Runners' legs - good or bad?

jmgj27

Hey all

I run a lot and over the last couple of months I've noticed my legs becoming what I'd call 'runner's legs'. When they're bent I have hollows where the fat pads on the inside of my knees used to be (I love that!), my thighs have always been muscular but they have definitely streamlined and they now don't meet all the way up. Shame my *kitten* doesn't look like the rest of me mind but I'm being patient with it!

Anyway - the question is - I know that runners can build up really stringy, muscly legs (think Renee Zelwegger) and I'm not all that keen on that look. What do you think of it and do you think it's only something that happens when you're super-skinny? (Which I'm not planning to be!).

Chiquita_Banana

i run as well... but i also do squats n lunges with weights ...as well as other leg exercises

LesliePierceRN

yeah, I second that. I have thick, muscular quads.. and I used to be a champion powerlifter. If you want your legs and butt to look better than "stringy", do lunges and squats!

mlb929

I've not had a problem, my body fat is at 22% and I run 3 to 4 days per week for the past 2 years. I do P90X as well, the Legs and Back still makes my legs sore, and I bike as well. I've not had Madonna issues

SolidGoaled

I am so glad you asked this question! I have some very sexy looking thigh muscles developing (the quads especially) but I am really afraid of having huge calves - they are already 17 inches!! I love running, but I don't want to have huge legs.

jmgj27

I am so glad you asked this question! I have some very sexy looking thigh muscles developing (the quads especially) but I am really afraid of having huge calves - they are already 17 inches!! I love running, but I don't want to have huge legs.

Ooo - that's a good point. My upper legs have totally changed shape but I always had relatively slim calves in comparison. Now they're just in keeping - if my upper legs keep slimming down the way they have I'm going to end up with thunder calves. Bugger! Any way to avoid that?

iplayoutside19

I think Genetics has more to do with how your legs look than any exercise that you are doing.

I get the "hollow tendon" thing going when I lift too.

I guess "It is what it is"

jmgj27

I think Genetics has more to do with how your legs look than any exercise that you are doing.

I get the "hollow tendon" thing going when I lift too.

I guess "It is what it is"

I know - the hollow tendon thing is weird isn't it! When it first started happening (in one leg and not the other oddly) I freaked out and spoke to the PTs at my local gym. They got totally freaked out when I turned up and went 'I have a hole in my leg - what the hell is going on!'. Once they told me it's just that the fat pad has basically gone away and this is what was underneath I started to quite like it (annoying not to have a comforting fat pad to rest my knees on at night mind!). Have you also got the triangular thigh muscles as well?

On the genetics front - my mum has awesome legs but because I've always been overweight mine have always been big so I've never thought about it. Fingers crossed I secretly have her genetic leggage!

ctalimenti

"Ooo - that's a good point. My upper legs have totally changed shape but I always had relatively slim calves in comparison. Now they're just in keeping - if my upper legs keep slimming down the way they have I'm going to end up with thunder calves. Bugger! Any way to avoid that?"

---Not sure this will work for you but it did for me. I used to have larger calves/ankles. I started doing a standing exercise that my brother told me about. He had to do it in therapy. After a month or two, I would look at my calves/ankles and they were so much smaller, they didn't look like mine!

You do it in two ways. First, stand up with your toes pointed out, go up and down on your tippy toes. Then point toes inward and do the same. Do as many as you can at a time but beware, your calves will be so sore for the next few days, you'll feel like you pulled a muscle.

DonPendergraft

I think it depends on your body type. I will never have stringy legs. Running just makes them more powerful. If you have big strong quads, they won't shrink to skinny because of running. If you run alot of distance you could lose some of the mass, but you won't be skinny unless that's your natural bent.

A corollary to this I just thought of. When a really skinny/bony girl decides to take up weights, but is hesitant because she doesn't want to look like Arnold. Relax, not going to happen! You won't wake up one and scream that you look like him. You can change your routine if you aren't liking the results. No problem. The same with running. I don't think you will get skinny legs, but if you do, you can cut mileage, add squats/lunges, etc. Just lace 'em up and go!

SolidGoaled

I just have a few more thoughts on huge calves... could the fact that a person walks around very overweight for many years contribute to the big calves? Then, once they lose the weight, after keeping it off and being "lighter" might the leg muscles adjust size after a year or two?

Atlantique

Hey all

I run a lot and over the last couple of months I've noticed my legs becoming what I'd call 'runner's legs'. When they're bent I have hollows where the fat pads on the inside of my knees used to be (I love that!), my thighs have always been muscular but they have definitely streamlined and they now don't meet all the way up. Shame my *kitten* doesn't look like the rest of me mind but I'm being patient with it!

Anyway - the question is - I know that runners can build up really stringy, muscly legs (think Renee Zelwegger) and I'm not all that keen on that look. What do you think of it and do you think it's only something that happens when you're super-skinny? (Which I'm not planning to be!).

You're not likely to get stringy legs from running unless you get down to a very, very low bodyfat. I used to run 25-30 miles a week and my legs never got stringy, although they were shapely and well-defined.

Your legs won't get 'bulky' from running either. It's an endurance exercise, not a mass-building exercise.

If your legs start to lean out more than you like, just back off the running a bit.

jmgj27

Thanks for all the comments everybody - you're absolutely right - I used to do A LOT of weight training and so carry a fair amount of leg muscle anyway. All the distance work I think has definitely got rid of a lot of fat on the legs and it's mostly just the muscle coming through. If it starts to really worry me (right now I'm pretty happy with it but I do have another 20+lbs to go to get to my goal weight) I think I'll cut back on the mileage and pick up the speed work.

Also will try the suggested calf exercises as well - annoying that every part of me has slimmed down except my calves - they're in keeping now but with another 20lbs or so gone, if they stay the same size they're definitely going to look odd!

DonPendergraft

Forgot to mention: "runners legs" on a gal looks hot! My wife complains about her leg muscles, but to me she just looks fit. Awesome!

Arizona_JR

Forgot to mention: "runners legs" on a gal looks hot! My wife complains about her leg muscles, but to me she just looks fit. Awesome!

AMEN TO THAT!!!