“Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm”

Abraham Lincoln

Our bodies, perhaps more than any other aspect of ourselves, are one our greatest tools for self- awareness and self- development. Reason being- the body never lies! You can lie to yourself, you can lie to your spouse , you can lie to your friends and family but your body, that ever faithful friend will always tell you the truth .The body tells us this truth , not in words but in feelings, sensations, perceptions and simply by how it looks , moves and performs.

How your legs look, how strong they are, how symmetrical they are, how structurally balanced they are speaks volumes about the individual.

In the upright environment, standing on your two feet moving around or participating in sports, forces are generated from the ground up. Studies in elite boxers show that over 70% of the power of the punch is generated from the legs. Novice Olympic lifters and field sport athletes (shot, hammer etc.) start out developing 80 % of the power for lifting the weight or throwing the implement from their upper bodies. Ten years of training later the elite experienced lifter/field athlete now generates 80% of the power from the legs with the upper body contributing only 20% of the power. In my estimation athleticism is mostly about learning how to use your legs to the greatest potential.

Mastery of the physical plane if you are a human being will always be enhanced by getting your legs strong especially in that upright setting. So if your training program does not include plenty of squats and deadlifts with auxiliary exercises like split squats and deadlift variations your legs will not be well served nor will your entire life experience. You see your legs are governed by your base and sacral chakras respectively if we take a dip into Ayurveda.

Your base chakra connects you to the earth. The theme of this chakra is safety, security, survival, and tribal issues (in the modern world this means family, in the scientific world this means genetics.)

The base chakra is the chakra of NOW! Those who are living in the now will have a strong base chakra. There is nothing like some heavy squatting or deadlifting to bring you exquisitely into the now. Being in the now is the ultimate security. All fear , for the most part, comes from worrying about what might happen in the future.

In bodybuilding circles many believe that good legs are simply genetic. Well if you have good genes (a base chakra phenomenon) then you may have a head start. In order to get the best legs for aesthetics or performance you have to do “the leg work”. For this reason the strength and functioning of the legs are in many ways reflective of the individuals’ work ethic, discipline and mental toughness.

Skinny weak legs equal a weak base chakra. The base chakra is the chakra of manifestation. So if you are not realising your goals and dreams maybe you should be squatting more!

Legs covered in a deep layer of fat represent emotional suppression and or a traumatic childhood. The energetics of the first two chakras develop in the early childhood years. In western science we call it Estrogen Dominance. Show me a person with severe Estrogen Dominance who is not an emotional basket case (at least once a month!).

Legs that are skinny are reflective of the overall muscle mass of the body. It’s rare to see someone with impressive leg development without overall body development. The opposite cannot be said.

I have said this before but the top two predictors of your lifespan are 1. How strong you are. 2. How much lean body mass you have. Both of these phenomena are governed by the base chakra. The base chakra also represents your “Will to live”.

Participants in a study called the Danish MONICA project reported in the British Medical journal September 2009 came to the following conclusion:

“A low thigh circumference seems to be associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease or premature death. The adverse effects of small thighs might be related to too little muscle mass in the region. The measure of thigh circumference might be a relevant anthropometric measure to help general practitioners in early identification of individuals at an increased risk of premature morbidity and mortality.”

Your legs are a metaphor for so many things:

Standing up for yourself   (self-respect)

Holding your ground

Standing strong

Standing for what you believe in

Doing the Leg work

Taking steps to achieve something

If you are a guy and you like lean legs in a woman maybe you are subconsciously looking for someone who is emotionally evolved.

If you are a female and you like a man with strong well developed legs maybe you are attracted to the good genetics or worth ethic they may represent!

Whatever way you slice it strong lean legs are a platform for a grander life experience.

To find out how your legs measure up then why not get a comprehensive biomechanical assessment

For more on developing and strengthening your Base ( also known as root) Chakra pick up a copy of Cracking the Mind/Body Code.

My new Online Personal Training service is now available. Train from anywhere in the world with Clares program design and coaching videos guiding you every step of the way!