The Leg Thread - Toning, Firming and Questions

[TheSoCalledPrep]

The abducter/adducter: I had never heard of this machine before this topic. And, I didn't recognize it. My trouble area is my outer right hip... the rest of my body is very toned, but about a 4 sq in part on that one hip has flub on it. (I know it sounds funny.) But, I didn't think my gym had this miracle machine! Sadly, I put it on the backburner of my thoughts.

So, today, I'm just getting off the incline press, and.. Alas! I spot a strange machine I've never seen anyone on before, tucked away in a corner. I mosied over and read the instructions - it worked the abducter and adducter muscles!!

I must say, this machine is my new best friend. It toned immensely, and it was only my first time.

One word of warning, though: When I was finished, I felt as though I had just gotten off of a horse.

 

[Charlotte560]

Hi All,

Yes, these machines are great aren't they! I like the way you can really make the muscles burn. I am using 50 kg and trying to do 100 reps of each in 4 sets of 25. Those legs are going to be toned!

Charlotte

 

[southerncutie]

How old do you have to be to join a gym on average? I'm 15 and want to use adductor and abductor machines. I'm starting to run and I'm going to buy a pilates tape. I've been sick for 2.5 months, so I've missed about 20 hours of ballet, so my legs are starting to go blah~ Can anyone help... P.S.Charlotte- you are the best!! Your ab routine is working wonders... Thanks!

 

[Erin]

getting into shape is my speciality

for summer-ready legs, biking and running are the absolute best, as far as cardio is concerned. You'll have toned legs even within a couple of weeks...

As far as exercises, the forward and backward lungest are great - and squats are also the best. Plies are also great, if you like dance moves.

 

[saad]

i heard theres supposed to be a lot of space between the legs...y'knw...theres supposedto be 'air'!?!?
am i making sense?

 

[southerncutie]

saad- I wish I had a lot of space between my legs.. sigh. They touch at the very top.. but when I walk they don't, so I'm lucky in that aspect~ Elle Glamour- biking and running... my sis has been nagging me to do both of those with her and I think I'm going to start~

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Oooh, maybe I need to wax my legs for all those summer minis...

 

[Charlotte560]

Saad,
Yes there should be a gap between your legs. If your knees touch then you should see daylight between your inside thighs. If you don't you have to work the inside thigh muscles. A good way is to get a squashy ball, put it between your knees when you are sitting down and keep squeezing. When it burns keep going. The only way you'll see that daylight is by burning away the flab!

Prince of Cats - yes, I am afraid that waxing is essential!

Question to all - I've started wearing 4 inch heels every day at work. It kills my feet but will walking in thlp tone up my legs?

Charlotte

 

[southerncutie]

what do you mean squeeze charlotte- like one of those huge balls and squeeze in?

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Prince of Cats - yes, I am afraid that waxing is essential!

Especially if you're a man...

Heels will not tone your legs - they'll tear your hamstrings...do leg excersises instead...

 

[wowandflutter]

I hope this isn't a stupid question -but are there any exercises one can do to slim the legs as opposed to making them muscular? I have a slim upper body but somehow never got the matching twig-like legs, so i feel i look disproportionate...i would like to get a bicycle and ride but i think that would maybe make my legs look bulky? I have no idea about this exercise stuff! Any ideas? Are the ballet workout videos a good idea for this? Thanks in advance.

 

[franny]

I want to know, too!!

 

[Bonchic]

well if your legs tend to be kind of bulky then you need to do exercises to lengthen your muscles like walking (that's good to elongate your muscles) and long distance running. You don't want to do short distances real fast because that bulks them up.. I've heard that pilates is good to lengthen your muscles too!

 

[Jennika]

Pilates is excellent for slimming legs. And Kate Moss is a big fan

 

[Erin]

Also, a lot of it is genetic - Britney is a little bigger-boned than Kate Moss, and because of her boyish build, she has more of a muscular figure. Moss, on the other hand, is naturally slimmer. While there are exercises that you can do to tone, a lot of it depends on your body type and build.

 

[Artemis]

i'm pretty sure that stuff like ballet and pilates work, also stretching your muscles after you excercise helps a lot. try the New York City Ballet Workout.

 

[hotpinky]

if you want to slim your legs, you need to get rid of the fat on them, which means you need to burn fat by doing cardio. you can't 'tone' muscle, that's actually a myth that you can. the only way to look like you have toned legs is to burn the layer of fat over them so that the muscle is more visible.

 

[wowandflutter]

Thanks for all the response, much appreciated! Now this is where it gets tricky for me Hotpinky, what exercises count as cardio? I always get confused about this kind of stuff! Would doing the pilates or ballet workout combined with walking and bike riding be fine? I have already strated the walking, i need to decide which video would be best!

 

[hotpinky]

cardio is anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you breathe hard (i dont think sex counts...)

running and walking are really good.. pretty much anything aerobic. i've taken ballet for years, and that's great to STRENGTHEN the muscles under the fat... i'd say take a ballet/pilates class but concentrate on burning calories-- walking, running, biking, swimming, etc.

good luck

 

[paprika_hiccup]

Originally posted by hotpinky@Oct 23 2004, 01:32 AM
cardio is anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you breathe hard (i dont think sex counts...)

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Sex is definitely cardio . . . .
( a smilie orgasm ^^^^)