Working out legs for women? What to do?

babareeba

Sorry if there is a similar topic, I did search the forum but didn't find it.

So. There are two months since I started to work out in the gym. I've got the general program they give to the beginners which I changed for the advanced one after the month. In the mean time, I got pretty fit and interested. I lift heavy. I have a split routine. I have zones that I'd like to be more improved, like my legs and butt (my wider hips go along).

To cut the long story short, my tights seem to be over-improved :-) as they became big and strong, but still with the huge amount of fat around. They are 2 cm (over 4 inches) wider than before 2 months and it was not the idea :-)) At the same time, my upper body, back, arms, shoulders are really changing in a good way and I love it.

My weekly routine is 3-4 x workout + 2-3 x cardio (mostly running, once a week for a long distance up to 10 km), one day off.

I need an advice: what to do to get rid of the fat around? something to avoid? any particular "women's" exercises for leaning legs?

thinkpositive3

bump. Good question. Interested to hear the feedback.

stephl21uk

yahoo had an article a month or so ago about leg exercises to do (it was called how to get legs like angelina jolie) ive just found it for:



Forward lunge

Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, step forward with your right leg. Bend both knees, with your right knee at 90 degrees and over your toes and your left knee almost touching the floor. Keep your weight on your front foot and maintain a straight back. Push off your right foot to bring your feet back together and return to the starting position. Repeat on the left. Complete 8 lunges on each side.

Side lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step your right leg out to the side, toes still facing forward. Bend your right knee forward over your toes and squat down as far as you can, keeping your right foot flat on the floor and your left leg straight.

Straighten your right leg and return to the starting position without dragging your foot along the floor. Repeat with the left leg and complete 8 reps on each leg, 16 in total.

Calf raises

Stand on a step, with your heels slightly hanging off the back of the step. Slowly lower your heels as if trying to get them to touch the ground. Gradually raise back up and repeat 16-20 times. You should feel the burn in your calf muscles.

Stair walks

It might seem simple, but sometimes the oldies are the goodies. Find a set of stairs – it could be the stairs in your house, or a longer, steeper set in your nearby town or park. Starting at the bottom of the flight of steps, walk or run as quickly as possible up the stairs until you reach the top. Slowly walk back down, using this as your rest and recovery time. Repeat 6-8 times.

Side leg kicks

Lay on your side with your bottom tucked in and stomach held. Extend your lower arm above your head on the floor and lay your upper arm along your body. Raise your top leg slightly and from there, slowly raise and lower the leg 10-12 times, and lower back down. Roll over and repeat with the other leg.

Complete 3-5 rounds of this workout, with a 1-minute rest in between each round.

dont know if they will work but they seem like simple exercises you could do at home on top of ur regime :0)

iamlottiebee

Do you lift with free weights or use machines?

Either way, sometimes certain exercises can have a "bulking" effect on your muscles, while others have a more "toning" effect. Like, if you're using the leg raise machine, for example, and are kicking with your feet pointed straight out, you will be bulking up your quads. Turn your feet 45 degrees out and do the same extension, and you'll do a better job of toning the inner quad as opposed to bulking up the whole thigh.

Try and take a look at www.womenshealth.com they have all kinds of free workouts that you can download that focus on specific areas of the body, or at home workout, no gear workouts, etc.

julieinomaha

I had the same problem, the lunges give you toning, but it doesn't remove the fat. The trainers all say switch to paleo diet to get rid of problem area lbs which I tried and it seemed to work. When I picked up running I got rid of tough inches around my upper thighs which was always a problem. Everything I read says that your body will hold stubborn fat where it wants to so it will be the last place you get rid of it and that you can't target fat loss just toning and that diet and losing weight than reveals your work. Not what you wanted to hear but probably true. Good luck

babareeba

paleo diet is not my type of nutrition, even now I am struggling to meat my daily protein goal. I am more fruits/veggies type of eater (as long as I don't eat cookies :-))

and running not working for me neither, no fat loss, just greater endurance.

babareeba

Do you lift with free weights or use machines?

both. and i thought it might be a problem, that women shouldn't do the same thing as men do.

Pattywack74

bump

dad106

Can't spot reduce and can't "tone" either.. hate to tell you.

Do squats, lunges, leg press, etc.. as heavy as you can. Leave about a 250 calorie deficit a day and make sure to get protein in and you should start seeing changes.

sarahrichards81

As with stomach, any fat on the legs needs to be burned away and, like anywhere else you can't spot reduced. To tone up without bulking up though try this workout from bodyrock

http://www.bodyrock.tv/2012/03/12/breakin-a-sweat-bonus-butt-chest-back-sculpt-cool-down/

The 'Leg, *kitten* & Inner & Outer Thigh Workout' is the part you need which is the 2nd video posted.

Looks really easy when you watch it and I thought 'that isn't going to do anything' but is an absolute killer. My legs were burning by the time I'd finished. I try to incorporate this into my routine a couple of times a week and have definitely noticed the difference.

wellbert

Unless you're talking about kegels, there really aren't any "womens" vs "men's" exercises.

Forget isolation and accessory. Do full barbell squats.

babareeba

Can't sport reduce and can't "tone" either.. hate to tell you.

ha? if sport can't tone, what can?

Hols969

I did spinning 3 times a week for about 6 months and have no fat on my legs at all (still have a bit of inner thigh that just wont budge and Im thinking of the lipo laser), Im sure its spinning along with squats and lunges. Even my sports massage lady is surprised at how muscley my thighs are. Still need to budge some extra fat from elsewhere but the legs are pretty good!!

Meggles63

Do you lift with free weights or use machines?

Either way, sometimes certain exercises can have a "bulking" effect on your muscles, while others have a more "toning" effect. Like, if you're using the leg raise machine, for example, and are kicking with your feet pointed straight out, you will be bulking up your quads. Turn your feet 45 degrees out and do the same extension, and you'll do a better job of toning the inner quad as opposed to bulking up the whole thigh.

Try and take a look at www.womenshealth.com they have all kinds of free workouts that you can download that focus on specific areas of the body, or at home workout, no gear workouts, etc.

^^^NOT TRUE! for the 1000 time, women do not get BULKY!!!! I wish people would stop spreading this nonsense!

Elizabeth_C34

Do you lift with free weights or use machines?

Either way, sometimes certain exercises can have a "bulking" effect on your muscles, while others have a more "toning" effect. Like, if you're using the leg raise machine, for example, and are kicking with your feet pointed straight out, you will be bulking up your quads. Turn your feet 45 degrees out and do the same extension, and you'll do a better job of toning the inner quad as opposed to bulking up the whole thigh.

Try and take a look at www.womenshealth.com they have all kinds of free workouts that you can download that focus on specific areas of the body, or at home workout, no gear workouts, etc.

^^^NOT TRUE! for the 1000 time, women do not get BULKY!!!! I wish people would stop spreading this nonsense!

Yup!

My suggestion to the OP is to start doing compound lifts: barbell squats & deadlifts then start working on legpresses, adductor, abductors, etc. as secondary lifts. Hack squats are decent for targeting the quads as well. You can also do front squats for targeting the quads.

Unfortunately, you can't target fat loss. So that will just come down to continuing to eat at a deficit.

Oh yeah, and lift heavy. There's really no such thing as "toning" weights. Higher reps at lower weight are good for getting your form down and endurance training, but won't do much for making you look leaner.

nickyfm

My butt and legs only seem to consistently tone up when I do spin and weights classes regularly. Maybs try weights and biking

mickipedia

Exactly the same exercises as a man would do lol

Sl1ghtly

Exactly the same exercises as a man would do lol

This is the best post ever.

mickipedia

Sorry if there is a similar topic, I did search the forum but didn't find it.

So. There are two months since I started to work out in the gym. I've got the general program they give to the beginners which I changed for the advanced one after the month. In the mean time, I got pretty fit and interested. I lift heavy. I have a split routine. I have zones that I'd like to be more improved, like my legs and butt (my wider hips go along).

To cut the long story short, my tights seem to be over-improved :-) as they became big and strong, but still with the huge amount of fat around. They are 2 cm (over 4 inches) wider than before 2 months and it was not the idea :-)) At the same time, my upper body, back, arms, shoulders are really changing in a good way and I love it.

My weekly routine is 3-4 x workout + 2-3 x cardio (mostly running, once a week for a long distance up to 10 km), one day off.

I need an advice: what to do to get rid of the fat around? something to avoid? any particular "women's" exercises for leaning legs?

Overall to define your leg muscles you need to lower your body fat % as you cannot spot reduce. If this was the case I'd still have boobs lol.

This is done through diet and cardio, strength training will maker the muscles bigger (but not too big as women don't have the testosterone for "bulky" muscles) and cardio reduces your overall "layer" of fat on your body making the muscles easier to see.

Don't be thinking that women need different training to men as we don't.. We are built the same muscle-wise but they have more potential for bigger muscles and lifting bigger weights (generally speaking).

Hope that helps

babareeba

^^^NOT TRUE! for the 1000 time, women do not get BULKY!!!! I wish people would stop spreading this nonsense!

What happened to me, than? I am almost at the same weight when I was starting it, and now, after 2 months of work out I can not pull my skinny jeans over my tights that use to be loose on me?

babareeba

I preferred cardio over the weight lifting before (I did a lot of spinning and intervals on my home bike before). But this place and ppl around MFP made me think about and do hard lifting. I am still into cardio 3 times a week, and sometimes I am doing 20-30 minutes intervals on treadmill after work out, so I've got the idea that I am overworking my legs, since they are getting bigger and wider...

ETA: And, yes, thank you all for giving me suggestions, I am considering your links and exercises you've posted. I wished to make some changing in my lifting routine from March, so...