big thighs - myth or reality?

[newcyclist]

Hi,

I've been cycling everywhere since I got a bike six months ago - and the front of my thighs has gotten hard and ... bigger.

I don't want huge thighs.

Will they keep growing?

Thanks!

[Selkie]

I guess it's a matter of what you like. It's a fact that biking will give you strong legs. I am very proud of my muscular legs and cycling has given me what some might consider "big" thighs/glutes. They get me up tough hills, and allow me to ride hard & long.

[doc]

2 things will determine your ultimate thigh size. One is whether you're a masher or a spinner. Spinners will look more lean like a runner. Mashing with lots of power at low cadence is closer to weight lifting. The other, and this is the biggie, is your genetics. As a female you'll never be huge. But some people tend toward big bulky muscles and some tend toward long and stringy. Can't do anything about that but love your new strong and hard legs.

[CR400]

Don't worry as a woman unless you take male hormones, your legs will never get really huge. And even they have to get down to a low level of body fat to get all ripped. They may get bigger then they were before but not by much. I think most of us would rather have slightly bigger legs that are full of well conditioned muscle, then legs that are mostly fat. Yes even thin women that don't work out such as cycling have more fat in their legs then they would have. Remember thin does not always mean little fat and fit. Or big mean out of shape and fat.

I mean my thighs are still 20.5 inches. and you can see most of the muscles move as I ride, sign of low body fat in that area.

[alpinerabbit]

Be proud of your motors....

[Geonz]

From what I've seen in folks in the bike club, your thighs won't get that much different than their natural shape. Bulking up just doesn't happen as much for women.
On the other hand, it's not as if I care in the least. I am a little concerned about general flexibility.

[Irulan]

the mashing vs spin argument aside, there's something to be said for what you get dealt in the thigh genes departemnt. Even when I was a practically no body fat body builder, my thighs has the same basic shape they do now, which is not thin. My genetic tendency is to have muscular quads if I work out at all... as she said.. love your motors...

irulan

[bluerider]

Agreed, it's tough to fight genetics. I am spinner but my thighs are really muscular. I am really lean all over with the exception of these "thunder" thighs which I am insanely proud of.

[sydney_b]

Be proud of your motors....

Gotta agree with alipinerabbit on this one. Whatever you might think is unattractive about more muscular thighs will be insignificant when you exude the confidence and good attitude that often accompanies a fit and healthy body and mind.

/s

[mary9761]

I'm still spinning the excess body fat off my motors, but I'm DAMN proud of my legs. My calves are WONDERFUL and I won't be able to tell if my thighs are actually BIGGER because they were so heavy with fat before, I can tell they are MUCH more IN SHAPE now.
I feel like they've hauled this 254 pound body [down from nearer 290 earlier this summer] around for nearly 2000 road/city trail miles and 2318 total miles since the end of July I'm going to wear the fruit of my labors like a badge of HONOR!!
I'm beginning to look a bit more like an athlete and I'm healthier physically and psychologically.

[CR400]

Mary, Congrats on the weight loss, you go girl. And the milage is sweet too.

[Dogmama]

Ditto on what everybody else has said.

You might consider walking/jogging/running to build your hamstrings. It is important to have equal strength in your legs.

And muscle makes everything tighten up. So, even though the dimensions might be the same, they look smaller because they're tighter. Wait until shorts season girl - you're gonna be buff!

[nicolezoie]

I have big thighs. Always have. But, I don't know anyone who can fill out jeans like I do OR shorts like I do (other than other women cyclists, of course ). My legs are two of my most prized posessions, even though I am *very* self conscious on how big they are. As far as spinning versus mashing, it doesn't matter for me. For me, it's just the way I'm built.

[bluerider]

I have big thighs. Always have. But, I don't know anyone who can fill out jeans like I do OR shorts like I do (other than other women cyclists, of course ). My legs are two of my most prized posessions, even though I am *very* self conscious on how big they are. As far as spinning versus mashing, it doesn't matter for me. For me, it's just the way I'm built.

Agreed on the jeans! I fit into jeans well everywhere with the exception of my thighs. I used to be self-conscious and wear only loose fit or no shorts at all but now I wear pretty tight jeans to show them off. I'm proud of my ripped thighs!!! YA!!!

[bikerchick68]

yup... genetic here too! My thighs were big BEFORE I cycled... now they're big but very muscular! I have been fortunate to find more and more jeans cut for what they term "curvy" women... bless them for the term curvy as opposed to what they COULD call it... LOL!