Legs are getting too big and muscular:(

LisaWoelke
LisaWoelke Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
I am wondering what kind of results any of you have had doing jillians Killer Buns & Thighs? I have done many of her DVDs and am on level one of this one now. I'm really worried my legs will only get more muscular, and they are already bulky. I'm hoping for leaner legs, thin but not skinny. Any input will be much appreciated! Oh and I am 24, 5'5" and around 115lbs
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Replies

  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Tell me your secret because I'm trying to bulk up my legs


    seriously though... if you're eating less than you burn off, your legs will get smaller. If you're doing exercise, then as the fat comes off you'll have nice, shapely legs. If you're eating more than you burn off, then they'll get bigger from gaining fat. It's extremely difficult for women to gain muscle, it requires eating more than you burn off and doing a lot more strenuous exercise than any of Jillian's DVDs. I'm doing very heavy squats and deadlifts (current working weights are 130lb on squats and 180lb on deadlifts), and eating more than I burn off, to gain muscle and strength, and my legs are not actually any bigger than when I started, they're firmer and stronger, that's all (so far). So as long as you're eating less than you're burning off, your legs are going to get smaller, as the fat burns off, and exercise will be improving the shape and firmness of your legs, but the muscles won't be actually getting bigger.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    my legs get thinner with simple exercises like JM dvd's. In the gym I don't really work out my legs with weights besides regular squats and lunges old fashioned, not because I'm "scared of bulk" but if my legs get too sore I can't do any plain cardio
  • harphy
    harphy Posts: 290 Member
    Patience, things go in specific order. First your muscle grow, an then, as there are more muscles, they burn more fat. Give yourself time.
  • GJRicketts
    GJRicketts Posts: 52 Member
    Light weight, lots of reps = smaller lean muscle made up of longer muscle fibres (extreme example - look at a marathon runner).

    Heavy weight low reps = larger lean muscle made of short muscle fibres (extreme example - look at a bodybuilder).

    Medium weight medium reps = a happy medium between endurance strength and explosive strength and the ideal for most people (I'm in the bodybuilding camp by the way).

    Important thing to remember is to NOT be afraid of building muscle. Muscles need energy and fat is your body's store of energy so let it use it. Follow your calories - I'm one who doesn't believe in eating back exercise calories by the way - and enjoy the feeling of getting fitter. If you don't train to look like Arnie, you wont end up looking like him.

    Good luck and I hope it all works out for you
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
    Light weight, lots of reps = waste of oxygen. Don't waste your time.
  • FitMrsR
    FitMrsR Posts: 226 Member
    Patience, things go in specific order. First your muscle grow, an then, as there are more muscles, they burn more fat. Give yourself time.

    ^^this. When I started doing squats and lunges etc my legs looked a bit bigger even though the measurements didn't really change. But I kept doing them and now they have muscle and are thinner than before I started. I always used to start, freak out because they were getting muscle, and stop. I didn't this time and I'm glad I stuck it out :)
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Light weight, lots of reps = smaller lean muscle made up of longer muscle fibres (extreme example - look at a marathon runner).

    Heavy weight low reps = larger lean muscle made of short muscle fibres (extreme example - look at a bodybuilder).

    Medium weight medium reps = a happy medium between endurance strength and explosive strength and the ideal for most people (I'm in the bodybuilding camp by the way).

    Important thing to remember is to NOT be afraid of building muscle. Muscles need energy and fat is your body's store of energy so let it use it. Follow your calories - I'm one who doesn't believe in eating back exercise calories by the way - and enjoy the feeling of getting fitter. If you don't train to look like Arnie, you wont end up looking like him.

    Good luck and I hope it all works out for you

    Bodybuilders generally work in 8-12 rep range, and have larger muscles.

    Powerlifters tend to work in lower rep ranges, 3-5 or less, and have less muscle (only look "bulkier" if they have extra fat / larger weight category)

    How is this explained by what you mentioned above? The 12-15 rep ranges that so many people advise for women not looking to bulk up, is BS IMO. It has it's place if you're going for endurance, but that's about it.

    You can't lengthen your muscles, and nobody, regardless of rep range will gain significant muscle mass unless they are eating to promote this, especially women.

    Source: Myself and plenty of other women on here who lift heavy and low rep ranges and just get smaller (while eating in a deficit)
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    OP it depends on the power of the sport or activity you are engaged in.

    Years ago, I was a sprinter in running, did lots and lots of it and had powerful thighs, this was my body adapting to that activity - sprinting needs power, it is a power event. The same goes for any explosive activity.

    However, now I am older, I have switched to running longer distances (5k, 10k etc) and my thighs are much slimmer now - this is due to my body adapting to my activity - they are still as strong, but not as large, the muscles are *different* looking, I have no need for larger, powerful thighs for the events I am doing, in fact it could be detrimental to me to have thighs as they were, doing what I am doing now. This is where real energy conservation comes in and it is nothing to do with diets lol.

    Your body will adapt and make itself into the suitable shape you require for your chosen activity.
  • dontwishforit_workforit
    dontwishforit_workforit Posts: 112 Member
    Light weight, lots of reps = smaller lean muscle made up of longer muscle fibres (extreme example - look at a marathon runner).

    Heavy weight low reps = larger lean muscle made of short muscle fibres (extreme example - look at a bodybuilder).

    Medium weight medium reps = a happy medium between endurance strength and explosive strength and the ideal for most people (I'm in the bodybuilding camp by the way).

    Important thing to remember is to NOT be afraid of building muscle. Muscles need energy and fat is your body's store of energy so let it use it. Follow your calories - I'm one who doesn't believe in eating back exercise calories by the way - and enjoy the feeling of getting fitter. If you don't train to look like Arnie, you wont end up looking like him.

    Good luck and I hope it all works out for you

    Bodybuilders generally work in 8-12 rep range, and have larger muscles.

    Powerlifters tend to work in lower rep ranges, 3-5 or less, and have less muscle (only look "bulkier" if they have extra fat / larger weight category)

    How is this explained by what you mentioned above? The 12-15 rep ranges that so many people advise for women not looking to bulk up, is BS IMO. It has it's place if you're going for endurance, but that's about it.

    You can't lengthen your muscles, and nobody, regardless of rep range will gain significant muscle mass unless they are eating to promote this, especially women.

    Source: Myself and plenty of other women on here who lift heavy and low rep ranges and just get smaller (while eating in a deficit)

    Hmm so my 2 sets of 20 reps is really just building my endurance and not so much benefitting my muscles after doing so many reps? Here I was just doing reps at the heaviest weight I could handle until I just couldn't work through the soreness and stopped.

    Must look into an actual routine then instead of flying by the seat of my pants it seems! Alas, all the reason I am here, to learn :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I am wondering what kind of results any of you have had doing jillians Killer Buns & Thighs? I have done many of her DVDs and am on level one of this one now. I'm really worried my legs will only get more muscular, and they are already bulky. I'm hoping for leaner legs, thin but not skinny. Any input will be much appreciated! Oh and I am 24, 5'5" and around 115lbs

    at 5ft5 and 115lbs i am 99.999999% CERTAIN that you dont have bulky legs.....
  • pennydreadful270
    pennydreadful270 Posts: 266 Member
    Marathon runners don't have different kind of muscle, they just have less muscle. They only need enough to propel themselves forward (we all do this everyday) but they do need to have amazing endurance to do it for so long! More reps builds endurance.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    Marathon runners don't have different kind of muscle, they just have less muscle. They only need enough to propel themselves forward (we all do this everyday) but they do need to have amazing endurance to do it for so long! More reps builds endurance.

    I beg to disagree here.

    To get endurance, a runner needs to do more running, they do not have less muscle, their muscles are of a different fibre as described earlier by another poster.
  • pennydreadful270
    pennydreadful270 Posts: 266 Member
    Marathon runners don't have different kind of muscle, they just have less muscle. They only need enough to propel themselves forward (we all do this everyday) but they do need to have amazing endurance to do it for so long! More reps builds endurance.

    I beg to disagree here.

    To get endurance, a runner needs to do more running, they do not have less muscle, their muscles are of a different fibre as described earlier by another poster.

    A high muscle mass would be terribly inefficient for a marathon runner, all that extra weight doing nothing. The competitive ones are as light as possible while retaining just enough - highly efficient - muscle to propel themselves.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Marathon runners don't have different kind of muscle, they just have less muscle. They only need enough to propel themselves forward (we all do this everyday) but they do need to have amazing endurance to do it for so long! More reps builds endurance.

    I beg to disagree here.

    To get endurance, a runner needs to do more running, they do not have less muscle, their muscles are of a different fibre as described earlier by another poster.

    A high muscle mass would be terribly inefficient for a marathon runner, all that extra weight doing nothing. The competitive ones are as light as possible while retaining just enough - highly efficient - muscle to propel themselves.

    I think what he's saying is that highly efficient muscle tissue has predominantly more of one type of muscle fibre than the other. Different kinds of training targets different kinds of muscle fibres. What you're saying isn't wrong, I'm just clarifying that what you mean by "highly efficient" is exactly what he's saying about the different kinds of muscle fibres.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Stay away from roids.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member

    Hmm so my 2 sets of 20 reps is really just building my endurance and not so much benefitting my muscles after doing so many reps? Here I was just doing reps at the heaviest weight I could handle until I just couldn't work through the soreness and stopped.

    Must look into an actual routine then instead of flying by the seat of my pants it seems! Alas, all the reason I am here, to learn :)
    If you can do 20 reps with that weight, then you can handle heavier. :smile:
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member

    Hmm so my 2 sets of 20 reps is really just building my endurance and not so much benefitting my muscles after doing so many reps? Here I was just doing reps at the heaviest weight I could handle until I just couldn't work through the soreness and stopped.

    Must look into an actual routine then instead of flying by the seat of my pants it seems! Alas, all the reason I am here, to learn :)

    2 sets of 20 would be beneficial, but only really for endurance, not for strength or muscle building. What are your goals?

    http://www.mountainfitnessbyrobert.com/id27.html

    This pretty much sums it up, what to aim for for different goals (strength, muscle, endurance etc)

    It's great that you're pushing yourself, but generally if you can handle 20 reps on a certain weight, you can handle 10 reps on a heavier weight, and 5 reps on an even heavier weight. The weight you can lift is determined by the reps you do, which is based upon your goals. Of course you would need to maintain good form, pushing a heavier weight with crappy form is never the way.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Things I learned from this thread:

    It's possible to have bulky legs at 115 pounds @ 5'5".
    Lean, thin and skinny are words with completely different meanings
    Bodybuilders use low reps to pack on muscle
    Jillian dvds can make you bulkier than heavy squats.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Things I learned from this thread:

    It's possible to have bulky legs at 115 pounds @ 5'5".
    Lean, thin and skinny are words with completely different meanings
    Bodybuilders use low reps to pack on muscle
    Jillian dvds can make you bulkier than heavy squats.

    Nice summary.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Things I learned from this thread:

    It's possible to have bulky legs at 115 pounds @ 5'5".
    Lean, thin and skinny are words with completely different meanings
    Bodybuilders use low reps to pack on muscle
    Jillian dvds can make you bulkier than heavy squats.

    Nice summary.
    Yup, those are also all the things that hit me in the face as well :p I always thought it was:
    It's impossible for me to get bulky with those stats.
    lean thin and skinny - were words to suggest people want to lose fat.
    bodybuilders - use calorie surplus to pack on muscle. I know far to many skinny dudes at the gym lifting heavy that are getting the opposite of bigger. Girls too (me included).
    jillian dvds - people use them for endurance, or something that's not the elliptical for cardio, not to 'bulk'. Not to mention I've been losing thighs with my heavy squats.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Do you have a picture of your legs? We tend to see ourselves very differently than other people do. That said, I find it hard to believe that Jillian Michaels videos are making you bulky. Maybe you are just retaining water.

    Edited to add that I changed my profile pic to show my gigantic bulky calf.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Your legs won't get "bulkier" from doing a Jillian Michaels workout of any kind. If you do see "bulk" it is fat and not muscle. Actually adding muscle MASS is something people have to go out of their way and try very hard to do, following specialized eating and training plans, and this is exponentially so for women.
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
    You have to burn the fat off the legs to get that leaner look. Keep at it use own body weight.
  • K_Serz
    K_Serz Posts: 1,299 Member
    I guess I need to start the JM programs then cause my legs could use some bulking. They are too skinny for me. Thanks for the tip! :flowerforyou:
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    I laughed out loud at the line in "Monsters University" where the little monster, Art, mentioned that he didn't want to get too big. If Disney gets it why can't people who are actually working out?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwzM2rWwaZk
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I really wish these threads had before and after photos.

    In what ways are your legs getting bigger? Measurements? Photos? Clothes fitting tighter?
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I laughed out loud at the line in "Monsters University" where the little monster, Art, mentioned that he didn't want to get too big. If Disney gets it why can't people who are actually working out?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwzM2rWwaZk

    So tempted to watch this, but I will wait to see the whole movie! :)
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    I laughed out loud at the line in "Monsters University" where the little monster, Art, mentioned that he didn't want to get too big. If Disney gets it why can't people who are actually working out?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwzM2rWwaZk

    So tempted to watch this, but I will wait to see the whole movie! :)

    They did a good job of not giving anything away in the previews.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    Tell me your secret because I'm trying to bulk up my legs

    sign me up.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I laughed out loud at the line in "Monsters University" where the little monster, Art, mentioned that he didn't want to get too big. If Disney gets it why can't people who are actually working out?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwzM2rWwaZk

    So tempted to watch this, but I will wait to see the whole movie! :)
    it's the preview :)

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