Whether your goal is to gain lean muscle or burn fat, you can’t afford to forget about your lower body.

Here are 3 reasons you should be focusing on your lower body for gaining muscle and for burning fat.

Gaining lean muscle

1. Heavy lifts like the deadlift, squats, or leg press release growth hormone throughout your body. So when you’re doing these lower body exercises, you’re not only working your legs and glutes, but also releasing hormones that’ll help you build size in your upper body.

2. You’ll look better. Guys have this weird notion that people only see what they see in the mirror, so they spend twice the time working on their chest, shoulders, and arms while neglecting their lower body and back. It doesn’t look good! Girls don’t want that weird imbalanced look, so train your legs and get a date!

3. Strength. People going for purely looks often forget about the functionality of working out. If you’re trying to gain lean muscle, why not try and get stronger as well? Wouldn’t you want to be able to help a friend move, or carry your girlfriend like she weighed nothing? Have you ever heard someone say lift with your legs? Well you should. Work your lower body and gain some strength as well as look better.

Burning fat

1. Your glutes and thighs are some of the biggest muscles in your body and bigger muscles need more calories to survive. Look at the big lifters or the bodybuilders, they need to consume thousands of calories a day just to break even. By working your lower body you’re going to burn more calories and in turn burn more fat as well.

2. You’re going to be in better shape. Even if your goal is fat loss, you need to have some functionality to it as well. Your legs are responsible for a lot of your athleticism and strength, so by working them you’re not only losing fat and burning more calories but you’re also getting stronger and more athletic.

3. You’ll look better. I think looks are a lot about balance. If you’re trying to burn fat it’s not a bad thing to gain a little bit of muscle in the process and stronger, fitter legs are a good thing. Plus the bum thing, girls are always after getting a ‘better bum’, even if they’ve got a great one already. Well, you’re not going to make much progress in that area without working your lower body.