If God gave you naturally large thighs listen up

purplegoboom

This is all personal preference. I disagree with your statements in regards to ditching lower body strength training.

You should not give out bad advice! And this....this is bad advice!

Oh, FYI- the elliptical is NOT weight lifting.

it's not bad advice at all. it depends on the fitness goals.

would you call a marathon runner (who does no weight lifting) a person who has no strength?

Actually, it is possible.

I have a very good friend who does triathlons on a regular basis. However, she still has the jiggliest thighs and butt I have ever seen on a woman.

serapi

This is all personal preference. I disagree with your statements in regards to ditching lower body strength training.

You should not give out bad advice! And this....this is bad advice!

Oh, FYI- the elliptical is NOT weight lifting.

it's not bad advice at all. it depends on the fitness goals.

would you call a marathon runner (who does no weight lifting) a person who has no strength?

Actually, it is possible.

I have a very good friend who does triathlons on a regular basis. However, she still has the jiggliest thighs and butt I have ever seen on a woman.

then she has fat covering her muscle.

lasmit4477

I can't imagine a trainer of any value telling a person to only do weights on one portion of their body let alone not explain that any girth increases you get while on a calorie deficit due to strength training is from temporary storage of glycogen and water, not from any significant gains of fat-free mass.

I was waiting for you, Geekyjock76!!! Thank you!!!!

IronPlayground

I totally agree with the trainer. When I worked out when I was in my best shape 15 years ago my thighs from even light squats and the treadmill looked hot but... Try finding pants that were a size 14-16 for a size 8-10 waist. At that rate nothing fit me well and I looked terrible in work clothes and jeans.

Its real life and lets be honest most of us don't have the money to custom make all of our clothes. And we don't all live in work out shorts and yoga pants. That was too much extra fabric to tailor(I tried) They honestly recommended paying them to make me something from scratch to fit my measurements.

You can tone just by walking and doing leg lifts with no weight for the butt and thighs without resorting to squats that in my case only bulk me up, and at times make me look fatter.

Each to their own everyone has a different body type. Sometimes trial and error are the only things we can do to find what works.

good for you!

I still cannot wear skinny jeans b/c my thighs are wide compared to my waist (in jean sizes). I don't mind b/c I'm very content with my body as is.

After I had my kids, I felt frumpy and undesirable. I have worked for 2 years to get this body back and I ain't letting some negative remarks change my views and share what worked for me.

I don't think anyone is trying to change you. What most are saying is that your statement isn't completely accurate and is very misleading. It's great that it worked for you. However, there are a lot of people on this site that are new and trying to figure things out. They will look at your advice and use it. There are a host of reasons why women won't get bulky when lifting heavy weights. Those reasons could be turned into several threads individually. What you are doing is stopping some of the things that aren't thought about when heavy resistance training is added to a workout, i.e. increased bone density. Which is a great thing when trying to combat osteoporosis.

What most are saying is stop using your success as hard fact. That part of your statement would make it false.

serapi

I can't imagine a trainer of any value telling a person to only do weights on one portion of their body let alone not explain that any girth increases you get while on a calorie deficit due to strength training is from temporary storage of glycogen and water, not from any significant gains of fat-free mass.

I've been training for 20 years, I know what works for me and what doesn't.

My trainer has a university degree in kenesiology (spellcheck). He understands that women have different fitness goals.

Crankstr

thanks for your posting. Makes sense, and I will consider your advice when exercising.

Hopefully not the OP's advice as it is terrible advice.

See? This is why we argue with posts like this. We don't won't people taking bad advice. OP can do what she wants but we hope to prevent misinformation from spreading.

I am living proof. I have sexy long lean legs. You guys are not proving anything.

you arent either.

I believe my legs look long and lean and i lift heavy.

geekyjock76

I can't imagine a trainer of any value telling a person to only do weights on one portion of their body let alone not explain that any girth increases you get while on a calorie deficit due to strength training is from temporary storage of glycogen and water, not from any significant gains of fat-free mass.

I've been training for 20 years, I know what works for me and what doesn't.

My trainer has a university degree in kenesiology (spellcheck). He understands that women have different fitness goals.

A woman's body does not develop fat-free mass at greater degrees than men. You were not increasing your fat-free mass (muscle) while under a deficit. There isn't going to be a clinical study you can provide that will demonstrate that a person will gain significant muscle while on a deficit and strength-training.

P.S. I too have an Exercise Science degree in Kinesiology and I certainly wouldn't support some fantasy about a person gaining significant muscle while on a deficit, no matter how heavy she is lifting.

serapi

I totally agree with the trainer. When I worked out when I was in my best shape 15 years ago my thighs from even light squats and the treadmill looked hot but... Try finding pants that were a size 14-16 for a size 8-10 waist. At that rate nothing fit me well and I looked terrible in work clothes and jeans.

Its real life and lets be honest most of us don't have the money to custom make all of our clothes. And we don't all live in work out shorts and yoga pants. That was too much extra fabric to tailor(I tried) They honestly recommended paying them to make me something from scratch to fit my measurements.

You can tone just by walking and doing leg lifts with no weight for the butt and thighs without resorting to squats that in my case only bulk me up, and at times make me look fatter.

Each to their own everyone has a different body type. Sometimes trial and error are the only things we can do to find what works.

good for you!

I still cannot wear skinny jeans b/c my thighs are wide compared to my waist (in jean sizes). I don't mind b/c I'm very content with my body as is.

After I had my kids, I felt frumpy and undesirable. I have worked for 2 years to get this body back and I ain't letting some negative remarks change my views and share what worked for me.

I don't think anyone is trying to change you. What most are saying is that your statement isn't completely accurate and is very misleading. It's great that it worked for you. However, there are a lot of people on this site that are new and trying to figure things out. They will look at your advice and use it. There are a host of reasons why women won't get bulky when lifting heavy weights. Those reasons could be turned into several threads individually. What you are doing is stopping some of the things that aren't thought about when heavy resistance training is added to a workout, i.e. increased bone density. Which is a great thing when trying to combat osteoporosis.

What most are saying is stop using your success as hard fact. That part of your statement would make it false.

I agree with you on all of the benefits of weight training...strength training vs. body building....

At least you're not being rude I have a ton of muscle tone and I don't jiggle. What's wrong with me sharing what worked for me? That's all I'm doing.

serapi

I can't imagine a trainer of any value telling a person to only do weights on one portion of their body let alone not explain that any girth increases you get while on a calorie deficit due to strength training is from temporary storage of glycogen and water, not from any significant gains of fat-free mass.

I've been training for 20 years, I know what works for me and what doesn't.

My trainer has a university degree in kenesiology (spellcheck). He understands that women have different fitness goals.

A woman's body does not develop fat-free mass at greater degrees than men. You were not increasing your fat-free mass (muscle) while under a deficit. There isn't going to be a clinical study you can provide that will demonstrate that a person will gain significant muscle while on a deficit and strength-training.

I wasn't eating at a deficit.

WendyTerry420

I have big thighs, too, but I'd rather have the strength from squats and lunges than skinny legs Just personal preference I guess.

I my big thighs!

STurbs33

I understand that your intention is to give other women options, but most women already know this option. Most women grow up believing that the only way to achieve the body they want is through countless hours of unnecessary cardio. I believed this (and many of my friends and family still do believe this), until last year when I stumbled upon this site and saw all of the outstanding transformations women made using heavy lifting. It was a relief to see that cardio wasn't the only way and not necessarily the ideal way to achieve the body I wanted.

THAT is giving women another option in my opinion, because it is the option that is not as popular or largely exposed. What you are doing, whether you intended to or not, is reiterating the cardio-heavy approach that is already shoved down our throats by the media and society in general.

serapi

thanks for your posting. Makes sense, and I will consider your advice when exercising.

Hopefully not the OP's advice as it is terrible advice.

See? This is why we argue with posts like this. We don't won't people taking bad advice. OP can do what she wants but we hope to prevent misinformation from spreading.

I am living proof. I have sexy long lean legs. You guys are not proving anything.

you arent either.

I believe my legs look long and lean and i lift heavy.

and that's what worked for you

00sarah

I found the opposite. I spent a few years only running, legs didn't improve much. Started lifting again along with running and my legs are much better. Plus squats and other leg exercises have done some nice things for the shape.

Me too.

WendyTerry420

God the people on this site can be total douches sometimes. If it works for her, more power to her. Not every female who wants to be in shape WANTS to look like a female Terminator. You can be healthy & toned without being a body builder. At the same time, if that is what works for you, more power to you... but it doesn't make the OP wrong for wanting natural tone from elliptical & jogging instead of super cut, bulked up thighs.

I doubt that very many women *at all* want to look like a Terminator. :laugh:

serapi

I understand that your intention is to give other women options, but most women already know this option. Most women grow up believing that the only way to achieve the body they want is through countless hours of unnecessary cardio. I believed this (and many of my friends and family still do believe this), until last year when I stumbled upon this site and saw all of the outstanding transformations women made using heavy lifting. It was a relief to see that cardio wasn't the only way and not necessarily the ideal way to achieve the body I wanted.

THAT is giving women another option in my opinion, because it is option that is not as popular or largely exposed. What you are doing, whether you intended to or not, is reiterate the cardio heavy approach that is already shoved down our throats by the media and society in general.

I too agree with you that countless hours of cardio is not the way to go. I lift upper body weights heavy. No bulk.

geekyjock76

Uh, you weren't eating at a deficit yet your weight went down from 135 lbs at 23% body fat to 127 lbs at 18% body fat? On top of that you lost two inches from your thighs in that short amount of time? All this while not on a caloric deficit?

WendyTerry420

So you found a way to spot reduce? Ummmm....I doubt it to be honest.

You can't spot reduce....sorry..but you can't....

:laugh:

purplegoboom

This is all personal preference. I disagree with your statements in regards to ditching lower body strength training.

You should not give out bad advice! And this....this is bad advice!

Oh, FYI- the elliptical is NOT weight lifting.

it's not bad advice at all. it depends on the fitness goals.

would you call a marathon runner (who does no weight lifting) a person who has no strength?

Actually, it is possible.

I have a very good friend who does triathlons on a regular basis. However, she still has the jiggliest thighs and butt I have ever seen on a woman.

then she has fat covering her muscle.

The point was she doesn't have any muscle tone. At all.

Same with a girl at my office. Runs all the time, but that's all she does. She's "skinny fat", but can run 10 miles no problem. Though she can't do a deadlift to save her life.

Not saying you are skinny fat, you say you work your upper body with weights? Typically, when a person lifts weights, they're not just working out one particular muscle. A pushup, for instance, will train your arms and shoulders, but you're also working your back, your stomach, your chest, and to some extent your butt and thighs because you have to balance.

So you probably were working your legs a bit when training your upper body.

bcattoes

I am living proof. I have sexy long lean legs. You guys are not proving anything.

you arent either.

I believe my legs look long and lean and i lift heavy.

So, we have proof that beautiful legs can come from different methods of training. Case closed? Everyone getting along now? Live and let live, and all that crap?

Sarauk2sf

thanks for your posting. Makes sense, and I will consider your advice when exercising.

Hopefully not the OP's advice as it is terrible advice.

See? This is why we argue with posts like this. We don't won't people taking bad advice. OP can do what she wants but we hope to prevent misinformation from spreading.

I am living proof. I have sexy long lean legs. You guys are not proving anything.

And neither are you.