If you walk for exercise

[Anonymous]

Do you also see a difference in thigh strength? My calves are pretty solid, but thighs seem the same. I walk 4-5 miles/day and have been for almost a year.

[Anonymous]

I walk 4+ miles per day. My legs are skinny like they were when I was 14 and I'm 53. That's not where I put on weight. They were probably a lot more defined when I did weights, but they're virtually fat free so it doesn't really matter to me.

[Anonymous]

Ride a bike if you want to improve your thighs.

[Anonymous]

I walk for cardio but also do weight training, like squats and RDLs.

[Anonymous]

Yes, my thighs carved out some muscle for SURE.

[Anonymous]

You want to do steep hills and stairs. Flat isn't really going to do much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You want to do steep hills and stairs. Flat isn't really going to do much.

+1 Find some hills!

[Anonymous]

My thighs have some definition (but I add some squats with a light barbell (25 lbs). I also tend to do my 4 or 5 mile walks on a 10% incline, which adds up to about 12000 vertical feet per week. Not as effective as hiking, but I like my AC!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks! Squats and hills are in my future.

[Anonymous]

Stair master has worked wonders for my butt & thighs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You want to do steep hills and stairs. Flat isn't really going to do much.

+1

I purposely do a walking route that starts out going down hill...way down hill and also includes 100 stairs. Once I get to the halfway mark with my walk I have no choice but to go back up those 100 stairs and that super steep hill in order to get home. It is a #itch and I curse that hill and those stairs every single time, but it has improved my cardio level quite a bit plus my butt and thighs. More slimming than muscle building though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stair master has worked wonders for my butt & thighs.

+1 stairmaster can be awesome for your legs (and butt, and core!) IF you do it correctly.

If any part of your arm (elbow, forearm, upper arm) is touching the machine, you're doing it wrong and wasting your time while also screwing up your back. Stand straight. Hands 100% free ideally. If truly necessary, hold the top of the machine gently with your hands out like you're pushing a shopping cart. NOT with your arms straight down locked and holding your body up. 80% of the people using the stairmaster at the gym are doing it so, so, so wrong.

Do it right by slowing down and taking breaks to work on your endurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stair master has worked wonders for my butt & thighs.

+1 stairmaster can be awesome for your legs (and butt, and core!) IF you do it correctly.

If any part of your arm (elbow, forearm, upper arm) is touching the machine, you're doing it wrong and wasting your time while also screwing up your back. Stand straight. Hands 100% free ideally. If truly necessary, hold the top of the machine gently with your hands out like you're pushing a shopping cart. NOT with your arms straight down locked and holding your body up. 80% of the people using the stairmaster at the gym are doing it so, so, so wrong.

Do it right by slowing down and taking breaks to work on your endurance.

Stairmaster PP - I don't hold on to the rail when I do it. I try to just let my arms swing in a natural motion. If I want to kick it up a notch, I put my arms behind my back. If I need a break, I just rest my wrists on the bar in front instead of holding onto to for dear life like I see some people doing. I hate when I see people all hunched over it. Like you said, total waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stair master has worked wonders for my butt & thighs.

+1 stairmaster can be awesome for your legs (and butt, and core!) IF you do it correctly.

If any part of your arm (elbow, forearm, upper arm) is touching the machine, you're doing it wrong and wasting your time while also screwing up your back. Stand straight. Hands 100% free ideally. If truly necessary, hold the top of the machine gently with your hands out like you're pushing a shopping cart. NOT with your arms straight down locked and holding your body up. 80% of the people using the stairmaster at the gym are doing it so, so, so wrong.

Do it right by slowing down and taking breaks to work on your endurance.

Stairmaster PP - I don't hold on to the rail when I do it. I try to just let my arms swing in a natural motion. If I want to kick it up a notch, I put my arms behind my back. If I need a break, I just rest my wrists on the bar in front instead of holding onto to for dear life like I see some people doing. I hate when I see people all hunched over it. Like you said, total waste of time.

Good job! Seeing people use the stairmaster the right way makes me so happy - they are a rarity at my gym. Even if you're on the slowest setting for 1 minute at a time, it's WAY better than the people slumped over leaning on the machine at a higher speed. Just walk up it like you would a normal flight of stairs - it's an arms/hands free activity.

[Anonymous]

I love the stair mill. More like real stairs than the stair master. and if you focus on squeezing the butt and using your glutes you will tighten the booty.

used to work with a guy who just walked up and down the stairwell at work for 30 min/day. That's the free option!