girls that dont train legs....

[BronzedGoddess]

[BAfrican-American women have even a worse time with symmetry because their thighs hypertrophy easily, but calves do not and are usually high and short. However, their upper body muscle mass develops to a much greater extent than their white counterparts.

W6 [/B]

AH-HA, I knew it! My calves can look cut, but I can't seem to put on any size no matter what I do. At one point I just totally gave up becuase they looked no different when I work them or when I don't. It truly is frustrating, but I won't give up.....well not yet anyways. Thanks W6 for the info.

 

[Cheetarah]

"Personally, I think there is something about women that along with holding more fat in our lower bodies, also gives us the ability to add muscle quicker to our lower bodies, than to our upper bodies."

Estrogen is primarily responsible for the leg fat, but I assure you it isn't responsible for the leg muscle mass.

All I was saying is that before you think it is squats that are making your legs bigger, check the skinfold. If it is 15 mm or less, and your mid-thigh measure is 22", than you are one of the genetic leg monster poster children, if it is 20 mm or more, than try getting your bodyfat down to where your leg thigh skinfold is 15 mm, then assess the size issue again.

Eh, that first part was just a guess, trying to figure out why it seems like most women can acquire muscle on their legs easier than their upper bodies. I suppose it's just some women's genetics. But anyway, as far as my legs go, okay then, I guess I'm a poster child. I've actually been told that once before.

Why women have the ability to develop muscular legs is unclear, but I wonder how much has to do with long-term genetic coding and developmental training (i.e., what you did when you were young).

It would be interesting to compare a group of gymnasts to speed skaters that didn't do much upper body work in their early years and see how this affects upper to lower body muscle mass proportion.

I do know that none of the female speed skaters I have encountered have a proportional body, or at least 90% of them have bigger lower bodies with an unproportionate upper body.

And, it is not that your legs are too thick for distance, they are probably mostly Type II fiber composition which will most certainly give you size and power, but not endurance. Even if you did nothing and let your legs shrink, you'd still be only suited for short-term power events. The size is a function of the fiber type that dictates the performance capability, which has been genetically determined.

Yeah, you're not the only one who has said that either. So unfortunately I am probably stuck with always being better at the shorter distances in speed skating, cause of my genetics. That sucks cause the longer distances is where you get the most points to win placements, arrrgghh! I guess the only thing I can do is keep training and working on those longer distances. One of the male speed skaters I know has the same problem and he actually stopped all weight training and tried losing some muscle mass off his legs but it didn't really work, at least not enough as he isn't as good at the longer distances either and he's been at it for years and years.

Interesting stuff!

 

[Cheetarah]

Someone (formerly) from the boards offered to do a biopsy of my quads. Just to find out what they're made up of. I'd be curious to know. Not as curious as I am about MS gene mutations though...

That's cool. You should do it. I would, I think it'd be cool to know.

 

[circusgirl]

Wow folks the more you experienced lifters talk about your physiques the more it motivates me to train hard! I would LOVE to have 27 inch quads.... mine are currently 23....

 

[Haz]

Spatts, more like 110- 120lbs of your weight is water. Remember, we are over 60% water.

 

[witkowsd]

upper thighs

I do heavy leg exercises once a week, cardio, 30 min. 2 x a week, and eat a clean diet but still find that it is very hard to get my thighes (knees on up) to get anywhere where I want them. I find this to be very discouraging. For legs I do squats, leg extensions, leg presses and the hack squat. Any other suggestions?