Shrinking biceps and thighs?

OK, so I don't mean fat reduction in this instance.  Although revered by some, the rather large biceps and "soccer thighs" I developed from riding horses competitively for 15 years, are somewhat of a bothersome detail for me.  Although I'd like to retain some definition, I really just don't want my arms and legs to be as big as they are, or at the very least, don't want them to go back to being as HUGE as they used to be.

I may be SOL here, but does anyone know of anything I can do to slightly diminish the exisiting muscle density, while retaining tone?

Or at the VERY least, get my detailed definition back, without increasing their size at all?  I'm scared to work my arms and legs at this point.  I know weights don't generally "beef up" women, as a rule, but I do build muscle rather readily, and don't think it would take much . . . For that matter, I've been out of the saddle for 3 years, and even before I lost 30 lbs (yay!), my thighs and biceps were still hard as a rock when I flexed.

Help!  I don't want to go back to having trouble buying shirts, and having people ask why my thighs bulge out at the front (*rolls eyes*)! 

maybe massage can help to soften muscles... :)

and if you don't want to have hard biceps dont lift to much weights.. there are different kinds of exercise or training.. try to ask your trainor about i.. :)

I enjoy Pilates, and I've heard that it "lengthens", but to be honest, I've never had to work out to control my weight before (damn you, twenties!  *shakes fist*), so I'm kind of clueless. 

the easiest way to make muscles shrink is cardio and over training the muscles, try working you legs and arms everyday with about 4 sets of an exercise, varying your rep ranges from 8-15, working them everyday will cause them to over train because you are giving them no rest, when muscles get over trained they start to shrink, mix that in with cardio and you should be good.

I couldnt have said it better myself.

agreed. i dont have the bulky arms problem but i do have the bulky legs syndrome (think buying pants one size larger to accomodate them and getting mad when people say that women dont bulk up!!!). the overtraining of my legs has done wonders. my trainer has me do sqauts upon squats and at first i was wary but we do them side, front, back, on the bosu, off, with squat thursts in the middle and since i've combined that with running 3x a week my thighs have shrunk over an inch this month (believe it or not its like magic!) you have to find what works for you though- i tried many strategies before finding this one to work!! good luck.

Original Post by bodyscience:

the easiest way to make muscles shrink is cardio and over training the muscles, try working you legs and arms everyday with about 4 sets of an exercise, varying your rep ranges from 8-15, working them everyday will cause them to over train because you are giving them no rest, when muscles get over trained they start to shrink, mix that in with cardio and you should be good.

 

VERY cool!  And see, I NEVER would have known that!

Thanks! 

Original Post by youhavenoidea:

Original Post by bodyscience:

the easiest way to make muscles shrink is cardio and over training the muscles, try working you legs and arms everyday with about 4 sets of an exercise, varying your rep ranges from 8-15, working them everyday will cause them to over train because you are giving them no rest, when muscles get over trained they start to shrink, mix that in with cardio and you should be good.

 

VERY cool!  And see, I NEVER would have known that!

Thanks! 

 And used smaller weights and more reps. It stretches the muscle, but does not bulk it up.