cathe and other educated folks - avoiding bulk in the legs...

[futurefitnessdyanmo]

Hi Cathe and others:

I, like many others here, want toned muscular legs, but heavy weight work bulks them. I know leg drills and floor work will circumvent this somewhat, but others have advised lowering the weight you use.

Here's what I want to know. My legs can handle pretty heavy weight, so if I lighten up (like using no more than 20 pounds for squats and lunges) aren't I just wasting my time? My legs are used to doing so much more, so if 20 lbs becomes my upper limit, won't sheer habituation mean NOTHING is happening muscle-wise?

This question goes for any body part that bulks - how to work it without bulking it too much if that's what you tend to do genetically.

Thanks!

 

[clareMc]

You don't have to lift weights to get toned, muscular legs. have you thought of developing your muscle through sports? Running would not only keep your cardiovascular system in supreme condition, it will also produce fabulously toned legs without bulk.

Clare

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Futurefitnessdynamo! If a current muscle is too bulky for your liking, you can either go lighter or work the muscle a little less frequently.

To keep the muscles challenged, in this case your legs, you can do leg endurance workouts and also include a leg endurance cardio activity such as steady running. This will keep the legs defined and working hard without adding extra weight.

This is just one way to do it. Everyone responds differently. Some people can get the same effects by doing it differently (ie: changing their diet around or training heavy once a month mixed with leg endurance).

 

[futurefitnessdyanmo]

Thanks! I feel kind of honored - my first answer from Cathe!

Would high impact aerobics a la Cathe work too instead of running? I hate running (probably only because I have no good convenient place to do it). Are most of your leg workouts considered endurance (like LL, L&G, etc. ). I've been doing PS - that's a strength workout moreso correct?

 

[40something]

This is precisely why I prefer Cathe workouts to other's...Cathe has made some truely great total body, circuit, interval workouts and that is what keeps a body in shape. You need to weight train of course, just don't go as heavy as you can every time you weight train. Mix it up. You need to find what works for you.

And as Clare and Cathe recommended, get out and do some other form of cardio such as running, swimming, roller blading, ice skating, playing basketball and doing drills, run stairs, do sprints at your local high school or college track. The more you mix up your workouts the better shape you are going to be in. If you want great looking legs you have to work to get them...and keep them.

A good place to start...go to the 'Open Forum' and check out the thread "Somebody Stop Me Mish Mosh". A-Jock has put together a fantastic workout that is great for the legs.

Variety is the spice of life.

 

[Rose11]

RE: cathe and other educated folks - avoiding bulk in t...

Hi ffd! I know what you mean. My lower body bulks easily. Like Cathe said everyone responds differently. In my case, going lighter with my weight was a waste of time because I never felt the burn in my legs and if I don't feel it working I don't think it's doing much for my muscles. I found however that reducing weight training for my legs to once a week worked (especially standing leg work). I used to work out my legs 2 or 3 times a week. Now I try to dedicate just one day exclusively for upper body, one day for lower body (I do both standing and floor exercises) and one day to train the whole body. This sometimes changes because I get bored with my rotations but it is usually like that. I also found out that doing step regularly or exclusively for my cardio makes my legs bulky, while kickboxing, hi/lo, and running slims them down.

 

[futurefitnessdyanmo]

Thanks for the tip! I will check out the mish mosh!

 

[clareMc]

And yes, you might want to be doing LL over PS legs, take no breaks with the LL and keep that barbell to 35 pounds.

It doesn't have to be running. As previous poster said, variety of sports to work legs in differenet ways. Power walk, power walk on treadmill at gym, Cathe's Bootcamp, HSTA, Circuit Max, KPC: all these will allow you to work thw legs while working your cardiovascular endurance and that may be all the leg training you need, plus LL once per week.

Clare