Exercises to tighten legs

sarahmichelle876

As I'm losing weight, I've noticed my legs aren't as tight as they were. I've been running a lot, using the elliptical on high resistance, and doing calf raises and such. What else can I do to tighten my thighs with hurting my knees?

jazzalea

dare I say thigh master?

ok but seriously.... any time I'm standing up.... I try and get a few leg lifts in.... stand on one foot.... partially bend your upraised leg.... and pull your foot up towards your other knee.... you will feel it....hold it for a few seconds and repeat..... take turns and you will soon get some KICK *kitten* thigh muscles going on... and things start to tighten up..... when you're ready.... try turning your foot outwards to strengthen your outer thigh and *kitten* muscles.......

I'm not saying I know what I'm talking about......just talking about what I know :flowerforyou:

Determinednoob

I'm not sure what tighten means. The only ways I know of to change the shape of a body part are to lose fat or gain muscle in the body part.

fit_librarian

I swear by Tracy Effinger's videos. She does a pilates/barre/athletic workout. I have noticed the biggest difference in my legs, particularly my inner thighs. My butt is also looking fiiiine. Her arm workout is also pretty great.

californiagirl2012

As I'm losing weight, I've noticed my legs aren't as tight as they were. I've been running a lot, using the elliptical on high resistance, and doing calf raises and such. What else can I do to tighten my thighs with hurting my knees?

First realize that it's losing the fat that will make your muscle show. I ran for over 30 years and it wasn't until I started doing a bunch of cool leg exercises with weights that gave me shape (along with losing the fat)

The workout I did for years didn't do much for my shape. I realized this once I started my new routine. I now put weight lifting first and cardio second, but I still do cardio (mainly running). I change up everything all the time. My running is sometimes long easy runs, sometimes HIIT, sometimes shorter medium pace runs. My weight routine changes each day, each week, light circuits, heavy low rep sets, pyramids, a little bit of splits, constantly changing it up. I mostly do a lot of full body workouts with a lot of leg work. In addition to DL's and Squats I do Bulgarian Split Squats, Lunges, Reverse lunges, Curtsey lunges, Step Ups, Crossover Bench Step Ups, One Legged Get Ups, and a Lunge Matrix. And then I constantly change up the routine with Circuits, Intermittent Super Sets, Fibonacci Pyramids, X-sets, Progress Venus Pyramids, and some splits, everything a variety of Strength, Hypertrophy, and Endurance.

I have been lifting for a long time, over 30 years. When I was over weight and I lifted heavy I looked "bulky" and not feminine. But still the weight lifting was good for my body. I also ran long distances thinking I could lose the weight, but it did not work even after running marathon after marathon (and still lifting). After floundering around for 15 years I finally cherry picked from all the diets I tried and found what worked for me, eating less. It was the key for me. But I am small and petite, and I did not realize how small until I finally lost the weight last year at age 50.

You don't have to worry about getting bulky. I lift super heavy and I'm not big. My lean body mass is only 104 lbs. My muscles are not big, but I am very lean so they look big in pictures, but really if you saw me in real life I'm super tiny and feminine. Girls won't get big because they don't have the hormones for it. I'm probably as big as I'll ever get and I'm really small, I lift really heavy, but I'm not focused on being a power lifter. I'm focused on doing the right weight for the particular set I'm doing, and my main goal is to look fit and healthy and feminine and strong, which I do. I've achieved it.

And if you don't want to look quite so ripped as I do all you have to do is not get so lean. There is nothing wrong with keeping more body fat than I have and having a softer toned look. I'm under 12% body fat and still quite healthy. My doctor checks my blood work regularly and everything is A-OKAY in my body. Health is always on the forefront for me. I've lived half my life already and would like to live another 50 years with a good quality of life.

If I could encourage girls to lift, and lift heavy. My recent DXA scan shows that my 51.5 year old bones are that of a super athletic 30 year old. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting makes you younger I don't know what is. I think I can safely assume there is no osteoporosis in my future even at my older age.

Also I believe it's the lifting is the reason everyone comments on the fact that I' don't look my age. See for yourself:




But remember, the lifting did not make me bulky. The letting myself get below 12% body fat gave me the ripped look. All you have to do is not get so lean if you want a softer look.

This might help show you how petite I really am:

sarahmichelle876

I meant gain muscle. As I'm losing fat there, my leg are looking more skinny fat. Everyone I talk to suggests squats, but my knees are messed up and they really hurt. My calves are nice and tight, just need thigh exercises.

sarahmichelle876

Can these be found online? I go to the gym for cardio, but I like being able to do things at home too.

sarahmichelle876

You look amazing! Definitely not 50. I love seeing stories like yours. It gives me the motivation to keep pushing. Thank you for your advice. I'm not worried about getting bulky. I do want more toning though.

dragonbug300

Squats, lunges, all that jazz. The more advanced you are, the heavier weights you can use. If you want a more well-rounded strength workout (arms, legs, core) I highly recommend looking up Zwow on youtube. Zuzka has some excellent workouts you can do with just a couple weights. Also, Bodyrock.tv has some awesome workouts and motivational instructors. They're my default if I'm low on time, and I feel awesome after them.

sarahmichelle876

Anything that you can find online that doesn't require extra equipment is ideal