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Overdeveloped Quads- HELP!!!

G

geness

New member
O.K. Heres the problem:
My quads are way overly developed compared to my hamstrings. As a female I want nice defined muscles that are symetrical and asthetic for my body, not big bulky muscles.

I only lift legs once a week doing high reps with lighter weight and concentrate primarily on my hamstrings and glutes to try to balance things out. I do an hour of cardio six days a week at a high intensity, but with low resistance. I alternate between running, the stairmaster, the precor and spinning class.

Question #1: Should I not bother to weight train my legs and if I do continue should i only use my own body weight and perhaps train them twice a week instead?

Question#2: Out of all the diffrent types of cardio that i do is one better then another when it comes to taking the emphasis off my quads and working other muscles instead?

Does anyone have any ideas on what i could do to get my quads to a normal looking and proportionate size to the rest of my body?

Thanks everyone in advance- all suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

:) :)
 
Ditto...I can't complain about anything being "too big", well unless you consider that one thing. :)

Keep concentrating on your hamstrings for one to try and even 'em out, but I wouldn't totally stop working your quads unless you actually WANT them to get smaller. Your cardio sessions sound good, but I'd think the spinning & stairmaster are going to put more work & emphasis on your quads (especially spinning). Just a thought.
 
Cardio doesn't build muscle unless you are very weak when you start. You need progressive resistance and intensity to build muscle. Your "overdeveloped" quads are probably genetic. Train your hams and calves hard and just light stuff for quads.
 
elliptical uphill w/ forward motion is more glute/ham emphasis, backward is quad emphasis-
also walking steep incline (13+) long strides, not holding on is good ham work
maybe this helps some...
what are you doing for ham training?
 
geness said:
O.K. Heres the problem:
My quads are way overly developed compared to my hamstrings. As a female I want nice defined muscles that are symetrical and asthetic for my body, not big bulky muscles.

I only lift legs once a week doing high reps with lighter weight and concentrate primarily on my hamstrings and glutes to try to balance things out. I do an hour of cardio six days a week at a high intensity, but with low resistance. I alternate between running, the stairmaster, the precor and spinning class.

Question #1: Should I not bother to weight train my legs and if I do continue should i only use my own body weight and perhaps train them twice a week instead?

Question#2: Out of all the diffrent types of cardio that i do is one better then another when it comes to taking the emphasis off my quads and working other muscles instead?

Does anyone have any ideas on what i could do to get my quads to a normal looking and proportionate size to the rest of my body?

Thanks everyone in advance- all suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

:) :)
Click to expand...


How big are they? Flex them and measure them with a tape at the biggest point. As long as they arent bigger than 23 inches, it is okay!

Do more squats! And work you arms! Bigger upper body will take away the emphasis from the lower body!
 
glad you liked the pic

cardio dont really build muscle at all. you wont get bigger by doing cardio..ive always prefered power walking or a bike..its smoother and less painfull on the joints.

and dont stop training legs..in the end your hams will catch up...and btw, girls with big strong legs are hot
 
I'm not for sure if you are wanting to bring your hams up or your quads down. If you are wanting to bring your quads down....you must just simply train them less...or less intense.

The reverse works for bringing your hams up...you must train them more intensely. Try training hams before quads. After you have fried your hams, squats feel so much different:)

B True
 
Personally, I would ditch the spinning and the stairmaster since both will emphasize the quads a lot. I know people have said that cardio won't build muscles, but have you ever seen a mountain biker with small quads? No, atleast I haven't. My friend Big Tommy built his legs and calves with mountain biking. Also, as far as bringing up you hammies goes, I would train them heavier with lower reps so that way they can grow faster and catch up better.
 
Well Grizzly I agree with you this time. Do you realize that this post totally flies in the face of what you posted about a woman needing 50lb dumbells to build her quads or do you not understand training at that in depth of a level?

I would also drop the spinning and the stairmaster, and train the hammies more directly, keeping reps below eight or for a woman 10 (due to physiological difference in muscle tissue type). I would cut out squats, etc. If you feel the need for a compound movement do stepups.
 
Tombstonealley said:
Well Grizzly I agree with you this time. Do you realize that this post totally flies in the face of what you posted about a woman needing 50lb dumbells to build her quads or do you not understand training at that in depth of a level?

I would also drop the spinning and the stairmaster, and train the hammies more directly, keeping reps below eight or for a woman 10 (due to physiological difference in muscle tissue type). I would cut out squats, etc. If you feel the need for a compound movement do stepups.
Click to expand...

No it doesn't. When I said that she should train her hammies heavier I meant load that bar the fuck up and stiff-legged deadlift for 6-8 reps. Lying leg raises as heavy as possible for 6-8 reps. And, as far as I'm concerned, nothing short of squats is better for glutes than lunges and I would say grab them fifties and lunge. Heavy and hard. That'll bring them up. Well, maybe bench step ups would be equally as good for glutes, and even then I'd say grab the 50's and step up.

Let's face it, most people just want to get to a certain point and then they plan on stopping, until they get fat and gross again and then have to start over. Also, they want to get to that point the fastest way possible. Sure, you could sped 5 months with light weight and attain a decent musculature. OR, you could spend 2 months hitting it heavy and get the same results much faster. That's why I'm a proponent of heavier weights.
 
HeavyDutyGuy said:
A GUY mountain biking (uphill-high resistance) isn't the same as a female on a stairmaster.
Click to expand...

Ok, that's true. Maybe the stairmaster is ok, but I stand by ditching the spinning. I don't know about anyone else, but when I ride a bike my quads get pumped the fuck up. Especially if I'm riding a real bike and not a stationary. Then I have to stop after a mile or so because I'm dying from pedaling my 250 pound ass uphill.
 
Don't forget the loading of the bodyweight on a stairclimber-I agree not as bad as intense spinning, but there is quite a stimulus still.

By the way grizzly I did not mean your advice on training the hammies was a contradiction I meant your position on cycling and stairstepping was. These are activities that do not involve a 50lb db and that can be done without a gym!
 
Last edited:
Thank you everyone for all the great advice and ideas!!
I think that I will try to train my hams more intensely and just do high reps of lighter weights for quads.

Just one last question: Do squats work more of the hamstrings or more of the quads??

Thanks again
Geness:D
 
big legs make your waist look smaller, they're a good thing. Stiff legged deadlifts have given my hamstrings a slight gain in size--I would try those to emphazise the back of the legs.
 
geness said:

Just one last question: Do squats work more of the hamstrings or more of the quads??
Click to expand...

Both.

Squats are generally for quads, but the glutes are the primary movers.

Anything below parallel includes more hamstring.
 
With squats, the depth and the foot position will play a large role in you quad recruitment. I usually use a stance where my toes point straight ahead and my feet are exactly shoulder width apart for quad growth and strength mainly. Lately I have been widening my stance and pointing my toes slightly outward to help improve my overall body strength and I feel it more in my glutes and hams. Make any sense?

B True
 
Power lifters use a wider stance to shorten the ROM.

I use that stance cause with my height it is the best, most comfortable way for me to go deep.

Use a stance you find comfortable.
 
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