How to maintain muscle, but not grow any bigger?

[Anonymous]

I'm really frustrated. My legs are big enough now, but. I. Can't. Stop. Squatting! I can't stopp adding more weight and pushing myself every time. How do I maintain them but not grow any bigger? I don't want any more size. More on my butt is cool, but I don't want my legas another half an inch bigger!

[rjroy3]

Sounds like just squatting the same numbers each workout will give you what you want. Do a warmup. Squat whatever weight you currently do. Keep the reps and sets the same. You'll be conditioning. You can add more sets if the weight just gets too damn easy. But maintain the same reps. Maybe add some kind of cardio for your cool down.

If you don't want to keep adding sets, then I recommend just maintain reps and sets, do some sprints at the end of your workout then go into a dry sauna for 20 minutes (if your gym has one).
Dry sauna increases your growth hormone and helps preserve muscle mass

[Anonymous]

You have to start a maintenance cycle. That means once you reach the size you are happy with, continue doing the same weight and same reps per set every time. You will not gain nor lose, but maintain. It is as simple as that, there is no such thing as "Can I add more weight and stay the same", No! Because that is impossible! You are adding more resistance! It is cause for change! Just maintain from now on.

[Sara413]

Do your research or talk to a professional to determine what your caloric intake needs are and don't exceed that. Also, when you are strength training (which everyone should do) don't lift big - focus on endurance instead. Resistance training is great too.

[musculargirl]

Your goal should never be maintaining, it should be growing more and more, you'll hit a plateau and than you won't be able to grow more, that's the moment when you are done. Don't stop if you can grow bigger and more defined, bigger is always better!

[Hope_This_Helps]

That's great. Why on earth would you regret pushing yourself? Forcing limits farther and farther back is part of lifting and getting better every time. If you're bulking up too much for your liking, though, take leaner protein, and concentrate on volume rather than weight.

[TripleAce]

As long as you continue to push more weight and eat in a surplus of calories they will continue to grow

You can counter balance by doing cardio to burn fat and muscle or change the style of lifting... for example lift less weight but more reps... that will push you away from hypertrophy (max muscle buidling rep range)

[Anonymous]

This is something you might wanna check out

breakingmuscle.com/.../how-to-get-stronger-without-getting-bigger

[ZeroZeros]

Accept your big thigh genetic.
Do more floor work ie bridge, stretching, inner thigh stretching n work out.
You want to tone your leg like ballet dancer leg, not buffy leg. Doing stretching will tone leg more. Try search on YouTube. Good luck.

[nakedalligator]

You don't need to worry about that, your not going to accidentally get your muscles too big. For starters adding muscle takes years, especially to be larger then what people would consider normal.
Plus you would have to eat a ton.

[WeaponZero]

Muscle doesn't grow no matter how hard you push unless you're in a calorie surplus. This is why bodybuilders go through bulk cycles.

[letsbefriends25]

Try to have good genes.

But maintaining a healthy diet and cardio will help too.
Or maybe try to stop squatting?

[Dayn825]

Start exercising your upper body, and you'll get into that habit instead.

[KidanisCortes]

if you eat ina caloric surplus you will gain weight there is also maintnace calorie count figure that olut and keep it at exactly that and you will keep you weight the way it is

[John_Doesnt]

More reps, with less weight. Also more aerobics. Aerobics and cardio exercises support lean muscle as opposed to big bulky ones.

[jwhit]

Whatever amount of weight you're at right now stick to it and maybe do like higher reps. Just do add any more weight otherwise your legs will just get bigger.

[Krillanr]

Fewer reps, more rest points if I remember right, it's been a while since my JROTC training.

[Anonymous]

Eat for maintenance, not growth. The answer is diet.

[Anonymous]

stop increasing the amount of weight you're lifting and you won't grow anymore.

[ConsultantIsBack]

Shift your focus to other goals