leg workouts to tone for women?

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lipt8611
lipt8611 Posts: 60 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I do cardio every day and strength train about every other day and have been fortunate enough to see results (flatter stomach, slightly more toned arms- always been a harder area for me to tone, more shapely calves) but I have been STRUGGLING with my thighs!

I played soccer for about 15 years, so I am used to having larger quads. I've even been thinking that they will never actually get smaller, which I will be okay with as long as they are toned and not jiggly and fat-looking. My issue is this- I've been working out my upper leg muscles doing abduction and adduction machines, squats, lunges, calf raises, hamstring curls (forget what these are technically called) etc. I do about 3 reps of 15 each at a decent weight (remember, I have strong legs) ~60 for ad/abduction, ~95 for quads and calves, ~50 hamstrings, 2-9lb hand weights for lunges and a 15lb bar for squats. I feel like my legs are getting bigger! (Specifically my inner thighs!) Am I lifting too much/too often? I thought women didn't have the right hormones to bulk up? Guess not! Anyone have any tips how to stop my legs from growing and to tone better?

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  • merrillfoster
    merrillfoster Posts: 855 Member
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    Try yoga. It should lengthen out some of the muscles, giving you longer ones instead of bulky ones.
  • DavidS1
    DavidS1 Posts: 3 Member
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    You should give this program a try it is on you tube I cannot believe the great results that we've had , Weight Loss Exercise Routines Week1-8 by diethealth
  • faith7210
    faith7210 Posts: 41
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    Try less weight more reps
  • LMac423
    LMac423 Posts: 82
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    I also say add yoga and take away the adduction/abduction machines...they suck. Not good for women, every trainer and fitness guru says this!
  • LMac423
    LMac423 Posts: 82
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    Oh, and add some plyo work!!
  • SoFancySoBlessed
    SoFancySoBlessed Posts: 224 Member
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    Jump training is helping me with that exact area...check your local rec enter or gym to see what they recommend...i work for an orthopaedics office so i know what is best for me and my knee issues....check it out! :bigsmile:
  • michelle4271
    michelle4271 Posts: 194 Member
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    bump

    I too have larger thighs, always have and years ago had to discontinue leg exercises almost all together because I felt they were getting larger, couldnt even get pants on that would fit everywhere but the thighs. Anyways, if I find out I'll let you know,,,,
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
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    More calisthenics, less exercises with weights.. forget all the leg machines. Just do lots of different variations of squats and lunges, and I agree with the others who said add yoga into your routine.
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
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    My trainer has me doing balance and resistance work to tone my thighs. We do a lot of step work and things that are hard to do if you are not coordinated (like me lol!) like:

    stand on 1 side of a bench
    put your closest foot (1) on the bench
    with other foot (2), push off. lift to a standing position still on foot 1, put foot 2 on the ground on the opposite side of the bench.
    push off with foot 2 again, lift to standing position, and place foot 2 back on original side of bench. Repeat.
    15 reps each side. 3 sets.

    OMG I thought I was going to die but I've really seen results. Also I have seen results with what shawtue called jump training. We use the seated squat machine, 10 lbs, and I start with feet together, jump and point toes, land with feet apart, jump and point toes, land with feet together. Repeat to 15 reps, then do 10 calf presses and do the whole thing again for a total of 3 sets.
  • lipt8611
    lipt8611 Posts: 60 Member
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    Thanks for all the input! I tend to only work out when I am at the gym (I hate working out at home) and my gym doesn't offer any classes (which is why it's $20/month!). I'm thinking about switching the the more expensive gym in the area that offers a ton of classes so I can do the workouts I enjoy without having to follow a DVD. Any tips for workouts at a no-frills gym in the meantime? Should I be stretching more and cutting out a lot of these strength training moves? I'm a runner, so I need some leg muscle, but is running enough to work my leg muscles and not have to strength train these muscles beyond this?

    Also, what's the problem with the ad/abduction machines?? Just curious...
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
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    stand on 1 side of a bench
    put your closest foot (1) on the bench
    with other foot (2), push off. lift to a standing position still on foot 1, put foot 2 on the ground on the opposite side of the bench.
    push off with foot 2 again, lift to standing position, and place foot 2 back on original side of bench. Repeat.
    15 reps each side. 3 sets.

    I'm going to try this on my workout today.. how tall of a bench? I'm thinking a weight bench and that's like a foot and a half off the ground! LOL I would so fall.
  • Drunkadelic
    Drunkadelic Posts: 948 Member
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    I'm like you - I used to be a swimmer and I was in the weight room 4 days a week and I absolutely loved the adductor and abductor machine. Then I found out how no-so-good they are for women. Bummer! Luckily there are a lot of exercises that you can do without weight (and even with weight) that help those problem areas.

    If you are in the weight room, try doing the leg press with one leg at a time instead of both. The stabilization will really work your thigh all the way around (and you will be able to feel it!) Of course, single leg lunges have the same effect - and don't forget side lunges!!

    Pilates also has a bunch of moves that work the inner and outer thighs with no weight what-so-ever. Although my pilates dvds never make me break out into much of a sweat, I am always feeling the burn by the time I'm finished with the leg circuit (and I have pretty strong legs myself).

    Hope I could help and good luck with getting those legs lean and sexy :)
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 472 Member
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    First, if you haven't already, take your measurements. Maybe your just losing weight everywhere else first and your legs seem bigger because the rest of you is getting smaller.

    Second, if you put on muscle easily, you should do interval training when doing your weights. I put on muscle easily too and when I do weights, I'll do three sets of every exercise but I'll do cardio in between each set (run a lap, up and down stairs, mountain climbers, suicides, etc.). Sometimes I alternate between two difficult sets instead of cardio between each set. Also, I go heavy on my weights and I haven't bulked up.
  • darrenham
    darrenham Posts: 110 Member
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    Tone only comes with fat-loss. Exercising a specific muscle will not magically make it poke through the layer of fat between it and your skin.
  • jmacaroni
    jmacaroni Posts: 243 Member
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    In order to not get bulky muscles, you want to do more reps of each exercise, but with less weight. Doing them with more weight is going to cause your muscles to get bigger, so to do that increase your reps and decrease the weight on them. Also, you do not want to workout the same muscle group every day. Give your legs a rest one day and just do yoru arms.
  • lipt8611
    lipt8611 Posts: 60 Member
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    I feel like I should cut out the strength training and machines altogether for now and only focus on squats and lunges for my legs. Any other thoughts on this?
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
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    stand on 1 side of a bench
    put your closest foot (1) on the bench
    with other foot (2), push off. lift to a standing position still on foot 1, put foot 2 on the ground on the opposite side of the bench.
    push off with foot 2 again, lift to standing position, and place foot 2 back on original side of bench. Repeat.
    15 reps each side. 3 sets.

    I'm going to try this on my workout today.. how tall of a bench? I'm thinking a weight bench and that's like a foot and a half off the ground! LOL I would so fall.

    The bench we used was a regular weights bench, so about knee level for me....so yeah about 18 inches or so. I had to hold my trainer's hands to not fall, LOL! I would suggest facing something you can hold on to, or a partner like I had, so you don't fall.

    PS When you put your leg on the opposite side of the bench in step 3 above, make sure you are going behind, not in front of, your body with that leg. I hope it makes sense, it's kind of hard to explain!
  • ashley0616
    ashley0616 Posts: 579 Member
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    I feel like I should cut out the strength training and machines altogether for now and only focus on squats and lunges for my legs. Any other thoughts on this?

    The weight machines are really great for toning if you use them correctly. Lower weight and higher reps, for one. Or if you have a partner, have them help you with resistance. This will stress your muscles in a new way which will help with toning. Doing the movements slowly will also help. Can I squat 200lbs? Yes, but I can only do it quickly to get it over with and not as many times. So instead I squat 50lbs, slowly, and about 15 reps at a time. That gets me sweating and shaking better than the heavy weights any day.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    I feel like I should cut out the strength training and machines altogether for now and only focus on squats and lunges for my legs. Any other thoughts on this?

    I think it's great! The machines really aren't that great for you! Free weights and body weight exercises are best. I do several variations squats and lunges. That's all I do for lower body work besides kickboxing and running for cardio and my butt/hips/thighs didn't even look close to this good in highschool!!!

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