How do you shrink your thighs?

You're currently training in what would be the Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth) rep range.

Lower your sets and increase your reps. - 3sets of Lunges, and 3 sets of Squats

Shoot for 15-20 Reps on each exercise where you're pushing for the last 5. Plus, the higher reps will force you to activate your core to maintain form throughout for a longer duration.

No, this is a popular misconception. There are two different types of hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar. Sarcoplasmic relates to size and is present in the 6-12 rep range and myofibrillar relates to strength and is present in the 1-5 rep range.

Read this for more details.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/234432-if-you-think-you-gained-muscle-read-this?hl=if+you+think+you+gained

Thank you for saying this, It irks me when I hear someone talk about doing 20 reps. People, if you can do 20 reps, you're really doing very little for that muscle.

Actually...this is not true. REPS by definition means Rep Max...in other words...15-20 is the maximum number you can physically do before you collapse. You don't just count out a number and stop (although 95% of people doing weight training do just that).

I am currently working with a profession al NHL Strength and Conditioning coach doing specific elite training for skaters and every exercise is in the 15-20 rep range and I can tell you it's killer!

@those suggesting I lift 20+ lbs.--Maybe I could build up to lifting more someday, but I certainly couldn't do that today as I am right now. It's a struggle just to do 5 on each arm; I would have to do 5, 10, 15, then 20 or more, which would take a while to do. I'll keep that in mind but at the moment I don't think I'll worry about that...

You aren't "lifting" these weights with your arms, you just hold them at your side. The only muscles in your arms you really use for this is your fingers as they are holding the weight. For example, I can't even curl 95lbs with both arms, but I can easily squat and deadlift 5 sets of 5 of 185lbs.

As for finding heavier weights, check out craigslist, local ads, garage sales, etc as people are always getting rid of weights for cheap, usually less than half the price of new.

Well if u think ur getting muscle then run it off, running for more than 45 minutes eats away at ur muscle, not a good thing but you asked

You're currently training in what would be the Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth) rep range.

Lower your sets and increase your reps. - 3sets of Lunges, and 3 sets of Squats

Shoot for 15-20 Reps on each exercise where you're pushing for the last 5. Plus, the higher reps will force you to activate your core to maintain form throughout for a longer duration.

No, this is a popular misconception. There are two different types of hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar. Sarcoplasmic relates to size and is present in the 6-12 rep range and myofibrillar relates to strength and is present in the 1-5 rep range.

Read this for more details.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/234432-if-you-think-you-gained-muscle-read-this?hl=if+you+think+you+gained

Thank you for saying this, It irks me when I hear someone talk about doing 20 reps. People, if you can do 20 reps, you're really doing very little for that muscle.

Actually...this is not true. REPS by definition means Rep Max...in other words...15-20 is the maximum number you can physically do before you collapse. You don't just count out a number and stop (although 95% of people doing weight training do just that).

I am currently working with a profession al NHL Strength and Conditioning coach doing specific elite training for skaters and every exercise is in the 15-20 rep range and I can tell you it's killer!

“For skaters” is the key phrase here, you are focusing more on muscular endurance, not strength.

1 to 5 reps = Strength & Power (Myofibrillar Hypertrophy)
6 to 12 reps = Size (Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy)
13 to 20 reps = Muscular Endurance

The science is irrefutable, if your coach holds a CSCS, he/she knows this and that is why your program is tailored for skating.

Exactly. My point being, yes, 20 reps will help with muscle endurance, but you receive very little hypertrophic effect from 20 reps of any muscle group without a break to recover glycogen, and to allow the lactic acid build up to go down. In other words, It's good for training for a specific condition or sport that has need for high output for long periods, but it's not going to do a heck of a lot for most people who are looking to build muscle strength and/or mass.

Ok. Just to clarify: Both of you guys have completely missed the point. If you read the threads, the person asking the question does not have access to the equipment needed to work at a 5 rep max routine since they are doing workouts at home.

Furthermore, they are not looking for max strength or muscle growth on their legs in any way, shape or form., so why would you adamantly reccommend heavy training for that effect? The question was about how to AVOID extreme muscle growth.

Yes, you can go into the semantics of male vs female hormones and hypertrophy, but that's irrelevant to the question.

High Reps are not just for skaters, so please refrain from taking my response out of context. I've worked with athletes and average individuals from a wide variety of sports and lifestyles for the past 15 years and I can tell you that funtional training is completely different from anything you're going to see in gyms or read about in fitness magazines.

As well my collegues who I work with as my primary references deal with professional athletes on a daily basis so I would like to think they know more about what they are talking about then the most often mis-informed discussions on a weight loss website forum.

I stand by my initial response.

You're currently training in what would be the Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth) rep range.

Lower your sets and increase your reps. - 3sets of Lunges, and 3 sets of Squats

Shoot for 15-20 Reps on each exercise where you're pushing for the last 5. Plus, the higher reps will force you to activate your core to maintain form throughout for a longer duration.

No, this is a popular misconception. There are two different types of hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar. Sarcoplasmic relates to size and is present in the 6-12 rep range and myofibrillar relates to strength and is present in the 1-5 rep range.

Read this for more details.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/234432-if-you-think-you-gained-muscle-read-this?hl=if+you+think+you+gained

Thank you for saying this, It irks me when I hear someone talk about doing 20 reps. People, if you can do 20 reps, you're really doing very little for that muscle.

Actually...this is not true. REPS by definition means Rep Max...in other words...15-20 is the maximum number you can physically do before you collapse. You don't just count out a number and stop (although 95% of people doing weight training do just that).

I am currently working with a profession al NHL Strength and Conditioning coach doing specific elite training for skaters and every exercise is in the 15-20 rep range and I can tell you it's killer!

“For skaters” is the key phrase here, you are focusing more on muscular endurance, not strength.

1 to 5 reps = Strength & Power (Myofibrillar Hypertrophy)
6 to 12 reps = Size (Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy)
13 to 20 reps = Muscular Endurance

The science is irrefutable, if your coach holds a CSCS, he/she knows this and that is why your program is tailored for skating.

Exactly. My point being, yes, 20 reps will help with muscle endurance, but you receive very little hypertrophic effect from 20 reps of any muscle group without a break to recover glycogen, and to allow the lactic acid build up to go down. In other words, It's good for training for a specific condition or sport that has need for high output for long periods, but it's not going to do a heck of a lot for most people who are looking to build muscle strength and/or mass.

Ok. Just to clarify: Both of you guys have completely missed the point. If you read the threads, the person asking the question does not have access to the equipment needed to work at a 5 rep max routine since they are doing workouts at home.

Furthermore, they are not looking for max strength or muscle growth on their legs in any way, shape or form., so why would you adamantly reccommend heavy training for that effect? The question was about how to AVOID extreme muscle growth.

Yes, you can go into the semantics of male vs female hormones and hypertrophy, but that's irrelevant to the question.

High Reps are not just for skaters, so please refrain from taking my response out of context. I've worked with athletes and average individuals from a wide variety of sports and lifestyles for the past 15 years and I can tell you that funtional training is completely different from anything you're going to see in gyms or read about in fitness magazines.

As well my collegues who I work with as my primary references deal with professional athletes on a daily basis so I would like to think they know more about what they are talking about then the most often mis-informed discussions on a weight loss website forum.

I stand by my initial response.

Actually she asked about size (wanting to avoid bulky muscles), not muscle growth. As I have continuously stated size and strength are not the same thing; you can get significantly stronger with only small increases in muscle size. The methodology that I proposed would be best for her goals of not wanting to increase in size, but would still allow her to build muscle mass and form denser, not larger, muscles. Whereas your higher rep ranges promote more size and endurance. I recognize that some strength will also be built in this range, but it is not as effective as a lower rep range. Certain ranges are better for certain aspects but there is some overlap through all of them.

She did not say that she lacked equipment until after my recommendation, at which time I revised my recommendation. She asked for a recommendation so I provided one; ultimately it is up to her.

Additionally, neither of us remotely stated that high reps were just for skaters. We said that it was for building endurance and works well for endurance sports.

Also, Just because we take part in an online message board (as do you) does not make us misinformed. I know SHBoss1673 is a trainer and I am experienced in strength training/powerlifting style programs. I managed to increase my 1RM squat and deadlift by over 100lbs in less than 6 months while on a calorie deficit and shedding 8% body fat. I have also coached (not professionally, I am not paid for it) multiple people (7 total, 1 female) in the 5x5 method; all of which have seen significant increases in strength and power with minimal increases in muscle size. My trainees that were overweight lost weight in the form of body fat (they lost absolutely no muscle mass), while my trainees that were not overweight had a net zero weight change while decreasing body fat, indicating an increase in muscle mass. The results for the one female were exactly the same except that progressive loading was slower and muscle size increases were much slower; both of these are to be expected. Today she is squatting and deadlifting over her body weight at 5’ 2’’ (same height as OP by the way), 118lbs and she is not in the slightest bit bulky. So apparently what I am doing and saying has some merit to it.

Grglands: The initial question was: "How can I get them to shrink instead of get even more massive?" This in itself does not translate to "How do I train for maximal strength in my thighs without gaining size?"

The question and datails stated from my 15+ years of experience and university background in Kinesiology, show that the individual is overtraining her thigh muscles by already doing too much, so you don't recommend that person do even more.

Secondly, you never suggest someone do powerlifting or training movements unless they are experienced lifters who have mastered the form and technique to do the exercise properly. There is no One Way of doing things, but safety comes first.

To recommend an inexperienced individual to do 5 rep max movements when they do not have the stability or strength to perform the exercises properly is asking for serious injury!

High reps are not just for endurance. High reps with moderate weight increase the time under contraction for each exercise, recruit the core stabilizers more effectively through the longer duration, and force the individual to focus on maintaining form and technight through a longer duration in the exercise, placing the demand on more than just a single muscle group.

Endurance is only ONE aspect of high rep training, and that assumes an individual working at 75-80% Rep Max. In THIS case however, the primary focus is on form and technique. As such, you would use a lighter weight and higher reps enough to feel the muscles working, but not for maximal strain. You would also do less sets so that you don't overload completely the muscles.

The individual is also doing an intensive running program so what's more important is that enough rest is incorportated between workouts giving the thigh muscles a chance to recover. If you're asking for a maximal demand between running sessions, you're sending the individual into an overtraining plateau and an additional risk of injury.

I appreciate that you had has success in powerlifting style progams, but I hope you can similarly appreciate that that is not the only way to train, nor is that for everyone. Telling someone to "just do what I do" is what I see wrong in gyms with 98% of the people I encouunter day in and day out.

While the 5x5 method does have merit for certain cases, it is something that should only be recommended to individuals who are already experienced lifters. Otherwise, you're just asking for injury.

In every gym I have worked in, 85% of my time between clients was spent correcting form and technique with people who are trying to do too much, because that's what their buddy told them to do, regardless of it it was right for them.

For the record, any amount of regular strength training during a calorie restricted diet will result in the same results that you found on your own and with your friends. Goodlife Fitness has a specific "Fat Loss" program that they sell which is a specific diet combined with a circuit program 3x a week.

The results don't come from the type of training, but from the fact that challenging your lean mass on a regular basis, forces it to continually be fed and repair itself, this preventing the loss of lean mass during a weight loss program. It doesn't matter what type of training you're doing...just that you're doing something to work your muscles on a regular basis.

Not everyone is looking to increase their 1RM or deadlift 300 lbs however, so as such, recommending powerlifting programs is not for everyone.

Actually she asked about size (wanting to avoid bulky muscles), not muscle growth. As I have continuously stated size and strength are not the same thing; you can get significantly stronger with only small increases in muscle size. The methodology that I proposed would be best for her goals of not wanting to increase in size, but would still allow her to build muscle mass and form denser, not larger, muscles. Whereas your higher rep ranges promote more size and endurance. I recognize that some strength will also be built in this range, but it is not as effective as a lower rep range. Certain ranges are better for certain aspects but there is some overlap through all of them.

She did not say that she lacked equipment until after my recommendation, at which time I revised my recommendation. She asked for a recommendation so I provided one; ultimately it is up to her.

Additionally, neither of us remotely stated that high reps were just for skaters. We said that it was for building endurance and works well for endurance sports.

Also, Just because we take part in an online message board (as do you) does not make us misinformed. I know SHBoss1673 is a trainer and I am experienced in strength training/powerlifting style programs. I managed to increase my 1RM squat and deadlift by over 100lbs in less than 6 months while on a calorie deficit and shedding 8% body fat. I have also coached (not professionally, I am not paid for it) multiple people (7 total, 1 female) in the 5x5 method; all of which have seen significant increases in strength and power with minimal increases in muscle size. My trainees that were overweight lost weight in the form of body fat (they lost absolutely no muscle mass), while my trainees that were not overweight had a net zero weight change while decreasing body fat, indicating an increase in muscle mass. The results for the one female were exactly the same except that progressive loading was slower and muscle size increases were much slower; both of these are to be expected. Today she is squatting and deadlifting over her body weight at 5’ 2’’ (same height as OP by the way), 118lbs and she is not in the slightest bit bulky. So apparently what I am doing and saying has some merit to it.

BUMP!!!!!!! I have what is referred to as "Thunder Thighs" I probably always will have them but I want them to be toned and leaner than they are....

What if you want seriously sculpted thighs? I mean 'Serena Williams" style... What's a good training regimen for that?

What if you want seriously sculpted thighs? I mean 'Serena Williams" style... What's a good training regimen for that?

Heavy squats and deadlifts that we've been talking about. Start out light to learn the form and progressively add weight. This will build muscle and tone your legs.

For reference on this, I'm 5'0" and just squatted 95 pounds on a 10 rep set yesterday. Going to try a 5 rep set tomorrow and see if I can squat my bodyweight - 130.

Here's a good resource for women and lifting:

http://www.stumptuous.com/

If you want to see progress, you need to lift heavier weights. I know that's a tall order if you have to join a gym or build a home gym to do it, but believe me, it's well worth it.

If 95 was your true 10RM, then your theoretical 5RM would be about 110, so be sure to work up to it if you try and go for 130. It would be best to work up in singles in 5lb increments (1x95, 1x100, 1x105, 1x110, etc… Make that your entire squat workout, don’t do your normal routine and then try and test a rep max.

Also, I make this recommendation to everyone before testing rep maxes so don’t take it personally; but be sure you are hitting parallel or lower during your normal sets before attempting a rep max. Parallel is the optimum position for knee stability if you were to try a rep max and you stopped above parallel (in the middle of the range of motion) it could end badly for your knees. Parallel is when the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor, not the bottoms of your thighs. Also make sure that you are pushing from your heals (not your toes) and your knees do not travel more than an inch or so past your toes when you are in the hole.

Between CrossFit and Stumptuous you should be in good shape for technique. Those are both great resources. Good luck.

I'm sorry, but this has nothing to do with ego. I was speaking about the inherent dangers of recommending a heavy lifting program to someone who is not an experienced lifter in any way shape or form. Doing so in inherintly dangerous and asking for injury.

That being said, since you enjoy looking up stuff on the Internet, I suggest you get yourself acquainted withy Pubmed. I use it on a regular basis so your comment about "the things I am saying are not accurate" is mistaken. I also play hockey with the Director of Graduate Studies in Kinesiology for a major university and we're always talking about new research along with several other colleagues I am fortunatre enough to have in my life as peer reference.

Anyone can find anything on the internet, but to actually check the source as to what you say is true and back it up with hard reserach, that takes more work. Just because something is on the internet, doesn't make it true.

So, since you dont beleive my word on anything, then I guess you will similarly have issues with the Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University. The following study is directly from the National Library of Medicine and proves my initial response was in fact valid and accurate.

Title: Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: specificity of repetition maximum training zones.
ByL Campos GE, Luecke TJ, Wendeln HK, Toma K, Hagerman FC, Murray TF, Ragg KE, Ratamess NA, Kraemer WJ, Staron RS.
Source: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Irvine Hall, rm 430, Athens, OH 45701, USA.

Abstract:
Thirty-two untrained men [mean (SD) age 22.5 (5.8) years, height 178.3 (7.2) cm, body mass 77.8 (11.9) kg] participated in an 8-week progressive resistance-training program to investigate the "strength-endurance continuum".

Subjects were divided into four groups:
1) A low repetition group (Low Rep, n = 9) performing 3-5 repetitions maximum (RM) for four sets of each exercise with 3 min rest between sets and exercises,
2) An intermediate repetition group (Int Rep, n = 11) performing 9-11 RM for three sets with 2 min rest,
3) A high repetition group (High Rep, n = 7) performing 20-28 RM for two sets with 1 min rest,
and 4) A non-exercising control group (Con, n = 5).

Three exercises (leg press, squat, and knee extension) were performed 2 days/week for the first 4 weeks and 3 days/week for the final 4 weeks.

Maximal strength [one repetition maximum, 1RM), local muscular endurance (maximal number of repetitions performed with 60% of 1RM), and various cardiorespiratory parameters (e.g., maximum oxygen consumption, pulmonary ventilation, maximal aerobic power, time to exhaustion) were assessed at the beginning and end of the study.

In addition, pre- and post-training muscle biopsy samples were analyzed for fiber-type composition, cross-sectional area, myosin heavy chain (MHC) content, and capillarization.

Maximal strength improved significantly more for the Low Rep group compared to the other training groups, and the maximal number of repetitions at 60% 1RM improved the most for the High Rep group. In addition, maximal aerobic power and time to exhaustion significantly increased at the end of the study for only the High Rep group.

All three major fiber types (types I, IIA, and IIB) hypertrophied for the Low Rep and Int Rep groups, whereas no significant increases were demonstrated for either the High Rep or Con groups.

However, the percentage of type IIB fibers decreased, with a concomitant increase in IIAB fibers for all three resistance-trained groups. These fiber-type conversions were supported by a significant decrease in MHCIIb accompanied by a significant increase in MHCIIa. No significant changes in fiber-type composition were found in the control samples.

Although all three training regimens resulted in similar fiber-type transformations (IIB to IIA), the low to intermediate repetition resistance-training programs induced a greater hypertrophic effect compared to the high repetition regimen.

The High Rep group, however, appeared better adapted for submaximal, prolonged contractions, with significant increases after training in aerobic power and time to exhaustion. Thus, low and intermediate RM training appears to induce similar muscular adaptations, at least after short-term training in previously untrained subjects.

Overall, however, these data demonstrate that both physical performance and the associated physiological adaptations are linked to the intensity and number of repetitions performed, and thus lend support to the "strength-endurance continuum".

My final point, and I mean this as non-offensive as possible, is to check your ego. I work in cyber security and continuously find new information on the Internet that is relevant and factual that I did not get in any of my degrees, which I welcome. While I respect your education and experience, the things you are saying related to the human physiology and training styles are not accurate and perhaps you should open your mind to the idea that someone else may have a better understanding than you. If you want a more official source than me you can check out any of the writings by Mark Ripptoe, Glen Pendlay, Bill Starr, Jim Wendler, and any of the official CSCS study books.