Thread: Can I work glutes/quads but not hamstring...

You cant shape a muscle, their look is determined by genetics.
Stretching is good if done after the workout, it helps induce hypertrophy.
I wouldnt worry about getting a fat thigh.. You can bet any fitness/figure model doesnt skip any aspect of leg training. If you want your ass lifted, start squatting atg

1. like P said up top you can't shape a muscle

2. there is only a gluteus maximus and minimus, the first is involved in extending the hip and externally rotating the femur and the other, i believe, only externally rotates the hip

3. there is not way to work the glutes without working the hammies because the hammies not only flex your knee but also cross the hip joint and extend the hip (since they attach somewhere on the back of the pelvis).

In addition to what these guys have said, purposefully creating an antagonistic muscle imbalance is just asking for injury. It places unecessary stress on the joint in question (Your knee in this case) to have your quads disproportionately stronger than your hamstrings, which is the case with a huge number of lifters and quite possibly why knee problems run so rampant among lifters.

Just do the good compound leg stuff and everything will fall into place.

Originally Posted by WildPeace

to avoid getting too "fat" looking of a thigh?(From the side) I also would like to know if there's a good exercise for doing upper glutes (medius?) specifically, to "lift" the butt.

Or is this just wishful thinking?

Do any of you do exercises in a particular order to shape things (butt, arms legs) or is that a myth?

Does stretching between sets really "lengthen" muscles? Is that genetic shape, long or short.

Thanks, sorry if these questions are answered already somewhere else.
I'm starting out.
WP

i'm not understanding the 'wishful thinking' part. why in the world would you want to avoid training hams? if you have a 'fat' look to your thighs it's due to excess fat, not due to training. that's a dietary issue.

you can not spot reduce.

no such thing as 'lengthening' muscles.

Originally Posted by The13ig13adWolf

no such thing as 'lengthening' muscles.

this worked in the olden day's when I was young

Originally Posted by FenderBender

this worked in the olden day's when I was young

Yanic said:
extending the hip and externally rotating the femur and the other, i believe, only externally rotates the hip

Are there any pictures or a name for this exercise? I will look around.

CowPimp said: don't get injured by beiing imbalanced...sounds right

Big Bad wolf said: nothing wrong w/ big thighs... as long as it's not actual fat. Right, I am just having a little trouble transitioning between old mentality to new. Old modeling life said be thin, new says be strong, defined, built.

FenderBender... is that the episode from "gunsmoke"?

Thanks, all, for your help,
WP

If you don't mind, how do you include pieces of another person's quote in your response?

http://www.exrx.net/Articulations/Hip.html