What exercises get skinny legs, not muscular legs?

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  • kyt1206
    kyt1206 Posts: 101
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    1) Stretching them via pilates or yoga
    2) It is genetic
    3) Reduce the load they're carrying - less weight to carry, less need for muscle, your body will adjust
    4) widen your stride, smaller steps use lower muscles
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    Yoga and pilates are supposed to be the best way to elongate your muscles rather than develope them.
    stretching after exercise helps elongate the muscles pilates leg exercises are good for this

    Seriously, you can't elongate your muscles.
  • gracienkaidens_momma
    gracienkaidens_momma Posts: 379 Member
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    Yoga and pilates are supposed to be the best way to elongate your muscles rather than develope them.
    stretching after exercise helps elongate the muscles pilates leg exercises are good for this

    Seriously, you can't elongate your muscles.

    I agree. No amount of stretching, yoga, or pilates will elongate your muscles. Believe me, I did years of pilates and it did work to tone but lifting heavy has worked to tone and tighten MUCH FASTER without bulking up. Try using ankle weights to do leg lifts and scissor kicks. Try using kettlebells or dumbbells to do weighted squats and lunges. By doing this, you will get amazing toned legs without the bulk (if you are eating at your NET GOAL). As for yoga, it's more for stretching, relaxing and helps you more mentally.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    Lowering your body fat percentage. No other way around it.
  • Katie3784
    Katie3784 Posts: 543
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    If you just want to be skinny without muscles, eat less and do not exercise.
  • aweightymatter
    aweightymatter Posts: 222
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    Lack of exercise. Which is lack of muscle.

    I agree!! No workout and starvation will give you skinny - but not muscular - legs.. Who'd want to look like that?
    I was going to ignore the first comment but really? I didn't ask for this. All I asked for was what exercises will slim my legs down but won't bulk them up. I'm pretty sure a lot of women feel the same way.
    Yes, I want skinny legs. But that's my personal choice. That's what I find attractive. I get that maybe you prefer the musclier look, that's totally up to you, your personal choice but I don't like that. I don't want chunky, muscley legs. I want thin, slightly toned legs. Having slim legs & having anorexic legs is totally different. If I wanted to have anorexic legs, I would not be here looking for help.
    I'm sorry if that was slightly rude but I came here for help, not for people to leave snarky responses.

    Just like you don't think slim legs = anorexic legs, many of us do not think muscled legs = "chunky" legs either... So judge not, etc.
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,282 Member
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    I only scanned the replies here, so I might have missed if anyone said this, however, the one thing you must remember is that you cannot overcome your genetics. For so many years I cried and raged over my legs. My mom and dad both (and probably everyone else in my bloodline) have heavy legs. My dad's are and have always been muscular, my mom (and me) have always gained weight first in our legs/hips. It's also the last place I lose weight. So you can do all the stuff everyone is suggesting but remember, you cannot negate the effects of your own genetics.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Give them to me because I WANT bigger calves.

    Mine are shrinking with the running I'm doing
  • aweightymatter
    aweightymatter Posts: 222
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    I only scanned the replies here, so I might have missed if anyone said this, however, the one thing you must remember is that you cannot overcome your genetics. For so many years I cried and raged over my legs. My mom and dad both (and probably everyone else in my bloodline) have heavy legs. My dad's are and have always been muscular, my mom (and me) have always gained weight first in our legs/hips. It's also the last place I lose weight. So you can do all the stuff everyone is suggesting but remember, you cannot negate the effects of your own genetics.

    Same. I have FINALLY come around to not beating myself up over my thoughts over what *other* people may think of my legs -- who cares. I now think of myself as being extremely hard to knock down, in every sense of the word.

    But yeah, OP, distance running (great for leaning out the lower half) AND resistance training, and overall fat loss is going to give you the best possible version of YOUR legs. Embrace it! :flowerforyou:
  • gracienkaidens_momma
    gracienkaidens_momma Posts: 379 Member
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    I only scanned the replies here, so I might have missed if anyone said this, however, the one thing you must remember is that you cannot overcome your genetics. For so many years I cried and raged over my legs. My mom and dad both (and probably everyone else in my bloodline) have heavy legs. My dad's are and have always been muscular, my mom (and me) have always gained weight first in our legs/hips. It's also the last place I lose weight. So you can do all the stuff everyone is suggesting but remember, you cannot negate the effects of your own genetics.

    I agree you cannot change your genetics. At only 5'0, I am very tiny but always gain weight first in my butt and thighs. It sucks, but I got it from my momma! It is true that you cannot change your genetics, BUT you can change your shape with a healthy low calorie diet and a consistent exercise plan where you target your leg muscles. I have seen a plethora of before and after pictures of women on here with short, chubby legs completely slim down all over with a good diet plan and the exercises I mentioned above.
  • kristenlees122
    kristenlees122 Posts: 242
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    i noticed a huge difference in my legs after i started running consistently.
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member
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    Do some yoga on top of your biking! The yoga helps stretch out your legs which will make them look nice and lean!

    I was going to say this. Even with my weight being the same, yoga has made me look so much longer and leaner. It completely transforms your muscles and your entire body.
  • silkandsugar
    silkandsugar Posts: 125
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    I'm happy with all the muscles I have. They're hard work to gain and maintain =D
  • Jade17694
    Jade17694 Posts: 584 Member
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    Lack of exercise. Which is lack of muscle.

    I agree!! No workout and starvation will give you skinny - but not muscular - legs.. Who'd want to look like that?
    I was going to ignore the first comment but really? I didn't ask for this. All I asked for was what exercises will slim my legs down but won't bulk them up. I'm pretty sure a lot of women feel the same way.
    Yes, I want skinny legs. But that's my personal choice. That's what I find attractive. I get that maybe you prefer the musclier look, that's totally up to you, your personal choice but I don't like that. I don't want chunky, muscley legs. I want thin, slightly toned legs. Having slim legs & having anorexic legs is totally different. If I wanted to have anorexic legs, I would not be here looking for help.
    I'm sorry if that was slightly rude but I came here for help, not for people to leave snarky responses.

    I'm glad you responded to this so i didnt have to.
  • Picola1984
    Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
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    Yoga and pilates are supposed to be the best way to elongate your muscles rather than develope them.
    stretching after exercise helps elongate the muscles pilates leg exercises are good for this

    Seriously, you can't elongate your muscles.

    THANK YOU!
    I would like to try one of these magic yoga or pilates classes that make your bones and muscles magically lengthen
  • temp666777
    temp666777 Posts: 169
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    Absolutely no exercises can help you with this.

    You must simply reduce body fat. it's easy!
  • coconutty420
    coconutty420 Posts: 47 Member
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    I think by doing lots of cardio...to lose the fat.....pilates or that new ballet inspire class I think its called Barre? Yoga too.
    But more important love the body u have...some of those skinny women would kill for the beautiful muscles that u have been blessed with! We are all so different in shapes and sizes and it can all be beautiful as long as we are healthy and confident! Besides what looks sexier than a woman with tight muscular legs in heels!?!? That dent in the calf looks AHHmazingly HOT! Embrace n love u!
  • Sister_Someone
    Sister_Someone Posts: 567 Member
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    Okay, maybe I don't have something terribly helpful to say, except that I feel your pain and that my calves have shrunk a little (half an inch, a little) since I started running, but I haven't been doing it for very long either, so it's possible they will shrink more.

    What I really wanted to say, is just why does anyone think it's at all helpful to tell the OP that muscly legs are hot? If she doesn't like them, no amount of your saying it's a good thing or beautiful will change her mind. It's probably not my place to be saying this at all, I felt the need to do it because I'm annoyed for her by people who think trying to convince someone they're wrong helps. It reminds me of when I said I didn't want to be heavy, even if it's only muscle-heavy and everyone jumped straight for my throat saying that I *should* want to be heavy.
  • KayaSamantha
    KayaSamantha Posts: 157 Member
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    Unfortunately I know exactly how you feel. I have always had extremely muscular/defined legs and calves in particular. My nickname through dance and rugby (for approx 10+ yrs) was "Man Legs". I've finally come to a point where I am accepting that no amount of yoga/pilates/running/swimming (I have done and do all these things) will make them thinner and I have realized how athletic they make me look lol. Pop on a loose t-shirt/sweatshirt and shorts and you'd never know that I'm not an athlete anymore! I hope that you can find your peace soon and work on the parts of yourself that you can control. :)
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,243 Member
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    I read most of the first page, but have no desire to read through all of the pages so if this has already been said, sorry for repeating.

    First, you cannot spot reduce. There are no exercises that will make your leg more skinny. Fat loss is primarily a function of diet, ie how much you eat. You will burn off fat with a moderate calorie deficit over time and that will make the legs look slimmer.

    Second, There is a very high likelihood that a good amount of that seemingly muscular calf size is fat. You could be someone with really muscular ones, but unless your at a healthy body fat percentage, you are probably someone who has a fair amount of fat held there, and that can very easily look like muscle depending on exactly where it is stored.

    Third, cycling will not make your legs huge and muscular. The top cyclists get those big muscular legs from lifting weights, not primarily from cycling. This is especially true for sprint cyclists. I cycle a lot, and while there is some calf work, it is primarily my thighs that get the work.

    Finally, my suggestion is keep working on losing fat with a moderate calorie deficit and exercise. Cycling is a great cardiovascular exercise, so keep that up. If when you are at a healthy weight you still hate the way they look, you can try various things.

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