Muscle Bulk

Fergus Whelan

I'm looking for some advice on how to reduce muscle bulk.  I have relatively short legs but big muscles.  I have large well defined quads and calves and think, whether rationally or not, that I would be better served if these were slightly smaller in size (without losing strength)

Has anybody any ideas on how I can go about doing this?

Thanks,

 

Fergus

 

GMAN 19030

I was about 187 pounds and pretty muscular a couple of years ago. I'm nearly 20 pounds lighter now. How did I do it? A ton of cardio and less weight training. That pretty much did it for me.

Al Truscott

Unless your body fat is down in the 6% +/- range, you're better off focusing on body composition rather than catabolizing your muscles if reducing bulk is your goal. And stop stimulating muscle growth with weight training.

Muscle "size" is primarily controlled by two factors: genetics, and the type of stimulation we provide to them in their growth and development phase, which is men during ages 17-32 or so. Muscles are made up of protein contractile fibers, a support matrix, water, and nucleii. The number of nucleii, which represents the number of muscle "cells" is the controlling factor here. Once you've developed a certain number of muscle cells, at birth, and again right after puberty, the nucleii are always there, waiting to be stimulated and cause the protein fibers to increase, and water to be attracted to the area. You can eat away at the protein fibers when you're starving or under stress, but re-stimulate them with exercise of any form, and they'll grow again.

Here are some ways to reduce muscle bulk, none of which you want to experience: reduce or eliminate the innervation to them, like with a spinal cord injury; reduce growth hormone stimulation, such as testosterone; starvation; stress of illness or surgery.

Over a number of YEARS, your muscles will respond to alterations in the mix and type of exercise you do.

John Withrow

@Al-- I don't like any of your solutions!

@Fergus--  I've been wondering a similar thing for a while...

I was a wrestler and strength trainer my whole life.  Last year for a fundraising event I did 66 dips (my max at one time was 82).  I weigh 205lbs (was as high as 230lbs) and most of my weight is in my upper body. I have a 19" neck, large shoulders and large back, but skinny weak toothpick legs...  I guess you can say I have exactly the wrong build for an endurance athlete.  This was actually one of the reasons I started to do triathlons, to get outside of my comfort zone and try something completely foreign.  I was 34yrs old and had only done strength training stuff my whole life.  I wanted to experiment to see if I could physiologically change my body composition.  I can tell you that 1 yr into my experiment, it's not going so well.  I have not lifted or done any upper body exercises in a full yr, but I still have a 19" neck and large shoulders and back.  I weigh exactly the same as I did a yr ago...  I have gotten much better at running (although I'm still slow) and I'm having a lot of fun getting stronger on the bike.  I think my legs have gotten much stronger so if I weigh the same, maybe some of my weight is re-distributing downward, but it sure doesn't look like it.

I'm hoping when I exit the OS and start focusing on getting my weight down it will shrink from the right spots, but I guess I'll have to wait and see...

penlynwilson

@Fergus and @John: What others said. It takes time and depends on YOUR body and genetics. Take a look at your parents and grandparents. See whose body style you have. Your pretty much stuck with it. You can do a few things to change it, but your not going to go from a strength & power athlete body to a skinny endurance/ultra-endurance athlete body. And, that is OK! It is inspiring to see all shapes and sizes at the races.

Focus on what you can change - body composition. The muscles also have fat stores in them. If you reduce your body fat %, you may get a bit of shrinkage from that fat storage area, too.

GMAN 19030

Penny,
Kind of off topic...
Do you do diet/nutrition consults? I'm not sure what kind of practice you have. You're local to me and it's certainly something my family and I could benefit from some education. We eat pretty well and there isn't an ounce of fat on me, my wife or my son but we could always do better. My wife is a vegetarian and I'm not sure she gets all the nutrition she should be getting. I haven't eaten red meat for 20 years. My son is 5 1/2 and he's in that stage where it's difficult to get him to eat different things (especially fruits and veggies).

ironmtngrl

@Fergus - I don't even play a nutritionist on t.v. but I did read an interview in Triathlete Mag about the guy who founded Fuel Belt. He used to have a football player's body and transformed himself into the endurance athlete physique. He said the key for him involved diet. I remember reading he cut out red meat, maybe also dairy. Sorry my memory is fuzzy.

Fergus Whelan

Thanks for the feedback.

While I know I could do with loosing few kgs and that would certainly help the situation I am probably stuck with large quads and calves. I have been involved in triathlon since 1986 and my legs are not getting any smaller so I guess I better learn to love them and put them to work!

Brenda Ross

Fergus, just a thought, but if you have been participating in triathlon since 1986, have you been doing sprint and olympic and are now switching to long course? If you take a look at some of the pros that were doing olympic and moved to long course you will see that their body comp has changed. Case in point: Craig Alexander. Maybe just switching the length of the sport you do will help you in your quest.

Shaughn Simmons

Agree with Brenda.

Time and consistency with the plan will work most things out.   Note, the plan has no weight training scheduled. 

I am 43.  I lifted weights for at least ten years in my 20s.  I raced triathlon for about 8 years before joining EN and racing long course.

Over the last 3 years of training EN style, I continue to get faster each year I get older??? (so far)   Ran the fastest 5K time ever about 3 weeks ago...........Again, it's consistency over time sticking to the protocol.

SS

Scott Alexander

I've been mostly focusing on long course (see other thread about not saying "iron", LOL) for the last few years, and my quads and calves haven't shrunk at all.

If anything, my quads have grown from all the work (esp the OS months); while my calves have turned pretty sculpted (esp w/ the loss of body fat over a long season).

I've come to terms with it, personally, and it just reflects the workworks done here in da haus.
Intimidates my flat-land friends here in TX too! HAHA