Toning up impossible to tone legs

mommylifter

I'm new here. I've been working out fairly hard/eating fairly well over the last year and while I am in good shape I have a problem area: the dreaded thighs. I have been trying to get my thighs in shape for the last year (no joke) and almost NOTHING seems to be working. I have recently incorporated heavy lifting which seems to be helping my quads and inner thighs shrink but my hamstrings and butt look like they haven't left the couch in 10 years. It's very discouraging. I really know I shouldn't lose anymore weight as I am bordering on being underweight, but everything I keep reading recommends dropping your body fat % to burn fat. My only fear since I am so thin on top is that the weight will just come off my top half and I will look even more uneven between upper and lower body. I literally have Cameron Diaz's upper body and Beyonce's lower body. It looks odd. Is persistence the key? Stay the course? Or do I need a new approach?

lwagnitz

Up your calories and build muscle maybe? Squats are miracle workers. I've never had problems building my leg muscles cause I've had really muscular legs all my life so I can't help much...Not really sure what you are looking for for your legs? Losing fat or building muscle? Because you're right...you can't just "tone" anything

mommylifter

Yeah, I should add, I am very muscular, my whole body is, even my thighs. It's getting this layer of fat on top off that seems to be the issue. It's not really the front of my thighs as much as the back of my thighs and butt that need the help. So is this diet or fitness related?

lwagnitz

If you are close to underweight it's more genetics than anything. Not everyone can have the thigh gap and the perfect butt, unfortunately. I would focus on building your muscle if you are unhappy with the appearance building the muscle is the best bet.

mommylifter

I am sure a whole lot has to do with genetics. Even my brothers have booties. Is it an impossible feat to shred the fat then?

jadedone

And focus in working in your upper body as well. Lifting weights there will help you look more balanced.

mommylifter

Oh, I do. The issue with that is I have these really sculpted shoulders, ripped arms, a 6 pack and a jiggly butt. No joke, it's like 2 different bodies on one person.

mommylifter

I have lost so much fat in my upper body that I even got breast implants 5 weeks ago because I lost almost all of breast tissue.How sad is that?

fit_grrrl

The thing is you cannot just target one part of your body.

My upper body is slimmer then my lower half and before I start my bulk in August I am building my upper body to balance out the lower.

aka shoulders and arms

I have managed to shed fat via 2 x HIIT sessions and lifting heavy x 4 sessions but it's only now after 4 months that it's noticeable

Best exercises I have found for my bottom half are:
SLDL + Deadlifts
Good Mornings
Weighted walking lunges
Squats

mmddwechanged

Keep consistent with the heavy lifting. I used to lift ten years ago and I noticed a difference within two months.

darwinwoodka

I did a lot of lifting and working out etc etc but nothing really toned up my butt and legs til I did Bar Method. The other thing you might try is taking your squats all the way to the ground, even if just without weights. Been doing this the last couple weeks and am really noticing a difference in the hamstrings. But yeah, if you're a curvy girl it doesn't go away. ;^) Mine never has...

Cr01502

The thing is you cannot just target one part of your body.

My upper body is slimmer then my lower half and before I start my bulk in August I am building my upper body to balance out the lower.

aka shoulders and arms

I have managed to shed fat via 2 x HIIT sessions and lifting heavy x 4 sessions but it's only now after 4 months that it's noticeable

Best exercises I have found for my bottom half are:
SLDL + Deadlifts
Good Mornings
Weighted walking lunges
Squats

This. Strength train and eat at a deficit.

You can't tone a muscle. They hypertrophy or atrophy. What you can do is eliminate the fat around that muscle by eating at a deficit and reducing your body fat.

mommylifter

Keep consistent with the heavy lifting. I used to lift ten years ago and I noticed a difference within two months.

Honestly, since my breast aug. I cannot work out my upper body so I've been hitting heavy weights for my lower body hard, and this has made the biggest difference. I stack the weight to where I can only push out 6-8 reps with 3-4 sets, 30 second breaks between. I guess since I have seen the biggest change doing this I will just continue doing this. It just seems nothing tackles the glutes/hamstrings. Are there any additional workouts I should be doing? Right now, a typical leg day includes:
4 sets of leg presses with 6-8 reps, pretty much to failure
4 sets of leg curls, 6-8 reps
4 sets of leg extensions, 6-8 reps
Dumbell squats with 45 lb bar
deadlifts, same 45 lb bar
I also do lunges with 2 17.5 lb. weights in each hand, 20 steps, 4 times

whierd

You have been doing great so far, so congrats on that.

As far as "toning" goes, this is achieved by losing fat mass. It sounds like your butt and thighs are where you store most of your fat, so have been the last place you are losing? This is normal. Just keep eating at a deficit and working out and it will catch up to the rest of you. As others have suggested, squats and deads are key.

Squats
Deadlifts
Stiff legged deadlifts
Romanian Deadlifts
Goodmornings
Lunges
Lower back hyperextensions

These are all fantastic for hitting your glutes and hamstrings as well as your lower back.

fit_grrrl

Keep consistent with the heavy lifting. I used to lift ten years ago and I noticed a difference within two months.

Honestly, since my breast aug. I cannot work out my upper body so I've been hitting heavy weights for my lower body hard, and this has made the biggest difference. I stack the weight to where I can only push out 6-8 reps with 3-4 sets, 30 second breaks between. I guess since I have seen the biggest change doing this I will just continue doing this. It just seems nothing tackles the glutes/hamstrings. Are there any additional workouts I should be doing? Right now, a typical leg day includes:
4 sets of leg presses with 6-8 reps, pretty much to failure
4 sets of leg curls, 6-8 reps
4 sets of leg extensions, 6-8 reps
Dumbell squats with 45 lb bar
deadlifts, same 45 lb bar
I also do lunges with 2 17.5 lb. weights in each hand, 20 steps, 4 times

How long have you been working out? and remember Diet is King so it might be down to that?

whierd

Keep consistent with the heavy lifting. I used to lift ten years ago and I noticed a difference within two months.

Honestly, since my breast aug. I cannot work out my upper body so I've been hitting heavy weights for my lower body hard, and this has made the biggest difference. I stack the weight to where I can only push out 6-8 reps with 3-4 sets, 30 second breaks between. I guess since I have seen the biggest change doing this I will just continue doing this. It just seems nothing tackles the glutes/hamstrings. Are there any additional workouts I should be doing? Right now, a typical leg day includes:
4 sets of leg presses with 6-8 reps, pretty much to failure
4 sets of leg curls, 6-8 reps
4 sets of leg extensions, 6-8 reps
Dumbell squats with 45 lb bar
deadlifts, same 45 lb bar
I also do lunges with 2 17.5 lb. weights in each hand, 20 steps, 4 times

Forget the leg extensions and curls. Add weight to your squats and deadlifts. 45lbs is literally nothing. Start adding 10lbs each session until you are struggling to complete your last few reps. Add in stiff legged deadlifts or romanian deadlifts, you WILL feel it in your glutes hamstrings.

mommylifter

Keep consistent with the heavy lifting. I used to lift ten years ago and I noticed a difference within two months.

Honestly, since my breast aug. I cannot work out my upper body so I've been hitting heavy weights for my lower body hard, and this has made the biggest difference. I stack the weight to where I can only push out 6-8 reps with 3-4 sets, 30 second breaks between. I guess since I have seen the biggest change doing this I will just continue doing this. It just seems nothing tackles the glutes/hamstrings. Are there any additional workouts I should be doing? Right now, a typical leg day includes:
4 sets of leg presses with 6-8 reps, pretty much to failure
4 sets of leg curls, 6-8 reps
4 sets of leg extensions, 6-8 reps
Dumbell squats with 45 lb bar
deadlifts, same 45 lb bar
I also do lunges with 2 17.5 lb. weights in each hand, 20 steps, 4 times

How long have you been working out? and remember Diet is King so it might be down to that?

I've been working out for 14 months. I eat fairly well. Mostly lean proteins in the form of egg whites, turkey, chicken. Greek yogurts, apples, bananas, veggies, and I drink mostly water and coffee in the mornings. I do have cheat days where I eat mexican food, but for the most part, it's a really healthy diet I have. Do most agree that lifting heavy is the best solution?

Mrsallypants

You have stubborn fat deposits on your thighs it sounds like. Men have problems with their the fat over their abs and lower back fat, and women their thighs and butt.

To build muscle on your butt and hamstrings you should read this page: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/dispelling_the_glute_myth

To target the stubborn fat do cardio, take CLA, yohimbe, drink green tea, and carb cycle.

mommylifter

Keep consistent with the heavy lifting. I used to lift ten years ago and I noticed a difference within two months.

Honestly, since my breast aug. I cannot work out my upper body so I've been hitting heavy weights for my lower body hard, and this has made the biggest difference. I stack the weight to where I can only push out 6-8 reps with 3-4 sets, 30 second breaks between. I guess since I have seen the biggest change doing this I will just continue doing this. It just seems nothing tackles the glutes/hamstrings. Are there any additional workouts I should be doing? Right now, a typical leg day includes:
4 sets of leg presses with 6-8 reps, pretty much to failure
4 sets of leg curls, 6-8 reps
4 sets of leg extensions, 6-8 reps
Dumbell squats with 45 lb bar
deadlifts, same 45 lb bar
I also do lunges with 2 17.5 lb. weights in each hand, 20 steps, 4 times

Forget the leg extensions and curls. Add weight to your squats and deadlifts. 45lbs is literally nothing. Start adding 10lbs each session until you are struggling to complete your last few reps. Add in stiff legged deadlifts or romanian deadlifts, you WILL feel it in your glutes hamstrings.

I agree. I know I can add more weights to my squats and dead lifts. Right now I am trying to perfect my form. When I am doing squats, I really do not feel anything in my glutes. Am I doing them incorrectly?

whierd

Keep consistent with the heavy lifting. I used to lift ten years ago and I noticed a difference within two months.

Honestly, since my breast aug. I cannot work out my upper body so I've been hitting heavy weights for my lower body hard, and this has made the biggest difference. I stack the weight to where I can only push out 6-8 reps with 3-4 sets, 30 second breaks between. I guess since I have seen the biggest change doing this I will just continue doing this. It just seems nothing tackles the glutes/hamstrings. Are there any additional workouts I should be doing? Right now, a typical leg day includes:
4 sets of leg presses with 6-8 reps, pretty much to failure
4 sets of leg curls, 6-8 reps
4 sets of leg extensions, 6-8 reps
Dumbell squats with 45 lb bar
deadlifts, same 45 lb bar
I also do lunges with 2 17.5 lb. weights in each hand, 20 steps, 4 times

Forget the leg extensions and curls. Add weight to your squats and deadlifts. 45lbs is literally nothing. Start adding 10lbs each session until you are struggling to complete your last few reps. Add in stiff legged deadlifts or romanian deadlifts, you WILL feel it in your glutes hamstrings.

I agree. I know I can add more weights to my squats and dead lifts. Right now I am trying to perfect my form. When I am doing squats, I really do not feel anything in my glutes. Am I doing them incorrectly?

Yup! You should focus on squeezing your glutes at the bottom of the movement and using them to push your hips forward as you go up. It sounds like your form is a bit incorrect and you are doing them quad dominant. Push your butt back a bit more as you go down, like you are going to sit on the edge of a chair.

fit_grrrl

Yup! You should focus on squeezing your glutes at the bottom of the movement and using them to push your hips forward as you go up. It sounds like your form is a bit incorrect and you are doing them quad dominant. Push your butt back a bit more as you go down, like you are going to sit on the edge of a chair.

^^^^^ this all day long!

and lift heavier. As long as my form does not suffer I add 5kg each week to my power days

Capt_Apollo

At the top of both the dead lift and squat you should do a little move i like to call the Elvis. Just a little hip thrust.

Also, a lot of ppl will not load the bar heavy because they feel like they need "perfect" the form first. Your form will never be 100% perfect, and you'll never really start to get it right until you start lifting heavier.

mommylifter

Yup! You should focus on squeezing your glutes at the bottom of the movement and using them to push your hips forward as you go up. It sounds like your form is a bit incorrect and you are doing them quad dominant. Push your butt back a bit more as you go down, like you are going to sit on the edge of a chair.

^^^^^ this all day long!

and lift heavier. As long as my form does not suffer I add 5kg each week to my power days

I feel like I am going to fall backwards when I try to squat really deep/low with the bar across my shoulders. Any tips on doing squats properly? I feel like I am doing them totally wrong, maybe why I am not seeing the results?

whierd

Yup! You should focus on squeezing your glutes at the bottom of the movement and using them to push your hips forward as you go up. It sounds like your form is a bit incorrect and you are doing them quad dominant. Push your butt back a bit more as you go down, like you are going to sit on the edge of a chair.

^^^^^ this all day long!

and lift heavier. As long as my form does not suffer I add 5kg each week to my power days

I feel like I am going to fall backwards when I try to squat really deep/low with the bar across my shoulders. Any tips on doing squats properly? I feel like I am doing them totally wrong, maybe why I am not seeing the results?

As you get under the bar, squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your head above neutral. Lay the bar across your traps, keep your upper back straight and tight. Your lower back should be neutral with a slight arch keeping your butt up. Feet shoulder width apart, or slightly further, toes pointed a bit outward. Keep your core tight throughout the entire set.

As you go down, stick your butt out like you are trying to sit on the edge of a seat. Bend at the knees, keep the weight on the middle and heels of your feet, not the balls. You will be leaning forward as well to counterbalance so you don't fall backward. A squat isn't an up amd down movement, it is a push back/forward movement, like a jackknife kind of.

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

I have lost so much fat in my upper body that I even got breast implants 5 weeks ago because I lost almost all of breast tissue.How sad is that?

Are you cleared for heavy lifting yet?

lithezebra

I bet that you look great. There is a point where losing more body fat isn't healthy. Just make sure that your health is your priority.

medic2038

Yup! You should focus on squeezing your glutes at the bottom of the movement and using them to push your hips forward as you go up. It sounds like your form is a bit incorrect and you are doing them quad dominant. Push your butt back a bit more as you go down, like you are going to sit on the edge of a chair.

^^^^^ this all day long!

and lift heavier. As long as my form does not suffer I add 5kg each week to my power days

I feel like I am going to fall backwards when I try to squat really deep/low with the bar across my shoulders. Any tips on doing squats properly? I feel like I am doing them totally wrong, maybe why I am not seeing the results?

Feeling like you're off balance is a GOOD thing if the bar is deloaded. When I was learning to squat I had too much forward motion to try to offset this. If you're using good technique your weight should be mostly on your heels, and backwards (it creates and awkward center of gravity without weight for balance).

What I was told to do is put my toes all the way against a flat wall, and squat as deep as I could.
Like Whierd said, you want to feel like you're putting your butt "in the bucket".

I think of all the lifts I do getting good squat form was the hardest, but it's definitely worth it.

Edit:
From your earlier post it doesn't look like you're going below parallel if you're only feeling it in your quads (above parallel squats are really bad for your knees too). I can't remember WHERE I actually read it, basically you need to break parallel to fully engage your back sided muscles.

gmallan

On top of what has already been said, consdier adding weighted hip bridges and/or hip thrusters to really target your glutes

Mrsallypants

Low bar squat with hip thrust uses more glutes and hamstrings than high bar squat, but the barbell glute bridges and hip thrusts target the glutes more effectively. You'd also need to add in some abduction exercise like standing cable hip abduction to target the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.

mommylifter

I have lost so much fat in my upper body that I even got breast implants 5 weeks ago because I lost almost all of breast tissue.How sad is that?

Are you cleared for heavy lifting yet?

Not for upper body, no. That's why I've been utilizing the seated weight machines at the gym since my surgery. I did however start squating/dead lifting with a 45lb. bar 2 days ago.

mommylifter

Low bar squat with hip thrust uses more glutes and hamstrings than high bar squat, but the barbell glute bridges and hip thrusts target the glutes more effectively. You'd also need to add in some abduction exercise like standing cable hip abduction to target the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.

Yes! I also wanted to start using the cable pulley, but have yet to try this. Is this also considered very beneficial for working the glutes?