Heavier weights and lower body workouts........

R

RWattier

Cathlete
For those of you who took the plunge and use heavy weights for your lower body, what type of results have you seen and what body type do you have........

I am a pear shape and am scared of getting bulky legs - I want to challenge my muscles though and sometime feel like I could increase my lower body weights, but I don't out of fear. I just ordered CTX for the Leaner Legs workout and hopefully that will zap that fat out of my outer thighs..............x( :) x( :)
 
I lift pretty heavy with my leg workout, but I have some weird genetic flaw wherein I cannot gain mass on my lower body no matter what I do. (this is not a good thing--my a$$ is flat as a pancake & there's just nothing to be done)

I have however spoken with many women who bulk up when they go heavy on legs. My advice would be to try something like the freestyle workout--low weights, high reps--to tone/cut leg muscles.
 
Once my weights reach 45 lbs. for lower body, my legs look like sausages in my "skinny jeans". This happened with PS-Legs. At the time I was just starting out and thought it was my body getting used to the weight. It also happened with PLB, and then with GS-Legs. Every time. 45 lbs., that's it. I'm also pear-shaped and after I read Janice's (naughtoj) thoughts about pear-shaped folks probably having enough muscle already in the lower body but also having fat over the muscle that needs to be burned off, I started using very light weights for lower body. I've been using L&G more, also LL, and I use half of my usual weights in GS-Legs. I'm also using LM blast premix a lot -- tough leg work without weights -- along with kickboxing. I'm liking what I'm seeing. For once.:) I guess it all depends on what you're going for. I do believe I've lost some strength in my legs, but I've gained definition (very little, actually, but enough to make me happy) and a lot of endurance.

Pinky
 
Reba,

This is what I have learned during the past few weeks. Raising the quanity of protein I consume and using heavier weights is working for me. I used to bulk up with weights heavier than 40 lbs. Apparently the higher protein ratio and less simple carbs has something to do with it. I am now using 60 lbs for squats and 40 for lunges and have lost .25 inches from each thigh.

Freestyle did not do anything for me but many others have had success with it.
 
I am on the August 2004 rotation and it really emphasizes those legs....I might ditch the Slow and Heavy legs day for L&G bc I have to go so heavy - - sounds like I need to increase my protein -


I love carbs, but that may be the ticket to getting those super defined legs is getting rid of carbs for the time being to see if that works!

Pinky: I cannot wait to get LL! CTX is on backorder but as soon as its out that will be the first one in my dvd player! I am going to take your advice and on the days that Imax is scheduled I am going to sub in a kickbox dvd (KM or KPC) and then just do Intervals 1-5 as an addon..........
 
Reba, you will love LL! It hurts, but it works, and it's a shorter workout that requires very little equipment.

Just want you to know I already consume 110-150 protein grams a day. I'm 111 lbs. Experiment on the carbs and your ratios. It's different for every one -- this is said a lot in this forum and is so true. When I got rid of most of my carbs, I was flabby. I took this as my body holding on to whatever source of energy (like fat) it could keep because it was getting very little carbs. So I know the low-carb way of eating doesn't work for me. My weight workouts also suffered, and I was extrememly scatterbrained. Our brains need glucose to function. I've been doing only 3 cardio sessions per week while weight training since February, that hasn't changed, so I could tell how changing my eating has affected my fat loss. I guess what I'm saying is it takes a lot of time and effort to see what works for you. Hope you find the right combination for your lower body. That's always a problem area.

Pinky
 
What I have found about my body and carbs is, if I consume my oatmeal in the morning and the rest of the day, non starchy carbs, I have enough energy to do what I need to do. I eat carbs, but they are veggies. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower...those types of carbs. Oh, yes, I also eat nuts.
 
I don't think I could ever skip my morning carbs! Even when I eat eggs, I combine it with whole wheat toast or a whole wheat tortilla shell and I love oatmeal - I need that boost of energy in the morning..........but I definately could do a better job with my snacks in the mornings and afternoons - so I might go grab some veggies and bring them into the office and eat those instead of my usual yogurt or granola bar! Not to mention I will cut out the sugars after 4PM and try to stick with veggies and protein for dinner - we will see how well that works! I think diet is much more confusing and hard to figure out and stay motivated then workouts - grrrrrrrrrr

Thanks girls! I cannot wait to get leaner legs! Once I get my eating down, I just might increase those weights for the lower body and see what happens..........LOL
 
Reba,

Once you get the eating down, it's like the workouts...a habit. But, in the beginning it's a pain in the A$$, I agree :)
 
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