. As for stretching, there's an interesting article in the NYT's magazine: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...before-running-prevent-injuries/?ref=magazine And don't over-analyze it You're on your way, that's what matters
I don't understand why that should be. Imagine that I did lots of bicycle riding and I went to the track and did sprint workouts. Why should that slow me down? It is so bizzare that if you do cardio beyond a certain point you are actually counteracting muscle building. I guess that is why they categorize into the fat burning phase...This has been my biggest epiphany, and I still dont' quite understand it. Say I eat one of those super nutritious bars some very strategic time before a workout. Have I not in effect raised the fat burning phase to a greater time, since I just ate carbs and therefore don't go into fat stores for energy? Thanks. Interesting. Yeah, in the end I am pretty sure I know how to lose the fat since I have done it with scientific precision week in and week out. What I am clearly deficient in is putting on the muscle everywhere on my core (the places where it grows on me naturally doesn't count - that is my genes doing all the work and requires no special skill.)
You must be a real hit at parties. I agree that workouts should be balanced. In fact, I begin my routine with upper legs because they are the largest muscle group. But I would think that no amount of leg work can provide cover from a well-placed and properly angled kick to the knee.
By not working your "legs" your not just neglecting those but also the glutes (seat of power) and the lumbar spine extensors too. That's about HALF your total muscle! Those that won't have as many excuses but real reason is working the lower extremity is dam hard, far harder than any other muscle grouping..
Try kicking a skinny thigh or a thick well muscled one, you'll see the difference. Muscle mass dissipates energy pretty well