muscular vs. strong?

[flyboy51v]

I know a a girl at the gym with legs much more muscular than mine but I never see her lift any heavy weights? Is it possible to be more muscular than someone but not as strong? Her legs have a lot more muscle and shape than mine but I doubt she's as strong and frankly I'd rather have bigger legs rather than stronger ones ...

I've posted in this in a few different forums ... looking for some further insight on building up my legs ... I've been on the stronglifts 5x5 program for a few months and i'm up to 200 lbs on the squat. Can I assume that if I get to 225 or 315 .. I'll automatically have muscular legs?

[sassy69]

Nope. Initially its genetics and how you are built. Further men & women have different "strength". But also I've seen skinny guys pull or squat 500 lb right along w/ big musclebound guys.

You have a bigger package than she does tho.

[musclemilf]

You have a bigger package than she does tho.

There I go again, almost spit my coffee all over my keyboard...

[Suzanne]

training for strength is not training for muscle growth

intensity and shocking the muscle makes it grow

lmao at sassy

[RejectedMilVet]

100% genetics. I had chicken legs that developed years after my upper body when I started in my 20's. It's a family thing. Also muscle belly size is generally tied to joint size and bone length, yep, more genetics.

[sassy69]

I am one of those that genetically have big and shapely legs, but then again, I also believe they're strong.

And, yes, Sassy definitely is hilarious!


You can build them but "strong" is also a relative term. A lot of "Strong" is just plain old good form & method - like I said, I can show you some skinny ass guys who do some amazing Olympic lifts.

[HammerStrength12]

I've posted in this in a few different forums ... looking for some further insight on building up my legs ... I've been on the stronglifts 5x5 program for a few months and i'm up to 200 lbs on the squat. Can I assume that if I get to 225 or 315 .. I'll automatically have muscular legs?

If your diet is right then yes. When I was younger and couldn't get bigger to save my life, I did a program similar to stronglifts 5x5. And it worked wonders. My squat numbers were similar to yours at first, and as my 1rm increased, so did my weight and lean body mass. Just be sure to eat a ton and work on those compound lifts. Check out the strength training forum, lotta good resources there.

[kimm4]

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking women have more muscle in their legs. Then you have women who think they can easily build muscle fast, or their legs are genetically big...when truth of the matter is we carry more body fat in our lower half (which makes our legs look bigger.)

[Suzanne]

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking women have more muscle in their legs. Then you have women who think they can easily build muscle fast, or their legs are genetically big...when truth of the matter is we carry more body fat in our lower half (which makes our legs look bigger.)

some women do gain muscle more easily then others and more esiliy then some men - diff body types

not all women carry their fat in their legs mine is midsection and lower back

i lose very little size when i prep we measure weekly year round for nationals prep the biggest part of my leg went down 1/4 inch

[kimm4]

some women do gain muscle more easily then others and more esiliy then some men - diff body types

not all women carry their fat in their legs mine is midsection and lower back

i lose very little size when i prep we measure weekly year round for nationals prep the biggest part of my leg went down 1/4 inch

oh i agree. but i think many mistaken their "big legs" as being more muscle, when they're actually holding more fat.

[Suzanne]

oh i agree. but i think many mistaken their "big legs" as being more muscle, when they're actually holding more fat.

true

[flyboy51v]

Nope. Initially its genetics and how you are built. Further men & women have different "strength". But also I've seen skinny guys pull or squat 500 lb right along w/ big musclebound guys.

You have a bigger package than she does tho.

So ... would you suggest building strength to a certain point before switching over to a muscle building program?

I'm assuming building is more reps and more sets?

(btw ... will my package automatically grow as my muscles grow????)

[sassy69]

So ... would you suggest building strength to a certain point before switching over to a muscle building program?

I'm assuming building is more reps and more sets?

(btw ... will my package automatically grow as my muscles grow????)

I am so confusedby that whole statement. Except no your package will not grow w/ your muscles.

I suggest you keep lifting as intensely & consistently as you can, and eat to fuel that growth and see what the hell you can do with it. And stop worrying about whether or not a girl has "bigger legs" than you.

[Sledge]

training for strength is not training for muscle growth

intensity and shocking the muscle makes it grow


lmao at sassy

This^ and diet makes big muscles.

[GirlyMuscle]

I'm calling schmoe alert.

If you really want training advice to build your legs why post in the women's section? Post up your issue and ask questions from the MEN.

[Sledge]

Doh. I hate it when they schmoe me and I don't notice.

[sassy69]

Doh. I hate it when they schmoe me and I don't notice.

Stealth schmoe.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

To the OP, you have to realize, that in general, women have much smaller bones than men - this includes knees and ankles. So a 22" thigh might look huge on them, and like nothing on you. Im not sure the girl has bigger thighs than you, but they are better shaped. Partly because women have natural curves so it tends to enhance the mass, and also maybe genetic as well.

[sassy69]

To the OP, you have to realize, that in general, women have much smaller bones than men - this includes knees and ankles. So a 22" thigh might look huge on them, and like nothing on you. Im not sure the girl has bigger thighs than you, but they are better shaped. Partly because women have natural curves so it tends to enhance the mass, and also maybe genetic as well.


Women also have estrogen and are going to be more prone to carrying size in their legs that wont' necessarily be all lean muscle mass. Equivalently, men don't have more estrogen and are not going to be prone to estrogen-pattern fat depositing , and potentially more prone to carry any extra size in their chest area instead.

Its just not really equitable to compare men & women's bodies, part by part. The proportions are generally going to be like comparing apples & oranges.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Women also have estrogen and are going to be more prone to carrying size in their legs that wont' necessarily be all lean muscle mass. Equivalently, men don't have more estrogen and are not going to be prone to estrogen-pattern fat depositing , and potentially more prone to carry any extra size in their chest area instead.

Its just not really equitable to compare men & women's bodies, part by part. The proportions are generally going to be like comparing apples & oranges.

I think we said the same thing, just differently. Only I wouldn't count the fat as 'bigger'. I had 30" thighs when I wa ls a bulky 30 year old. No way I go around now saying I built 30" thighs, lol. The OP was comparing, I tried to point out the sex differences. Its like glutes, for me at least, I think they're much more important to a womans physique, be it Fbb, figure or even, ugh, bikini. For guys, its important for them to be striated nowadays, though I never look at pics of Sergio or Anold and say. "He was great, but needed better glutes". If its Debbie Kruck, its a big part of the impact. I hope this soiunds like I'm acknowledging and to a degree, celebrating the differences, because I am, lol. PS I believe everyone needs strong glutes to have a good squat. Even though mine aren't big (short, high insertion), they're strong. Maybe that was part of the OP's point? Dunno...

[flyboy51v]

To the OP, you have to realize, that in general, women have much smaller bones than men - this includes knees and ankles. So a 22" thigh might look huge on them, and like nothing on you. Im not sure the girl has bigger thighs than you, but they are better shaped. Partly because women have natural curves so it tends to enhance the mass, and also maybe genetic as well.

yea ... they're actually not bigger or stronger ... but they look much more muscular proportionately. Ultimately I wonder because I want to build up my legs ... not really just make them stronger. And I see people with great legs who aren't very strong ....

Basically I'm wondering if I should do something other than strength training?