November 10, 2015
Here's Why You Should NEVER Skip Leg Day!
Leg days hurt -- there is no way around it. Not being able to walk the next morning should be a badge of honour, but sometimes that badge can double as a reason to not do it at all. Working your legs is not just a way to better your body, it can also lead to a bigger, better brain!
Physical fitness has long been linked to improved brain health, but a new study from King's College of London found that there is a specific link between strong legs and a strong brain. The researchers followed sets of identical twins over the course of 10 years and found that the twin with the greatest leg power, experienced the least amount of cognitive decline and aged better cognitively in an overall sense.
"There is good evidence to state that exercise helps the brain function better," says Sheena Aurora, M.D., a clinical associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University who was not involved with the study.
Why is this? Aurora says that learning motor skills helps other areas of the brain improve as well. Also, increasing your heart rate increases the blood supply to the brain, which is better for your general cognitive function.
But why legs, specifically? The connection between legs and brain power was not tested explicitly, but the researchers believe that it is because your legs comprise some of the largest muscle groups in the body and are the easiest to keep fit.
The best news from this study is that you have control over all of it. The study found a strong proactive element to the association. If you increase your leg strength today, you can improve your brain health in the future.
Can you think of a better reason to enter beast mode on leg day? For over 80 hours of on demand workouts to power up those legs, as well as tone the rest of your body, check out Sweatflix℠!
What are your favorite leg workouts?
Source: Shape
Physical fitness has long been linked to improved brain health, but a new study from King's College of London found that there is a specific link between strong legs and a strong brain. The researchers followed sets of identical twins over the course of 10 years and found that the twin with the greatest leg power, experienced the least amount of cognitive decline and aged better cognitively in an overall sense.
"There is good evidence to state that exercise helps the brain function better," says Sheena Aurora, M.D., a clinical associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University who was not involved with the study.
Why is this? Aurora says that learning motor skills helps other areas of the brain improve as well. Also, increasing your heart rate increases the blood supply to the brain, which is better for your general cognitive function.
But why legs, specifically? The connection between legs and brain power was not tested explicitly, but the researchers believe that it is because your legs comprise some of the largest muscle groups in the body and are the easiest to keep fit.
The best news from this study is that you have control over all of it. The study found a strong proactive element to the association. If you increase your leg strength today, you can improve your brain health in the future.
Can you think of a better reason to enter beast mode on leg day? For over 80 hours of on demand workouts to power up those legs, as well as tone the rest of your body, check out Sweatflix℠!
What are your favorite leg workouts?
Source: Shape