Leg slimming exercises?
Amys712
Posts: 86 Member
Hey all,
I have pretty thick legs. (On the left in the pic.)
I'm cool with the curvy shape, but I just wish they were a little smaller. Are there any particular reps that might help me?
I dance constantly and started weight lifting a couple months ago. I do squats, lunges, leg presses, the hip abductor and adductor, and more. I enjoy the challenge of lifting, so I don't plan on stopping...are these reps making my legs bigger? How can I keep toning while losing some inches?
I have pretty thick legs. (On the left in the pic.)
I'm cool with the curvy shape, but I just wish they were a little smaller. Are there any particular reps that might help me?
I dance constantly and started weight lifting a couple months ago. I do squats, lunges, leg presses, the hip abductor and adductor, and more. I enjoy the challenge of lifting, so I don't plan on stopping...are these reps making my legs bigger? How can I keep toning while losing some inches?
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Replies
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There really aren't ways to make legs slimmer beyond losing fat. It might be a good idea to just learn to love them how they are. My thighs are very thick and that makes them even more powerful.6
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Your legs are great!! Yeah might be hard to slim your legs and doing lots of leg work will add muscle. We have some big muscles in our legs. I think they're great though
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There really aren't ways to make legs slimmer beyond losing fat. It might be a good idea to just learn to love them how they are. My thighs are very thick and that makes them even more powerful.
Makes sense. I'll just keep working to stay under my calorie amount then and see if losing helps slim them a bit.
And "powerful." I like that.1 -
I think your legs are beautiful, however I get what you are saying. I too have strong and powerful legs and have learned to love them.2
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calorie deficit1
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If you want slimmer legs, there's no exercise in the world. The only way to get truly slimmer legs is to be bedridden for 6 months or so on a subsistence diet, and that's not really advisable.
Bottom line is, unless you're massively overfat, big legs are strong legs.1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »calorie deficit
this
If you keep doing all that stuff you listed while eating in a deficit, you will lose the fat covering the muscle resulting in slimmer legs. I hated my legs until I was about 35 when I accepted them for what they were and used squats and deadlifts to my advantage while I dieted off the fat.1 -
Embrace your legs. There are no exercises that are going to slim them. You can cut calories and try to get leaner overall, but a lot of genetics still comes into play. Don't hate on your legs, they look great.0
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Unfortunately the body burns fat from wherever it wants to, and we don't have control over that. You can do strength training to gain muscle on your legs. I'm close to my goal weight, I'm a runner, and I've still got big legs--mostly muscle on my calves, but more fat than I'd like on my thighs. My legs can transport me over long distances, though, which is exactly what I want them to do. I just have to remind myself to work with my body rather than against it.4
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Unfortunately the body burns fat from wherever it wants to, and we don't have control over that. You can do strength training to gain muscle on your legs. I'm close to my goal weight, I'm a runner, and I've still got big legs--mostly muscle on my calves, but more fat than I'd like on my thighs. My legs can transport me over long distances, though, which is exactly what I want them to do. I just have to remind myself to work with my body rather than against it.
Thanks for the thoughts. It's always so fun when I meet a runner with thick legs. It's not the typical body type for that sport, so I get kind of excited about it. Haha.
I'll just keep doing strength training and keep watching my calories. 0 -
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_dracarys_ wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »calorie deficit
this
If you keep doing all that stuff you listed while eating in a deficit, you will lose the fat covering the muscle resulting in slimmer legs. I hated my legs until I was about 35 when I accepted them for what they were and used squats and deadlifts to my advantage while I dieted off the fat.
Sounds good. I'll just keep up with my work out routine then and keep watching my caloric intake. Thanks. 0 -
Them curves tho!
I'm going to repeat what most have already said: Don't hate those beautiful asskickers. They're strong and powerful, and I'm guessing most of that is muscle. Unfortunately genetics can play a part in body shape, but they're lovely as they are. Love 'em up good! You're already on the right track.0 -
Tracy Anderson has a lot of workouts she says are designed to give you more of a lean dancer's look rather than a lean weight lifter's look. It's too soon for me to tell if it's working for my legs, but it has worked rather dramatically for my arms in just a couple months.0
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Tried30UserNames wrote: »Tracy Anderson has a lot of workouts she says are designed to give you more of a lean dancer's look rather than a lean weight lifter's look. It's too soon for me to tell if it's working for my legs, but it has worked rather dramatically for my arms in just a couple months.
Tracy Anderson says a lot of garbage and her workouts have women lifting less than their purse weighs. Seriously, a max of 3 pounds. Women carry babies and toddlers, we're not fragile. The OP likes lifting and would likely hate Tracy Anderson's method.
Tracy thinks using 100 reps will lengthen the muscles and using lower reps will cause bulk. You can't lengthen muscles, they have set origin and insertion points, meaning where they attach to your bones. The length will not change. Using lower reps and higher weight gives you results even faster.11 -
Tracy Anderson is full of *kitten*.3
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Do you really think it's a good idea to be doing very fast aerobic style moves with heavy weights because I don't. You'd bash yourself in the head or tear something. Context...that's what's always left out of that quote from her. Obviously in any one of her workouts you can see her recommending more than 3 lbs...she has you use your body weight in planks, pushups and lots of other moves.Tracy Anderson says a lot of garbage and her workouts have women lifting less than their purse weighs. Seriously, a max of 3 pounds.
I just assumed from the OP's post asking how to make her legs a little smaller that she might be interested in a workout that can make her legs a little smaller so that's the post I answered.
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Tried30UserNames wrote: »
Do you really think it's a good idea to be doing very fast aerobic style moves with heavy weights because I don't. You'd bash yourself in the head or tear something. Context...that's what's always left out of that quote from her. Obviously in any one of her workouts you can see her recommending more than 3 lbs...she has you use your body weight in planks, pushups and lots of other moves.Tracy Anderson says a lot of garbage and her workouts have women lifting less than their purse weighs. Seriously, a max of 3 pounds.
I just assumed from the OP's post asking how to make her legs a little smaller that she might be interested in a workout that can make her legs a little smaller so that's the post I answered.
Except they won't make her legs smaller. Doing aerobics with any weights is dangerous and absurd. Tracy sells the idea that any type of lifting other than her program will make women bulky. Unless a woman has an absurdly high amount of testosterone with a calorie surplus, great genetics, and spends many years without looking in a mirror there's simply no way a woman is going to get bulky. Tracy makes money off of fear and serious misguidance.2 -
Tracy Anderson is a wack. She doesn't even have certification from any recognized organization of exercise. She and "Gwyneth" are lean for on main reason....................they eat like birds and have MINIMAL lean muscle.Tried30UserNames wrote: »Tracy Anderson has a lot of workouts she says are designed to give you more of a lean dancer's look rather than a lean weight lifter's look. It's too soon for me to tell if it's working for my legs, but it has worked rather dramatically for my arms in just a couple months.
And if you know anything about dancer's, most of them are lean because they too eat very little with many bordering on eating disorders to meet a look that's desired by the industry.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Workouts DON'T make your legs smaller though. Regardless if it's body weight or not. The way you "atrophy" muscle is to NOT use it at all. Again, she looks the way she looks because of how little muscle she actually has (hence the 3lbs weights) and how little she eats. Her diet plan advocates about 700 calories a day. And less than 1.7 ounces of protein a day.Tried30UserNames wrote: »
Do you really think it's a good idea to be doing very fast aerobic style moves with heavy weights because I don't. You'd bash yourself in the head or tear something. Context...that's what's always left out of that quote from her. Obviously in any one of her workouts you can see her recommending more than 3 lbs...she has you use your body weight in planks, pushups and lots of other moves.Tracy Anderson says a lot of garbage and her workouts have women lifting less than their purse weighs. Seriously, a max of 3 pounds.
I just assumed from the OP's post asking how to make her legs a little smaller that she might be interested in a workout that can make her legs a little smaller so that's the post I answered.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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+1. She even says that running will "bulk" up the legs.Tried30UserNames wrote: »
Do you really think it's a good idea to be doing very fast aerobic style moves with heavy weights because I don't. You'd bash yourself in the head or tear something. Context...that's what's always left out of that quote from her. Obviously in any one of her workouts you can see her recommending more than 3 lbs...she has you use your body weight in planks, pushups and lots of other moves.Tracy Anderson says a lot of garbage and her workouts have women lifting less than their purse weighs. Seriously, a max of 3 pounds.
I just assumed from the OP's post asking how to make her legs a little smaller that she might be interested in a workout that can make her legs a little smaller so that's the post I answered.
Except they won't make her legs smaller. Doing aerobics with any weights is dangerous and absurd. Tracy sells the idea that any type of lifting other than her program will make women bulky. Unless a woman has an absurdly high amount of testosterone with a calorie surplus, great genetics, and spends many years without looking in a mirror there's simply no way a woman is going to get bulky. Tracy makes money off of fear and serious misguidance.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Wow. Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.
It sounds like the key advice is to embrace my body type, try to trim down caloric intake a little more to slim, and just keep working out and embrace the muscle that comes with it.
Thanks again for all the encouraging comments too.1 -
Incorrect. My wife is an instructor at a Dance studio. I'm not tall at all and many of the dancers are a good 2 inches shorter than me. So their limbs aren't that long. In fact many ballet companies have female dancers at an average height of 5'5" or 167cm. It's NOT the limb length, it's the proportion to the body. Longer neck, shorter torso and small hips. Having less muscle give the "illusion" of having a leaner longer body.
Tracy Anderson is a wack. She doesn't even have certification from any recognized organization of exercise. She and "Gwyneth" are lean for on main reason....................they eat like birds and have MINIMAL lean muscle.Tried30UserNames wrote: »Tracy Anderson has a lot of workouts she says are designed to give you more of a lean dancer's look rather than a lean weight lifter's look. It's too soon for me to tell if it's working for my legs, but it has worked rather dramatically for my arms in just a couple months.
And if you know anything about dancer's, most of them are lean because they too eat very little with many bordering on eating disorders to meet a look that's desired by the industry.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Sorry to quote you ninerbuff, not negating what you've said, but I had to add my 2 cents regarding dancers bodies. I don't know anything about this Tracy person, but I will say that dancers don't only look long and lean because of their diet but also because of their body type. They typically have longer limbs. Someone with shorter limbs will have a much harder time looking as lean as a dancer. You can't change your body in that way.
OP, I think your legs look great. As so many have said before me, embrace them. It took me until my mid 40's to embrace my inner thighs. I hated them my entire life and thought they were fat. For some reason, all it took was someone complimenting them and I've been ok with them ever since. Weird how our perceptions of ourselves change with age.
http://dancemagazine.com.au/2011/07/the-ideal-ballet-body/
The height requirements of dancers are really designated by the ballet companies hiring. Most ballet company’s average height for a female is approximately 167cm. However, in Europe some companies require females to be no taller than the traditional 165cm, while others have a minimum height of 173cm. One company I know has their lead female principal dancer at a height of 184 cm!
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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So all that said, my upper arm is half an inch smaller than it was 2 weeks ago and my thigh is an inch smaller though I've gained a pound. And my arms bulk up huge when I'm lifting even though I'm female. Lots of people hate TA and her exercises, so might I suggest something similar like Barre workouts for smaller legs. I don't think there's quite so much hate for that, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe heavy lifting is the only politically correct recommendation on here for all people, all body types and all desired results.
And no, ninerbuff, her diet plan, which I did not and never will recommend, is not what you say. That's a lie from a Daily Mail article from some idiot woman who wasn't following her diet plan. And TA and GP don't follow any type of similar eating plan from what they've said.
Also, from the look of the OP, she might want to compare herself more to the results TA gets for J-Lo rather than Gwyneth Paltrow as they seem to have more similar body types with more curves.0 -
Tried30UserNames wrote: »So all that said, my upper arm is half an inch smaller than it was 2 weeks ago and my thigh is an inch smaller though I've gained a pound. And my arms bulk up huge when I'm lifting even though I'm female. Lots of people hate TA and her exercises, so might I suggest something similar like Barre workouts for smaller legs. I don't think there's quite so much hate for that, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe heavy lifting is the only politically correct recommendation on here for all people, all body types and all desired results.
And no, ninerbuff, her diet plan, which I did not and never will recommend, is not what you say. That's a lie from a Daily Mail article from some idiot woman who wasn't following her diet plan. And TA and GP don't follow any type of similar eating plan from what they've said.
Also, from the look of the OP, she might want to compare herself more to the results TA gets for J-Lo rather than Gwyneth Paltrow as they seem to have more similar body types with more curves.
The barre class suggestion is a neat one! I think that could be fun!
And, yeah, J-Lo, Shakira, and I have a secret club. It's on the DL, but it's a pretty big deal. Hahahaha.0 -
Your legs are great!
STAPH the negative talk! (Please)0 -
I have large legs too. The slimmer I am overall, the better they look, but they're still big. I work on losing fat as well as physique when I'm in maintenance.0
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heavensshadow wrote: »Them curves tho!
I'm going to repeat what most have already said: Don't hate those beautiful asskickers. They're strong and powerful, and I'm guessing most of that is muscle. Unfortunately genetics can play a part in body shape, but they're lovely as they are. Love 'em up good! You're already on the right track.
Asskickers, lol that reminded me of Darryl in TWD. I echoed everyone's comments, your legs look great0 -
Incorrect. My wife is an instructor at a Dance studio. I'm not tall at all and many of the dancers are a good 2 inches shorter than me. So their limbs aren't that long. In fact many ballet companies have female dancers at an average height of 5'5" or 167cm. It's NOT the limb length, it's the proportion to the body. Longer neck, shorter torso and small hips. Having less muscle give the "illusion" of having a leaner longer body.
Tracy Anderson is a wack. She doesn't even have certification from any recognized organization of exercise. She and "Gwyneth" are lean for on main reason....................they eat like birds and have MINIMAL lean muscle.Tried30UserNames wrote: »Tracy Anderson has a lot of workouts she says are designed to give you more of a lean dancer's look rather than a lean weight lifter's look. It's too soon for me to tell if it's working for my legs, but it has worked rather dramatically for my arms in just a couple months.
And if you know anything about dancer's, most of them are lean because they too eat very little with many bordering on eating disorders to meet a look that's desired by the industry.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Sorry to quote you ninerbuff, not negating what you've said, but I had to add my 2 cents regarding dancers bodies. I don't know anything about this Tracy person, but I will say that dancers don't only look long and lean because of their diet but also because of their body type. They typically have longer limbs. Someone with shorter limbs will have a much harder time looking as lean as a dancer. You can't change your body in that way.
OP, I think your legs look great. As so many have said before me, embrace them. It took me until my mid 40's to embrace my inner thighs. I hated them my entire life and thought they were fat. For some reason, all it took was someone complimenting them and I've been ok with them ever since. Weird how our perceptions of ourselves change with age.
http://dancemagazine.com.au/2011/07/the-ideal-ballet-body/
The height requirements of dancers are really designated by the ballet companies hiring. Most ballet company’s average height for a female is approximately 167cm. However, in Europe some companies require females to be no taller than the traditional 165cm, while others have a minimum height of 173cm. One company I know has their lead female principal dancer at a height of 184 cm!
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Yup, I took jazz and ballet growing up. I loved dance and was always one of the best in my class but one of the first things I learned from my ballet teacher was that no matter how good I was I would never be a professional ballet dancer because my height and body structure took me out of the running. No professional bootylicious ballet dancers with boobs for days. I was absolutely crushed. When I went to Winnipeg and saw one of the professional dance company productions I was lucky enough to get to meet a few of the dancers after the performance. The girls came up to my shoulders and while they were crazy strong they were just so tiny! I'm 5'7" but these women must have been about 5'2-5'4.1
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