How can I make sure my legs don't get bigger? | Lifting 101 | Forum

Hi,

I have been running for 18 months and have reduced my weight from 100kg to 85kg in that time. I've also been doing a small amount of full body weights during this time to help with my weight loss goals and have managed to build some good muscle as a result. All good so far right?

My problem is very large thighs. I am at the stage of weight loss where despite my 23% remnant body fat (scales may not be perfect i Know) I have very good muscular definition in my lower/upper legs and bum, but my upper legs and but are very muscular and I really don't want them to get any bigger. I already have trouble finding pants with waistlines that fit me to be big enough in the legs.

Can I continue the excellent calorie burning benefits of weightlifting with legs without them getting bigger?

Wow!  Compared to being a hardgainer, you've got it made.  Wish I was dealing with something so good, although I do understand your frustration with asymmetry!

We all have to deal with body parts that tend to out do other areas, which can cause appearance problems and even injuries due to strength imbalances if you let it get out of hand. My areas are my upper back (mostly traps) and my upper quad muscles. However, I can't seem to gain any muscle anywhere else. My chest appears sunken in, because my upper back dwarfs my pecs., even though I work my pecs hard. My legs are very small, but the upper quads are over develped compared to the muscles around my knees or my back side. These imbalances are frustrating. It's very hard to overcome this leg imbalance compared to the opposite situation, because the power in one's lower body is in his or her back side; not the quads. Without the natural ability to gain strength and size in my lower backside, it's hard to make overall progress. I do exercises to work against these imbalances, but having said that, I wouldn't give up my strong, big upper back for nothing, because it's the only thing I've got to show for my hard work.

With your situation, think of it this way. Big, muscular butt and thighs is the foundation for a great athlete and/or a great body builder. This means that you probably have huge potential for muscle gain everywhere, because, your core strength areas are already well developed, and you probably have alot of fast-twitch muscle fibers as compared to slow twitch fibers,. This generally means that you are a person that easily gains fat and muscle, so you must be more strict with your diet than someone like me, and, eventually, you'll have to do some isolation work to correct these imbalances.

Dealing with these issues is much easier than dealing with a body that refuses to gain muscle. You can overcome or reduce these problems with discipline and consistency in training and nutrition. On the contrary, I can do everything right and still be too small and lack muscle mass.

Keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about it at this point. As you gain muscle everywhere else and lose fat, you'll start looking great!

I tend to have large thighs, butt, shoulders, and upper back.

Grant said:

I've never thought to look at this as an advantage, despite knowing that it made me a very strong tackler in soccer (football for the purists).

 

See. I knew by your description that you are a natural athlete!

Great attitude and great work at sticking with it.

Darrin is more qualified to answer your inquiries than me about measuring benchmarks towards your goals, but personally, although it's important to have objective and measurable goals, I'm not sure how important the accuracy of the numbers are as long as they are accurate at measuring your progress. Your progress is what is important; not how you compare to anyone else, or the actual numbers themselves as perceived by the fitness media.

I would also caution about setting goals too high. We all have images of what we would like our appearance to be. Those images are usually derived from pictures or personal encounters with genetically gifted individuals that have great natural symmetry; low fat percentage; and great muscle mass, sometimes enhanced with illegal drugs. It is very difficult for me to gain muscle, but I could lose a few pounds and have great looking abs, though my arms would shrink a little to under 14" and my legs would be even smaller than they are now. So if my abs look like Frank Zane, it's of little use if my waist is the same size as my chest.

I'm just saying, as you continue to progress, be reasonable about your goals and realize progress will get slower as you get more fit. You should be able to lose enough fat to see your abs, but keep in mind, your body type may not lend  towards your abs being your strong point no more than I'll ever be a person with big, strong thighs.