As a runner, I have always had girly legs and girls just go crazy over them. But I am finding out that cycling alone will result in legs that look like they are inflated to 100psi. Is there anyway to avoid this? I am thinking as long as I do not consume over 2000 calories a day and I spin an easy gear my legs will stay thin.
I think there is no substitute for running as it is the fastest way to get and stay in shape. Any suggestions? I normally run every morning and then at night I do a 25 mile ride.
Lay off the ‘supplements’?
Most of the riders are again, taking laxitives or a barely legal supplement that dehydrates and leans themselves out. I feel this is dangerous and can be avoided simply by running more and cycling less. I see so many cyclists, they only cycle and nothing else and why they all look like they have legs that are dispreportionate to the rest of their body…gosh I sound like a chick…lol…but this is why I run and cycle to strike a balance, to keep my legs thin without having to use dope like a lot of the tour riders to lean themselves out
So, you run and cycle specifically for the purpose of shaping your legs in a certain way? Do I have that correct? Wow.
As much as I hate to contribute to such a vacuous topic…
In general volume produces efficiency, resilience and stamina but not necessarily muscle bulk.
High intensity especially when it’s produced using high force (i.e. high power at low cadence or doing squats etc) is what’s more likely to produce adaptations that increase the bulk of muscles significantly.
You seem a little obsessed with the possibility that guys with the appearance you might be looking for must be using laxatives or other unhealthy menas to achieve it. I don’t see why that would be necessary, just starving yourself a bit would have a similar effect on body fat. However I don’t think those legitimate health concerns are the ones you need to worry about. I think you should be more worried about an unhealthy body image mindset. Just my opinion.
Bear in mind that the cyclists and runners you are comparing yourself to are not training, dieting, taking supplements or whatever else for appearance. Their interest is performance. The appearance is a by-product. Your seem to have things rather confused.
I don’t worry that much but generally speaking and overall I don’t like bulky legs. I know one girl that rides with me she can keep up but I notice she is doing a very low cadence and and peddling a very high resistant gear as you mention, and her legs looks like tree trunks, very unflattering I would say for a female.
When I ride ride with an easy spinning gear. With my speed concept I can hit 23 to 24mph with ease(no wind or very little) but 25mph seems to require much more effort hard to believe 1mph can be that much more difficult. To hit 27mph requires a lot of effort and that is where I think my legs could bulk up fast
