“Truly great thoughts are conceived while walking’’ – Friedrich Nietzsche

When thinking about exercise, many of us only tend to focus on problem areas or cardiovascular training. Lower body strength, however, plays a vital role in maintaining overall health and executing daily activities.

Benefits of strengthening the lower body muscle groups:

• Lower body strength training requires you to work harder, thus burn more calories = aid in weight loss efforts
• Decrease overall muscle pain
• Improve bone health
• Improve balance

The type of strength training will depend on your fitness goals. Make sure to always do a proper warm up before engaging in any kind of exercise. Avoid static stretching exercises before your workout and rather engage exercises that require movement. Here are a few basic leg strengthening exercises.

Warm up: Jogging in the garden, bum kicks and side shuffles.

• Wall sit – 30sec x3
• Bridge with one leg in the air – hold 10 counts x 3 each leg
• Calf raises on a small step – 15 x 3
• Side lying with straight leg lifts – 20 x 3