Thunder Thighs/Butt leg

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heatherfrancis
heatherfrancis Posts: 100
in Fitness and Exercise
:grumble: Ok not really, but that is the way I feel compared to the rest of my body. I have been a heavy lifter/athlete for years and am trianing for a half marathon right now, so I get plenty of steady cardio and plenty of HIIT along with my weight training. But I am not happy with my inner thighs and thigh right below the crease of my butt. I have always had trouble there and no matter what I do I can not get it to a place I am happy with. It seems the heavier I lift the bulkier my thighs get. I actually have good definition from the middle thigh down to my ankles from running, a fine midsection and upper body. I was thinking that maybe I need to decrease the amount a weight I am lifting during my lower body work out and do more body resistance instead....What do you think and do you have any recommendations of exercises? Right now I my lower body workout entails, squats, sumo squats, lunges, dead lifts, calves, some other floor leg lifts, step ups, etc. I workout out in my little home gym I have made that consists of mainly free weights, resistance bands and tubing, a weight bench, with a seated leg curl, jump ropes, a pilates ring, etc...

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  • Time2BSkinny
    Time2BSkinny Posts: 91
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    I have the same problem! Bump
  • jennyb31
    jennyb31 Posts: 166 Member
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    Same issues here in the same places! Im just trying to eat VERY clean and lift VERY heavy but Im interested in what people have to say....BUMP
  • MrBrown72
    MrBrown72 Posts: 407 Member
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    I'd say to be proud of your muscle.

    However, lower weight and more reps/sets generally do a better job of toning without building bulk.
  • heatherfrancis
    heatherfrancis Posts: 100
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    trying to keep this post going....input needed :)
  • casie05
    casie05 Posts: 48 Member
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    When I was training for my competition I did 4 sets of 20 on each exercise. It helped TREMENDOUSLY!! I still do that when doing my legs to this day. That's the only thing that ice found that has helped me shape that part.
  • heatherfrancis
    heatherfrancis Posts: 100
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    Casie-
    with heavy weight or more body resistance?
  • casie05
    casie05 Posts: 48 Member
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    Depending on the muscle I'm working. I usually use the weight that Ive been using already so I can up it later. Like with legs I'd do 20 or 25lb db for lunges and would do 25 for squats and when I did the pile squat I was up to 55 lb db.
  • kadye
    kadye Posts: 136 Member
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    I was worried about my quads getting so big and a trainer at the gym recommended that I decrease weight/increase reps on squats and to try doing reverse lunges instead of forward lunges. This puts more emphasis on hamstring/glute and not quad. Both of these have helped me.
  • heatherfrancis
    heatherfrancis Posts: 100
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    For squats I have been doing 3 sets of 15 40lbs, 30lbs, 20lbs, and 10 lbs
    the same thing for my lunges, deadlifts, etc
    I am really bulkey in the thighs now and I HATE IT! I am thinking i am going to cut out the heavy weights on my lower half and keep running and doing body resistance with my lunges and squats, maybe more plyo type exercise and see if the helps a little.
  • kadye
    kadye Posts: 136 Member
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    I have also heard that bodyweight single leg squats are a good change if you're getting bulky thighs. I could never do those well because I have one knee that always hurts.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Most of the stuff you're doing for your thighs are for your quads, that's why. Try the adductor and abductor machines and side leg lifts.

    Lay on your side, holding yourself up on your elbow with your arm in an "L" shape. Keep your bottom leg straight and your top leg out in front of your body and lift up and down as many times as you can. Then pull your top leg in and put it in front of you with your foot flat on the ground so your knee is bent. Point the toe of your bottom leg and lift up and down as many times as you can. Switch sides. These are great for your inner thighs, I love them. :happy:
  • heatherfrancis
    heatherfrancis Posts: 100
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    Most of the stuff you're doing for your thighs are for your quads, that's why. Try the adductor and abductor machines and side leg lifts.

    Lay on your side, holding yourself up on your elbow with your arm in an "L" shape. Keep your bottom leg straight and your top leg out in front of your body and lift up and down as many times as you can. Then pull your top leg in and put it in front of you with your foot flat on the ground so your knee is bent. Point the toe of your bottom leg and lift up and down as many times as you can. Switch sides. These are great for your inner thighs, I love them. :happy:

    Yep I do those floor exercises as well. I dont have the machines in my home and we live in a small town without a gym. So I use resistance band tubing to work my abductor and adductor. I read some info last night saying to decrease my weight and focus on my long rungs for my leg workout.

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