Lean legs

drefaw

absolutely

Cr01502

So I'm confused, I want nicer legs. Should I be lifting or not?

Yes! If you want them to look nice and have a good shape use the weights. Don't get too hung up on the short term issues like sore legs or slight water retention. Just keep doing the right things and you'll see changes. These aren't overnight fixes.

This.

Listen to this guy. This is what his legs looked like before he started lifting. (He's a runner.)

dotknott

I've heard the difference between gaining long lean muscle and short bulked muscle can be in stretching. Maybe throwing some yoga in there with your exercise would help you develop the muscle the way you want? I could be wrong though. Hopefully some pros answer you too!

Muscles can't lengthen, they are attached to the bone at a fixed point. Unless we're going to some scary yoga class where we are surgically de-attaching muscle from the bone then re-attching it at a different point, then Yoga won't do it.

imchicbad

see my picture<

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I have always had thick legs, but after a leg day at the gym, your legs muscles will retain fluid to repair, so make sure you take a rest day (I go every other day to the gym-I get better results), its no big deal. my pants are tight in the thighs, but it looks nice. If I were you id add lunges and leg press to your workouts.

pdittman19

Never heard that one before, although you can't stretch enough. It's good for you. Heavy weight x low reps = muscles. Low weight x high reps - Lean.

Avandel

I've danced 2 inches off each thigh but have incorporated squats into my 45 min to 1 hr program. You really have to move it none stop!!!

twelfty

to get nice legs yeah you will need to do the lifting, but removing any jiggly bits you may have will be reducing body fat % and only this.

keep going, keep cutting fat and lifting it's a tough process but well worth it, if you need inspiration check out some of the girls progress pics

eventerchick80

if you're eating at a surplus it could be a bit of muscle development
if you're eating at a deficit, it is probably just water retention.



squats and deads made my butt and hamstrings a lot bigger, but they look better. So don't get too hung up on jean size. if your legs look tight, you're doing it right.

Yes!

bumblebums

Never heard that one before, although you can't stretch enough. It's good for you. Heavy weight x low reps = muscles. Low weight x high reps - Lean.

Stretching improves your range of motion, and it can feel good. But it's not really clear from current studies that it is particularly good for you--do you have any evidence for that?

TeaBea

Deadlifts and squats can increase the size of your thighs and hips, but you're not going to see a huge difference if you're not trying to build up the muscle. I will say my pants are tighter in the hips and thighs, but my butt looks amazing, so I don't complain. I still have some fat to lose there, too, so that's part of it. As for "long, lean" muscles, that's going to come down to genetics. The muscle is as long as it is, and you can't lengthen it or shorten it.

This^ ..... genetics. One type of exercise won't make every single woman (fill in the blank) . There are different body types; work toward your goal .... your legs will improve .... but they may never exactly what you want them to be.

sophiep90x

Squats and spinning for me!

dotknott

Never heard that one before, although you can't stretch enough. It's good for you. Heavy weight x low reps = muscles. Low weight x high reps - Lean.

Actually High Reps = Endurance. Endurance ≠ Lean (Really, the words are not interchangeable.)

High Rep training might produce gains in muscle, but they would be less than a program with, say 8 reps (One study cites 5% differences in the two programs for muscle and 16% difference in 1 rep max, with a 8 rep program winning out on both counts)

Why spend the time doing 3 sets of 36 reps when you could spend less time doing 3 sets of 8 or 12 and get the added benefits of increased muscle mass?

garekinokami

So everyone says to get lean legs you need to lift, do squats. I recently increased the weight I do and added an extra set of squats and dead lifts to my weight training. Today I put on my favorite jeans and they are tight in the thighs. . Wondering if this Is temporary due o muscles holding water or repair?

You can make muscle gains while eating under maintenance if you're new to weight lifting, but you probably have a little bit of gain and engorged legs from the lactic acid and increased blood flow.

Usually though, you would lose fat as time goes by with proper weight-lifting and cardio training. If you eat far enough under maintenance and do a ton of cardio, your body will begin to break down the muscle too.

I'd say work on losing fat and when that's over with, you should have shapely legs, buttocks and back and maybe you'll have to get new jeans.

Maybe this will help: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sampleworkouts/a/RestandRecovery.htm

mareeee1234

So don't get too hung up on jean size. if your legs look tight, you're doing it right.

YEAHHH as long as your legs are TIGHT and your but if FIRM ect.. jean size doesn't matter We'll look hot anyway!
Fit is the new skinny!

SoDamnHungry

If you just started these extra things a week ago, that probably is water retention. Or you just washed your jeans and they're super tight now. Sometimes that happens to me...

HannahJDiaz25

Yoga and Insanity based workouts leaned up my legs :-) I love yoga..I always look long and limber when I am doing it.

mk9562

I guess I shouldn't say lean legs. Yes I want toned legs.

mazdauk

If you just started these extra things a week ago, that probably is water retention. Or you just washed your jeans and they're super tight now. Sometimes that happens to me...

Happens to me too! (But at least now I can do them up even fresh out of the wash!) Usually after a couple of hours they'll soften and give a bit and not be tight. (In the "olden days" people used to sit in the bath to shrink their jeans!)