Suggestions for Thinner Thighs

M

mmtesq

New Member
To put it in a few words - I hate my thighs and would like to slim them down. I understand that squats and lunges will help, but I have recently developed some trouble with my left knee making clicking and crackling noises- most likelyt arthritis. No pain, unless I work out a few days in a row, then I have to take a break for a couple days. Anyone have suggestions on how I can reach my goal of thinner thighs without irritating my knee too much?
Thanks for any help.

Michele
 
Hi Michele-

Why don't you try doing more floor work for your thighs?
Cathe has a leg tape in her Pure Strength series that features 1/2 hour of floor work.. She works inner and outer thighs, and also hamstrings. The video is actually and hour+ long but the first half is all standing squats, lunges, etc.

I broke my foot a couple of years ago, and while I was recovering I was able to retain some of my leg strength up by doing all of her floor work from that tape.

Good luck!

Lynn
 
I'd also add that the floor work section from Karen Voight's Great Weighted Workout is also very effective.

Stacy
 
Hi, Michele,

First of all, I'd get the knee checked out by a pro. I have two bad ones, but can still do squats and lunges by decreasing the range of motion and doing lunges only in the static position, that is, keeping my feet split for the entire set rather than taking a step for each lunge. My physical therapist says that as a rule of thumb, a 30% decrease in range of motion amounts to only a 5% loss in effectiveness for an exercise. Also, go slowly to recruit as many fibers as possible. And I agree with everyone who's said do more floorwork, but weight on the feet or ankles can strain the knee. Put your load above the knee. Good luck.

--Ann
 
I think Voight's floorwork on GWW is a classic, so I second that recommendation. For an update, use her Body Reform Total Body, a misnamed video that's primarily leg work, especially inner thighs. You'll need a Pilates fitness circle.

Given your symptoms, please get a professional to look at your knee. It would be great to discover that it's just a muscular inbalance. If it is arthritis or cartlidge, then you can address it with a pro.
 
Thanks for everyone's suggestions. Never even occurred to me about doing more floor work, DUH, which I like better anyway. And I already have the GWW tape, so will give it a try.
 
Besides a low fat diet (Not no fat), My legs really thined out from 2 "main" things: walking/jogging a few times a wk and the firms lower body sculpting. I add it to any leg work I do that is standing. I really like it, it's easy, yet challenging when you use the right weight. I also do a lot of stepping and kickbox too. That's my 2 cents.
Faythe
 
>Besides a low fat diet (Not
>no fat), My legs really
>thined out from 2
>"main" things: walking/jogging a few
>times a wk and the
>firms lower body sculpting. I
>add it to any leg
>work I do that is
>standing. I really like it,
>it's easy, yet challenging when
>you use the right weight.
>I also do a lot
>of stepping and kickbox too.
>That's my 2 cents.
>Faythe

Hello; I have a question regarding my twelve year old daughter. She has always had big thighs and calves, she took after her dad. She really wants to get rid of them. Should she be doing Cathes tapes on this problem or is is to much for her?
 
>Hello; I have a question regarding
>my twelve year old daughter.
> She has always had
>big thighs and calves, she
>took after her dad.
>She really wants to get
>rid of them. Should
>she be doing Cathes tapes
>on this problem or is
>is to much for her?
>

At 12, you're daughter is too young for weight bearing exercises. Lifting weights is not appropriate for children' because their bones are still forming. Sixteen is generally considered the minimum acceptable age for weights.

At most she can walk/jog or do some other cardio. But in all likelihood, when her body hits puberty her weight will be redistributed.
 
Her weight may NOT be redistributed, and she may just have to work with her genetic makeup. I would encourage her to join the track team at school. Show her pics of Flo-Jo, or one of the other track legends. I think the new super star is Marion Johnson. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Who would NOT want to look like that?!

She may want to make friends with the gym teacher at school to get some pointers from an outside third party who is well versed on working with young girls like her.
 
Her weight may NOT be redistributed, and she may just have to work with her genetic makeup. I would encourage her to join the track team at school. Show her pics of Flo-Jo, or one of the other track legends. I think the new super star is Marion Johnson. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Who would NOT want to look like that?!

She may want to make friends with the gym teacher at school to get some pointers from an outside third party who is well versed on working with young girls like her.
 
>Her weight may NOT be redistributed,
>and she may just have
>to work with her genetic
>makeup. I would encourage
>her to join the track
>team at school. Show
>her pics of Flo-Jo, or
>one of the other track
>legends. I think the
>new super star is Marion
>Johnson. Someone correct me
>if I'm wrong. Who would
>NOT want to look like
>that?!
>
>She may want to make friends
>with the gym teacher at
>school to get some pointers
>from an outside third party
>who is well versed on
>working with young girls like
>her.

I want to thank you all for the advice. I did recenty purchase a treadmill and will encourage her to use it. I also have some thigh workout tapes I got from the library for her. I am still trying to let her know that it will not shed overnight and that she has to work on it daily and that she is still beautifull and a special young lady.
thanks again
 
Debra, which of the 2 KV tapes do you think best for slimming innner thighs more? I am a Cathe addict, have most of her tapes and pretty much only do her weight workouts in addition to running and interval treadmill work but also have jiggly inner thighs that have improved but not where I want to be. Also would like to improve my butt muscles. Have trimmed some inches off my rear, definitely improved over a few years ago but, with age, the butt looks kinda flat and droopy and I'd like to get a more lifted, rounded butt. Thought I might try something like Karen Voight to add to my Cathe lower body workouts?
 
Try Karen Voight's Great Weighted Workout. It has an excellent floor workout. The entire workout can be long and a little dry, but overall it's a great workout too. I primarly use it for the floorwork now. I also tried Karen's Strong Smooth Moves and she has some nice standing work without weights for the legs and some inner thigh work too. The FIRM has two great tapes for floorwork also: Lower Body Sculpting and Sculpted Buns Hips and Thighs (although this one also has ab work)

Colleen
 
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