Help me define my leg muscles

a j haggerty

Okay guys really need some help!!!

Okay heres the problem, when i was younger about 9 to 16 my hobbie was horse riding, i had horses for about 7 years, which kept my lower legs muscels in great shape. I gave up riding at 16 for about 4 years and done nothing, apart from drink loads of alcohol and eat junk food! My friend got me started cycling last February when i bought my first MTB, a Trek 4500. We done loads of miles year and now i have a Giant OCR, but my legs are still very fatty!

Just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem and how to get rid of the FAT!!!!!!!!!!!

trekchic

Same problem...years of sedantary life have ruined my legs! The best thing for toning legs is power walking. I walk 4+ times a week outside of riding to lose the flab on my haunches! My thighs are in bad shape. Last April, I started on a workout regimine that included leg presses, squats and butt/hammie crunches all on weighted machines. I also walked, cycled and swam some. By August, my legs looked great! I'd lost tons of inches and was down into an 8-10 for the 1st time in years! Then winter set in, I was still eating the carbs for cycling, but not riding much and I gained some of the weight back...mostly in my legs.

So, I'm back where I started! Crunches, lunges, squats and presses in addition to walking every single day at least 30 minutes.

That's the best advice I can give.

Kim in TN

a j haggerty

Thanks Kim

I've been jogging for the last couple of months too, i'm doing a 10k run on Sunday which i thought would help them, it has a bit but not much. Sometimes i look at them and think they look not bad im getting there but then there are time, which is most of the time when the look terrible. Its only the bottom half with me. I partly blame my mother as she has the same legs!!!

Susan Repp

I say "you have to chose your parents well"!! A lot of this stuff is definately hereditary and women tend to put weight on their hips. I know this about chosing your parents wisely cos I have a sister who is a freaking bean pole and doesn't work out, eats junk and is still slim. I think we are both lucky that we have small bodies; but, me being 5'5" I have had to work at keeping those pegs in good order. She is definately soft so doing all the above exercises definately has given me the edge. So definately keep the good work up there. Men are lucky genetically - have you seen the legs on Ratty (forum)? Lord what I would give?!?!? Ayways, cutting grotty food out helps - I tell you though I was in a race at the weekend and some of those ladies had some thighs on them - they were excellent bikers and kept me at my pace!

Embrace those thighs ladies -

cyclistfreak89

I rode like 400+miles since summer and I have this groove on my thighs by my knees..Squats, mtn. biking, and walking help out alot. Does anyone have any advice for the inner thigh? and ladies..most of our fat is stored in the thighs, or that's what i heard. Workout and love yourself

cheapie

lunges. lots of lunges. if pain is any indicator, those are great for your legs/butt.

missy24

I'm a bodybuilder. If you want lean, defined legs, 90% has to do with YOUR DIET. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

You can have great muscles in your abs, your legs, etc, but if they are hidden by bodyfat, you will never see them.

I recommend you start looking at sites like bodybuilding.com to get an idea of how to eat for the look you are looking for!

CindyK

I agree that reducing bodyfat is all about DIET, but I'd be careful following a bodybuilding dietif your goal is to ride consistently, and especially if you're competitive. (If your goal is only to look good without regard to performance then this doesn't apply to you )

I used to bodybuild, and I ate like a bodybuilder when I began endurance sports (running, primarily with some biking thrown in for crosstraining). I found that there weren't NEARLY enough calories OR carrbs in my diet to keep me going. When I added more carbs to my diet my speed increased considerably and I felt a whole lot better.

Listen to your body, pay attention to how your clothes fit (not the scale!), have a ton of patience and remember:

TO LOSE FAT CALORIES IN MUST BE LESS THAN CALORIES OUT!!!

Aim for a calorie deficit of about 500 cals/day and eat quality food. Being more strict than that is counterproductive..your body will respond by slowing your metabolism to match your diet.

You'll get there.

missy24

Sorry for the confusion, I wasn't suggesting she eat like a competing bodybuilder. I suggested she start researching how to eat for lean muscle definition by visiting bodybulding.com and the like.

There is a difference in contest-prep dieting - some bb's tend to go low carb and that wouldn't work for your riding.

There are other types of bodybuilding type plans that will get you the legs you want by losing fat and keeping muscle.

I ride at least 4 times a week and maintain my muscles. Seriously, you can have legs like mine - but you have to eat right and eat smart.

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MtnBikerChk

I prefer squats to lunges - 6 of one...

oh yeah, and eat right!



What they said.