Should You Train Legs Multiple Times a Week If You Want More Definition?

 

If you want stronger legs, more glute growth, or that lean, defined look, it makes sense to wonder if one leg day is really enough.

And if you are already putting in the work, it can be frustrating when your lower body still does not look as defined as you want it to.

So naturally, your brain goes to the next question: do I need more leg days?

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are answering a question from the Movement With Julie community about training legs multiple times a week, repeating muscle groups, and what actually helps your body build definition without burning you out.

What’s Discussed:

  • How recovery plays a role in building muscle and seeing definition

  • What to look at before adding another weighted lower body workout

  • How to make leg exercises more challenging without needing heavier weights

  • Where walking, HIIT, Pilates, and yoga can fit into your routine

  • Why nutrition matters if you are training consistently but not seeing the definition you want

  • How to get more out of the work you are already doing

If you want a strength plan that takes the guesswork out of your workouts, Movement With Julie gives you structured training you can do at home or in the gym, with 30-minute and 60-minute options that help you build strength without overthinking what to do next. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started.

And if you are putting in the work but not seeing the definition you want, your nutrition may be the piece that needs more attention. Macro Counting Made Simple helps you understand how to fuel your body for muscle, recovery, and real results without restriction or overwhelm. Head to www.macrocountingmadesimple.com to get started.

If you loved this episode, you’ll also love Episode 566: What Women Get Wrong About Progressive Overload. It is the perfect next listen if you want to keep training smarter and getting better results from the workouts you are already doing.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

Transcript

(0:00) Hey there, beautiful human. You're listening to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter, (0:06) a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I give you a dose of real talk (0:11) and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your (0:17) authentic self.

Stay tuned if you're ready to Embrace Your Real. Let's get it, let's go. (0:28) Hello and welcome back to another episode on My Embrace Your Real podcast.

Today's episode was (0:32) really inspired from a question that came in to my MooMoo with Julie Private Facebook group, (0:37) and I wanted to bring it to the podcast because I know so many women have wondered the same version (0:42) and I get this question all the time, my on my Facebook Reels, my TikTok, my Instagram. (0:46) The question essentially was this, does anyone else repeat a muscle group two to three times (0:50) per week? I've been following this program for three years and recently started repeating (0:54) leg and arm days twice a week because otherwise I feel like I'm only getting one true leg day (0:59) a week and that does not feel like enough to tone and build the way that I want. Before anyone tells (1:04) me to increase my weights, I use a 55 pound dumbbell on legs and max out on my arms.

We are (1:09) looking to upgrade to a squat rack and I feel like I need like focused workouts more than four times (1:15) a week. My other workouts are light jogs and walks in the treadmill. I would love some serious (1:22) advice from someone doing the same.

First off, I want to say that I completely understand where (1:27) this question is coming from. When you're consistent with your workouts and you have a (1:30) specific goal like building your legs, growing your glutes, just feeling stronger or seeing more (1:34) definition, it makes sense that your brain starts looking for ways to do more. You might (1:38) start thinking if I want more results in that area, maybe I should train that area more often (1:43) and that thought process really comes from a good place in my opinion.

It's really common. (1:48) It comes from commitment. It comes from wanting to show up.

It comes from wanting to make your (1:52) effort count. But when we're talking about resistance training, especially lower body (1:56) resistance training, the answer is rarely as simple as just adding more leg days. (2:01) So this is going to require an eight part answer.

Yes, eight. So get ready to take some notes. (2:06) But all of that to say the real question is not, can I just train legs more often? (2:11) In my opinion, the better question is what is the smartest way to train legs so that I can (2:16) build muscle, recover well, avoid over training, support my metabolism and actually see the (2:20) results that I want.

So before we get into all of these parts, I want to quickly explain (2:25) what movement with Julie is, especially for someone who is newer here. So movement with (2:29) Julie is my workout app. It's built around structured strength training using Dumble (2:33) only, and it's designed so that you can train at home or in the gym without needing (2:38) a ton of equipment.

Inside the app, you can choose 30 minutes or 60 minute workouts. (2:42) There's a five day weekly plan. You can track your weights, your progress over time.

(2:46) The goal is to really help you build strength, muscle consistency, and just confidence through (2:51) a plan that's realistic for your life. That being said, this episode applies to whether (2:57) you're doing movement with Julie or another resistance training plan. If you're following (3:00) a Dumble program or a gym based program, a strength and conditioning plan, or just your (3:05) own weekly split, these principles still matter.

Muscle, growth, recovery, progressive overload, (3:11) nervous system stress, nutrition, and walking are not specific to one app or one program. (3:16) They're really a part of how your body adapts to the training. (3:20) We're just going to dive right into today's episode because there is so much content for (3:24) you.

So let's kind of break this down. Number one, more leg days do not automatically mean (3:29) more leg growth. And this is probably the most important place to start because I know how (3:33) tempting it is to believe that more training equals more results.

If you want to build your (3:38) legs or glutes, it feels logical to think like, I should just train legs more often. (3:42) If one leg day is good, two must be better. Or if two are good, maybe four will finally (3:47) give me the definition that I'm looking for.

And that's just not how strength training works. (3:51) When you lift weights, you are creating a stimulus and you are challenging the muscle. You are (3:55) creating tiny amounts of damage to the muscle fibers.

And that stress tells your body, (4:00) hey, we need to adapt so that we can handle this better next time. (4:03) And that workout is the signal. The muscle building response happens afterwards.

Your body (4:08) has to repair the muscle fibers, replenish that glycogen, calm the inflammation, (4:13) restore your nervous system, and build the tissue back stronger. That process requires (4:17) recovery. It requires protein.

It requires enough total food. It requires sleep. It requires (4:22) hydration.

It requires time. And this is where a lot of women get stuck because they think muscle (4:27) growth happens while they're training. But the training creates the reason for your body to (4:32) build.

The recovery is really where your body is actually doing the building. And that's why (4:37) adding more and more leg days can actually backfire your quads, your glutes, your hamstring, (4:42) your calves. Those are all large muscle groups.

They can handle a lot of load, (4:46) but they can also take a lot of energy to train and recover. Like a hard leg day is (4:51) demanding on your muscle, your joints, your connective tissues, your central nervous system. (4:55) Your central nervous system is basically the communication system between your brain and your (5:00) muscles.

When you lift heavy, your nervous system has to recruit muscle fibers to coordinate (5:05) movement to create force to stabilize your body and to keep your form safe. And that's a lot (5:10) of work. So if you're training legs hard four times a week, especially while also doing like (5:16) a five day strength plan or jogging, walking all the above, you might reach a point where your (5:22) body just cannot recover from the total amount of stress that you're putting on it.

And when (5:26) recovery cannot keep up with your training, your results usually do not improve. They oftentimes (5:31) stall. So you might notice that you feel sore all the time.

You might notice that weights (5:36) that you normally used to handle well are starting to feel heavier. You might notice (5:40) that your form is starting to break down or you might feel tired or less motivated or (5:44) more inflamed or just more achy. You might feel like you're just putting in a ton of effort, (5:49) but your body is not changing the way that you expected.

And that can be super frustrating (5:53) because you're genuinely working hard, but sometimes the missing piece is not more work. (5:57) Sometimes the missing piece is giving your body enough time and resources to respond to the work (6:03) that you're already doing. The goal of strength training is not to completely exhaust the muscle (6:08) every time that you train.

The goal is to give your body the right amount of stimulus, (6:14) recover from that stimulus, and then come back stronger. And if you keep stacking hard leg (6:18) day on top of hard leg day, you might create more fatigue than adaptation. And this is where (6:24) women can really get stuck thinking that they're not doing enough when the real issue is that their (6:29) body is not getting enough recovery to reveal the results of their effort.

Number two, overtraining (6:35) can make it hard to see results even if you're working harder. So I want to talk about overtraining (6:41) because I think that the word can sound super dramatic. A lot of women hear overtraining and (6:46) they think that it means that you're completely burnt out, unable to work out, or doing something (6:50) extreme.

But overtraining can show up in subtle ways, like before it gets to that point. Overtraining (6:56) happens when the total stress from your workouts is greater than your body's ability to recover from (7:02) them. And that total stress includes your workouts, but it also includes life stress, poor sleep, (7:07) under eating, low protein, hormonal changes, dehydration, mental stress.

Your body does not (7:12) separate all of those things into these neat little categories. Stress is stress, and that's (7:17) stress on your system. So if you're lifting five days a week, repeating leg days, jogging, walking, (7:23) not eating enough protein, not sleeping well, trying to manage a full life, your body might (7:28) start pushing back.

And one way this can happen is through elevated stress hormones. (7:33) Exercise is a healthy stressor when dosed correctly. But if you keep adding hard (7:38) sessions without enough recovery, your body may stay in a more stressed state.

And that can (7:43) make it harder for your body to recover, harder to sleep, harder to feel energized, and just (7:47) overall harder to perform well in your workouts. Another thing that can happen is increase (7:52) inflammation. A normal amount of inflammation after strain training, that's a part of the (7:56) repair process.

That's not bad. Your body uses that response to repair tissue and adapt. (8:01) But if you're creating more muscle damage before your body has finished repairing the previous (8:07) workout, inflammation can stay elevated.

You might feel puffy, sore, tight, achy. You might (8:12) just feel like your body is holding onto water and you might feel like your legs never really (8:17) fully feel fresh. And from a body composition perspective, that can be discouraging because (8:22) you may be training more, but your body can look less defined because it's constantly trying to (8:27) recover.

And then another issue is performance. Number three, your muscles need recovery between (8:33) weight training sessions. So a good kind of general rule to give the same muscle group (8:38) at least 48 hours before training at heart again with weights.

And that does not mean that you (8:43) have to sit on the couch for two days after a leg day. It means that you should avoid repeating, (8:48) loading the same muscle group with heavy resistance before it had a chance to recover. (8:53) And this is where we need to separate resistance training from endurance training or general (8:57) movement.

Because walking is movement, jogging is movement, mobility is movement, (9:01) a body weight conditioning circuit is movement, a heavy dumbbell leg day is resistance training. (9:06) Those are not all creating the same type of stress. And when you do a heavy lower body (9:11) workout with squats, lunges, deadlifts, split squats, hip thrusts, glute bridges, (9:16) all of those things, you are placing a significant load on your muscles.

(9:19) You are challenging the muscle fibers in a way that creates fatigue and requires repair. (9:24) You're also using a lot of glycogen, which is a stored form of carbohydrates in your muscles. (9:30) And when you train hard, your muscles use that stored energy afterward.

(9:33) Your body has to replenish it so that you can perform well again. (9:38) If you train legs hard again too soon, you might be going into that next workout with muscles (9:43) that are still repairing and energy stores that are not fully replenished. (9:47) And that's one of the reasons that workouts can feel harder.

(9:49) Even if you're doing the same thing, when you walk, you're still using your legs, (9:53) but the intensity and recovery demand, those are different. (9:56) Walking can actually support recovery by increasing that blood flow, (10:00) improving circulation, helping you stay active without adding the same kind of muscular stress. (10:06) And that's why I would not put walking in the same category as another heavy leg day.

(10:11) The same goes for a light jog. (10:13) A light jog that might create some fatigue, especially depending on your fitness level, (10:17) like the incline, the route that you're taking, if it's outside or it's inside the duration (10:22) and your recovery, but it's still very different from a heavy resistance training session. (10:26) And that distinction matters because sometimes women think, (10:30) well, I've already used my legs when I walk or jog, so maybe I can handle another leg day too.

(10:35) And maybe you can handle it for a while, but handling it and benefiting from it (10:41) are not the same thing. (10:42) Like your body can tolerate a lot in the short term. (10:46) The question is whether that same amount of training is going to be (10:50) helping you build muscle, recover, feel energized, and progress over time.

(10:54) If you're following the movement with Julie five days a week, (10:57) you're already getting a structured strength training stimulus across your whole body. (11:01) If you're following another resistance training plan that includes multiple (11:04) strength workouts each week, the same idea kind of applies. (11:08) Before adding more heavy lower body sessions, I want you to ask yourself, (11:12) am I recovering well from the plan that I'm already doing? (11:15) Are my lifts actually improving or staying strong? (11:19) Am I sleeping well? (11:20) Am I eating enough? (11:22) Am I hitting my protein? (11:23) Am I feeling energized most days? (11:25) Am I constantly sore or do I just feel appropriately challenged? (11:30) Those answers matter because your weekly plan needs to be something (11:34) that your body can adapt to, not something that it's constantly trying to survive from.

(11:39) If you train legs hard on Monday, (11:42) it's usually best to give them at least 48 hours before another hard weighted lower body session. (11:47) That's just going to give your muscles a chance to repair and allow (11:50) you to show up with better energy, better form, and better output the next time that you train. (11:55) And honestly, better output matters.

(11:58) A well recovered leg day where you can lift with intention control and strength is going to (12:03) be more productive than a fourth leg day where you're tired, you're sore, you're rushing, (12:07) you're moving with poor form. (12:09) And so that is really important to keep in mind. (12:12) Number four, if your weights are no longer challenging enough, (12:15) make the exercise harder before adding more leg days.

(12:19) This is super especially important for anyone who trains at home. (12:24) A lot of women eventually reach a place where their heaviest dumbbells no longer feel enough (12:28) for certain lower body movements. (12:30) And that can happen with squats.

(12:32) It can happen with glute bridges. (12:33) It can happen with deadlifts. (12:34) It can happen when you have been consistent for years and years (12:37) and your body has just gotten stronger.

(12:39) First, that's a good thing. (12:40) It means that you've progressed. (12:42) But if you do not have access to heavier weights yet, (12:44) the solution does not have to be adding more leg days into your weekly plan.

(12:49) You can make the same weight feel significantly more challenging (12:53) by just changing how you perform the exercise. (12:56) One of the best ways that I teach people inside the Moment with Julie app (13:00) and just in general is to increase the time under tension. (13:03) So time under tension means your muscles are working (13:07) for a longer period of time during each rep.

(13:10) So instead of moving quickly through the exercise, (13:13) you're really slowing it down and controlling that movement. (13:16) For example, when you squat, you could take three or four seconds (13:20) to lower down, pause at the bottom, and then drive back up with control. (13:24) That lowering phase, that's going to force your quads, (13:28) your glutes, and your core to work harder (13:30) because they're under load for longer.

(13:33) With a Romanian deadlift, let's say, you could take three (13:35) or four seconds to lower the dumbbell, (13:37) pause when your hamstrings are lengthened, (13:39) and then stand back up slowly. (13:41) That pause makes it much harder to rely on momentum (13:45) and actually helps you feel the hamstrings and glutes doing the work. (13:49) Or let's take a glute bridge, for example.

(13:51) You could press up, squeeze at the top for two or three seconds, (13:55) lower slowly, and avoid resting at the bottom between reps. (14:00) That keeps that constant tension on the glutes (14:03) and makes the movement more effective, (14:04) even if the dumbbell itself is not heavier. (14:07) Another way to increase the challenge (14:09) is just by adding pulses at the end of a set.

(14:12) So let's say your set is 10 reps. (14:14) At the very end, you can go into pulses (14:17) and pulse either till max, like until you really burn out, (14:20) or you can go 12 to 15 pulses at the end of that. (14:24) Let's take a squat, for example.

(14:26) So for a squat, you could lower at the bottom, (14:28) pulse in that lower range before standing all the way up. (14:31) For a lunge, you could stand the bottom half of the movement, (14:35) take a few controlled pulses, all of those things, right? (14:38) Pulses are very helpful because they (14:40) increase the amount of time that your muscle spends (14:43) in the hardest part of the movement. (14:45) You could also add pauses.

(14:48) A pause removes momentum. (14:50) So if you pause at the bottom of, let's say, (14:52) you have a front squat or a suitcase squat, (14:55) you cannot bounce your way back up. (14:58) If you pause at the bottom of a Romanian deadlift, (15:01) you have to create tension and control before standing.

(15:04) If you pause at the top of a glute bridge, (15:06) you're giving yourself a chance to fully contract the glutes (15:10) instead of just moving through the pattern. (15:12) Another great option is adding resistance bands (15:15) with your weights, like in addition to your dumbbells. (15:18) So bands can make an exercise more challenging (15:20) because they add resistance in a different way than dumbbells.

(15:24) So let's say, for example, squats. (15:26) Placing a band above your knees is going to encourage you (15:29) to press your knees out as you move. (15:32) So I'm talking about booty bands here.

(15:33) That can create more glute engagement, (15:36) especially through kind of those outer glutes in your hips. (15:39) You still need to have good form, (15:41) but the band gives your body an extra job (15:43) while you're squatting. (15:45) Or for glute bridges, a band above your knees, (15:48) another booty band above your knees, (15:50) can make the top of the movement more challenging (15:53) because you have to keep pressing out against the band (15:56) while lifting and squeezing those glutes.

(15:59) You can also combine a band with a dumbbell (16:02) across your hips to increase that overall challenge. (16:05) I'm talking about like an actual resistance band now, (16:08) resistance bands here, not just the booty band (16:11) or Romanian deadlifts. (16:13) Bands can be used in a few different ways (16:15) depending on kind of your setup.

(16:17) But the bigger idea here is that it added resistance (16:20) can help make the movement more demanding (16:22) without simply adding more dumbbell weight. (16:25) You can also make exercises harder by changing your stands (16:28) or choosing more single leg variations (16:31) like a Bulgarian split squats, for example, (16:34) with lighter weights can feel so much harder (16:37) than a regular squat with heavier dumbbells (16:39) because one leg is doing most of the work. (16:42) A single leg Romanian deadlift (16:43) can challenge your balance, your hamstrings, (16:45) your glutes and cores in different ways (16:47) than a two dumbbell Romanian deadlift can.

(16:50) Or a staggers stance deadlift (16:52) that's going to help you bias one side (16:55) while still giving you more stability (16:57) than a fully single leg movement. (16:59) So before you add in a third or fourth weighted leg day, (17:03) I want you to ask yourself like, (17:04) have I made the exercises that I do regularly (17:07) harder with tempo or pauses or pulses or bands, (17:11) range of motion, single leg variations? (17:14) Because in many cases, that is the better progression. (17:17) Progressive overload does not only mean lifting heavier weights.

(17:21) Progressive overload means that you're asking your body (17:23) to do a lot over time. (17:25) And that can mean more weight, (17:26) but it can also be better control, (17:28) more reps, slower tempo, deeper range of motion, (17:31) more tension, shorter rest periods, (17:33) or just overall more challenging variations. (17:36) If you're already using a 55 pound dumbbell (17:39) and you're not ready to upgrade your equipment, (17:41) you still have so many options.

(17:43) You do not have to turn every week into a four heavy leg (17:47) days to keep making progress. (17:49) Number five, adding HIIT, Pilates or yoga, (17:52) or some sort of movement that is different (17:56) than your normal dumbbell workouts (17:58) can be more effective than just overall adding (18:01) another heavy leg day in (18:03) because they train a different system. (18:05) So I wanna talk about what to do (18:07) if you still feel like you want more (18:09) because I understand the feeling (18:11) of wanting to add something.

(18:12) Like you're motivated, (18:13) you wanna feel like you're making progress, (18:15) you want to take your time as well. (18:18) But if you're already strength training consistently, (18:20) I would rather see you add something (18:22) that complements your training (18:23) instead of adding another hard weighted leg day. (18:26) And this is where something like a short body weight HIIT (18:29) or Pilates can be very beneficial.

(18:32) And I wanna explain why from kind of a body perspective (18:35) because this matters. (18:36) So heavy strength training primarily changes (18:39) and challenges your muscles through load. (18:41) You're asking your muscles (18:42) to produce force against resistance.

(18:44) And that's amazing for building muscle and strength (18:47) but it's also going to create muscle damage, (18:50) joint stress, connective tissue stress (18:51) and just overall nervous system fatigue. (18:54) HIIT, which is high intensity interval training (18:56) when done strategically challenges your cardiovascular system (19:00) and conditioning in a different way. (19:02) So instead of trying to create more muscle damage (19:05) in the same muscle group, (19:06) a short body weight HIIT, (19:08) that can actually improve your heart rate response, (19:11) your stamina, your coordination, your metabolic conditioning.

(19:14) It can also help your body get better (19:16) at using energy recovering between efforts, (19:19) handling intensity without requiring (19:22) another heavy lower body loading session. (19:25) And this can be helpful (19:26) because conditioning supports strength work. (19:28) If your cardiovascular system is better conditioned, (19:31) you may recover better between sets (19:34) and you might feel less winded during your actual workout.

(19:37) You might be able to maintain better effort (19:39) throughout a session (19:40) but the keys that HIIT needs to be used intentionally. (19:44) I am not talking about a brutal 45 minute (19:48) lower body HIIT on top of your leg days. (19:50) That can just be another way of over training your legs.

(19:53) I'm talking about a short, smart conditioned session (19:56) that gives your body a different kind of challenge (19:59) without creating the same level of muscle damage (20:02) as another heavy squat, deadlift or lunge workout. (20:05) For example, 15, 20 minutes of body weight conditioning (20:08) once or twice a week, maybe three times a week max (20:11) in addition to another heavy leg day (20:13) because it gives you that intensity (20:15) without repeatedly loading the same muscle tissue. (20:19) Now, Pilates can be another great compliment as well.

(20:22) Pilates oftentimes trains your control, right? (20:26) Your body control, your stability, your core strength, (20:29) your posture, your pelvic positioning, (20:31) your breath, smaller stabilizing muscles (20:34) that might not get as much attention (20:36) during those heavy strength training sessions. (20:38) That can actually make your lifting better. (20:40) Like if your core is stronger, for example, (20:42) your squats and your deadlifts will likely feel more stable.

(20:45) If your hips are more controlled, (20:47) your lunges can feel better. (20:49) If your pelvic positioning improves, (20:50) your glute bridges might become more effective. (20:53) If your body awareness improves, (20:56) you may be able to feel the right muscles working (20:58) instead of compensating through your lower back, (21:01) your hip flexors, your knees.

(21:03) That's a big deal because sometimes women think (21:05) that they need more leg volume (21:07) when in reality, what they really need (21:10) is just better control, better alignment, (21:12) better core engagement, better mobility (21:14) so that the work that they're already doing (21:16) becomes more effective. (21:18) And Pilates can really help fill that gap. (21:20) Another option is yoga, right? (21:22) That can be helpful for similar reasons, (21:24) especially if your body is feeling tight or stressed (21:26) or just constantly sore.

(21:28) It can support mobility, flexibility, breath, recovery, (21:31) that nervous system regulation. (21:33) And that nervous system piece matters (21:35) because your body does not build well (21:37) when it's constantly living in a high stress state. (21:40) If you're always pushing, always rushing, (21:43) always doing more, always adding more intensity, (21:45) your body might never fully shift into a recovery state.

(21:49) And a slower mobility practice can really bring your body (21:52) into a more parasympathetic state, (21:54) which is the rest and repair side of your nervous system. (21:57) And that's where the state of your digestion works better, (22:00) recovery improves, tension decreases, (22:03) and your body just has more capacity (22:05) to repair from your training. (22:07) And this is why adding mobility can actually help you (22:10) get better results from your leg days.

(22:12) It's not because mobility replaces strength training, (22:15) it's really helping to support the recovery, (22:19) the mobility, the nervous system balance (22:21) that allows your strength training to work better. (22:24) So if your choices are a heavy leg day (22:27) or a mobility or yoga session, (22:29) Pilates session or short conditioning, HIIT workout, (22:32) I would personally usually choose the option (22:35) that complements your strength training (22:37) rather than competes with it. (22:38) Your body doesn't need the same signal (22:40) over and over and over again.

(22:41) It needs a smart mix of strength, (22:43) conditioning, mobility, recovery, and enough fuel. (22:46) And that's how you're gonna create a body that's strong, (22:49) defined, resilient, and able to keep progressing. (22:52) Number six, if you are doing five strength workouts (22:55) plus jogging, the bigger thing to look at is nutrition.

(22:59) And this is the part that I think a lot of women (23:01) do not wanna hear, (23:01) but it's also one of the most important parts. (23:04) If you are doing, let's say for example, (23:05) movement in July five days a week, (23:06) or you are doing any consistent (23:08) resistance training program five days a week, (23:10) you're also jogging or walking, (23:12) your training is probably not the missing piece. (23:15) At that point, your nutrition becomes a much bigger level.

(23:19) So if your goal is to look more toned, you need muscle. (23:22) You also need your body composition (23:24) to support that muscle showing. (23:26) And that does not mean that you need to eat less (23:28) and train more.

(23:29) In fact, a lot of women already, (23:31) who are already training plenty, (23:33) they're under eating without even realizing it. (23:35) If you are not eating enough protein, (23:37) your body does not have the raw materials (23:39) that it needs to repair and build muscle. (23:42) I want you to think of protein as the building material.

(23:45) Your workout creates the signal that says, let's build. (23:49) And then protein gives your body (23:50) what it needs to actually do the building. (23:53) So if you keep sending the signal through training, (23:55) but you're not giving your body enough protein, (23:58) recovery becomes harder and muscle growth (24:00) becomes even harder.

(24:01) A good place to start is just making sure (24:03) that you're eating enough protein at every single meal. (24:05) For many women, that aims for a solid protein source (24:10) at breakfast, a solid protein source at lunch, (24:13) a solid protein source at dinner, possibly a snack, (24:15) depending on your goals, appetite. (24:17) This could look like eggs, Greek yogurt, (24:19) cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, beef, fish, tofu, (24:23) protein powder, protein bars, any protein source (24:26) that works for your preference and your lifestyle.

(24:28) But you also wanna pay attention to total calories. (24:30) If you're trying to build muscle, (24:32) your body needs enough energy. (24:34) If you're constantly under fueling, (24:36) adding more training will usually make things harder.

(24:39) You may feel more cravings, more fatigue, (24:42) worse recovery, less strength, (24:43) but carbs also matter too, (24:45) especially if you're training hard. (24:47) Carbohydrates, they're gonna help (24:49) to replenish those muscle glycogen stores, (24:52) which is the stored energy for your muscle use (24:54) during your strength training (24:55) and higher intensity exercise sessions. (24:58) If you are doing hard workouts and not eating enough (25:01) carbs, you may feel like your workouts are dragging, (25:03) your recovery is poor, (25:04) your performance is just not improving.

(25:06) That does not mean that everyone (25:08) needs the exact amount of carbs. (25:11) But it does mean that if you're training five days a week (25:13) and adding cardio, food is so important and food matters. (25:18) Your body cannot build efficiently and effectively (25:21) when it is constantly feeling like it's under-resourced.

(25:25) And this is why I'm always encouraging women (25:27) to look at the whole picture. (25:29) Are you eating enough protein? (25:31) Are you eating enough carbs to support your workouts? (25:34) Are you eating enough healthy fats (25:35) for hormones and satiation? (25:37) Are you hydrated? (25:38) Are you sleeping enough? (25:39) Are you recovering enough? (25:40) Are you consistent over months, (25:42) not just intense for a few weeks? (25:44) Because muscle definition is not only a training outcome, (25:49) it's nutrition, it's training, it's recovery, (25:52) it's consistency. (25:54) And if you are working out five days a week (25:56) and still not seeing the tone that you want, (25:58) I would look closely at your protein intake.

(26:00) Your total food intake, (26:02) your consistency with strength progression, (26:04) and your recovery before adding in more leg days. (26:07) Number seven, walking can be one of the most underrated tools (26:10) for a toned, leaned look. (26:12) I wanna spend a little extra on this (26:13) because I do think that it gets overlooked so often, (26:17) but walking can be incredibly powerful, (26:19) especially for body composition change, (26:22) recovery, digestion, stress regulation, (26:24) and just overall consistency.

(26:26) If your goal is to look more toned, (26:28) walking more may actually help more (26:30) than adding another heavy leg day (26:32) because walking is gonna overall increase (26:34) your daily movement without placing (26:36) the same recovery demand on your body (26:38) as another intense workout. (26:40) It can help increase your overall energy and expenditure, (26:43) it can support circulation and recovery, (26:45) it can help manage stress, (26:47) and it can make your routine more sustainable. (26:50) Walking is also obviously gonna be using your lower body, (26:53) but in a way that's much easier to recover (26:55) than heavy weight training.

(26:57) And this is why I love, love, love walking (27:00) as a complement to strength training. (27:03) If you're already lifting five days a week, (27:05) adding more heavy lifting may push you (27:07) past the point of productive training. (27:09) Adding more walking might actually help you (27:13) to create a better overall routine (27:15) without beating up your body.

(27:17) Walking also supports recovery (27:19) because it increases that blood flow, (27:21) and better blood flow is gonna help deliver oxygen (27:23) and nutrients to your muscles. (27:25) It's also gonna help clear out (27:26) some of the byproducts of exercise. (27:29) That does not mean that walking (27:30) is going to magically erase soreness, (27:32) but it can help your body feel better (27:34) and recover more effectively.

(27:37) Walking can also help support stress regulation (27:39) when your body is under a lot of physical and mental stress. (27:42) Adding another intense workout (27:44) might just increase the overall load, (27:46) but walking gives you movement without the same intensity. (27:50) And for many women, (27:50) that can be exactly what their body needs.

(27:53) Walking is also gonna help you stay consistent (27:54) because it just feels doable. (27:56) You can walk while you listen to a podcast. (27:58) You can walk while you're on your treadmill.

(28:00) You can walk outside while you're pushing a stroller. (28:02) You can break it into smaller chunks throughout the day. (28:04) You do not have to make it complicated.

(28:06) Some women assume that because walking is simple, (28:09) it's not effective, but simple can absolutely be effective. (28:12) If you are strength training consistently, (28:14) you're eating enough protein, (28:16) you're increasing your daily steps, (28:18) you are creating a really solid foundation (28:20) for body compositional change, (28:22) and you don't need every piece of your routine (28:24) to feel extreme. (28:25) In fact, the routines that women get (28:27) the best long-term results are usually the ones (28:30) that just feel really easy to repeat, right? (28:33) Strength training gives your body (28:34) the muscle-building stimulus.

(28:36) Protein is gonna give your body the building blocks, (28:38) and then recovery allows adaptation to happen. (28:41) Walking supports your daily movement (28:42) and helps with overall body composition, (28:45) and that combination is really powerful. (28:47) All right, we are at the end.

(28:49) Last but not least, number eight, (28:51) the goal is to train smarter, not just to add more. (28:55) So let's kind of bring it back to the original question. (28:58) If you feel like one true leg day per week is not enough, (29:01) I understand the concern, (29:03) but I would not jump straight (29:04) into four weighted leg days per week, (29:06) especially if you are already doing a five-day plan, (29:09) adding jogs or walks on top of that, (29:11) I would want you to look at your full week (29:13) and ask a couple of questions.

(29:15) Are you truly progressing in your current workouts? (29:17) Are you tracking your weights, your reps, your form? (29:21) Are you taking your sets close enough (29:23) to failure every time? (29:25) Are you controlling that eccentric part of the movement? (29:28) Are you using pauses or pulses or bands or tempo, (29:32) maybe single leg variations (29:34) to make the exercises challenging? (29:36) Are you giving your legs at least 48 hours (29:39) between hard-weighted sessions? (29:41) Are you eating enough protein? (29:43) Are you eating enough overall? (29:44) Are you walking consistently? (29:46) What are your daily steps look like? (29:47) Are you sleeping enough to recover (29:49) from the work that you are doing? (29:51) Those answers are gonna tell you much more (29:54) than simply asking whether you should repeat leg day again. (29:57) So if your weights are maxed out at home, (30:00) again, make the movements harder (30:01) before you add heavy volume. (30:04) Slow down those squats, pause in your deadlifts, (30:07) add a band to those glute bridges, (30:08) use Bulgarian split squats, (30:10) which is the single leg movements, (30:11) add pulses, increase your range of motion, (30:13) making every rep more intentional.

(30:16) If you want a little bit of more intensity, (30:18) add a short bodyweight HIIT session (30:20) instead of another loaded lower body workout. (30:23) If you want better control, better core stability, (30:26) better mobility, better recovery, (30:28) add those Pilates or mobility sessions in (30:31) instead of another heavy leg day. (30:33) If you want better definition, (30:35) you need to look at your protein, your total nutrition, (30:37) and your overall daily walking habits, your daily steps.

(30:40) And if you eventually upgrade to a squat rack, (30:44) which you had previously mentioned, (30:45) again, just going back to the original question, (30:47) that can absolutely open up new options (30:50) for progressive overload. (30:51) But even then, you're still gonna need recovery. (30:54) Heavier equipment does not remove (30:56) that need for smart programming.

(30:58) The body builds when it has the right balance (31:01) of stress and recovery. (31:03) So my advice to you would be this, (31:04) do not train legs heavy four times a week (31:07) just because you want faster results. (31:08) Train legs with intention.

(31:10) I want you to make your current workouts more effective. (31:13) I want you to recover well. (31:15) I want you to make sure you're eating enough protein.

(31:17) I want you to make sure your daily steps are up. (31:19) Use conditioning strategically, (31:21) add those mobility and core work where it makes sense (31:24) and give your body the opportunity to actually adapt (31:27) because the goal is to not do the most. (31:30) The goal is to do what actually works.

(31:32) And when you can shift, how can I do more to (31:35) how can I make what I'm already doing more effective? (31:39) That's when your training becomes so much more powerful. (31:42) Okay, I know that was a lot, but there you have it. (31:45) Let me quickly do a recap of everything (31:47) that we covered today.

(31:48) So number one, more leg days (31:50) do not automatically mean more leg growth. (31:53) The workout is the signal, (31:54) but the building actually happens during the recovery. (31:57) So more training without enough recovery (32:00) can stall your results, not speed them up.

(32:02) Number two, over-training can make it harder (32:04) to see results when you are working harder. (32:07) When your body cannot keep up with the total stress (32:09) that you're putting on it, the results stall (32:11) and your body can actually look and feel less defined. (32:15) Number three, your muscles need at least 48 hours (32:17) of recovery between those heavy-weighted sessions.

(32:20) Walking and jogging, (32:21) those are not the same as another heavy leg day (32:23) and a well-recovered leg day will always be more (32:26) productive than a fourth session where you're tired (32:29) and you're just running on empty. (32:31) Number four, if your weights (32:32) are no longer challenging enough, (32:34) make the exercise harder before you add in more leg days. (32:37) I want you to slow down your tempo, (32:39) add those pauses, add the pulses, use the bands, (32:42) maybe try single leg variations.

(32:44) Progressive overload is not just about adding more weight, (32:47) it's also about making your body work harder (32:49) in smarter ways. (32:51) Number five, adding HIIT, Pilates, mobility, (32:54) that can be much more effective (32:56) than adding in another heavy leg day (32:58) because they train a completely different system. (33:01) They complement your strength training (33:02) instead of competing with it (33:04) and that's exactly what helps your body progress.

(33:07) Number six, if you're already training five days a week (33:10) and adding cardio on top of that, (33:12) nutrition is probably gonna be your biggest lever. (33:14) If you're not eating enough protein, (33:16) not eating enough overall, (33:17) or just not fueling your workouts properly, (33:20) adding more leg days is not gonna fix that. (33:22) Number seven, walking is one of the most underrated tools (33:27) for a lean tone look.

(33:28) It's gonna support that recovery, (33:30) increase your total daily movement, (33:32) it's gonna manage your stress (33:33) and help with overall body composition, (33:36) all without adding the recovery demand (33:38) for another intense workout. (33:40) And last but not least, number eight, (33:42) the goal is to train smarter, not just add more. (33:45) So really kind of shift from asking, (33:47) how can I do more to how can I make (33:49) what I'm already doing more effective? (33:51) And that's when your training (33:53) is going to become truly powerful.

(33:56) Okay, here's what I really want you (33:57) to walk away from today. (33:58) You do not need more to see results. (34:01) You need to do the right things consistently (34:04) with intention and give your body (34:06) what it needs to actually respond.

(34:08) The women who build the bodies that they want (34:10) are not the ones who train the hardest. (34:12) They're the ones who train the smartest, (34:14) they fuel themselves well (34:15) and they trusted the process long enough to see the work. (34:18) So before you add in another leg day, (34:20) I want you to ask yourself those questions, (34:22) have I truly maximized what I'm already doing? (34:24) Because I think more often than not, (34:26) the answer is that there is still so much room (34:28) to grow where you already are.

(34:30) Now, if you are wanting a program (34:32) that takes kind of the guesswork out of your training (34:34) that's structured and allows you to progress over time, (34:38) this is exactly what my movement with Julie was built for. (34:40) You get five brand new workouts every single week. (34:42) You can train at home or at the gym.

(34:44) I would say about 80 to 90% of the women (34:47) inside the community train at home, (34:49) but they're dumb only workouts. (34:51) So again, you can do them wherever. (34:52) There's a 30 minute or a 60 minute workout (34:54) depending on your time constraints.

(34:55) And then the programming is designed (34:57) to help you build strength, muscle and confidence (34:59) without burning out or over training. (35:02) If you want to learn more, you can go to SAIL, (35:03) that's S-A-L-E dot bootwithjulie.com. (35:06) Again, that's SAIL, S-A-L-E dot movementwithjulie.com. (35:11) Or you can find the link in the show notes. (35:12) And if you want to make sure your nutrition (35:14) is actually supporting the work that you've been putting (35:16) in, that's where my macrokinamine simple comes in (35:18) because like we talked about, (35:20) training is really only part of the equation.

(35:22) If your protein is low or you're under fueling, (35:25) if you do not have a clear kind of framework (35:27) for how to eat in a way that supports muscle building (35:29) and recovery, that's going to be the missing piece for you. (35:32) And macrokinamine simple really gives you (35:34) a step-by-step system that is sustainable for real life. (35:37) No restrictions, no overwhelm, (35:38) just a clear simple approach (35:40) to fueling your body the right way.

(35:42) If you want to learn more, (35:43) you can go to macrocountingmadesimple.com. (35:46) Again, that's macrocountingmadesimple.com (35:48) or you can find the link in the show notes. (35:50) But when you pair those two things together, (35:52) you are giving yourself the complete picture. (35:54) Smart training, smart nutrition, working together.

(35:56) And that's the combination (35:57) that actually changes the body. (35:59) Before I go, if this episode was helpful for you, (36:02) I just have two quick requests. (36:04) So first, if you could share it with a friend (36:06) who maybe has been wondering the same thing (36:07) about her training, send it to her right now.

(36:09) It takes two seconds and it could completely change (36:11) the way that she approaches her workouts. (36:13) And second, if you haven't already, (36:15) if you could leave a quick review, (36:16) it would mean so much to me and our team. (36:18) Reviews are what helps the podcast reach more women (36:20) who hear the messages.

(36:22) And I personally read every single one of them. (36:24) They genuinely make my day. (36:25) So you can scooch over to Apple Podcasts (36:27) and leave a reading interview over there.

(36:31) Lastly, if today's episode got you thinking (36:33) about how to train smarter, (36:35) I think you're gonna love episode 566, (36:38) What Women Get Wrong About Progressive Overload. (36:40) It goes super deep into progressive overload. (36:44) And again, just that progressive overload (36:45) is not just heavier weights.

(36:47) There are so many other ways (36:49) that you can approach progressive overload. (36:51) And especially speaking to my core audience of women (36:53) who work out primarily at home (36:55) who don't have access to heavier weights, (36:57) I think this is gonna give you a great understanding of that. (37:00) So I will leave the link for that in the show notes below.

(37:02) That is all that I have for today's episode. (37:04) Thanks so much for being here with me. (37:06) I love you so dang much.

(37:07) I mean it, and I'll talk to you in the next one. (37:19) All right, sister, that's all I got for you today. (37:22) But I have two things that I need you to do.

(37:25) First thing, if you're not already following me on the gram, (37:28) be sure to do so, Julie A. Ledbetter. (37:30) Yes, it's with an A in the middle. (37:31) For that daily post-workout real talk, (37:35) healthy tips and tricks, (37:36) and honest accountability to keep your mind (37:38) and heart in check.

(37:39) The second thing, be sure to subscribe (37:41) to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. (37:45) Thank you so much for joining me. (37:47) It means the absolute world, (37:49) and I'm going to leave you with one last thought.

(37:51) The most beautiful women that I have met in my life (37:53) are the ones who are completely confident (37:56) and secure in being authentically themselves. (38:00) Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface, (38:03) so go out there and embrace your real, (38:06) because you're worth it.

 
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