HIIT without too much leg muscle building?

emmayarewhy
emmayarewhy Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all,

I'm looking for a high intensity interval training cardio program that isn't centered around squats and building up leg muscle. I'm a female who is super prone to building leg muscle and I'm hoping to find something that will slim me down, allow me to burn calories quickly, without bulking me up like crazy. I've tried Insanity and I'm a huge fan of the intensity of the workouts, but I hate that it's mostly leg-based. If anyone has any suggestions for something as intense, I would greatly appreciate it!
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Replies

  • Kaylee_Loren
    Kaylee_Loren Posts: 56 Member
    Sprints.
  • Anonymouze
    Anonymouze Posts: 11
    These workouts are awesome!!
    :flowerforyou: http://www.12minuteathlete.com/
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
    Sprints.

    The best HIIT that you can do.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    Sprints.

    On your hands? HIIT is muscle sparing, I don't know about muscle building. You can look up swimming HIIT, if you're a swimmer. YouTube has a lot of HIIT videos, if you have a way to work out near your computer, or tv. I get it through the Wii.

    ETA I'm going by your "not mostly leg based" request, not saying sprints aren't a great option.
  • Kaylee_Loren
    Kaylee_Loren Posts: 56 Member
    Sprints.

    The best HIIT that you can do.

    Let's be friends :wink:
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    So did Insanity increase the size of your legs? Were you eating at a deficit?
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    Hey all,

    I'm looking for a high intensity interval training cardio program that isn't centered around squats and building up leg muscle. I'm a female who is super prone to building leg muscle and I'm hoping to find something that will slim me down, allow me to burn calories quickly, without bulking me up like crazy. I've tried Insanity and I'm a huge fan of the intensity of the workouts, but I hate that it's mostly leg-based. If anyone has any suggestions for something as intense, I would greatly appreciate it!
    In for before and after tape measurements.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    I highly doubt you are building muscle doing Insanity's cardio workouts.
  • Housekat61
    Housekat61 Posts: 28 Member
    I sprint on the elliptical ..its has not bulked me up at all but it did firm my behind a little bit!
  • Staniel_2013
    Staniel_2013 Posts: 120 Member
    If the gym you go to has them.... Muscle Ropes.


    Think of them like wind sprints for your arms.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    pics of legs please
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Hey all,

    I'm looking for a high intensity interval training cardio program that isn't centered around squats and building up leg muscle. I'm a female who is super prone to building leg muscle and I'm hoping to find something that will slim me down, allow me to burn calories quickly, without bulking me up like crazy. I've tried Insanity and I'm a huge fan of the intensity of the workouts, but I hate that it's mostly leg-based. If anyone has any suggestions for something as intense, I would greatly appreciate it!
    In for before and after tape measurements.

    In...for ^this...

    ...and if true, to get some of whatever it is that she's got.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Built muscle doing Insanity? Pics? Measurements? Anything togive us an idea of how much muscle is actually being built, beyond your own perception.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    anigif_enhanced-buzz-18321-1334679990-18.gif

    Seriously? LOVE your legs. Love what they are. Love what they do for you.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    I highly doubt you are building muscle doing Insanity's cardio workouts

    ^This
    pics of legs please

    ^...and This
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    anigif_enhanced-buzz-18321-1334679990-18.gif

    Seriously? LOVE your legs. Love what they are. Love what they do for you.
    Gosh, that looks like fun!! I bet you could do that on a mini-tramp.
    /duckingandrunning
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I second sprints but add that most of the original HIIT workouts and research was done on a stationary bike. Rowing machine would be a good option too.

    Also agree with what the others have said that you probably didn't build much muscle doing insantity. I'm guessing you lost a bit of fat though which means you can see the muscles you already had better. Since fat loss seems to be your primary goal then nice work!!!
  • emmayarewhy
    emmayarewhy Posts: 4
    Hey, thanks so much for all the amazing feedback and I'm sorry for the late reply - I didn't get any notifications. Anyway, I played competitive soccer growing up and after taking a hiatus, my legs slimmed down. Sadly, now that my metabolism is slowing down, I'm getting chubbier.

    Here's a picture that was taken two weeks ago after approximately a month of Insanity. I know I'm healthy, relatively fit, and I could hypothetically learn to love them, but I'm hoping that I can work out in a way that can make me more proportional by building leaner muscle.

    My thighs grew from 21.6 inches to 22 inches and my calves grew from 15 inches to 15.6 inches.

    Here's a picture - http://imgur.com/TMXPk9G. I unfortunately don't have a before :(
  • emmayarewhy
    emmayarewhy Posts: 4
    If the gym you go to has them.... Muscle Ropes.


    Think of them like wind sprints for your arms.
    I looked them up and they look awesome! Right now, I use my gym at school which is extreeeemely low budget. Do they have these at most gyms?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    If the gym you go to has them.... Muscle Ropes.


    Think of them like wind sprints for your arms.
    I looked them up and they look awesome! Right now, I use my gym at school which is extreeeemely low budget. Do they have these at most gyms?

    battle ropes are great- I <3 them very much.

    most gyms don't have them- but you might be able to request them.
    I'm hoping that I can work out in a way that can make me more proportional by building leaner muscle
    If you figure out how to build lean muscle - let me know. That would make me millions.
  • emmayarewhy
    emmayarewhy Posts: 4
    Sprints.

    On your hands? HIIT is muscle sparing, I don't know about muscle building. You can look up swimming HIIT, if you're a swimmer. YouTube has a lot of HIIT videos, if you have a way to work out near your computer, or tv. I get it through the Wii.

    ETA I'm going by your "not mostly leg based" request, not saying sprints aren't a great option.

    Most of the HIIT stuff I've seen has been based on jumping, squats, etc, which isn't really what I'm looking for. I've always heard that highly anaerobic activities, such as sprints, use type 2 (fast twitch) muscle fibers which tend to bulk up...but then again, a lot of HIIT is highly anaerobic activity. I'm hoping to find HIIT that can be more arms/core-based instead of leg-based. I think swimming HIIT is on the right track! I just don't have ready access to a pool :(
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    bulking comes only from a calorie surplus and progressive loading.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    I highly doubt you are building muscle doing Insanity's cardio workouts

    ^This
    pics of legs please

    ^...and This

    Me 3 said the pea. I'm in the middle of Insanity month 2 and my legs definitely aren't growing. If you found a way to build muscle on Insanity let me in on the secret, I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong.
  • Staniel_2013
    Staniel_2013 Posts: 120 Member
    If the gym you go to has them.... Muscle Ropes.


    Think of them like wind sprints for your arms.
    I looked them up and they look awesome! Right now, I use my gym at school which is extreeeemely low budget. Do they have these at most gyms?

    Like JoRocka said, some gyms don't have them unfortunately. You can either mention it to them OR even buy your own set. They are a tad pricey but I think well worth it. I switched gyms, they still have them but put them in a crappy location that I can't do my routine on them anymore because it hits stuff. Thinking about just buying my own and doing them somewhere outside when the weather is nice.
  • kamac413
    kamac413 Posts: 6 Member
    I'm with everyone else .... SPRINTS!!!! I do my HIIT on my treadmill. I burn mad amounts of fat and even though I am 49 I have the cardiorespiratory functioning of a 20 year old, at an excellent rating, thanks to HIIT.

    On a side note: When you build up muscle underneath a layer of fat it pushes the fat out further creating the appearance of larger, thicker abs, thighs, butt, etc. Women typically carry and/or deposit fat on their lower half more than their upper body. In order to eliminate this look you need to get rid of the fat. Have you had your body fat checked?
  • MapleFlavouredMaiden
    MapleFlavouredMaiden Posts: 595 Member
    I don't know how many more "I build muscle like crazy how do I stop" posts from women I can handle...... Like this **** happens by accident over night.

    Anyway, that aside, SPRINTS are your friend (so is muscle, but that's not what you're looking for apparently)
  • MaeRay007
    MaeRay007 Posts: 68 Member
    First off you don't build unless you're on a surplus, and you lose on a deficit.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I don't know how many more "I build muscle like crazy how do I stop" posts from women I can handle...... Like this **** happens by accident over night.

    Anyway, that aside, SPRINTS are your friend (so is muscle, but that's not what you're looking for apparently)

    I'm okay with it if they would just stop hogging this magical place and these magical workouts.

    Seriously- this bulking cutting and progressive loading *kitten* is cutting into my drinking/*kitten* time.
  • MapleFlavouredMaiden
    MapleFlavouredMaiden Posts: 595 Member
    I don't know how many more "I build muscle like crazy how do I stop" posts from women I can handle...... Like this **** happens by accident over night.

    Anyway, that aside, SPRINTS are your friend (so is muscle, but that's not what you're looking for apparently)

    I'm okay with it if they would just stop hogging this magical place and these magical workouts.

    Seriously- this bulking cutting and progressive loading *kitten* is cutting into my drinking/*kitten* time.

    Agreed. I need some of this magic. Maybe that's my problem... too much *kitten*. Not enough..... cardio??
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I don't know how many more "I build muscle like crazy how do I stop" posts from women I can handle...... Like this **** happens by accident over night.

    Anyway, that aside, SPRINTS are your friend (so is muscle, but that's not what you're looking for apparently)

    I'm okay with it if they would just stop hogging this magical place and these magical workouts.

    Seriously- this bulking cutting and progressive loading *kitten* is cutting into my drinking/*kitten* time.

    Agreed. I need some of this magic. Maybe that's my problem... too much *kitten*. Not enough..... cardio??

    *kitten* isn't cardio?

    danm- no wonder this isn't working for me

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