Lunges or squatts

Maldivesbeachbodplease
Maldivesbeachbodplease Posts: 444
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all,

So I have just started running and i am loving it so far. I have a holiday in 5 months time and so i want to really get rid of the flab on my thighs and tone up and try and get rid of the dreaded cellulite.

I read that lunges and/or squatts are best for this?! So should i do both or is one better than the other? and how often should i do? i am running 6 days a week with 1 rest day.

thanks! xxx
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Replies

  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
    Heavy-weighted squats one to two times a week.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    Hey all,

    So I have just started running and i am loving it so far. I have a holiday in 5 months time and so i want to really get rid of the flab on my thighs and tone up and try and get rid of the dreaded cellulite.

    I read that lunges and/or squatts are best for this?! So should i do both or is one better than the other? and how often should i do? i am running 6 days a week with 1 rest day.

    thanks! xxx

    I do both.

    Do them both!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Do both.

    Know though that cellulite is genetic and all the running, lunges and squats in the world won't totally get rid of it.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Hey all,

    So I have just started running and i am loving it so far. I have a holiday in 5 months time and so i want to really get rid of the flab on my thighs and tone up and try and get rid of the dreaded cellulite.

    I read that lunges and/or squatts are best for this?! So should i do both or is one better than the other? and how often should i do? i am running 6 days a week with 1 rest day.

    thanks! xxx

    I do both.

    Do them both!

    ^ This and also throw in some deadlifts and/or Stiff legged deadlifts, with as much weight as you can handle with good form for 5-8 reps.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    both
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    Both.

    However, pay attention to your knees, ankles & hips.

    If you are running 6 days per week and you want to add 1 - 2 weight training sessions? This will be hard on your lower body. Especially, the load bearing joints.

    Have fun and good luck!
  • KarmaxKitty
    KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
    if you're not using heavy weights, just do both. Hell, do both anyway. Cover all your booty bases.
  • 2143661
    2143661 Posts: 566 Member
    Hey all,

    So I have just started running and i am loving it so far. I have a holiday in 5 months time and so i want to really get rid of the flab on my thighs and tone up and try and get rid of the dreaded cellulite.

    I read that lunges and/or squatts are best for this?! So should i do both or is one better than the other? and how often should i do? i am running 6 days a week with 1 rest day.

    thanks! xxx

    I do both.

    Do them both!

    ^ This and also throw in some deadlifts and/or Stiff legged deadlifts, with as much weight as you can handle with good form for 5-8 reps.
    ^agreed!
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    Day A I do:
    Barbell Front Squat
    Snatch Grip Deadlift

    Then Day B I do:
    Romanian Deadlift from Pedestal
    Dumbbell Lunges

    Then every 6 workouts I change it before. Before I was doing

    Day A:
    Dumbell Split-Squat
    Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift

    Day B:
    Heavy Weight Squat
    Natural Grip Deadlift
  • seebeachrun
    seebeachrun Posts: 221 Member
    Both but be careful using weights to do them. My trainer said that using weights to do squats and lunges will firm up your butt and thighs but it can also bulk them up. I know they will correct me if I'm wrong but lift heavy with lower reps and take your measurements regularly to make sure you're not bulking up in that area if that's not your goal.
  • 2143661
    2143661 Posts: 566 Member
    Day A I do:
    Barbell Front Squat
    Snatch Grip Deadlift

    Then Day B I do:
    Romanian Deadlift from Pedestal
    Dumbbell Lunges

    Then every 6 workouts I change it before. Before I was doing

    Day A:
    Dumbell Split-Squat
    Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift

    Day B:
    Heavy Weight Squat
    Natural Grip Deadlift

    What is a snatch grip dead?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Both but be careful using weights to do them. My trainer said that using weights to do squats and lunges will firm up your butt and thighs but it can also bulk them up. I know they will correct me if I'm wrong but lift heavy with lower reps and take your measurements regularly to make sure you're not bulking up in that area if that's not your goal.

    You will not bulk the muscle up unless you are in a caloric surplus, and even then not very much as women don't produce enough testosterone to build large muscles. The women that are bulky took years or 'roids while in a caloric surplus to look like that.

    But you are correct in heavy weights low reps is the way to go.
  • Argent78
    Argent78 Posts: 151 Member
    both!!
  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
    Both but be careful using weights to do them. My trainer said that using weights to do squats and lunges will firm up your butt and thighs but it can also bulk them up. I know they will correct me if I'm wrong but lift heavy with lower reps and take your measurements regularly to make sure you're not bulking up in that area if that's not your goal.
    Every time you tell a woman she can "bulk up," the gods smite a newborn puppy.
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
    Both but be careful using weights to do them. My trainer said that using weights to do squats and lunges will firm up your butt and thighs but it can also bulk them up. I know they will correct me if I'm wrong but lift heavy with lower reps and take your measurements regularly to make sure you're not bulking up in that area if that's not your goal.

    Not one word of truth to this statement.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    Day A I do:
    Barbell Front Squat
    Snatch Grip Deadlift

    Then Day B I do:
    Romanian Deadlift from Pedestal
    Dumbbell Lunges

    Then every 6 workouts I change it before. Before I was doing

    Day A:
    Dumbell Split-Squat
    Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift

    Day B:
    Heavy Weight Squat
    Natural Grip Deadlift

    What is a snatch grip dead?

    weight-lifter.jpg

    Very wide grip deadlift.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
    both. Switch it up keep it interesting.
  • jennifer52484
    jennifer52484 Posts: 888 Member
    Do both.

    Know though that cellulite is genetic and all the running, lunges and squats in the world won't totally get rid of it.

    I had cellulite, and now I do not. Running, lifting, and weighted squats and lunges can def help you reduce cellulite, but you also need to watch your food intake. Reducing your body fat will def help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
  • 2143661
    2143661 Posts: 566 Member
    Both but be careful using weights to do them. My trainer said that using weights to do squats and lunges will firm up your butt and thighs but it can also bulk them up. I know they will correct me if I'm wrong but lift heavy with lower reps and take your measurements regularly to make sure you're not bulking up in that area if that's not your goal.

    Not one word of truth to this statement.

    Agreed, what kind of trainer says that crap?!
  • 2143661
    2143661 Posts: 566 Member
    Day A I do:
    Barbell Front Squat
    Snatch Grip Deadlift

    Then Day B I do:
    Romanian Deadlift from Pedestal
    Dumbbell Lunges

    Then every 6 workouts I change it before. Before I was doing

    Day A:
    Dumbell Split-Squat
    Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift

    Day B:
    Heavy Weight Squat
    Natural Grip Deadlift

    What is a snatch grip dead?

    weight-lifter.jpg

    Very wide grip deadlift.

    thanks man!
  • kirstyg1980
    kirstyg1980 Posts: 302
    Both but be careful using weights to do them. My trainer said that using weights to do squats and lunges will firm up your butt and thighs but it can also bulk them up. I know they will correct me if I'm wrong but lift heavy with lower reps and take your measurements regularly to make sure you're not bulking up in that area if that's not your goal.

    You will not bulk the muscle up unless you are in a caloric surplus, and even then not very much as women don't produce enough testosterone to build large muscles. The women that are bulky took years or 'roids while in a caloric surplus to look like that.

    But you are correct in heavy weights low reps is the way to go.

    Totally agree :D
  • Mcctin65
    Mcctin65 Posts: 507 Member
    Both but be careful using weights to do them. My trainer said that using weights to do squats and lunges will firm up your butt and thighs but it can also bulk them up. I know they will correct me if I'm wrong but lift heavy with lower reps and take your measurements regularly to make sure you're not bulking up in that area if that's not your goal.
    Every time you tell a woman she can "bulk up," the gods smite a newborn puppy.
    hahahhahahahhaa! Too funny.... wait, is that true?
  • acstansell
    acstansell Posts: 567 Member
    I do both every other day when I do my weights. I do a weighted lunge and regular squat because the backs of my thighs aren't as developed as the tops.
  • jay11284
    jay11284 Posts: 42 Member
    I came here to say this too. I hate when people say things like this because it makes females nervous about lifting weights because they think they will look like they have huge man muscles. This simply isn't going to happen. Weights are a great way to make yourself stronger and to gain muscle and get rid of fat.

    I would also like to say that you can't target fat-loss. So many people post on these boards saying that they want to drop fat in their stomach or arms or legs and what workouts they can do. Simply put, there aren't any. You drop belly fat by eating the right amount of healthy calories, not by doing sit-ups.
  • ashreynolds09
    ashreynolds09 Posts: 257 Member
    Hey all,

    So I have just started running and i am loving it so far. I have a holiday in 5 months time and so i want to really get rid of the flab on my thighs and tone up and try and get rid of the dreaded cellulite.

    I read that lunges and/or squatts are best for this?! So should i do both or is one better than the other? and how often should i do? i am running 6 days a week with 1 rest day.

    thanks! xxx

    I do both.

    Do them both!

    ^ This and also throw in some deadlifts and/or Stiff legged deadlifts, with as much weight as you can handle with good form for 5-8 reps.

    I second the thought of deadlifts!
  • zombilishious
    zombilishious Posts: 1,250 Member
    Do both, lift heavy.

    Don't listen to people who say women will bulk up. Unless you're taking testosterone supplements (ie, roids) you will simply lose lots and lots of inches and cellulite!
  • bilyboy65
    bilyboy65 Posts: 11 Member
    Bulking up is a common term that is miss used all the time. Becoming toned and getting muscle definition is completely different then bulking up. It is very hard for some women to build huge muscles (bulking up, body builder look) it isn't impossible. If you want the toned look then do low/no weights for high reps. If you want the muscle definition do low reps and high weight. High weight doesn't mean do 5-8 at the weight you can most handle either. You want to choose a weight that you can do comfortably (but don't make it easy on yourself or you'll be wasting time) for 3 sets at 5-8 reps. The higher the weight and the more challenging that is the less reps.

    Lunges and Squats also have different benefits for doing each. So doing them both is good. Squats are still by far the best thing for strengthening legs that exists. With both of them you must make sure you have good form or you will hurt your knees and hips. Possibly blow them both out. A tip for squats is that if you are looking to keep most of the benefits in your quads and buttocks don't do the full motion (only go to about 45 degrees)

    ex 130 lbs = extremely challenging = 5 reps
    100 lbs = challenging set = 8 reps

    Another thing to note is that lifting weights actually burns more calories then running does. The reason being is that lifting burns calories during the exercise and then continues to burn as your body rebuilds the torn muscles. So on days that you lift I highly recommend cutting down on the amount of time you spend running. Also the order in which you do things matters too. If you run first and then lift your body will be tired and therefor get more out of lifting and you'll be come stronger faster. The opposite is true too that you will condition your body better if you lift first before running because your muscles will be tired and have to work harder to keep you moving.

    Something that I've started doing is that after a work out a try to sprint a mile. And that is my only cardio for the day. Sprinting has been noted to greatly increase endurance and speed. So I'll set the treadmill at a speed that is a good sprint and run for as long as I can, walk at a brisk pace 3-4mph for 2 min and then sprint as long as I can. Repeat until you have done 1 mile.
  • SlidingDown
    SlidingDown Posts: 64 Member
    Agreed... Years ago my trainer told me to quit making excuses like "I don't want to bulk up" lol, and informed me that as a woman I simply don't have enough testosterone to make man-muscles.

    Something I have observed though... the women who believe they have indeed "bulked up" and then swear off weights, in every case I know of, it was within the first 2-3 weeks of their new workout regimen.
    My guess is that their muscles were growing but they hadn't yet started to strip away the fat from over the top. So in that initial stage it looked like they were getting bigger overall, and they didn't persevere long enough to see the fat melt away. If my guess is right, then the solution should have been more cardio, more attention to the diet, and keep going with the weights.
    Any thoughts or comments? Am I barking up the wrong quadricep?
  • Thomakk
    Thomakk Posts: 25 Member
    I came here to say this too. I hate when people say things like this because it makes females nervous about lifting weights because they think they will look like they have huge man muscles. This simply isn't going to happen. Weights are a great way to make yourself stronger and to gain muscle and get rid of fat.

    I would also like to say that you can't target fat-loss. So many people post on these boards saying that they want to drop fat in their stomach or arms or legs and what workouts they can do. Simply put, there aren't any. You drop belly fat by eating the right amount of healthy calories, not by doing sit-ups.

    Noooo! I don't want to hear this. I was just going to ask about targeting from the belly button down to mid-thigh. :grumble:
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
    Every time you tell a woman she can "bulk up," the gods smite a newborn puppy.


    HAHA!!!!!

    I had a TON of cellulite on my butt clear down to my knees (Front and back) now I do not have any, I run trying to mix up up on all surfaces and hills. I do a little tai chi and tae bo (Kick boxing) (Maybe 2-4 days a month) but thats it. Drink tons of wate too! It really helps.I think running on hills and trails has helped me in the same way that squats and lunges might help someone. Trail running and hills target some different muscles that don't get worked out as much while running on pretty flat surfaces.

    exercise.png
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