Slimming down runner's legs
hng2101
Posts: 54 Member
I know there is no such thing as spot training... BUT anyone have any good tips on slimming my muscular legs down? I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in but my legs always put on muscle super easily and running 20+ miles a week (and walking probably another 20 miles a week) has given them some size. I'm just looking to trim them down an inch or two but keep muscle strength. Anyone know anything that would work for a runner?
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Replies
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stretch!0
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yup, stretch. Muscles are sexy. I have Olympian sprinter thighs, and feel like my calves are more like young tree trunks than legs, but stretching & continuing on the path should help get them more cut
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At first I felt exactly the same way you did...
Now I'm proud of my big ol' muscular thighs.. I look at them and say "damn, you're doing great". Seriously though, I'll never have a skinny model type body and my legs (running aside) are no exception. But I thick, muscular, whatever you call them.. I'm proud of them. Reminds me of how far I've coming and where I'm still going...0 -
This is outside the box, but take up swimming in place of running. It tends to lengthen out muscles.0
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Yoga? I don't know. It's a guess.0
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i'm a soccer player and runner and i have really muscular legs as well! i noticed that as i got to a smaller weight, the fat disappeared and it looked leaner.0
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I would imagine that what you are saying is you don't want to lose the nice runner's muscles in your legs, but maybe slim down the non-muscle areas, and all I can say is that I believe that if one keeps running, EVERYTHING that's slimmable, slims down! I think your legs look awesome just as they are, but I know from (painful) experience that it doesn't matter a whit what I or anybody else thinks...it's what YOU think! My friend is a marathoner who is always wanting to lose a pound or two and while I believe she looks fantastic (and tell her so), she will have none of it.
Oh, Heather75, the quote in your sig made me laugh out loud! "Be seductive like an ORANGUTAN - Cool, hairy & sensitive. (I have a t-shirt that says this)"
I GOTTA GET ONE OF THOSE T-SHIRTS!!!0 -
I'm wearing it right now. 0
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LOL where did you get such an awesome shirt?!
And thanks! I'll definitely try stretching and my fiance wants to start doing yoga so maybe I'll join him on occasion (even though I think it sounds really really boring)!
My fiance does keep telling me that my legs look great and since I'm a hippy girl (which oddly doesn't bug me--but the legs thing does!) I know I'd look odd with skinny skinny legs. I know from experience that lifting bulks up my legs so I'm trying to stick to running--and now that summer is FINALLY here (yay) I'll throw in some swimming too--to get them more tone and maybe just a little smaller. I do want to keep my muscles strong, just more lean ;-)0 -
Yoga isn't boring. It seems like it would be, but it isn't.
The shirt was a gift from someone who knows me very well.0 -
Hello!
I have the same problem!
But- my calves started to get bigger when I started to run faster! 2 years ago I ran 6min kilometrs, but now I can easily do 10 kilometrs in 52 minutes. I have tried stretching for 10-20 minutes after every workout but it doesn't do anything. Maybe somebody have some other advise?
Thank you!0 -
Provides flexibility, but doesn't reduce size.stretch!
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Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
What's your BF%? Unless you're like, Incredible Hulk, running isn't going to make your legs massive. Coupled with appropriate calories, it will shred fat off your legs, and unless you are doing nothing but hillwork and sprints, it's an aerobic exercise... Are you confusing "thick" with actual "muscle"?0
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Slimming down any body part usually means reducing subcutaneous fat. That's done with consistent calorie deficit and not any particular exercise.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Pilates or barre type classes help with long, lean muscles in my experience. I used to be a ballet dancer (18 years) and that was my favorite body- strong but not "bulky". I don't know that stretching really does anything about the way your muscles look, but it does increase flexibility and decrease risk of injury, so definitely add that in anyway 0
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I know there is no such thing as spot training... BUT anyone have any good tips on slimming my muscular legs down? I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in but my legs always put on muscle super easily and running 20+ miles a week (and walking probably another 20 miles a week) has given them some size. I'm just looking to trim them down an inch or two but keep muscle strength. Anyone know anything that would work for a runner?
Run long distances, really fast. And a lot...
Paula 0 -
I know there is no such thing as spot training... BUT anyone have any good tips on slimming my muscular legs down? I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in but my legs always put on muscle super easily and running 20+ miles a week (and walking probably another 20 miles a week) has given them some size. I'm just looking to trim them down an inch or two but keep muscle strength. Anyone know anything that would work for a runner?
Run long distances, really fast. And a lot...Paula
But if running makes your legs bulky...0 -
Stop flexing them muscles!!0
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This is outside the box, but take up swimming in place of running. It tends to lengthen out muscles.
you do realize the muscles are connected at fixed points and unless you lengthen said fixed points- it's physically impossible to "lengthen" a muscle beyond it's already established size,...
right? like you under stand this concept? please say you do.0 -
What's your BF%? Unless you're like, Incredible Hulk, running isn't going to make your legs massive. Coupled with appropriate calories, it will shred fat off your legs, and unless you are doing nothing but hillwork and sprints, it's an aerobic exercise... Are you confusing "thick" with actual "muscle"?
^^^ Yup! People often mix fat with muscles... Same thing with fat and skin....
Google "elite female runner". None of them have big legs and I'm pretty sure those legs are strong!0 -
What's your BF%? Unless you're like, Incredible Hulk, running isn't going to make your legs massive. Coupled with appropriate calories, it will shred fat off your legs, and unless you are doing nothing but hillwork and sprints, it's an aerobic exercise... Are you confusing "thick" with actual "muscle"?
^^^ Yup! People often mix fat with muscles... Same thing with fat and skin....
Google "elite female runner". None of them have big legs and I'm pretty sure those legs are strong!
Yep, no muscle here
(She won the 2012 gold for 100m, 5'-0", 115 lbs)
You need to look at elite distance runners, not just elite runners
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What's your BF%? Unless you're like, Incredible Hulk, running isn't going to make your legs massive. Coupled with appropriate calories, it will shred fat off your legs, and unless you are doing nothing but hillwork and sprints, it's an aerobic exercise... Are you confusing "thick" with actual "muscle"?
^^^ Yup! People often mix fat with muscles... Same thing with fat and skin....
Google "elite female runner". None of them have big legs and I'm pretty sure those legs are strong!
Yep, no muscle here
(She won the 2012 gold for 100m, 5'-0", 115 lbs)
You need to look at elite distance runners, not just elite runners
Ooooops my bad lol
I doubt OP is a 100m sprinter though 0 -
What's your BF%? Unless you're like, Incredible Hulk, running isn't going to make your legs massive. Coupled with appropriate calories, it will shred fat off your legs, and unless you are doing nothing but hillwork and sprints, it's an aerobic exercise... Are you confusing "thick" with actual "muscle"?
^^^ Yup! People often mix fat with muscles... Same thing with fat and skin....
Google "elite female runner". None of them have big legs and I'm pretty sure those legs are strong!
Yep, no muscle here
(She won the 2012 gold for 100m, 5'-0", 115 lbs)
You need to look at elite distance runners, not just elite runners
Ooooops my bad lol
I doubt OP is a 100m sprinter though
My understanding is that the sprinters do quite a bit of heavy lifting to develop explosive power. I seriously doubt just running is going to build muscles like that. Certainly it didn't give her biceps, shoulders, and traps like that!
Which brings me to my suggestion - OP, have you considered balancing out your body by weight training your upper body? My observation is that the runners I know look relatively puny in their upper body (which then makes the lower half look bigger) unless they spend some time compensating.
I'd suggest weights for the lower body too, but you since you believe the 'lifting makes me bulky' meme, I figure there's not much point :flowerforyou:0 -
Anyone notice this is a 3 yr old zombie thread?0
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Embrace those sexy muscular legs! Other than that I agree, stretching, especially yoga or pilates might help a bit.0
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This is not what you want to hear, but stop running. And trust me, I am a runner and I know what an infuriating response this is!0
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This is not what you want to hear, but stop running. And trust me, I am a runner and I know what an infuriating response this is!
:huh:0 -
What's your BF%? Unless you're like, Incredible Hulk, running isn't going to make your legs massive. Coupled with appropriate calories, it will shred fat off your legs, and unless you are doing nothing but hillwork and sprints, it's an aerobic exercise... Are you confusing "thick" with actual "muscle"?
^^^ Yup! People often mix fat with muscles... Same thing with fat and skin....
Google "elite female runner". None of them have big legs and I'm pretty sure those legs are strong!
Yep, no muscle here
(She won the 2012 gold for 100m, 5'-0", 115 lbs)
You need to look at elite distance runners, not just elite runners
100M is not distance running, that is sprinting. Completely different build and performance measures, hence my "hillwork and sprints" comment.0 -
stop moving and allow the atrophy to commence
And I got necroed again. I really need to start paying more attention.0 -
What's your BF%? Unless you're like, Incredible Hulk, running isn't going to make your legs massive. Coupled with appropriate calories, it will shred fat off your legs, and unless you are doing nothing but hillwork and sprints, it's an aerobic exercise... Are you confusing "thick" with actual "muscle"?
^^^ Yup! People often mix fat with muscles... Same thing with fat and skin....
Google "elite female runner". None of them have big legs and I'm pretty sure those legs are strong!
Yep, no muscle here
(She won the 2012 gold for 100m, 5'-0", 115 lbs)
You need to look at elite distance runners, not just elite runners
100M is not distance running, that is sprinting. Completely different build and performance measures, hence my "hillwork and sprints" comment.
Did you read what I quoted at all?
She said to google elite runners. I pointed out that if you google elite runners, your going to come across sprinters which contradicts all the factual points on this thread. You've got to look at distance runners and only distance runners.0
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