So... skipping leg day...

No_Finish_Line

symmetry is beauty. I had a psych professor in college that did a study where they asked subjects to rate photographs of the opposite sex on how attracted they were to them. They also took precise measurements of the faces in the photos. the more photos were rated the most attractive were also the most symmetrical. not surprisingly.

terar21

I think there's a balance. I do Strong Curves (I do the program that mixes in upper body as well, although he does have one purely focused on lower body) because I do want a major focus on my lower body but I still need to account for upper body. I have weak glutes and low mobility in ankles with tight calves.

I think it all depends on your body type at the moment. I don't believe I had oddly strong triceps, but for some odd reason (well not odd, it's probably the result of years of swimming), when I lose weight it is my arms noticeably first which in turn reveals very defined triceps. While I still enjoy working on my upper body (particularly back since I live in tank tops), I need a lower body dominant program. When my lower body strengthens, I'll work out both equally.

astrose00

I have naturally larger legs and glutes. I work legs twice a week and all other body parts once. I make sure all my workouts are tough so I don't feel I am slacking. Plus working chest indirectly works the triceps and working back indirectly works the biceps. So I feel my upper body gets plenty of attention. And for back and chest, I usually do more exercises and sets to makes sure I hit all the muscles.

I love working legs. Well, love/hate, actually. I have a gym membership but recently picked up leg press, seated calf and leg extension/curl machines on the cheap on Craigslist. I know the more muscle I have (or keep while I'm losing fat) the more efficient my metabolism will be and the better I will look.

stealthq

Yes, but that's vertical symmetry.

Horizontal symmetry (since we're talking comparing upper body to lower) would be really weird on a human.

I'm just saying.

ETA: I think the word we want in this case is proportion

ucabucca

I do both but I am doing more time and weight on lower because of my sports but its important to do both Before someone comments its not that different 1 hour for lower and 45 for upper

Wronkletoad

i think I prefer the word "churchyard" to "symmetry". Church yard. Kirkegaard... yep. definitely prefer that one.

contingencyplan

Regardless of your goals, muscle imbalances can contribute to back and joint problems later on in life. You should be training your whole body equally when you start. When you eventually reach a point where you are ready to do cycles of bulking and cutting, THEN you are free to experiment with focusing more on some body parts than others. However, even then you still train your whole body. You just do some more than the rest.

ythannah

pscarolina wrote: »

When you stop waving you want your arm to stop waving too.

^^ this

In my ripe old age, I have managed to acquire arms that are skinny little twigs and jiggly at the same time.

Twiggly. Yay.

A few "arm days" 20 years ago might have prevented that.