Engaging in fitness activities is considered a standard of care (SOC) for many cancer patients, not only because it enhances overall health but also due to the chemical interactions between muscles and cancer cells. Comprehensive body training is essential, with an emphasis on targeting the body's largest muscle groups. This approach is crucial not just from a functional perspective, where strength in daily movements often depends on the coordination of multiple muscles and primarily large muscle groups, but also from a metabolic standpoint, as these muscles significantly influence the body's metabolic processes.
In fact working out the legs with resistance training and weights can benefit muscular development in the rest of the body. Here's how:
- Hormonal Response: Leg exercises, especially those that engage large muscle groups (like squats and deadlifts), can lead to an increase in the secretion of growth hormones ( and testosterone, but this is not the case on ADT). These hormones are crucial for muscle growth and recovery, and their increased levels can benefit muscular development throughout the body.
- Improved Core Strength: Many leg exercises require engagement of the core muscles for stability and balance. This indirect engagement can lead to improved core strength, which is beneficial for overall muscular development and can enhance performance in upper body exercises.
- Increased Overall Strength: Leg training can contribute to a foundation of overall strength. Stronger legs can improve your ability to handle more weight and perform more intense workouts, which can indirectly benefit the development of upper body muscles.
- Balance and Symmetry: Training legs helps maintain a balanced physique. Neglecting leg workouts can lead to disproportionate development, which might not only affect appearance but also increase the risk of injuries. A balanced body is essential for overall strength and functional movements.
- Better Functional Fitness: Leg strength is crucial for many daily activities and sports. By improving leg strength and endurance, you enhance your overall fitness levels, which can positively impact your ability to perform various exercises and activities, thus aiding in overall muscular development.
- Enhanced Athletic Performance: Strong legs are fundamental for many athletic activities, including running, jumping, and cycling. Improved leg strength can therefore enhance overall athletic performance, which often involves multiple muscle groups.
- Increased Metabolic Rate: Larger muscle groups, like those in the legs, consume more energy. Training them can increase your metabolic rate, which helps in muscle building and fat loss processes, benefiting the entire body. And if you are on ADT this is crucial.
In summary, while leg workouts primarily target the lower body, their benefits extend to the rest of the body, contributing to hormonal balance, core strength, overall muscular development, and enhanced athletic performance. Regularly including leg workouts in a fitness regime is essential for a well-rounded and effective strength training program.
I paste a couple of useful links here (the first one has some very useful suggestions about how to train, the second one is about the effect of legs training on frail elderly people):
Great information Maxone73, thank you. Since preventing muscle loss is vital when on ADT, this is very valuable.
I’d like to add two minor suggestions:
To help with knee and ankle problems, which can become an issue when training legs, start standing on one leg while brushing your teeth. The small muscle movements used to keep your balance are great for this. It doesn’t sound like much, but give it a try.
Tight and stiff leg muscles can create back problems and pain. For people like me, who often skips streching finding it boring, I would suggest looking up Yin Yoga on youtube. It’s like a mix of streching and meditating which has made me actually look forward to the streching part. The meditating side of it can also be very benifitial for us with APC helping with mindfulness.
I attended a webinar put on by one of the primary researchers of the ADT med, Orgovyx. He’s at Duke U. He made the point that, in his view, leg presses are the single most important resistance training exercise one can do when on ADT.
Getting a stationary bike has turned my life around. I've been on Orgovyx since October 2021 and was rapidly losing strength. Then in September 2022 I got a stationary bike and ride almost daily and am much stronger and feel much better!
I was just going to start incorporating “legs” in my resistance training this week. Thanks for the info. I have two choices a vertical or horizontal machine. Any thoughts?
Thanks. One more. Should I start light or use the 80 percent of a heavy lift. As you can tell I am a real novice. No trainer just a community gym. I do walk every day for about 5.5 to 6 miles and do 30 minutes of light upper body work and core work - bench, curls, seated rows, core exercises. Do about 10 to 12 reps with 4 sets.
No prob. Stay light till you have learned the proper form. Be careful if you have bone metastasis to the hips. Legs tend to do well with a higher number of reps if you are looking for hypertrophy, like 15-17. But once you have the right technique you can also introduce power sessions of 6-8 reps per set at most. Try to do 8 sets per muscle group per week if you can. And always work to exhaustion if you can. The trick is done by the last reps, those that make you muscles tremble 😀 so when I say 15-17 it means that the weight should be enough to prevent you to do even one more rep. Of course some warm up and stretching are a great habit!!
Take what I have said as a general guideline, I do now know your present condition and potential problems.
Thanks a million that really helps. I currently do aerobics and resistance trying 6 days a week. I have been doing this for about 10 months. For a guy of almost 80 I am in great shape even with the cancer. I have always been active - jogging, running, sports, working designing and building homes, etc.
My goals were rather simple when I started this resistance process. First not put on weight from ADT. Second, overcome the fatigue and side effects from radiation and ADT. Third, hopefully have an impact along with diet on the cancer. Four, live long enough to see my granddaughter complete medical residency and become an attending doctor.
Goals one and two have been met or exceeded. Goal three awaits further analysis. Goal four is dependent on goal three and other factors out of my control.
Thanks again it is truly appreciated and gives me a place to start my leg’s journey.
Check with your doctor if your bones in the hip are strong enough for extra loading. Alternatively do some activity that is not too intense on your hips
Good stuff...thanks for the post. I have incorporated yoga into my routine. Helps with flexibility, balance, breathing, and also strength/weight training.
Full range back squats with a barbell is the very best leg exercise.
First, be certain you can exercise. Your doctor's okay is needed.
Learn proper form to prevent injury.
The weight isn't as important as the number of reps.
Use a rack that has adjustable safeties. Don't trust a spotter.
If you can't use a full range of motion that is fine. Your ROM will increase with exercise. Don't push it too hard.
Knee sleeves can be very helpful, and some good, inexpensive ones can be found on Amazon.
"Breathing squats" are the most effective. Get into them gradually. The complete set is 20 reps--or more--but 20 is the accepted number. An extra breath is taken at the top of each squat before the next rep. If one needs two, three, four or more breaths before completing the next rep that is fine. One has to be in good condition to extend one's self that hard.
There is nothing wrong with using just a bar while developing strength and improving form. If you can watch your form in a mirror and hire a personal trainer just to learn form. Get your money's worth from the trainer. Have them critique your deadlift, clean, overhead press and bench press form as well--especially incline bench work. Dumbbell presses have a greater range of motion than barbell bench presses and a much less chance of injuring one.
I never did heavy squats before the "problem" that we have. Just 200 to 220 lbs. for 20 reps and three sets. I was careful of my knees. I also did front squats and Jefferson squats. in the past to round out the leg work--nine sets.
You meant to reply to Mgtd I think! I have been into bodybuilding since I was 17, and yes, always heavy, always intense. I became very big and quite strong to be a natural bodybuilder, (ok nothing at world record level, but my best flat bench press was almost 400 lbs)...but my joints nowadays are telling me that I have been an idiot to never alternate heavy and light cycles... 😂😂
Lift on!! (I do not say "pump that iron" because I want to see how will j-o-h-n reply this time)
Breathing squats keeps the weight on the bar down which I prefer rather than trying to see my max. I had a knee injury once that has never resurfaced probably because ego and weight on the bar weren't factors.
this is a good post. I find myself being concerned with breaking bones now maybe due to docs saying how tough these drugs are on our bones. I used to lift heavy and would like to continue to do so but i am worried. Am I over-thinking?
Would be better to have your bones checked. But weight lifting is good for bones but not great. Bones stimulation is best obtained by impact overload. So running would be better. Jumping the rope is not bad as well. When you run and jump you repeatedly load you legs with 2-3 times your body weight due to acceleration. I am waiting for my next pet scan to know if I can run as I have a met in my hip.
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