slimmer calves

[Bunnie]

I have some rather snazzy knee boots coming in the post. The only thing is, I'm worried, my rather chunkt calves wont allow the zip to do up. I am going to the gym on a regular basis, and I dont feel I have lost any weight at all. Never mind on my calves.
Any tips?

[lipsy]

i think your calf size is partly hereditery and i'm not sure you could actually loose weight from there :confused:

when you're on the machines though (bike/cross trainer) you should make sure that its low resistence (lower level) so that you're not really pushing hard with your muscles. same with the weight machines.. you should use light weights but lots of reps. mucle is made by ripping i think? by putting lots of strain on the muscle. so thats why if you don't want to beef up you should make sure everything is low resistance.

[Bunnie]

i think your calf size is partly hereditery and i'm not sure you could actually loose weight from there :confused:

when you're on the machines though (bike/cross trainer) you should make sure that its low resistence (lower level) so that you're not really pushing hard with your muscles. same with the weight machines.. you should use light weights but lots of reps. mucle is made by ripping i think? by putting lots of strain on the muscle. so thats why if you don't want to beef up you should make sure everything is low resistance.
Best not be hereditery, so we will pop that to the back of my head!

how long on what do you think i should do and what is best?
I might be panicking about nothing, they might fit, but just in case!

[HIT]

I have some rather snazzy knee boots coming in the post. The only thing is, I'm worried, my rather chunkt calves wont allow the zip to do up. I am going to the gym on a regular basis, and I dont feel I have lost any weight at all. Never mind on my calves.
Any tips?
Is it fat or muscle though?

My girl cousin has low bodyfat but genetically big calf muscles.

[Bunnie]

Is it fat or muscle though?

My girl cousin has low bodyfat but genetically big calf muscles.
im taking a wild stab in the dark at fat! lol!

[Nikki*]

I know the feeling hun - mine are fat also, and then underneath my muscles don't do me much favours either. Do you have a pushbike? That's the way I (used to) be able to help mine, just riding my bike to and from work.

[Bunnie]

I know the feeling hun - mine are fat also, and then underneath my muscles don't do me much favours either. Do you have a pushbike? That's the way I (used to) be able to help mine, just riding my bike to and from work.
I have an exercise bike at the gym, and at home. but no actual bike bike. how long should i do on it? i have til about Saturday til i get them hehe! quick fix please lol!
but seriously, it needs to be sorted, so however long it takes (within reason)

[lucifer devil]

when you're at the gym i'd avoid anything too strenuous on your legs i.e. anything too high resistance. otherwise you'll turn the fat into muscle.

[HIT]

otherwise you'll turn the fat into muscle.
Its my turn to be bitchy now Lucy. :D

You cant turn fat into muscle. :)

[lucifer devil]

i thought you could?

and that was a poor attempt at being bitchy.

[HIT]

i thought you could?

and that was a poor attempt at being bitchy.
Well you cant :grump:

Hows that for being bitchy?

[Bunnie]

Its my turn to be bitchy now Lucy. :D

You cant turn fat into muscle. :)
i thought you could too, and thats how the majority of fat disappeared, and then when you stop working out, your muscles turn to fat?

and NO BITCHINESS in my thread, thats not nice! :p I have a predicament, deal with it :p

ok, so i keep things on a low level, how long should i be on them for?
i tend to do a lot on the treadmill on a high gradient, should i go back to flat, and go faster instead?

[Nikki*]

I used to do a (very unstrenuous) bike ride to and from work everyday, at 20 minutes each way. By about 2 weeks into it, they were starting to look rather sexy. But i was doing alot of rather physical stuff at work to, just not my legs in particular, so that may have helped. Don't really know, I had to quit the job and I'm a blob again haha :)

[Bunnie]

I used to do a (very unstrenuous) bike ride to and from work everyday, at 20 minutes each way. By about 2 weeks into it, they were starting to look rather sexy. But i was doing alot of rather physical stuff at work to, just not my legs in particular, so that may have helped. Don't really know, I had to quit the job and I'm a blob again haha :)
maybe us two blobs could cycle and meet half way twice a week. the thought of cycling on the M6 isnt filling me with joy mind you!

[VinylVicky]

Fat doesn't turn into muscle. You burn fat off and build up muscles but they don't change into each other.
And yes, like Lipsy said, you ear your muscles when doing weights etc, as it heals, it gets stronger.
Are you on a diet as well as working out? Diet and excercise (not wieghts, more like aerobics etc)combined will help you lose excess weight.

[Simba T Lion]

On a type of squat machine, one with an elevated surface at least, place the balls of your feet on the surface and just do calf raises, or if they have calf workout machines there, I know my gym has like a whole row of them... quite unnecessary considering they only have one oblique :\... but anyways, and just make sure the weight your using is more than your body weight else itd be just like your standing on your tip toes... so if you weight 150, go for 155 or 160.

[Bunnie]

On a type of squat machine, one with an elevated surface at least, place the balls of your feet on the surface and just do calf raises, or if they have calf workout machines there, I know my gym has like a whole row of them... quite unnecessary considering they only have one oblique :\... but anyways, and just make sure the weight your using is more than your body weight else itd be just like your standing on your tip toes... so if you weight 150, go for 155 or 160.
woah hun, you have lost me. i dont think we have them machines at all. how do i do them without?

[Bunnie]

Fat doesn't turn into muscle. You burn fat off and build up muscles but they don't change into each other.
And yes, like Lipsy said, you ear your muscles when doing weights etc, as it heals, it gets stronger.
Are you on a diet as well as working out? Diet and excercise (not wieghts, more like aerobics etc)combined will help you lose excess weight.
yeah i am on a diet of sorts...im trying hehe! but the occassional jaffa cake wont hurt im sure. I would love to go to an aerobics class, and I adore water aerobics, but I dont get back from uni in time. :(

[Simba T Lion]

Just a squat machine? You can do similar things for the ones you just sit at, or the ones in the free weights... (sorry for the cheap looking pictures :p)
Like this http://www.numberonetrainer.com/IMG04177184802A.jpg and you place your feet on the edge of the elevated platform and just use your calfs to lift, as opposed to your legs, or like this http://www.shapefit.com/calf-exercises-calf-press-leg-machine.gif

eta, ooo thats a good one, the guy is even demonstrating it :thumb:

Or theres this one http://www.yukon-fitness.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/SCM155wF.jpg
or another kind thats more of a free motion one, cant find a picture though

[Bunnie]

Just a squat machine? You can do similar things for the ones you just sit at, or the ones in the free weights... (sorry for the cheap looking pictures :p)
Like this http://www.numberonetrainer.com/IMG04177184802A.jpg and you place your feet on the edge of the elevated platform and just use your calfs to lift, as opposed to your legs, or like this http://www.shapefit.com/calf-exercises-calf-press-leg-machine.gif

eta, ooo thats a good one, the guy is even demonstrating it :thumb:
ooooh i do use that last one, i love it. its nice and relaxing after everything else. the bloke told me to use it, but i have it on a low weight, the one he told me to use, would you think maybe i should pop it on a higher one?

[lipsy]

wow i never knew you could lose weight on your calves

[Nikki*]

maybe us two blobs could cycle and meet half way twice a week. the thought of cycling on the M6 isnt filling me with joy mind you!

I'm not cycling up the M6 dear. That would result in my falling off into oncoming traffic.

[I'm With Stupid]

If it's fat, just do normal cardio exercises to burn it off. Arms and legs should be the first place you lose it from.

[lipsy]

ooooh i do use that last one, i love it. its nice and relaxing after everything else. the bloke told me to use it, but i have it on a low weight, the one he told me to use, would you think maybe i should pop it on a higher one?
if your calves are fat then it would be best to do low resistance but lots of it. that way you're burning fat but not creating bulging muscle. you don't want to end up with man calves now do you.

so.. put your treadmill on a lower gradient and run for a longer amount of time.

[HIT]

Fat doesn't turn into muscle. You burn fat off and build up muscles but they don't change into each other.
And yes, like Lipsy said, you ear your muscles when doing weights etc, as it heals, it gets stronger.
Are you on a diet as well as working out? Diet and excercise (not wieghts, more like aerobics etc)combined will help you lose excess weight.
Wow my kind of women.

(wanna move in together?) :D

But I believe a feel weight training burns more calories than cardio. So include both aerobic and anaerobic training.

[Bunnie]

if your calves are fat then it would be best to do low resistance but lots of it. that way you're burning fat but not creating bulging muscle. you don't want to end up with man calves now do you.

so.. put your treadmill on a lower gradient and run for a longer amount of time.
okie doke! that is what i shall do! man calves would not be sexy! :p

[Simba T Lion]

I always thought it was, to build bulk, you did many reps at a low weight until faliure to tear and rebuild and to gain strength, not bulk, you did say, 3 sets of 10/12 at a weight that you can't fully finish your final set at. I probably have it backwards, its been years since I've been in the gym actually training.

HIT? ;)

[lipsy]

I always thought it was, to build bulk, you did many reps at a low weight to tear and rebuild and to gain strength, not bulk, you did say, 3 sets of 10/12 at a weight that you can't fully finish your final set at

HIT? ;)
its the opposite because low weights won't tear anything.

thats why you always see the men in the gym almost bursting a blood vessel as they're trying to lift a weight.

[Nash]

if your calves are fat then it would be best to do low resistance but lots of it. that way you're burning fat but not creating bulging muscle. you don't want to end up with man calves now do you.

so.. put your treadmill on a lower gradient and run for a longer amount of time.

It's alot harder for girls to get big 'Men' muscles anway so I wouldn't worry about that for some time.

If you are generally fit then abit of hill running would see quicker results if you can handle it. I know some girls who enjoy there running and their legs are sweet, but you should stick to some routine or else nothing much will change.

[Pink Soda]

I've always thought my calves were a bit chunky. I've put it down to being partly genetic and partly due to the fact I used to do ALOT of sport and then suddenly stopped it all. However, I'm really slim in all other areas, so wouldn't want to over-excercise or go on a diet. I did think about special leg exercises but to be honest, it's never gonna make much difference and its always you who thinks their calves are bigger than they actually are.

[HIT]

You cant spot reduce fat btw, meaning doing a certain excersise for a certain bp wont make you lose fat neccesarly in that bp. I will however tone that bp.