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How Not Working Out Your Lower Body Significantly Reduces Strength Gains For Your Upper Body!!!

By Randy Gruezo

Generally, when most people start a strength training program, they do so to improve a body part, particularly those in the upper body. However, neglecting the lower body can play a significant role in the lack of overall development in those body parts. What most people need to understand is that the body works as a whole system as opposed to individual working parts.

When performing whole body movements such as deadlifts, push presses, squats, cleans the body has a much bigger neuroendocrine response to that stress. Compared to movements such as tricep pushdowns, lateral raises, chest flyes, etc. WHOA!!!! Back track a bit there...Neuro...What? Okay I did come out of left field with that statement.

[Sidebar] Please check out the articles in this website which I go in-depth into the body's responses to stress. It's a 3 part series titled, "Greatest Fitness Program."

Let me explain what I mean by neuroendocrine response. Through strength training you impose a stress to your body which it has to respond and adapt to. The neuroendocrine response is the interaction between the nervous system and the endocrine system (i.e. hormones). The response depends on how big or small the level of imposed stress is to the body. For example a squat has a much bigger response than a bicep curl. Hope you get my point.

Okay... So what! What does that have to do with me?

It has everything to do with you. Neuroendocrine response is characterized by increase levels of human growth hormones, testosterone, motor recruitment patterns (how well you body utilizes the muscles you have), etc. That's right I'm throwing the big words at you now. For you women reading this, this may sound like something that men will only be interested in. However, I will show you this is important for you as well.

Only strength training with the movements I described above will elicit such a response. When your body releases these hormones it doesn't go to a specific muscle or area. It flows systemically around the body enhancing everything it touches. That is why it's not uncommon to see that squat training increases upper body strength, despite not working the upper body at all. For you men that means more bang for your buck.

I didn't forget you women out there. The way that this applies to you is that you could get much stronger without much increase in muscle mass, which I know is a concern for most of you women. Your body becomes better utilizing the muscles you have already. Didn't I tell you I had great news for you too!!!

Now you don't have to avoid doing these "bulk building" movements as opposed to wasting all that time using crappy machines that will only get you minimal if not non-existent results. I know, I had to rant a little, sorry... It's the consumer advocate side of me.

Strength training while avoiding doing lower body exercises is just a waste of time. If you're doing that already you are short changing yourself. Sure you're going to get results just doing the upper body, but you will work twice as much for not as much gain. Always remember the body works better when it is trained like a system as opposed to individual parts.

About the Author:

Randy Gruezo helps dedicated and busy individuals achieve, at once unbelievable, elite levels of fitness in Miramar, Florida and surrounding neighborhoods. His unconventional, yet highly effective and time efficient fitness solutions are all backed by a 100% money back guarantee. Get his Free Report "5 Deadly Mistakes That Will Stop Your Fat Loss Attempt Dead In It's Track, and What To Do About It!" and more by going to his website www.randygruezo.com