The phenomenon began, as many do, with a post. There, in 2008 on an online bodybuilding forum, a debate developed between users over the best way to work out, and devolved into an argument over the number of days in the week. If we’re trying to gain muscle, does the week have eight days or seven? And how should one plan out their lifts?
While there’s a general consensus on the first question, no conclusion was drawn for the second. Nevertheless, this lively exchange tells us a few things: When it comes to lifting, there has long been a discussion about what exactly we should do and when. Two, lifting was simpler then. And three, leg day was held sometime midweek—whenever that was.
Fast-forward 17 years and leg day has been assigned an unofficial day: Tuesday. There’s no rule saying people should train legs on Tuesdays, but leg day observance, approached with a seriousness somewhere between business and tradition, has become real. Think about it like a cross between new music Friday and Taco Tuesday. Lifting influencers, chain gyms, and the greater fitness-oriented community all uphold this schedule, as evidenced by the many “Leg Day Is Tuesday” captions and hashtags that litter the feeds of exercise enthusiasts.
This e-mail was sent to you by GQ Manual. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, GQ@newsletter.gq.com, to your address book.
