Controversial Advice From The Experts On How To Lose Muscle Mass On Purpose
It’s not everyday that you read an article on how to lose muscle on purpose. In fact, I’ve never even considered doing this. Maybe that’s because I have a naturally smaller frame.
Surprisingly (well, not anymore) I receive quite a few emails from both guys and girls who are signed up to the newsletter asking me how they can lose muscle mass.
After thinking about it more, it does make sense in certain cases. Maybe you’re a little more bulking in areas than you would like to be. Maybe you need to drop weight for a weigh-in.
Either way, I mostly get asked how to lose muscle from legs (thighs & calves), butt and arms.
Now, don’t read into this too much. Having a butt and having some meat on your thighs is a good thing! It’s just that some have more than they would like.
Being that I have never personally tried to lose muscle, I’m not going to be able to give you my personal experiences. What I can do is share the best advice that I found and offer my $0.02.
How to Lose Muscle
When you think of active and healthy individuals that obviously train and eat right, but do not have much muscle, who do you picture?
I picture Olympic runners. Long distance runners.
We all know what they do – run, run, run.
This got me thinking about other athletes who have similar body types but with more muscle.
Triathletes in particular.
Triathletes (in general) look a whole lot better than long distance runners. They don’t have a lot muscle but they do have more than long distance runners.
This led me to Ben Greenfield’s website. Ben is former bodybuilder turned triathlete and is largely known for his Tri-Ripped program. He is certainly an expert in the field and can even shed some light on losing muscle.
He went from a ripped 210 pound bodybuilder to a 175 pound triathlete … on purpose. Talking about his transformation from a 210 pound bodybuilder he says:
“… I am now at 175 pounds, and now that I’ve shed that extra muscle through a combination of the long, unfed cardio sessions and the shorter, morning fasted sessions. I can now get away with primarily doing short, explosive intervals, one fasted workout session per week, and cross-training.” – from Ben Greenfield Fitness
So how did Ben Greenfield lose 35 pounds of muscle?
#1 – Long bouts of cardio
I looked over Ben’s training routine and it looks, well … boring. But his focus was on losing muscle weight and his workout schedule was definitely setup to do just that.
Here’s a glimpse of his routine.
- Monday – 5K (equivalent to 1 hour of running/jogging)
- Tuesday – Swimming or biking
- Wednesday – 5K (equivalent to 1 hour of running/jogging)
- Thursday – Swimming or biking
- Friday – Rest
- Saturday – 5K (equivalent to 1 hour of running/jogging)
- Sunday – Swimming or biking
He also did the CrossFit workout of the day prior to each cardio session.
#2 – Unfed & fasted cardio
I actually recommend unfed and fasted workouts but based on one condition … that you do strength training. As you can see from Ben’s routine he was not strength training.
As long as you are lifting heavy you won’t lose muscle.
So, if you want to lose muscle mass, here’s what you can do:
- Workout in a fasted state
- Don’t lift weights
- Do lots of long cardio
How to Lose Muscle in Legs
It didn’t take me long to uncover an article from one of my all time favorite fitness websites, Fitness Black Book. This is a true authority site on getting the lean and toned look, so it makes sense that I was able to find a solid article here.
Rusty Moore (known for his workouts for men and for women on how to get the lean and toned look) actually wanted to lose muscle as well. He ended up dropping 25+ pounds of muscle. Crazy … most guys would love to have this problem. He felt that after years of training and adding muscle he ended up too big and too bulky. Specifically, his legs were massive and he wanted a different look.
Here’s what he suggests as the number one thing to focus on in order to lose muscle in your legs.
“Avoid anything that creates a “pump” in the legs. Even things like riding an exercise bike will pump up your legs and cause them to stay the same size … The exercise bike can really create a large pump in the legs. Jogging on a treadmill is the best way to slim your legs down (lose muscle on your legs). Once your legs are a smaller size, feel free to give the exercise bike a shot again.” – from Fitness Black Book
#1 – Avoid the pump in your legs
How do you do this? It’s actually quite simple.
The pump (sometimes referred to as the burn) you get when you workout is caused from an increase in fluid to your muscle. Here is what you can do to increase the pump:
- Lift to failure
- Do more reps
- Lift weights faster
- Rest less between sets
Okay, so don’t do any of that. This is how you create the pump in your muscles … which is bad for losing muscle. Instead, lift like this:
- Stop 2-3 reps short of failure
- Only do 3-5 reps
- Don’t be afraid to lift a little heavy
- Rest 2-3 minutes between sets (you want to fully recover)
#2 – Stick to the treadmill
Ah, poor cardio, getting bashed again, right? Actually no.
Note that Moore suggested “jogging on a treadmill.” When done for great lengths of time (which is what he recommends in his article) this is known as marathon cardio. It is much different than doing HIIT or other types of strategic cardio.
To lose muscle (feels weird typing that) simply jog at a medium pace that you can maintain for 45-60 minutes straight … have “fun.” 🙁
How to Lose Muscle in Arms
Another expert in the field of nutrition and muscle gain … but more in line with what we’re looking at here – muscle loss – is Brad Pilon.
Pilon is most known for his industry altering (literally) diet book, Eat Stop Eat but he also knows a thing or two about gaining muscle and what it takes to fuel that gain.
Brad hasn’t lost muscle on purpose but he is bombarded with questions relating to muscle loss. People are unnecessarily paranoid about losing muscle if they don’t eat every 3 hours. Because of his intermittent fasting diet and the misconceptions about losing muscle, Pilon is now an expert on this as well.
His overall view towards muscle loss (which I think makes 100% sense) is more about whether or not you use your muscle.
“Ever break your arm and have to wear a cast, or know someone who did? Do you remember how skinny that arm was when the cast finally came off? Put a cast on your arm and your muscles shrink faster then an expensive new shirt in the dryer.” – from Eat Blog Eat
Note: Please do not go out and break your arm. Yes, you will lose a bit of arm muscle but that’s a little extreme. 😉
#1 – Don’t use your arms
This may sound repetitive but if you want to lose muscle in your arms simply quite using them. If you do work your arms make sure to skip any exercises that create the pump.
Diet to Lose Muscle
If you are not working out, low calorie diets can also cause muscle loss. In order to help any one of the above tactics work even better, consider going low calorie.
Also, what’s the number one thing you hear about in regards to diet and gaining muscle? Protein.
Everyone suggests that you eat enough protein to support muscle growth and retention. If you are not eating enough protein you can eventually experience muscle loss.
Another fitness author known for his latest workout LGN365, JC Deen, has experienced this first hand.
During his college years, Deen and his buddies had bet going as to who could develop the best body. Here’s what he said he did wrong (which resulted in muscle loss):
“I dieted for about 16 weeks and got the leanest I have ever been in my life. I made some major mistakes though. I did too much cardio, trained too frequently and with too much volume, didn’t eat enough protein. Did I mention I ran too much?” – from JCD Fitness
So by now we are seeing a constant similarity … too much marathon cardio can result in muscle loss.
But he also mentioned his diet.
Long bouts of cardio done in a calorie deficit and not getting enough protein will result in lost muscle.
If you want to diet to lose muscle all you have to do is not eat enough calories and not eat enough protein.
Simple.
So here’s a recap on how to lose muscle on purpose.
- Do lots of marathon style cardio
- Avoid “pump” causing cardio machines
- Don’t eat before you workout
- Don’t use the muscle you want to lose
- Don’t eat enough calories
- Don’t eat enough protein
Darren @ Transformation Cheat Sheet
November 16, 2012 @ 1:07 pm
Great article Kevin. Too many people are confused about what to do to gain muscle and to lose muscle when it’s actually pretty simple.
Kevin
January 19, 2013 @ 8:25 pm
Thanks Darren … Yep, some solid info out there!
Kendra
January 13, 2015 @ 3:47 pm
This was really good information that I will apply to my diet and exercise regimen. I’m a genetically bulky woman with broad shoulders and big calves. People are always asking if I ran track and field. I’m a size 14, but want to look more feminine by shrinking muscles mass. Thanks again!
Jeff Nelson
November 19, 2012 @ 12:23 pm
Great article. You’re especially good on explaining the “why’s” of a subject matter. Can you elaborate a bit in the comment section on why excessive running causes muscle breakdown? I’m assuming after you’ve leaned down enough and your body no longer has any fat to burn off the obvious next thing would be muscle but that’s simply an assumption.
Kevin
January 19, 2013 @ 8:33 pm
Hey Jeff,
I can’t really pretend to be an expert on this matter. I’ve read a lot of theories and opinions … many of them (although being different) have some solid reasoning.
I lean towards our bodies adapting to fit the circumstance.
If you look at a distance runner vs. a sprinter they are built MUCH differently.
And yes, as you get leaner and leaner your diet and training need to be more geared towards keeping muscle and losing weight/fat at a slower rate.
Mitch - Home Fitness Manual
November 21, 2012 @ 11:06 pm
Kevin, I remember meeting up with a childhood friend during my college days…and he had way more muscle on his frame than what was needed. He was on the football team and got jacked…but after his time on the field he had trouble leaning out. These are great words of advice for anyone who, for whatever reason, needs to lose some muscle to match what looks best for their frame.
Mitch
Tara
December 7, 2012 @ 7:44 pm
Hi i am a female and i have muscular thighs from cheerleading and gymnastics, i started doing ballet moves and pilates moves, i feel like it creates a pump but its with my body weight, but i was wondering if that would make my legs bigger or not? i cant really run because i dont want to and its pretty cold. But i would like to know your opininon! But the main purpose for me is to lean out my thigh muscles.
Kevin
January 19, 2013 @ 8:39 pm
Hey Tara,
Generally, us guys hold our weight in our guts and women in their thighs. And the first place you gain weight in is the last place you lose it. Usually, if you just focus on fat loss you will be able to slim down your thighs … eventually.
Also, ballet and Pilates are great because they incorporate a lot of stretching and a longer/leaner look, so I say just keep it up!
Manny
January 22, 2013 @ 2:38 pm
In regards to the legs portion, I though that doing HIIT was for the express purpose of losing leg muscle, rather than wasting time jogging for 45 mins to an hour? This was stated in Rusty’s Visual Impact series. Please clarify where I might have erred. Thanks, Kevin. By the way, keep up the awesome work
JAZON
March 26, 2013 @ 7:39 am
HIIT will keep your muscles! Look at sprinters. Do they look like they loose muscles? They do mostly HIIT.
When you do long runs your build up more lactic acid and that will start to tear on your muscle. Do cardio long and frequently enough and you will loose muscle.
ace
March 10, 2013 @ 12:23 pm
if u wana reaaly lose thigh muscle badly stay in a cast 8 weeks it will shrink. trust me/
Elise
March 20, 2013 @ 3:01 pm
Hey there
I have a question about your article that seems contradictory to me. So your article says that in summary, in order to lose muscle in a particular place just don’t use it. This makes a lot of sense to me. How is it then that you’re suggesting marathon cardio to lose muscle in the legs? Running uses all leg muscles… Any clarification would be appreciated!
Elle
Adam
February 3, 2016 @ 7:59 pm
Because the body turns to muscle for fuel when there’s no carbs to use, that’s why it’s good to run before breaky if your trying to lose weight. The fat is mostly burned in the recovery stage of the run which can take up to 48 hours all in all. The thing is the diet too, if you had the right amount of protein after a run you could actually build muscle from the runs, but then that tends to be contradictory to being a long distance runner in the first place. Low carb diet and long distance training equals muscle loss and fat loss.
maya
March 27, 2017 @ 9:46 am
Your so right , I intend to build muscles from all types of cardio , my hamstring and quards are hardrock and i am vegan 100% , I guess this has something to do with genetics , I don’t eat meat neither any go to the gym. I am marathon runner and sprinter, very lean looking but very defined. The only thing that works for me now after trying almost all experimenting training to lose mass, I have cut off all types of exercise and I focus on my diet and making sure my vegan diet has very little protein and not too much carbs . I have lost 20 pound of muscles now especially in my legs and back , So happy and still aiming to lose another 20 , and still resting my body , I live active life , I swim and play golf, dance, yoga , that it and not often , Too much walking build my legs and makes them super hard. Good luck to you all, I know the process can be very frustrating but you have to keep experimenting and find what will work for you
Helen
April 6, 2013 @ 3:17 am
OMG!! This is ssoooo funny! I havent laughted so much in all my life! Its the same as writing an article on “how to become poor quickly” as opposed to “how to get rich quick”.
Anyway, I am a female with skinny legs -skinny, compared to the rest of my body. I am 5.4 and weigh 57 kg. My weight has been staple but I seem to be losing fat because my skinny jeans are loose. I want to build muscular thighs and calves because I like the look. I have stopped all cardio 3 months ago, I eat healthy/clean with lots of protein, plus whey protein powder, I also supplement with creatine. I weight train 4 times a week, split routine with two of the workouts consisting of leg exercises – on the other two days I do chest, arms shoulders and on back day I do deadlifts, pull ups, bridges with barbel and barbel rows. On first leg day I do, step ups and side lunges with weighted vest, Bulgarian split squats with barbel and front squats – total of 12 sets of 12. On the second leg day I do back squats, leg extensions, leg curls and 8×12 seated calve raises. My legs are not growing as fast as I would like. I cant stand legs that look like strands of spaghetti and I aspire to have legs like the Brazilian fitness models, Gracyanne Barbossa and Eva Andressa Vieira. I expect it will take a couple of years for me to get to their level. These women are goddesses!
Tania Monteiro
April 13, 2013 @ 5:51 am
Thank you!
I had to do some serious lifting (lift my whole weight…) in a show for 6months and because i gain muscle really easily, now i have huge arms and shoulders. I hate it. And summer is coming and I want to be able to wear straps. So, running and not using my arms is what you reccomend? Or low weight lifts with a lot of reps is good too?
Thanks again!
Tania Monteiro
April 13, 2013 @ 5:53 am
Oh, and I usually do Insanity workouts, don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but I’ve never followed the program ’till the end.
nick
July 19, 2013 @ 9:21 pm
I’m just curious, but how would you go about losing muscle in lower obliques then?
I can’t think of cardio that doesn’t use them, and mine are well developed after years of twisting movements. They aren’t overly bulky, but I’d like to lose some slight oblique muscle, to straighten up the abs a bit more. Make them perfect.
Mikka
August 31, 2013 @ 4:36 am
Actually I think it’s pretty important to understand what makes muscle atrophy. Because once that is under the belt. You aren’t so fearful about it anymore. But more importantly. You understand what it’s polar opposite is what builds muscles effectively also. And yes from your explanation it is quite simple. Thanks for writing this.
Clary
June 20, 2014 @ 8:38 pm
Thanks for this info, Kevin. I’m very bulky in my calves and thighs from years of dance and this is really going to help me tone down.
kyle
August 28, 2014 @ 2:20 pm
I’m 16 years old 5’4 in height and a little bigger than I intended to get. The question is how can I do this while maintaining my strength?
Clara
January 26, 2015 @ 7:43 am
Thanks for your post ^^
I did way to much lifting, so my muscles bulked up.
But since I have only one way to get to school:
Can I lose muscle mass and still keep biking (about 10 -15k every day)?
I’d even do more sport like cardio to do that.
Greetings,
Clara
Ngan
October 6, 2015 @ 7:53 pm
Thanks for the article! Im not a lifter, i just want to lose some muscle in my legs and this is the most helpful articles about lose muscle on the internet i came across with 🙂 i will give it a try and hope for a good result!
Anna
October 31, 2015 @ 3:51 pm
Hey! I LOVE your article!! I’m 5″10 and I used to run track and cross country and do lots of HITT so I’m not fat at all but I want to lose muscle because of a modeling offer I got. Do I just avoid protein and weights and calories in general? how many calories should I eat per day?
Maria
February 1, 2016 @ 6:09 am
Hi Kevin,
I have a question regarding eating less protein – what should I substitute with? I start to gain fat if I eat too much carbs (even the “good” kind). Should I stick only to vegs? Do you have any advice?
Many thanks,
Maria
jerry
February 16, 2016 @ 9:31 pm
This article was very informative and very detailed. This does explain what to do or not to do as an advice for those people that are bulky and need to be less bulky.
Mercy
March 10, 2016 @ 8:26 pm
Thank you for your post. I am a 5’0″ female. I used to lift weights hardcore. It felt amazing don’t get me wrong, but I hated the way my clothes fit & how I was ALWAYS hungry. I felt bulky. I built a lot of muscle mass. I weighed about 115-125lbs. Despite working out so much & enjoying the rush, my arms and back bulked up. My legs did too, but I have the shape of an inverted triangle: broad shoulders, narrow waste & slim legs. Now, I’m going for a slim, sleek, delicate look. I’m doing lots of cardio throughout the week with a couple days of light weights. I am going to try the fasted cardio. Currently, I am 105lbs & never felt better. I think my ideal weight is going to be between 100-105lbs due to my small stature and petite frame. Thanks once again.
Eleanor
March 28, 2016 @ 2:35 am
Hi, I want to lose muscles in the thighs, will jogging not be using those muscles? Ive been doing about a 45 min power walk fasted first thing in the morning with the intention to continue, at the same time though I dont want to put fat on! I have a low-calorie diet though so it should be ok, I am working on reducing the protein though… any feedback would be really helpful, I really don’t want bulky lefts, its been consuming my mind and infant focus on work!!
Frank
December 16, 2016 @ 2:40 am
Thank you for this!
I have been training strength my whole life. But the muscle was getting to big and just for show, i did not use it outside the gym. Having to much muscle is the same as beeing fat, the human is not made for beeing that way. But i love running! So i have gone from 100kg pure muscle, to 78kg. I run 4-5 times a week now, and it feels alot better than dragging those extra kilos. I do heavy strength 2 times a week. 4-5 RM`s with 3-5min pauses. And i only train base exercises. My 3000meter time when weighing 100kg was 11 minutes. Now i am down to 9min 10sek. And the funniest thing is that my deadlift has only gone from 230kg to only 185kg.
Fifi
January 18, 2017 @ 4:58 am
How does this approach apply to a teenaged ballet dancer who has overdeveloped quads? My daughters legs are very muscular for her career choice. We would appreciate some insight in ways to reduce them. She is 164cm tall and weighs 43kg. She is very lean but as mentioned previously has large quads.
Ambia
March 24, 2017 @ 11:48 pm
Hi,
Thank you for this article!
I have mucular thighs and I really want to loose some muscle. I use to be a triathlete but ended up having a tendon surgery … so that was that! The thing is, I cant run or power walk for more than 20 minutes without having pain in my ankle (where I had surgery).
Since I left triathlon , I started doing other cardio stuff at the gym (c Emotionally I need cardio, makes me happy)… among some cardio machines , I did for the first 2 months Intense stairmaster :s cause I loved the sweaty feeling…. which left me with a bigger butt and bulkier legs, now I can barely put on my jeans, they are really tight on my legs and butt and lose on my waist. ( I used to be size 6 , Am thinking I need 10 now!! :/ cause of my legs!)
So 4 weeks ago I read that spinning could help loose leg muscle, so I switch to that but now am thinking, after reading your article, that I do feel the pump and that maybe is a bad idea….. help!
I love working out! Love and need cardio but dont want my bulky legs.
I do pilates 4 times a week.
What can I do instead of running??
Thanks!!
Samira
April 15, 2017 @ 10:03 am
Awesome article, I have been trying to find one on how to lose muscle for a while. My husband has way too much thigh muscle from his football days which make it hard for him to fit into his proper jean size. Losing if only just a couple inches off his thighs would be way more appealing for his body type. What would you recommend food wise as something that’s low cal and low protein but still filling?