Muscle reduction?

L

lisadashnaw

Member
Hi Cathe,
This may sound weird, but is there a way that you can reduce muscle mass that has formed naturally. My calves are naturally thick for my size. The calf area is the one area that I usually don't do weight training with because they are already so big. Is there a way that I can either reduce the size or reduce the appearance of them being so large? I would like them to look a litte more slim and not so bulky. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Lisa :)
 
I also have large calves, and have pretty much come to the conclusion that they (size and shape) are mostly determined by genetics. You either have them or you don't. That's why some male body builders resort to getting calf implants: no matter how much they try, they can't build their calves in proportion to the rest of their body.

The only way calves will get much smaller, IMO, is if there is a layer (or two, or three!) of fat covering the muscle, and that can be reduced through diet and exercise.

Or, I suppose if you don't do much walking at all...like being bed ridden. But that's not a healthy way of doing things!

One way to reduce the appearance of them being large is to develop your upper leg (quads and hamstrings).

Otherwise, just learn to love and accept them! They are strong and practical.
 
I also believe it is has something to do with genetics. All the women in my family have huge calves. My brother-in-law says we don't have ankles, that our calves go straight to our feet. lol I've learned to live and like mine. I have been complimented on mine by sales girl once. She asked if I was into weightlifting and that she liked the look better than skinny, bird leg look. I have to agree.
 
Yeah,
I kind of figured that there isn't much I can do. I am defintely glad that I have strong solid calves...it's just bad when your calves are bigger than your boyfriends! ;-) Thanks for all your comments!!

Lisa
 
Lisa,

My calves aren't huge but they don't have that "shapely, slim " look either. To compound things, I have sturdy ankles. I chalk it up to being descendended from good, hardy, peasant stock. The rest of my frame is small though. Go figure. So I've come to live with the calves, making sure to buy shoes and bottoms that flatter. The term for these calf straight-to-foot beauties, by the way is Cankles!
 
You want to see big calves? Look at the hogs I'm lugging around...and I never work them in isolation! Been like that since I was a teen! I do have ankles, though. I don't let it bother me since there isn't anything I can really do about them.
 
My brother-in-law
>says we don't have ankles, that our calves go straight to our
>feet. lol

That's sometimes refered to as a "cankle" (calf + ankle).
 
Don't worry about your calves being bigger than your boyfriends. My husband is a small man and my thighs are twice the size of his! Well, I exaggerate a little ;-)

Clare
 
AMEN! Think this is my first post here but had to say you're not alone. Don't see too many females with calves as big around as their thighs, but mine are just about. Won't even wear a dress...I swear they look like football players legs. It's probably genetics with you too, so have to give up on caring so much as I have. They only thing that ever came close to reducing my gastroc was having my leg in a cast for 2 months requiring no lower leg use at all!!

Just wanted you to know how many women envy it...God only knows why...whenever I go to a gym especially, women ask how I developed such calves! Also the other day when biking a lady asked me how much I ride to develope calves like that!!? Yes, we think they're nuts, but men and women love it. Guess it's like the straight hair, curly hair thing. Who knows, but nowadays, it's not so bad a physical characteristic.
 
Hey - Imafitnessfreak - you look great! what hogs?

BTW - how did you get that beautiful hamstring muscle??? any secrets? or have you always been blessed with hamstrings?
 
Thanks Lynn! I'd say my hamstrings came into development from doing leg presses. That seemed to really do the trick for my whole lower body.

Also, I pay extra attention to my hamstrings when stretching everyday. It keeps my sciatic nerve from taking over my life!!!
 
Lynn, Do you have Gym Style Legs? I noticed big gains from that workout...as long as I really pushed myself, heavied up on the weight and tightened up on the band...made sure I was totally challenged...that is a great workout!
 
NO I don't. Maybe I will though....but to be honest, I've got so many tapes and have seen so little results in that area, I'm reluctant to spending more $$ hoping for different results. I began working out in a gym a while back and I've seen some improvements - not huge - but little ones. I need to think about it.
 
Lynne, Have you tried dead lifts? Cathe does a version in Gym Style Legs that really gets in there. She stands on a 6 inch step, carefully lowers barbell to the bottom of the deadlift, going all the way to the toes. Keeping the bar close to the legs, shoulders back, heaad neutral, she lifts to the knees and lowers to the toes. A reverse dead lift....she warns it is only for the more flexible and you really have to be super careful with dead lifts.
 
deadlifts are definitely part of my routine - in the gym. I'm up to 110 lbs for deadlifts and that has made a difference, but not a big one.

i do have to be careful though, because I am now pregnant and have to lower the weights - yesterday at the gym I only went up to 85 lbs. I think I"ll have to wait to make a big difference till after the baby comes. maybe GS legs is it!
 
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