Bulky vs. Lean question

[SirenSongWoman]

I need to know if I can do this and not create problems. I hope some of you can help me.

I've been doing the 3-day split for a long time and it's become apparent that, while my upper body is looking great, I'm not getting the TYPE of body I want from the waist down. Recent discussions about bulky vs. lean here have had me wondering. It was suggested that doing 3 days of full-body workouts and 4 days of HIIT cardio are what I should be doing if I want to lean out. I spoke with a trainer who told me this information is correct. That brought up another question I wanted to ask him but he's not around to ask so I'm asking you all: INSTEAD of doing light weight full body work on alternating days can I continue working my upper body and abs hard (i.e., heavy weights for definition and some bulk), while relying on the Cardio Coach workouts as my sole lower body work (CC is giving me EXACTLY the legs I'm after, and I'm loving it)? I suppose I could do the full body workouts, going easy on the lower body and amping up the pounds lifted during the upper body exercises... I just don't want to knock myself out trying to build something on top only to have the results cancelled out by all the cardio. My number one thing is I want long, lean legs so I'm not giving up on the Cardio Coach. Thoughts, please?

 

[tneah]

I am currently trying to "reshape" my own bod. I want leaner legs, a more muscular butt, wider shoulders and back, and smaller arms.

My approach has been like this: Light leg day, doing circuit type or giant sets keeping reps within the 15-25 range, lighter weights.

Heavy back and shoulder workout...keeping reps between 8-15...3 sets of each exercise, 4 exercises for back, 4 for shoulders...

Light arm workout using supersets, 3 exercises for each, bi's and tri's, keeping my reps between 15-25.

Heavy butt workout...this it more tricky as I do not want to add size to my legs...so cable kickbacks using heavy weight...butt bridges with a 45 pound plate resting on hip area...stationary lunges on smith machine...I keep my reps between 10-15, maybe lower, not sure yet. This is followed by the 20 minute itread that is all uphill. Then another 20 minutes on the bike or elliptical.

I do alot of the itreads, I think over time they will help keep my legs leaner...good luck to you.

I tried doing whole body circuits and I hate them, which is why I made up my own circuit type workouts for those bodyparts I want to make smaller or leaner...

 

[ShyWolf]

I've been thinking along the same lines lately and I'm wondering if STS is something I shouldn't bother with :/

I preordered STS back in Jan but wondering about it now -shrugs-

I've actually played with the idea of canceling my order as I'm finding my short legs don't need any more muscle as I want to lean them out instead.

I've been doing some sort of rotation for the past 3 months that has been focusing on heavy weights and my lean look is slowing getting bulkier which is not making me happy esp my LB - UB looks great but my legs are another story.

 

[SRP]

Just keep in mind that everybody's body reacts differently to weight lifting. I go as heavy as I can at home on lower body, using Cathe's workouts. I've found that it has actually leaned my legs out.

Now, I don't know what would happen if I used equipment at a gym. Also, I'm a vegetarian, and I don't focus on getting a lot of protein like some weight lifters do, so that will affect things.

Your best bet is to keep experimenting and see what works for you. Good luck!

 

[sunshinegirl]

>Just keep in mind that everybody's body reacts differently to
>weight lifting. I go as heavy as I can at home on lower body,
>using Cathe's workouts. I've found that it has actually leaned
>my legs out.
>

I've found the same thing. I think it depends on your body shape. I also go heavy on legs and I'm really starting to see nice lean muscle definition especially in my quads, hamstrings, calfs and shins. I was worried about bulking up but as I lose fat it doesn't look bulky just lean and defined. I say bring on the muscle

 

[olexa17]

I thought I'd pop in and share my two cents. I have the same dilemma and have had it for a while - my upper body leaned out and started showing great definition and then its like the success was working its way DOWN my body. I had started working out with a trainer this year and was disturbed after a while when some older jeans were really TIGHT on my legs/butt. I'm like, HUH??

I got all freaked out, even though I knew I simply hadn't lost the fat on top of muscle. I asked my trainer if we should avoid legs, or avoid doing heavy legs and such. He looked at me like I had antlers growing out of my head, he's like, you can't "SPOT LOSE" fat or lean out exactly and only where you want it.....and to get big huge legs (like his, he is bodybuilder) you'd need to eat a ton and work out way differently than we are.

All that to say, I REALLY cleaned up my diet; was eating 3x a day, now eat 6x a day. Added in cardio. Continuing hard with training and am seeing great definition in my legs and guess what the fat is coming off too.

I guess I just wanted to share that I was fearful of "bulking up" but in reality I am really finally starting to lean out, and am becoming more of a believer every day....!!! And I'm going HEAVY at the gym, just being sure to mix everything up, change workouts, types of workouts, change the cardio etc.


Kelly Olexa
www.kellyolexa.blogspot.com

 

[ShyWolf]

Thanks
I guess just seeing how my thighs look a bit bigger to me scared me a bit lmao.

Me....I know I shouldn't worry so much; I just sort of panicked but dh says I look great and he says he noticed my legs looking good but still a moment of panic, no jijjlies but my thighs and butt are hard. Since I am short anything shows up quickly on me. I do need to clean up my eating a bit since the past few days I've been hitting the pb too much

 

[SirenSongWoman]

I heard back from that trainer and he (and you all) have given me a lot to think about. I think I'm going to do it the way I want, altering things here and there but, generally, it will be 3 or 4 cardio days alternating with weights for upper body with abs. I can always reintroduce lower body work or switch over to full body workouts if I feel it's warranted. I've lost a lot of weight (frozen at size 14 jeans, right now) over the past year but at 5'5" I don't want any body part that shouldn't be wide to be wide - like those parts on me STILL are. Tneah, I know you used to compete and you're doing lots of cardio while weight training specific areas (I'll BET working the butt without working the legs IS tricky!) so I figure I can do likewise. My fear was that all the cardio would render the weight training a waste of time. But you're doing it and I know you know what you're doing so I'm going to go that route too. All I know is, at present, my calves are nearly as thick as my thighs and I don't like that and the Cardio Coach workouts are doing great things, especially with my calves. Thank you all for your input. I'm going to change things up immediately.

 

[tneah]

Just a thought on calves...they are genetic. Really, the one bodypart that is super tough to reshape or to make larger or smaller is the calves. Either ya got 'em or ya don't. Look at former Olympia champ Lee Haney or Lenda Murray...no calves. Then look at Monica Brant, nice full calves...they obviously all train hard, but Lee and Lenda have small calves compared to the rest of their extremely well developed bodies.

Even Cathe's calves are not her strong bodypart, but look at Jai! She has some of the best shaped calves I have ever seen. Genetics.

You can lose the fat layer of course, that will make a difference in the size...but thank your lucky stars you have nice full calves, they help balance the whole leg. I love my calves, not too big, not too small...got them from my dad actually. Wish I could say the same about my thighs!

 

[SirenSongWoman]

I just had this chat with the trainer. I told him I knew calves were 90% genetic but that nobody (women or men) in my entire family has big calves and I never had them, either - until I got fat. That's why I'm hoping I can get that fat off and reveal the shapely gams underneath. He thinks my big problem is diet and I'm afraid he may be right. Since I started Cardio Coach I've been thrilled because, for the first time since I got fat (ages ago) the fat on my calves is actually starting to melt away. I'm just really impatient. I keep running my hands over my calves and saying 'Okay that FEELS like muscle, it's not going anywhere.' Then I move my hands some more and go, 'Okay, THAT's fat... A LOT of fat. I can get rid of that.' I'm just hoping Cardio Coach (the incline is doing incredible things for my calves) will get rid of most of the fat because I don't want to have to get a whole lot cleaner with my diet. I don't mind being fairly responsible but I'm a half-hearted sacrificer. If certain things are completely off-limits I'm just going to want them more. I'm trying to break away from diet pop because I know I eat more to buffer the weird taste and the way it makes my stomach feel but I'm so addicted it's killing me. I'll clean it up more if I HAVE to but I just want to see how far I can get with Cardio Coach. Hard to believe I used to get compliments on my legs... so long ago. I'm fighting to get them back.