Bulky Legs

Hi all - I don't mean to sound redundant but I can't seem to find the answer anywhere on the boards. I've seen the question asked a bunch of times, just haven't really seen any solutions.

I'm wondering what I can do to avoid bulking up my already [overly] muscular legs. First let me say I know there's no such thing as "spot weight loss" and am not looking for ways to make my legs thin. In fact I'd like to know what exercises to avoid if that makes it any easier. I'm not looking for toothpick legs, I embrace my "thicker" frame, even if it is hidden under some pudge... but I'd like some help on how to tone my legs as I continue to work towards my goal weight - without making them bigger. My calves are huge [but solid] and my thighs could definitely stand to lose some jiggle.

What has worked for you? or what has helped to BULK UP your legs so I know what to stay away from? 

And another [weird] question... does that icky stuff around your knees EVER go away?

Thanks!!

I've been lifting heavy (relative to me) doing squats, deadlifts, lunges, step ups, and variations (eg romanian deadlift, bulgarian split squat, front squat push press). My thighs aren't bulky at all - in fact, they've slimmed down (although a lot of that is from general weight loss)

If you've read all the other threads, then you probably know what the (vocal) majority of us will say. 

There is no way to spot reduce -- if you need to lose fat, eat less than you burn.

If your legs are muscled -- be proud. 

There was a link posted in a bunch of these threads to an article that said that most women didn't realize that their "bulky" thighs were not really mostly muscle -- there was a lot of fat in there.  It had a cross-section picture of a thigh.  I actually found a link that I thought was to it -- but it just goes to stumptuous.com not the article I was trying to find.  Help anyone??? 

I got it - stumptuous to the rescue!

(It's under Inspiration, Reality Check)

Woot!!  I love that article!   

Original Post by ccassidy81:

I'm wondering what I can do to avoid bulking up my already [overly] muscular legs.

Easy, don't take steroids.

Original Post by ccassidy81:

I'm wondering what I can do to avoid bulking up my already [overly] muscular legs. 

If you are maintaining a calorie deficit, it doesn't matter what exercises you are doing, your body CAN'T add new muscle mass.  It's physically impossible.  So unless you are eating to gain, your muscles will not gain mass.

I havent read through other posts so please forgive me if i repeate anything.

Growing up with what my mom lovingly called "thunder thighs" I was also worried about making my legs bigger when i began working out. I completely avoided them and they didnt get bigger, but they also didnt look any nicer.

To avoid bulkly leg, I stuck to body weight exercises (squats lunges etc) and tried yoga and dance to get the long lean toned legs I saw walk in and out of the classes.  But not too much happened (although all the plie squats from ballet did help). I began going to a class at the gym called ABT (abs buns and thighs). 45 minutes of squats, lunges, cardio, lifting my leg like im a dog going to the restroom and hundreds of deadlifts. The trainer focused on form first then challenging yourself. 

I can feel that I'm sidetracked. My advice: you wont know what will make your legs "bulky" until you do something that does... so start with body weight workouts (Julian Michaels and Oxygen are great resources as are free classes at the gym) and make sure you have good form then add weight, try the leg machines in the gym for a few weeks. If you get bulky look at whats causing it and try something new. If your legs start looking good but the workouts are easy, then add a bit of weight or try a variation to challenge your muscle and keep the results coming.

I've got the chunky legs going on too..mine are starting to shrink for me by walking uphill for about an hour every morning and doing pilates or the lotte berk method (which I've heard people describe as pilates on steriods) .... now I just need the motivation to keep doing something everyday :) Good Luck to you!!!

Original Post by karozel:

Woot!!  I love that article!

"I see folks coming out of movie theatres with literal buckets of popcorn, I mean with little handles and everything. I imagine the wheelbarrow of popcorn will be next."

Best quote ever. xD

To the OP: I am exactly in the boat described by most people who replied. I ride my bike daily, so when I joined a gym some months ago I was reluctant to do anything but upper body exercises, since I thought my legs were already muscular enough. But after giving it some thought, I decided to take note of all the advice on this forum and go for lower body workouts as well. I figured if I was going to get to a point where my jeans don`t fit anymore, I`d just quit them.

Guess what? My legs aren`t noticably thicker or thinner, but they are definitely stronger now. And the last traces of my stubborn, stubborn effing cellulite are slowly but surely fading away.

ETA: And I assume that by that thing around your knees you mean fat. I used to have chubby knees too, it sucks, but you`ll be pleased to see it goes away with general weight loss, and you`ll have hot sexy knees. ^^ Weird as that might sound.

Original Post by ashwalla6:

If you get bulky look at whats causing it and try something new.

My only problem with ash's advice was this sentance - and only because people can retain water after working out, and this is the source (I believe) of most people's "lifting makes me bulky" statements. But in the off chance that lifting actually makes you grow disproportionate amounts of muscle, ash is right - you can always back off. Muscle, quite unfortunately, doesn't stick around if you don't use it.

Thanks so much for all the input! I've been neglecting any kind of lower body work outs due to the fear of ending up with Navy Seal legs but I will see what works for me. I know everyone's different and some problem areas are worse for others. I just want to make sure I start on the right track.

thanks again!! 

I soooooooooooooooooo totally understand ...I too have the calves of a  Quaterback ..YUCK..Ive hated them all my life and to be honest I have worried about that same thing. If I work out will I enhance my calves more ??? Gee I hope not.

Very good question thanks for asking it

Patti

Original Post by pas5:

I soooooooooooooooooo totally understand ...I too have the calves of a  Quaterback ..YUCK..Ive hated them all my life and to be honest I have worried about that same thing. If I work out will I enhance my calves more ??? Gee I hope not.

 

Very good question thanks for asking it

 

Patti

 Haha, you know, quarterbacks have about the scrawniest legs as anybody (I played lineman, so if you want to know bulky... :P )

lol ok so make that Shortstop calves..

i was worried about bulking up my legs too from riding horses so often and the jumping that i do with them but honestly all it has done is toned everything from the waist down, not made them physically bigger.

So for me the riding worked but if you want to make them look a little leaner i'd say try swimming laps. Or doing leg lifts. :)