Big thighs

[roobab]

How to avoid big thighs?
What sort of exercising promotes growth of thigh muscles and how to avoid it?
I do do 3 spin classes a week and ride about 150k a week.

[Fresh]

Do you have big thighs now, or you're trying to avoid getting big thighs from riding?

You wont get "big thighs" by cycling, toned yes, but to get "big" thighs you'll need to complement your riding by doing squats & leg press exercises, and eat alot of food.

[roobab]

I started off with 'fat' overweight thighs, before taking up regular exercise and cycling, then thighs got lots thinner as I lost fat, and after 2 years, they are getting big again but this time from muscle growth.

[lethoso]

How to avoid big thighs?
What sort of exercising promotes growth of thigh muscles and how to avoid it?
I do do 3 spin classes a week and ride about 150k a week.

They're a somewhat inevitable result of using your legs to power a bike. Eat less

[ZepinAtor]

Well there could be an advantage to having big strong upper legs in the event of some one calling you thunder thighs.

You can then administer a good kick to the nether regions & pull them into line.

[maDKient]

Don't do any squats, lunges, or deadlifts. And don't do those exercises for less than 5 reps.

That's how I got my thighs. It's awful buying pants or jeans. I've ripped three pairs now in the groin area.

[biftek]

Don't do any squats, lunges, or deadlifts. And don't do those exercises for less than 5 reps.

That's how I got my thighs. It's awful buying pants or jeans. I've ripped three pairs now in the groin area.

you're not the only one , hard finding pants/jeans that fit right , but i must say that i like the way my legs are

[Tim]

This is very generalised and inexpert advise but think of the difference in build between a marathon runner and a 100 metre sprinter, or a distance road cyclist and a track sprinter. The sprinters have huge amounts of muscle bulk for short bursts of intense speed and power. The endurance and distance athletes are generally small and lean, with toned, but comparatively less muscle bulk.
Therefore train aerobically , ie. high cadence, easy gears and long distances, rather than anaerobic, fast, powerful, high gear/low cadences and shorter distances.

[winstonw]

How to avoid big thighs?

Do chin ups and push ups. Then your thighs won't look so big.

[maDKient]

Muscle growth or rate of it sometimes boils down to simple genetics.

I've got calves like a Samoan rugby player yet I don't do anything specific for them. And my thighs blow up easily with weight training whereas my upper body doesnt respond as well.

[roobab]

OK - Seems like short high intensity burst eg, sprinting is the problem.
Reduced resistance at spin and longer rides coming up.

[scotto]

genetic (re-)engineering ?

[jules21]

clenbuterol

[waynohh]

How to avoid big thighs?

Do chin ups and push ups. Then your thighs won't look so big.

+1

Pro cyclists look like they have big thighs because they're scrawny everywhere else.

[mikesbytes]

Hi robab, I do 9 - 11 spin classes a week and about 350k on road and I don't have big thighs.

For riding, I suggest that you look at increasing your cadence a little for road riding. For indoor spin, try using more load in the high cadence tracks and make sure that all times that you match cadence with the instructor, having too much load on, resulting in not keeping up is not the way to go.

Other things to look at are;
1. DIET, put your hands in the air and stand back from the cup cakes. Sometimes excess fat on the thighs can appear to be pushed out.
2. Definition confusion. Sometimes improvement in definition is sometimes mistaken with size. Check the Aussie womans team, they have nice legs -> http://www.cycling.org.au/site/cycling/image/fullsize/2427.jpg
3. Skinny is better. Nope that is untrue, definition is way better, yuck (see link) -> http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2009-10-15-3348587170_8cf471013c1.jpg

[roobab]

9 to 11 spin classes a week, what are ya , a madman?
Great effort. Thanks for the advice, higher cadence it is then.

[Nobody]

9 to 11 spin classes a week, what are ya , a madman?
Great effort. Thanks for the advice, higher cadence it is then.

He's the instructor. See his sig.

[roobab]

I figured that out. My spin instructor does 12 classes a week. All in all, crazy fit people.

[maDKient]

Don't do any squats, lunges, or deadlifts. And don't do those exercises for less than 5 reps.

That's how I got my thighs. It's awful buying pants or jeans. I've ripped three pairs now in the groin area.

you're not the only one , hard finding pants/jeans that fit right , but i must say that i like the way my legs are

I guess because that's your aim??!! (See sig)

[sogood]

After reading through this thread the third time, I still can't work out the OP's reference and definition of "big thigh"? Fact is, one will build up leg muscles when one rides seriously. There's simply no avoidance. And depending on one's definition, it may or may not be a "big thigh".

[maDKient]

^^^



Maybe this?

[sogood]

Maybe this?

If that's the reference of "big", then I don't think any of us amateur cyclists or even racers need to worry. But I did find my pants got a bit less comfortable around my thighs after I started cycling.

[scotto]

are they Anna Meares' legs

[Tim]

Who's legs are they?

[Comedian]

Victoria's thighs look pretty hot and don't look to big, IMHO. Thanks for the excuse to google her again.