How to Lose Bulk in the Legs

Bulky legs are typically due to excess weight and fat in the legs. However, they also occur if you have large muscle development in the legs. Bulky legs sometimes make everyday activities, agility exercises and competitive sports difficult. Fortunately, with a few adjustments to your fitness routine, it is possible to decrease the size of your bulky legs - whether they are caused by excess fat or an overabundance of leg muscle.

Altering your exercise routine helps reduce the bulky appearance of your legs. (Image: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Step 1

Decrease the duration, weight or intensity of any weightlifting routines that utilize heavy weights. For example, instead of doing five repetitions at the maximum weight you can lift, do three repetitions at about 70 percent of your maximum weight. In addition, include exercises that don't use any extra weight at all such as body-weight squats.

Step 2

Practice long distance running. Endurance running causes the muscle in your legs to become leaner by transforming the structure and size of your legs.

Step 3

Do yoga or Pilates, which reduces fat in the legs and encourages the development of muscle without any added bulk.

Step 4

Perform a fat-burning cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Activities such as swimming, running and bicycling reduce fat throughout the body without adding muscular bulk in the legs.

Things You'll Need

• Weight machine or free weights

• Bicycle

Tip

Pick exercises that are fun and appealing to you so that you are more likely to stay active and committed. Ask your friends and family to join you in your quest. This will not only motivate you, it will also encourage others to become healthy.

Warning

Talk to your doctor before you start, decrease or intensify any exercise routine. Even if you exercise regularly, suddenly altering your routine sometimes leads to injuries.