You'll see it in every gym. Countless guys with well developed upper bodies sporting bulging shoulders and arms, slab-like chests and wide v-shaped upper backs. Yet many of these guys also have the leg development of an 8 year old girl! Walking around on weak, unsteady legs due to their extreme top-heavyness. Not only does this look ridiculous but it can also limit muscle growth in the upper body.

One of the most important elements of muscle growth is hormone release. It is scientifically proven that there is nothing that stimulates greater testosterone release than heavy, compound lower-body lifts such as squats and deadlifts. This total body increase in testosterone has a profound effect on muscle growth in all areas of the body especially when they are later stimulated directly.

This is especially applicable to full body workouts. For example, a workout starting with heavy squats followed by bench press and pullups will stimulate much greater muscle growth in the upper body than a workout that consists of bench press, pullups and a long list of isolation exercises for the upper body. This is not to say isolation work doesn't have it's place. It is very effective in bringing up specific body parts once a good deal of overall mass has been gained.

Compound lower body lifts also place tremendous strain on the upper body muscles. For example the deadlift heavily involves the calves, hamstrings, glutes, quads and core musces. But it also has massive involvement from all of the muscles of the upper back, biceps and forearms. This additional upper body work on top of your usual upper body work will result in additional loading and therefore new muscle growth.

Finally, lower body strength contributes more to overall athletic strength than any other muscle group. Sprinting, throwing events, combat and contact sports all place great importance on lower body strength for this exact reason. If you just want to be down right strong and able to 'handle yourself' nothing achieves this better than heavy lower body work.

So do your lower body work to achieve a bigger, stronger upper body, greater functional strength and prevent yourself from looking like a top heavy idiot!