If you have ever wanted to really firm up your lower body here is the article that lays out how to slim them down figure athlete style! Staying strong, but leaning out is different for everyone and Donny gives the keys to customizing your results.
When I get a young female that is interested in training, the number one question I get from them is how to create the shape they desire in their lower body. It seems that all of them are interested in “losing fat” around their legs and butt, however this is not always the right thing for them to be doing to get the results that they are looking for in the mirror.
How Do You Know?
It is really difficult to discern whether you need to lose fat or build muscle in the legs and butt area unless you have your body fat taken. While each woman carries her fat tissue in different areas, what you can do is look at the actual number (usually in millimeters) for the thigh to tell you if you need to lose fat or put on muscle to get the figure you desire.
If you find that your thigh measurement is 10 mm or less and you feel that your legs are too large then you need to lose some muscle in the area. If you find that your legs are 10 mm or more, you need to lose some fat first and then re-assess the situation.
How To Do It
If you need to take some muscle off your legs I do not recommend becoming a cardio-bunny on the treadmill, additionally do not take this advice as an excuse to skip workouts. Instead, we need to focus on high energy activities that do not build muscle per se; rather, they help maintain your physique while reducing the stimulus on your legs to grow. The best way I know of doing this is to take out half of your legwork and add in two sprint sessions each week.
Here's a sample track workout:
6 x 40-yard dash
4 x 100-yard dash
2 x 200-yard dash
By adding this workout in replacement of half of your leg routine, you will find that you maintain your strength and overall fitness, but the size of your legs will decrease with time.
If from above you decided you needed to lose some fat around your legs and then re-assess the situation, the best approach you can take is twofold. First make sure your nutrition is in check. While this is not a nutrition article per se, do a quick search for some of the weight loss articles on the site and you will find some great advice that you can apply. The best approach you can take is to add some intensity to your workouts. I like to add this into my clients’ routines by having them superset their exercises. This works best for about one month at a time and can be extremely effective at burning additional calories. Simply take your workouts and pair together your first two exercises and perform them back-to-back. Take no rest between the exercises and then a one-minute rest between the completion of the superset and the next two exercises of your workout.
Now you will find that your workouts will probably shorten. This is fine. Take the amount of time that you shortened your workouts by and go for a fast paced walk outside of the gym as a cool-down before heading home. This is an extremely effective way to lose some weight on the weight training side.
That is it! Now go shape those legs and butt for summer time!
Donald Shankle – Donny is two-time national champion Olympic style weightlifter from New Orleans. A veteran of the Iraq war, Donny is best known for rising in the sport of Olympic weightlifting in 18 short months to claim the title of national champion in the 105 kg weight class. Currently Donny is one of the strongest men in the country in both the classic lifts and just about anything he puts his mind to. Donny can be reached at donny@donnyshankle.com