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i really want to not only strengthen my legs for x-country, but i want to get bigger legs. i think i was jsut born with te body type that has skinny legs and a small butt, but i was wondering if by working out i oculd make them thicker.... i owuldnt mind gaining some fat around them either but whenever i gain weight from fat it collects around my belly. is that unavoidable? also, will running make my legs skinny or will it help build muscle. thanks
ATG squats :)
PUSH HEAVY
i spent the last few months trying to gain mass in my legs. and i did.
just do peg presses, squats, calf raises, leg extensions, etc heavy weight and pyramid it. med, low, low, high rep kinda thing.
running will help lean out your legs. avoid it for a while. if u like cardio use a bike or something like that
squats, leg presses, lunges, db step ups to a bench etc
u ever see a x-country runner with big legs? me either
Sprints can build muscle in your legs - longer distance, steady state running will lean them out.
I find full range (ATG) squats build my butt and hips more than my legs. If you want to focus just on legs, try a closer stance and squat to parallel. But yes, you can build up your legs with heavy weight training and the proper mass gain diet. As you've learned, gaining fat is a bad idea... it doesn't go where you'd like it to and it won't look smooth and shapely like lean muscle will.
To build some solid legs with strength and thickness you have to work the legs as a whole by hitting them at every angle. You never just want to have power in the quads or just in the hamstrings. What I mean by that is you dont want to over power your hamstrings by working your quads so much that you end up with an injury in the hamstrings due to the quads being so overpowering. I try to stay away from Leg extensions due to the load point on the knee joint which can cause injuries.
Here are some exercises you may want to choose and I say some...
ATG- yes hits the glutes but also hits the quads secondly
Back squats- feet closer more quads then glutes secondly
Front squats- for a better quad sweep and it hits the glutes secondly
hacks- depending on foot placement feet wide and hit glutes and hamstrings will be hit first then quads, feet closer and to middle quads are engaged more
Leg press same as hacks
Good Mornings- Hamstrings and lower back
Bulgarian or Split squats- Both quads and glutes
Stiff leg deads- glutes and hamstrings
Step ups- quads then glutes then hamstrings
You want to keep in mind that with all of this running your legs will stay trim and lean. You will be able to thicken them but not sure if they will stay that way.
I'd take Sunshine's advice with an avatar like that! :D
[QUOTE=darkangel;51032191]I'd take Sunshine's advice with an avatar like that! :D[/QUOTE]
aweee thanks....alot of tears went into these babies. my husband calls them lethal weapons :o
[QUOTE=Sunshineslynn;51015371]
ATG- yes hits the glutes but also hits the quads secondly
Back squats- feet closer more quads then glutes secondly
Front squats- for a better quad sweep and it hits the glutes secondly
hacks- depending on foot placement feet wide and hit glutes and hamstrings will be hit first then quads, feet closer and to middle quads are engaged more
Leg press same as hacks
Good Mornings- Hamstrings and lower back
Bulgarian or Split squats- Both quads and glutes
Stiff leg deads- glutes and hamstrings
Step ups- quads then glutes then hamstrings
[/QUOTE]
Awesome list! The only thing possibly missing is lunges - did you leave them out on purpose? They seem to get my butt sore every time - more than any other exercise.
thanks for the advice. if i run only 3-4 times a week will my legs still stay thin or will hte decrease in running allow my leg muscles to grow a lil bit?
[QUOTE=moon girl;51082511]Awesome list! The only thing possibly missing is lunges - did you leave them out on purpose? They seem to get my butt sore every time - more than any other exercise.[/QUOTE]
opps forgot those. I rarely do them since I use to do them alot. I was mainly focusing on quad sweep and quad thickness.
[QUOTE=emzpony;51085581]thanks for the advice. if i run only 3-4 times a week will my legs still stay thin or will hte decrease in running allow my leg muscles to grow a lil bit?[/QUOTE]
They will grow but it could hinder their growth to an extent. All the runners I know have lean smaller legs.
[QUOTE=Sunshineslynn;51088631]They will grow but it could hinder their growth to an extent. All the runners I know have lean smaller legs.[/QUOTE]
i agree.
limit running as much as possible.
you do this for your cardio? or because you really enjoy running?
you can use other forms of cardio.
like i said before, biking outside or at the gym is a good one,
stairmaster too mayb?
[QUOTE=daviess;51097551]i agree.
limit running as much as possible.
you do this for your cardio? or because you really enjoy running?
you can use other forms of cardio.
like i said before, biking outside or at the gym is a good one,
stairmaster too mayb?[/QUOTE]
well im on the x-country team so i need to begin training pretty soon for next season, but i want to put on some weight before i start doing heavy workouts becuase my doctor says that im at too light a weight for it to be safe for me to run so intensely. biking sounds like a good idea.....id rather not go to the gym jsut because i get bored usper easily there.
Yeah, you are a bit light, but you're also 16. I was 95 lbs at 16 :eek:
SunshinesLynn gave you a good list!
Oh, and be sure to get enough calcium in your diet. Supplement if need be.
yeah i take a calcium suppliment and a multi vitamin. is that too much? i read somewhere that too much calcium actually amkes ur bones more likely to crack...but id rather have that than osteoporosis. i also dont get much protein, i try to eat whey but it tastes like poop.
[QUOTE=emzpony;51658871]yeah i take a calcium suppliment and a multi vitamin. is that too much? i read somewhere that too much calcium actually amkes ur bones more likely to crack...but id rather have that than osteoporosis. i also dont get much protein, i try to eat whey but it tastes like poop.[/QUOTE]
no, you just want to get below the daily upper limit on calcium which is 2.5 grams. Thats from food + supplements. I think that would only happen if you got so much calcium, that your calcium/phosphorus balance was off. I like calcium hydroxyapatite because it contains bone calcium, and everything is at the right ratios.
Sounds like you need some better whey.. champion nutrition makes tasty whey. I always mix my whey in milk.
Calcium + a multi is a good idea, just don't take them at the same time.
[QUOTE=emzpony;50912671]i really want to not only strengthen my legs for x-country, but i want to get bigger legs. i think i was jsut born with te body type that has skinny legs and a small butt, but i was wondering if by working out i oculd make them thicker.... i owuldnt mind gaining some fat around them either but whenever i gain weight from fat it collects around my belly. is that unavoidable? also, will running make my legs skinny or will it help build muscle. thanks[/QUOTE]
I ran cc in high school and college and we wanted to be as skinny as possible to race. If you want to build muscle in your legs, you should be running track...not cc. Running cc will make your legs skinny and lean.
emzpony -- I to share the perplexing question of how to build leg muscle when naturally given the 'runner's body'. What I've learned with myself (and remember each person's different) is I have to do heavy weight training (squats, deadlifts) intermixed with cardio (to keep the fat down). I too also gain weight first in the mid section (which I think is weird sometimes, but whatever, lol) - like it won't show up anywhere but there and I combat that with running and cardio. Right now I'm mainly focused on the heavy weight training and I keep the intensity up and do abs between sets to keep the heart rate going. I'll see results in my upper legs and haven't quite cracked the code on calves yet. If any of you have - please let me know!!
[QUOTE=beaniecool;51684261]I ran cc in high school and college and we wanted to be as skinny as possible to race. If you want to build muscle in your legs, you should be running track...not cc. Running cc will make your legs skinny and lean.[/QUOTE]
i do track in addition to x-c but i do long distance in track. but i would rather have big legs adn be a bit slower because my main passion is horseback riding and strong legs are essential for that sport
[QUOTE=blkvelvteen;51859371]emzpony -- I to share the perplexing question of how to build leg muscle when naturally given the 'runner's body'. What I've learned with myself (and remember each person's different) is I have to do heavy weight training (squats, deadlifts) intermixed with cardio (to keep the fat down). I too also gain weight first in the mid section (which I think is weird sometimes, but whatever, lol) - like it won't show up anywhere but there and I combat that with running and cardio. Right now I'm mainly focused on the heavy weight training and I keep the intensity up and do abs between sets to keep the heart rate going. I'll see results in my upper legs and haven't quite cracked the code on calves yet. If any of you have - please let me know!![/QUOTE]
haha its nice to know someone else has the same problem as me. all the girls i know gain weight in either thier boobs or legs which i personally think makes a nice curvey look. i wish i had that. how much weight do you think i should lift for beginning? i can do squats all the way down with 30 lbs but i doubt thats really considered heavy lol
[QUOTE=emzpony;51889441]i do track in addition to x-c but i do long distance in track. but i would rather have big legs adn be a bit slower because my main passion is horseback riding and strong legs are essential for that sport[/QUOTE]
Then I would ask the coach if you can only train a few days per week with the team...especially on speed work days and, if you have them, plyo days. I am now a coach and I always allow other girls from other sports to train with use every once in awhile
[QUOTE=emzpony;50912671]i really want to not only strengthen my legs for x-country, but i want to get bigger legs. i think i was jsut born with te body type that has skinny legs and a small butt, but i was wondering if by working out i oculd make them thicker.... i owuldnt mind gaining some fat around them either but whenever i gain weight from fat it collects around my belly. is that unavoidable? also, will running make my legs skinny or will it help build muscle. thanks[/QUOTE]
Cycling, leg curls, squats