Toning Lower Body Without Increasing Muscle Mass

mfpcopine

One person's suggestions:

"Squats and Deadlifts are Not the "King of Exercise" for a Lot of People."


"...
If you want to lose muscle mass in your legs, then avoid all direct leg resistance training. For some reason, this is a controversial recommendation…but it makes perfect sense to me. Avoid all direct leg resistance training until your legs are as slim as you would like. At that point, reintroduce a limited amount of direct leg resistance training…but make sure that your legs don't increase in girth again. Here's my full-blown post on losing muscle on purpose.

If You Want to Tone the Lower Body Without Adding Size?
A few options:
Perform cardio in an intense manner and see if that gets the job done.
Train legs short of failure 1-2 times per week.
Train legs once every other week (if you gain size easily in the lower body)."

http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/squats-and-deadlifts-are-not-the-king-of-exercise-for-a-lot-of-people/

mfpcopine

Good advice here. Well worth reading.

GasMasterFlash

If you want to lose muscle mass in your legs...

Why would anyone want to lose muscle mass anywhere?

HeidiMightyRawr

Just a suggestion: I do heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges, and my legs are slimmer and more toned than they've ever been, at a heavier weight.

Slimming legs depends on a calorie deficit (which can be obtained through cardio, but then also through food only)
Toning is achieved by gaining muscle & losing fat.

Direct leg work will not cause an increase in muscle mass in that area, unless you can a calorie surplus.

HeidiMightyRawr

If you want to lose muscle mass in your legs...

Why would anyone want to lose muscle mass anywhere?

:drinker:

UrbanRunner81

If you want to lose muscle mass in your legs...

Why would anyone want to lose muscle mass anywhere?

^^^ yeah...

I lift heavy weights and my legs have gotten smaller. *shrug*

taso42

If you're in a deficit and not taking drugs, it's unlikely that you will increase muscle mass. If you do, it will be a trivial amount.

GasMasterFlash

If You Want to Tone the Lower Body Without Adding Size?

Here's how I Tone:

jcr85

To me this makes absolutely no sense. I am not sure why you would want do decrease your muscle mass. If you are in caloric deficit you will proportionately decreases your body mass no mater how heavy you lift without compromising body composition.

juicemoogan

Women in some countries have their calf muscles sliced away to create thinner calfs....

But then they live with lifelong pain and struggle to walk correctly..

The things people do for beauty..

torisaurosrex

To me this makes absolutely no sense. I am not sure why you would want do decrease your muscle mass. If you are in caloric deficit you will proportionately decreases your body mass no mater how heavy you lift without compromising body composition.

I agree.

kfox15

you can't tone what you don't have. Don't be afraid to pack on some muscle, I promise you won't look bulky or manly (unless you take drugs). I played ice hockey for 10 years squatting super heavy (1.2 my body weight) and my legs are (well eh..were ) very "toned" looking but still only ~20 inches around at the widest. Check out some before and after pics from ladies that lift, you will be amazed! Muscle is your friend!!

Nigerianebony

If you want to lose muscle mass in your legs...

Why would anyone want to lose muscle mass anywhere?

:drinker:

I did to become a faster competitive runner. I was fit at 140 pounds (16% BF). I am down to 120 pounds (11-12%). I am still as strong as I was at 140 pounds.

GasMasterFlash

I did to become a faster competitive runner. I was fit at 140 pounds (16% BF). I am down to 120 pounds (11-12%). I am still as strong as I was at 140 pounds.

Did you drop BF or muscle?

Nigerianebony

I did to become a faster competitive runner. I was fit at 140 pounds (16% BF). I am down to 120 pounds (11-12%). I am still as strong as I was at 140 pounds.

Did you drop BF or muscle?

At 120, i was around 15% first, then dropped down. But I guess a little of both.

GasMasterFlash

I did to become a faster competitive runner. I was fit at 140 pounds (16% BF). I am down to 120 pounds (11-12%). I am still as strong as I was at 140 pounds.

Did you drop BF or muscle?

At 120, i was around 15% first, then dropped down. But I guess a little of both.

If you're as strong as you were before, then I doubt you lost muscle.

scatgash

Bump

Nigerianebony

I did to become a faster competitive runner. I was fit at 140 pounds (16% BF). I am down to 120 pounds (11-12%). I am still as strong as I was at 140 pounds.

Did you drop BF or muscle?

At 120, i was around 15% first, then dropped down. But I guess a little of both.

If you're as strong as you were before, then I doubt you lost muscle.

Then doesn't that kinda contradict the whole lifting heavy weight without getting bigger? But to clear it up, when i got to 120 I had to work myself back to the strength I had at 140.

whoohooinva

LOL

robin52077

FFS, seriously?

posts like this make me feel like going around and punching random people in the head

suziecue66

Those that seem to look/get bigger in thighs probably add muscle but still have too much fat on thighs.

kalynn06

Those that seem to look/get bigger in thighs probably add muscle but still have too much fat on thighs.

Yeah, this what happens to me when I start strength training in my legs. My legs get a little bigger even on a calorie deficit, but then they eventually go down. I tend to lose fat in my thighs slowly. When I first started working out, I followed the type of the advice in in original post and never did lower body with weights and tried to avoid too many squats lunges or leg presses. My legs didn't get bigger, but they didn't get much smaller either. I eventually had better results when I said screw it and tried moderate (for me) weights. Now I'm going heavier, and hopefully will see good results.

mfpcopine

If you want to lose muscle mass in your legs...

Why would anyone want to lose muscle mass anywhere?

Pear-shaped women, among others, don't want to have bigger butts and legs. More generally, having bulging muscles is not everyone's ideal, nor is it the best build to have depending on one's goals.

mfpcopine

Those that seem to look/get bigger in thighs probably add muscle but still have too much fat on thighs.

Yes. And some people are genetically programmed to deposit fat in their thighs, hips, and butts. Even at their lowest ideal weight they're going to have a higher amount of fat than someone else. If they do the wrong kind of training, they will add muscle that makes them look even bigger.

The article author explains why someone might be interested in this approach. He full acknowledges that different people have different needs.

dad106

The OP already stated this, but some pear shapes believe that they already have more muscle on their lower half and by doing more strength training on the lower half that they will get bulky and blah blah blah.

Personally, I call BS on that whole pears get bulky. I'm a pear(IE small waist, big hips and big *kitten*) and squats/lunges did nothing but make me smaller. I strength train 2-3 times a week, do cardio 2 times a week and eat a 250 deficit.. and my lower half is def. not bulky by no means. If people would just lose the damn body fat then they wouldn't look so bulky... but no, it must be muscle.. can't be anything else!

suziecue66

Those that seem to look/get bigger in thighs probably add muscle but still have too much fat on thighs.

Yes. And some people are genetically programmed to deposit fat in their thighs, hips, and butts. Even at their lowest ideal weight they're going to have a higher amount of fat than someone else. If they do the wrong kind of training, they will add muscle that makes them look even bigger.

The article author explains why someone might be interested in this approach. He full acknowledges that different people have different needs.

I totally agree. I have read that blog numerous times and like his posts. I also carry more fat in my thighs.

IronSmasher

What on earth is wrong with the boards today?

I know some people think they have too much muscle in their thighs, but unless it feels like rock covered in latex, there's fat their.

To the people seriously considering the article, yeah, do lots of HIIT cardio. Have you ever seen the size of sprinter's/sprint cyclist's legs?

wellbert

Just a suggestion: I do heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges, and my legs are slimmer and more toned than they've ever been, at a heavier weight.

Slimming legs depends on a calorie deficit (which can be obtained through cardio, but then also through food only)
Toning is achieved by gaining muscle & losing fat.

Direct leg work will not cause an increase in muscle mass in that area, unless you can a calorie surplus.

get your hands on top that bar, you're going to hurt your wrists :O

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Just a suggestion: I do heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges, and my legs are slimmer and more toned than they've ever been, at a heavier weight.

Slimming legs depends on a calorie deficit (which can be obtained through cardio, but then also through food only)
Toning is achieved by gaining muscle & losing fat.

Direct leg work will not cause an increase in muscle mass in that area, unless you can a calorie surplus.

This.. I lost a total of 7 inches on my thighs since I started incorporating squats, deadlifts & lunges with 70 lb. dumbbells while gaining muscle.

Fat will make legs bulky & not muscle. This article is definitely wrong & pointless.

EDIT: Those 7 inch lost are from last year & now. 4 inch lost & then 3 more inch lost from the last 3 months

suziecue66

Just a suggestion: I do heavy squats, deadlifts, lunges, and my legs are slimmer and more toned than they've ever been, at a heavier weight.

Slimming legs depends on a calorie deficit (which can be obtained through cardio, but then also through food only)
Toning is achieved by gaining muscle & losing fat.

Direct leg work will not cause an increase in muscle mass in that area, unless you can a calorie surplus.

This.. I lost a total of 7 inches on my thighs since I started incorporating squats, deadlifts & lunges with 70 lb. dumbbells while gaining muscle.

Fat will make legs bulky & not muscle. This article is definitely wrong & pointless.

EDIT: Those 7 inch lost are from last year & now. 4 inch lost & then 3 more inch lost from the last 3 months

Why is it hard to accept that some women's thighs bulk more easily. Article is good.

JennieAL

The OP seems to be on a crusade to persuade pears not to squat, deadlift, lunge, etc. She's posted more than once about this.

OP, are you just lazy or do you have no faith in science and how the body actually works?