my quads are huge..HELP!!

S

samanthaeve

Member
I have been working out for sooo long (10 yrs).. on an 8 in step for cardio, and I was wondering, if I dropped the height to 6 in, would it a) reduce the intensity of the workout b) reduce the effectiveness of the workout, and lastly c) have any bearing on minimizing the size of my quadriceps?? I have alot of strength in my legs, I can diet without a hassel, and I have no problem going heavy when needed.. but the cardio on the 8 inch step is the only thing I can think of that might be a deterrent in leaning them out.. I have a lot of definition(ok, so maybe a fat layer, but damn.. my legs are big)-- is it possible to drop the step height down on my cardio without forsaking the benefits? I also crosstrain with kickboxing and hi and lo, but still have all this size.. running,perhaps? I love my tapes!! Please dont say running.. I need these legs a little more lengthy.. any suggestions? and I train them with light weights when doing leg work, after going heavy, and experimenting if that would even downsize them.. I am at my wits end!!! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.. from anyone.. By the way, I also have used the Firm tapes, but I didnt find the light weight high rep thing to make that much of a difference in downsizing them either.. damn genetics I suppose.. but isnt there a way to fight this just a little?
 
I vary my step height

alot and as long as I do the power{jumping} with all I've got, I feel I still get an effective workout. I see nothing wrong with a 6in step sometimes. As for the size of your thighs, Is it just your quads that are big or are your hamstrings in equal proportion? Maybe an imblance is making them look so big. I'm only 5'1" so I know what you mean about length and not wanting them to get so big. Also, I HATE running!!! I like speed walking alot though,and that {I hear} helps keep legs lean. Do you go to a gym? What about a crosstrainer, but go backwards on it to target your hams and glutes? Don't stop weight training,and if all else fails, just be proud of your hard earned muscle>I know, I know, that's sucky advice but what can I say, I hate to see people with toothpick legs. Now THAT'S unattractive!! Muscle is more beautiful than skin and bones anyday!!!
 
hamstrings have good development as well..

My hammies are fine.. good place for them to be right now in the way of development.. But the step height is going lower for now.. and I figured that giving it my "all" onthe intervals and such should maintain the current level of intensity.. If I try to match my hams to my quads, I would look like a little fire hydrant.
Pilates? Yoga? What will make me LENGTHY?!!!
And if I start to incorporate this stretching into my regimen.. how long before I see results? I there a right way to do this rotation wise?? Will I ever stop with the questions??
 
Lengthy, hmmm.....

Since I have never tried Pilates, I couldn't personally tell you, but isn't that what it's known for? Hey, will it make me taller?LOL!! Yoga, which I do like, is known for the same thing I think. Maybe 2-3 times/week. Would be a good start. I'll be honest, I only do it once a week because I'm much more concerned with burning calories and building muscle. I do stretch everyday for 15 min though. I think I'm babbling, but if you don't mind my asking how tall are you? Are you short like me and just happen to have really muscular legs? Not that this matters, I'm just curious. I hope Cathe will answer your post, she'll probably have soultion you need. And I'll be nosey and read it.LOL!!
 
i am a smurf.

I am 5'3..
I never see tall women with bulky legs.
Maybe one of those midevil torture racks where they stretch you.. Is that akin to the Pilates Reformer I see on the infomercial? Should I buy stock in this company?
 
OK, Smurfette

I know the feeling. Hey, if you do find a torture let me borrow it. As for stock, I am Wall Street challenged. What infomercial? I'd sit down and watch it to see what it's about. I have a Total Gym 2000, it works on a pulley system. Is that similar to the Reformer?
 
I don't like to run either.....

....but I love to walk. Consider this as another crosstraining activity. I began to notice a big difference in my legs when I added Cathe step tapes like BodyMax which have lots of powerful leg work (like the second section), and Taebo with a lot of floor work.

My problem is my calves! My quads are doing fine size-wise. It IS a battle...you just have to work on them real hard.
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You have lots of company
 
Hi Honeybunch!!

How's it going? I'm going to be nosey, what's wrong with your calves? Too big? Too small? I'm being a real busybody today!! I can't help myself!!My inquring mind wants to know!!LOL!
 
WATCH it, girl!!! **I** have toothpick legs!!

AIMEE!!! You be careful, girl!!

I have toothpick legs, ya know. . .

Is there a FIERCE emoticon around here????
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(actually, I have to agree with though, be proud of your hard-earned muscle!! I can do Lower Body Split and PS-SLA till the cows call home and I would never get that muscular look. I think it looks AWESOME!!)

(and Aimee, my fierceness is all a big show. . . Grizzly bear mouth and teddy bear butt you know. . . Since this is the internet and you can't see my obviously fake fierceness I thought I'd better clarify that!)
 
WHEW!!

WOW!! For a minute there I thought I really ticked you off!! I was all set to apologize all over the place!! Actually, I'm still going to do that, I am sorry, but I'm sure the picture in my mind is NOT what you look like!! I'm going to try to describe the image that I have. Big, burly guy with this gut and then no butt and boney, knee-knockin' legs. Arms are the same way, ya' know? Just real thin and not even a hint of muscle! I've seen men {and women} like that and you just know that they don't exercise!! I really shouldn't laugh the men in my family ARE built that way and not one of them workout. They all complain that I exercise too much, can you believe it? Exercise is my health insurance and all it costs me is is an hour or two a day!!!
 
My calves are HUGE!!!!!

I can get the size of my thighs down(from a size 10 to a size 6), but my calves I can't get down. I think I built them up when I was about 12 or 13 and did a lot of bike riding on hills on a one-speed Schwinn Bike with balloon tires (circa 1962-1963). I can't get them down for nuttin'!!!! Genetics DOES play a part them, too, but I helped it along with the bike thing.

Anybody got any suggestions?????!!!!!
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Unfortunately, no

I'm in the process of building mine up. Well, maybe I do have a suggestion. What about light weights high reps for your calves? I got a feeling that you've probably already tried it. Ok, now I've got a stumper for you. I'm trying to get some roundness and lift in my butt. I do squats, lunges, lifts, tilts, you name it {withheavy weight-low reps} to no avail. Is it because I've had 3 kids or my genetics? Help anyone?
 
I MUST step in here

Aimee, as a FORMER pancake butted mother of three myself, I have to ask if you have ever tried the Firm?? If not, get thee hence to Firmdirect.com and order, hmmmmm, Tough Tape! That's a good one! LOTS of tall box leg presses. Those things have TOTALLY built me a butt! I am so much less "saggy" and flat than I used to be! It is truly amazing. I do a Firm tape with tall box work twice a week. I have the official Firm 14" tall box but you can get all sorts of cheaper options at around that height.
 
The Firm,hmmm

as matter of fact, I have never tried the Firm. When I looked at the time breakdown in Collage Video I saw the there really wasn't that much cardio. Do you use them as cardio tapes, or mainly for shaping? How you described how you used to be,is how I am presently. If they work that good I'll buy all their tapes and all of Cathes tape. By the time they're done with me I'll be ready for Fitness America!! Hee Hee!!
 
Aimee, skip their cardio

The sculpting work in the Firm videos is effective, especially those tall box leg presses. But if you are used to Cathe's cardio you would be disappointed (I think).
Debra
 
I know how you feel

I don't have much advice to offer. I am a member of the bulky legs and big calves club too. I, too have done a lot of stepping and I think that it does not lean the legs out at all, so I'm trying different cardio (spinning)

For weight work I use lots of reps and lighter weights and prefer lunges to squats. Haven't been at this long enough to see whether I'll get results or not.
 
agree with Debra

I don't care much for the Firm's cardio. They are really at their best with their strength tapes. There is ONE Firm cardio tape, Super Cardio, that rivals Cathe in intensity, but most of their cardio isn't worth it. They usually do their weight work at a pace that gets your heart rate up there and keeps it there, though, so I'm sure there is some secondary cardio benefit to that. The Firm has a definite, um, shall we say "style"?? or "flavor"?? --they are not no-nonsense and straightforward like Cathe. the women are all gorgeous and made-up and sweatless and slightly pretentious. However, those sweatless, pretentious women (often referred to as "Stepford Wives") WILL kick your butt pretty effectively! I didn't like the Firm at all when I first tried them over a year ago. But in January I had done an MIS rotation (12 weeks)followed by two PS rotations (12 weeks each with a 4 week break in between) and I was just BURNT out on those four strength tapes!! (can you believe it??). I knew I needed to do something different so I decided to buy a tape in each of the Firm's categories and do their 90 day rotation. WELL, I loved the results and have been using mostly the Firm for strength and mostly Cathe for cardio ever since. They complement one another NICELY!! I'd recommend starting off with Tough Tape if your butt is your concern, although I personally find that tape a little too much of a good thing. Another awesome choice, probably the two best Firms of all time, are the crosstrainer pair Firm Strength and Firm Cardio. They are both mostly strength, I don't know why they called Firm Cardio that! Anyway, go as heavy as you can and work those leg presses and you will be amazed at what happens to your lower body (actually, I've gotten good upper body results too, but I still think Cathe is the upper body queen of the world). The crosstrainers are usually pretty cheap at places like 800.com and buy.com, go surfing!
 
What about the hare

and the tortoise? I went to their site and saw the strength video. I don't have those tall boxes like they do, what did they call those the fannie firmer? How much are they? Do I really need it? Or will an 8in step do the job? You all agree the Tough Tape and The Firm Strength Tape are the ones I need, right?
 
Bulky legs

I've been stepping on an 8" step for about 6 years now and I have the bulky legs and huge calves to show for it. I never considered that the height of my step might have something to do with the bulkiness of my legs. Is this a possibility? As far as the FIRM goes, I tried them a couple of years ago. I subscribed to TIME-LIFE and they were sending me tape a month of the Classics. Needless to say I hated them. Just recently I acquired Super Sculpting and Total-Body Shaping mix off of E-bay. Does anyone have an opinion on these two tapes. I haven't tried them yet.

Jacque
 
Tall Box

I also like Tough Tape, but Firm Strength & Firm Cardio are two of my favorite videos. Firm Cardio is really a toning tape (not cardio). A tall step (box) is the key to results. You don't have to buy a bunch of risers for your aerobic step or buy the Firm's version. Most people buy a tall 14" Rubbermaid stool. Mine is another brand (Canadian) that my husband found at the hardware store (made my Christmas a few years ago!). I think they're under $10.

Firm Hare isn't very intense. The weight work from the Hare & Tortoise was used to make Tough Tape because many people disliked the ballroom aerobics in the Hare & Tortoise. They're actually kind of fun, but low intensity. The newer Firm cardio tapes (including Super Cardio) are apparently higher intensity, but be prepared for high impact plyo's. I have Super Cardio & don't mind the impact but the endless plyos get boring.

Keeping with Cathe's frequent reminders to cross-train, I would alternate Firm tapes with other cardio workouts (Cathe, walking, Tai Bo).
Debra
 
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