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Love squats, but...

EmpressOrange
EmpressOrange Posts: 40
in Fitness and Exercise
After many years of ignoring them, I fell in love with squats, but recently noticed that my legs are starting to firm up unevenly. When I'm squatting I don't feel the burn anywhere in the legs except on the outer thighs. Doesn't matter what type of squats I'm doing, sumo, plie, etc. etc. they all seem to be targeting my outer thighs more. In the past 3-4 month's I've seen minimal results on my inner thighs, but major firming on my outer thighs.
I've recently added some Pilates and ballet exercises to my routine to work the legs more, but find that I have to do a ton of repetitions to even feel the burn.
Any way to add something more challenging for the inner thigh?
My legs were always pretty muscular, now I can see my outer and frontal thighs popping out when I'm wearing tight jeans ( which is still better than flabby thighs of course:) and they look pretty awesome and toned ), but seems like my inner thighs are not catching up.
I'm not talking about spot reducing, just evening out the muscles so that the inner thigh doesn't look like it came from a different body.
I don't want to give up squats, they (+ pelvic bridges) are doing wonders for my butt, , but I don't want to end up with disproportionate thighs either.
Any one else stuck with unworkable inner thighs? Any good exercises that I can add?

Replies

  • crandos
    crandos Posts: 377 Member
    Stiff legged deadlifts maybe?
  • EmpressOrange
    EmpressOrange Posts: 40
    Stiff legged deadlifts maybe?

    Thanks :)
    I thought those target the butt more no?
  • slb573
    slb573 Posts: 18 Member
    I notice when i do squats if i pulse my knees back it during them I feel it in my inner thighs.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Just so i'm clear on what your goal is so i don't give you the wrong advice .. you want to enlarge your inner thigh muscles so they appear bigger, correct?
    Or are you happy with the muscle size and want to shrink the fat layer covering the muscle, so that it appears more "defined"?
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Stiff legged deadlifts maybe?

    Thanks :)
    I thought those target the butt more no?

    Hamstrings and lower back I find
  • EmpressOrange
    EmpressOrange Posts: 40
    Just so i'm clear on what your goal is so i don't give you the wrong advice .. you want to enlarge your inner thigh muscles so they appear bigger, correct?
    Or are you happy with the muscle size and want to shrink the fat layer covering the muscle, so that it appears more "defined"?

    Enlarge the inner thigh muscles. I can feel my outer thigh muscles without flexing them if that makes sense. Seems like the inner ones are taking way longer to firm up and any squat/lunge type exercise I do targets the outer muscles . As I'm doing the squats I feel outer thighs and glutes working. Inner thighs not to much.
    Maybe I have lazy inner thigh muscles lol.
    So was wondering if there was some magical exercise that I somehow missed that the exercise gurus on here might know of:)
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    Try opening your feet, ankles and knees outward some more?
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    How much are you squatting?

    How do you know it's "targeting" and not simply the weakest point?
  • EmpressOrange
    EmpressOrange Posts: 40
    How much are you squatting?

    How do you know it's "targeting" and not simply the weakest point?

    Hi,
    I'm squatting about 80-120 times with 30 to 40 pound weights and my weight is between 127-130 lbs
    The reason I know what it's targeting is because I see my legs change shape and muscle definition that wasn't as prominent before. My outer thighs look a lot leaner and harder.
    I didn't have a significant weight change in a while, so pretty sure it's not weight coming off and exposing existing muscle.
  • RychelleD
    RychelleD Posts: 103 Member
    i find the same thing. Its much tougher to get those inner thighs to tone up :s
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    80-120 times? is that a typo?

    fewer reps, higher weight is likely the answer, if you're actually doing that many reps.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    How much are you squatting?

    How do you know it's "targeting" and not simply the weakest point?

    Hi,
    I'm squatting about 80-120 times with 30 to 40 pound weights and my weight is between 127-130 lbs
    The reason I know what it's targeting is because I see my legs change shape and muscle definition that wasn't as prominent before. My outer thighs look a lot leaner and harder.
    I didn't have a significant weight change in a while, so pretty sure it's not weight coming off and exposing existing muscle.

    Ah, the reason you don't 'feel' it in the rest of the muscles is because you're not challenging them. The abductors are just getting fatigued first.
  • EmpressOrange
    EmpressOrange Posts: 40
    Thanks for all the replies :)
    Ugh, so much conflicting information out there.
    I was under the impression that higher reps with a lower weight build endurance, firm, good for cardio etc etc.
    Spent a while reading through this message board tonight, and seems general consensus is lower reps heavier weights.
    And there I was thinking I'm super awesome for adding all those reps.
    Guess I'll be getting heavier weights now.
    I did see a huge difference in my legs though, so it did do something. Worried that when I get heavier weights it will still have more of an effect on my outer thighs than my inner thighs. Seems like it's the hardest freaking muscle to work.
    One more quick question, what would be a good heavier weight to start squatting with? I'm new to lifting, mostly been working with my body weight, dips, pushups, etc. I have 10 and 15 pound weights that I sometimes work my arms out with (or stick in a backpack when I squat). I love the results that I'm getting from the dips and the push ups, but the legs are not catching up.
    If anyone can point me to a good thread about weight lifting for beginners that would be greatly appreciated.
    Again, thanks for the replies
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    I found this awesome beginners program: http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html
    From what I have learnt begginners should aim to do 8-12 reps x 3 sets, if you cant do 8 then the weights are too heavy, if you can do 12 without too much effort, then the weights are too light :)

    Check out our group too, we are one week into the program, but you might find some info helpful, no seasoned weight lifters here, most of us just started last week :) : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/16430-12-week-challenge-start-09-09
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Quad development through squatting is a lot through form and perhaps the volume you're squatting at.

    If you're pushing slightly more with the outer part of your feet especially if you tend to underpronate. I like wearing complete flat shoes for squatting and also make sure your form is correct.

    If you're hack squatting then a lot of that range of motion is going to target your quads. There are differences between high bar and low bar squatting.

    I think what's happening is your knees are not centered over your feet and you're not pushing evenly from your heel while keeping your feet firmly planted. If your bar path isn't going straight up and down this could also mechanically overwork your quads in proportion to other muscles.
  • DannyPeligro
    DannyPeligro Posts: 10 Member
    In order to know which exercises you need to do, you need to know what muscle/s you want to target. Are you talking about developing the vastus medialis (the teardrop shaped quad muscle) or the adductors? Once you know that, you can look up exercises to develop it/them. As others have noted the generally accepted range for hypertrophy (that's gain in the cross-sectionall size of a muscle) is sets of 6-12 reps with the heaviest weight you can manage with good form and without hurting yourself.
  • gracielynn1011
    gracielynn1011 Posts: 726 Member
    When you do sumos, do you pull your hips in, like your pulling your inner thighs to the front? I had never done sumos before I started the Chalean extreme program and I wasn't really feeling it. One of the pointers she gives is to keep the inner thighs to the front as you come back up.

    Mine have definitely improved their appearance and firmness. It also helps my balance because I have to really concentrate to keep good form in my knees and back.
  • EmpressOrange
    EmpressOrange Posts: 40
    Thank you MissCKemp, I'll def check that group out.

    Warchortle, just tested a couple of squats, and while my feet are glued to the floor, I totally am pushing with my outer feet. Never thought of that. I'll try to control it more. Thank you!

    DannyPeligro, the adductors.

    gracielynn101, I try to be as turned out as I possibly can while still keeping form/balance. I did years and years of plies when I was younger, so keeping thighs to the front that was less of a problem than re teaching myself to stick my butt out when doing normal squats lol.

    Thanks for all the advice learning so much new stuff

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