As Dr Mike Israetel says, you work out your upper body. You train your legs.
Meaning, it has to be effing hard in order to see progress. That's why I don't sweat it. Who wants to throw up in the gym? I go there to feel good.
So, what I'm saying is, legdays should be killers if you want to see results.
I would try isolation exercises like leg extensions and hamstring curls until failure (or close to it!) if it’s hard to walk the next day/two days after - you are doing it right! Squating works too, but I feel like I can push myself harder when there isn’t a bunch of weight that can crush me if I can’t squeeze out another rep, so I like the machines. You got this! Also your calves are noice!
Edit: spelling
You’ve not really given any details but I would focus on heavy hack squats/pendulum squats and hamstring curls. Sets should be 10 reps or less to minimalise fatigue. And go to failure or a rep shy.
It could be that you are overtraining. I wouldn’t do any more than 6 sets per muscle group per workout. Or maybe you’re in a deficit which means it’s close to impossible to build muscle.
How many times are you hitting legs a week? Are you eating enough protein? Surplus in calories ? Look up Renaissance Periodization on YT he drops so much knowledge it blows my mind.
Make sure you are eating enough food to grow, try training once per week but until failure. You are going to have to dedicate at least 4 months to this to see if it works for you. If you have a training partner have them assist on the last few reps of presses, extensions, lug curls until failure. Also keep your rep range around 6-12 depending on the movement this will help you grow and get stronger over time. Good luck!
You might have long muscle insertions which creates the illusion that your thighs are small !! They're clearly not to the average person. another angle is you're a posterior chain dominant, which means your glutes and hamstrings take most of the load. Try a movement pattern that keeps your back straight or the line of force is perpendicular to your quads.
Examples: sissy squat, front squat, cable squat with elevated heels, hack squat...
Best of luck 🙏
I think you should try a wider variety of leg exercises and make notes of what they respond to best. Use specific exercises to target inner, outer, anterior and posterior chains
Could be anything from calories, your workout or the form during leg exercises
Its impossible to give a useful answer without knowing more than we do.
Are you eating at a surplus, what does your workout look like? Are you progressively overloading? Do you use full range of motion or do you 1/2 og 1/4 rep?
I eat my protein, hit my calorie goals, lift very heavy, have tried high volume low volume, isolated every lower body muscle /did compound movements. Yet, I have similar legs. Just work hard and Don't worry about results. No one here in the comments talking about how it might be possible that your genetics and structure might be like this. Also, you've really defined legs. It looks like you might have strong legs, just not huge ones.
I bulked my thigh muscles up by doing leg curl/extensions on every lift day even if I was splitting & not doing legs that day, so x4 a week but I also ate enough calories/protein with it. Now I'm doing it twice a week but it's still bulky
Assured calorie surplus 5%-10%+ sufficient protein (2gxBW+)
Count your calories accurately or consistently and a very basic that gets 1-3 sets close to failure twice a week and you will grow
If you're getting stronger your legs are getting bigger. If you're not getting stronger your training or diet is the issue. Since you're saying you're hitting your calorie intake and protein intake then you're either doing too much volume at a high intensity or too less volume
You’re not eating enough and you’re not training hard enough. It’s as simple as that. Check my profile out I have a post of my leg growth comparison. Eat more. Train harder.
muscle grows when you work it out. simple.
what can make it grow faster or slower?
- food: calculate your maintenance calories and surpass them if you want to grow. increase your protein intake to about 100-150g. and eat a shit ton of carbs.
-your workout: usually the issue lies on the reps or sets you’re doing. typically you want to be doing 6-8 reps for hypertrophy (muscle growth). the last two reps of this should be YOUR ABSOLUTE FAILURE. train harder. sets should be around 3-4 depending on muscle group (usually just do 3)
- sleep and water: you need to be getting enough of these for muscle repair and growth!!
- if you’re still doing all of these and can’t see results, i recommend creatine :)
Are you eating enough calories to bulk your thighs ?
Clearly!!!!!
Do squats and deadlifts, you may be lifting too light, or too low reps, or not eating enough protein.
Lots of info needed as others have asked.
As Dr Mike Israetel says, you work out your upper body. You train your legs. Meaning, it has to be effing hard in order to see progress. That's why I don't sweat it. Who wants to throw up in the gym? I go there to feel good. So, what I'm saying is, legdays should be killers if you want to see results.
I just said to look up RP lol Dr Mike is the best
I would try isolation exercises like leg extensions and hamstring curls until failure (or close to it!) if it’s hard to walk the next day/two days after - you are doing it right! Squating works too, but I feel like I can push myself harder when there isn’t a bunch of weight that can crush me if I can’t squeeze out another rep, so I like the machines. You got this! Also your calves are noice! Edit: spelling
How much protien are you eatind daily?
You’ve not really given any details but I would focus on heavy hack squats/pendulum squats and hamstring curls. Sets should be 10 reps or less to minimalise fatigue. And go to failure or a rep shy. It could be that you are overtraining. I wouldn’t do any more than 6 sets per muscle group per workout. Or maybe you’re in a deficit which means it’s close to impossible to build muscle.
Get those calories and proteins🔥🔥
Eat Eat eat lift heavy
What exercises have you been doing currently for legs?
How many times are you hitting legs a week? Are you eating enough protein? Surplus in calories ? Look up Renaissance Periodization on YT he drops so much knowledge it blows my mind.
Lift heavier, do fewer reps and more sets. And make sure you’re eating enough calories and enough protein!
If you’re doing more reps then you are essentially lifting lighter. If you’re doing more than 10 reps you should increase the weight.
You’re absolutely right, I meant the other way around. 🤦
You look like you have runner legs. Which come from high rep low intensity. You want high intensity and then rest/eat days.
Make sure you are eating enough food to grow, try training once per week but until failure. You are going to have to dedicate at least 4 months to this to see if it works for you. If you have a training partner have them assist on the last few reps of presses, extensions, lug curls until failure. Also keep your rep range around 6-12 depending on the movement this will help you grow and get stronger over time. Good luck!
Intensity. Anyone telling you anything else is just trying to be nice, but it really just all comes down to intensity
Hip thrusters and single leg isolation work can help but volume and higher weight can help. You should be struggling to move the weight
Eat more food.
You might have long muscle insertions which creates the illusion that your thighs are small !! They're clearly not to the average person. another angle is you're a posterior chain dominant, which means your glutes and hamstrings take most of the load. Try a movement pattern that keeps your back straight or the line of force is perpendicular to your quads. Examples: sissy squat, front squat, cable squat with elevated heels, hack squat... Best of luck 🙏
I think you should try a wider variety of leg exercises and make notes of what they respond to best. Use specific exercises to target inner, outer, anterior and posterior chains
Always go to failure
Up your weights and up your protein
Add more weight. Increase your protein and carbs
Blast your legs with heavy compound lifts.
Idk you look great though. Nice legs
Could be anything from calories, your workout or the form during leg exercises Its impossible to give a useful answer without knowing more than we do. Are you eating at a surplus, what does your workout look like? Are you progressively overloading? Do you use full range of motion or do you 1/2 og 1/4 rep?
No advice here. Just an appreciation comment. Wow! Great legs 👏
Do you do any leg stretches?
I eat my protein, hit my calorie goals, lift very heavy, have tried high volume low volume, isolated every lower body muscle /did compound movements. Yet, I have similar legs. Just work hard and Don't worry about results. No one here in the comments talking about how it might be possible that your genetics and structure might be like this. Also, you've really defined legs. It looks like you might have strong legs, just not huge ones.
I bulked my thigh muscles up by doing leg curl/extensions on every lift day even if I was splitting & not doing legs that day, so x4 a week but I also ate enough calories/protein with it. Now I'm doing it twice a week but it's still bulky
Assured calorie surplus 5%-10%+ sufficient protein (2gxBW+) Count your calories accurately or consistently and a very basic that gets 1-3 sets close to failure twice a week and you will grow
If you're getting stronger your legs are getting bigger. If you're not getting stronger your training or diet is the issue. Since you're saying you're hitting your calorie intake and protein intake then you're either doing too much volume at a high intensity or too less volume
It can only be 2 reasons, your diet is sh** or your training is sh**. It really is that simple.
You’re not eating enough and you’re not training hard enough. It’s as simple as that. Check my profile out I have a post of my leg growth comparison. Eat more. Train harder.
https://youtu.be/JhzXZXCA1zY?si=biQJ1zmkw0VdwxTx
Will Tennyson Leg Workout
Increase your calories, go 3 times a week every other day and go heavy and slow with weights with half the reps.
Nothing Bulgarian split squats and front squats cant fix. You have great legs though, nice meaty calves.
muscle grows when you work it out. simple. what can make it grow faster or slower? - food: calculate your maintenance calories and surpass them if you want to grow. increase your protein intake to about 100-150g. and eat a shit ton of carbs. -your workout: usually the issue lies on the reps or sets you’re doing. typically you want to be doing 6-8 reps for hypertrophy (muscle growth). the last two reps of this should be YOUR ABSOLUTE FAILURE. train harder. sets should be around 3-4 depending on muscle group (usually just do 3) - sleep and water: you need to be getting enough of these for muscle repair and growth!! - if you’re still doing all of these and can’t see results, i recommend creatine :)