Chicken Legs and the Big Picture
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If you’ve been in a gym recently, you might have noticed there is a new plague spreading. It’s ripping through the gym-going population like the flu, or even the Zombie Apocalypse.
Chicken legs.
You’ve seen the guy in the corner of the gym doing 20 sets of curls Monday, hitting his chest from every angle Wednesday, and nailing the shoulders on Friday. But what about the legs – somehow with all of his grueling workouts, this guy never finds time for his legs. He walks around the gym looking like he might fall over any minute, with his huge upper body and his skinny legs. Or maybe he’s the one who suspiciously always wears long sweat pants even though he’s wearing a tank-top that doesn’t leave anything about his chest or arms to the imagination.
This is one of my pet peeves.
People love to do their bench press sets. They love to do their curls. I’ve heard them talk about their hot tub muscles, or say things like “Sun’s out, guns out!”
But if you are leaving half of your body unworked, you can never consider yourself truly fit. I don’t care how ripped your six-pack is, or if you have 18-inch biceps. I don’t care if you can bench 500 pounds.
Work your legs. I can’t say it enough. You don’t think your glutes, your thighs, and your calves matter? They are some of the biggest muscles in your body. They are your primary movers and shakers. And let's not forget: a muscular set of legs looks good.
The chicken leg phenomenon points to a bigger issue. When you work half of the body over and over but completely neglect the other half, you’re leaving results on the table. You have to focus on the whole body. You need to see the big picture.
In the same way, even if you aren't in the gym every day pumping up your pecs, if you're just starting out - you also need to see the big picture.
I talked about finding your spark and starting out by spending only 1% of your day on fitness. We shared a workout you can do in that time with no equipment.
But your health is a big picture thing. If you are starting to exercise but still eating unhealthy foods, you're doing the same thing the hardcore lifter with chicken legs is doing: you're leaving results on the table.
Maybe that means one day a week you spend your 1% planning healthier meals. Maybe it means you spend it shopping for more vegetables. Or maybe you have your diet dialed in and you need to focus on moving more and getting enough exercise.
Whatever it means for you, this week, find a big picture approach to your health, and commit to that. Your 1% should be about making yourself healthier in every way, not just in the ways that are easy for you. We’ll keep bringing great experts, and I’ll even find some time to comment in the forum. It doesn’t have to be scary to be healthy. You can do it, and I'll be here to help you along the way.
But whatever you do, don't catch the chicken legs virus.
Join the discussion in the forum to share motivation and progress.
