A 32 inch thigh circumference is approximately 10 inches larger than the average male quad size.
It’s the same story for women as well.
While there’s nothing wrong with having thighs that are a bit bigger than normal, having thighs that are 45% bigger than normal could be a sign that you have other health problems that need attention.
Of course, many professional bodybuilders have 32 inch quads, and we’ll be discussing them in this article, too.
See How Your Legs Compare
- 30 inch legs
- 34 inch legs
- 35 inch legs
- 40 inch legs
Table of Contents show
Are 32 inch thighs big?
Yes, 32 inch thighs are around 10 inches bigger than average. And that’s for both men and women.
Heavy resistance training is one reason why you might have 32 inch legs, especially if you have good lower body genetics. Although most lifters certainly don’t have 32 inch quads, it’s conceivable that you could build 32″ thighs if you were squatting massive weights.
But even then, while you might have decent quad definition, you certainly wouldn’t have 32 inch legs of pure muscle.
The only people who truly have lean 32 inch quads are professional bodybuilders, who, of course, are using chemical assistance.
Some women also have 32 inch thighs. A lot of ladies, for example, tend to store the majority of their body fat on their legs, which causes their thigh size to greatly increase in comparison with their waist measurement. This is especially true when you add in genetically muscular legs.
What are the downsides of having a 32 inch thigh circumference?
Besides making it hard to find clothes that fit, having 32 inch thighs is likely a sign that you’re obese.
Having an excessively high BMI increases your risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and many other health conditions. [1]
So while your 32 inch legs may look okay aesthetically, the fact that they’re likely indicative of serious health problems means that you should try to lose weight.
While it’s true that active weight lifters can also have 32 in thighs, being extremely muscular isn’t necessarily any more healthy than being very overfat.
Your thighs might also rub together while you’re walking if they’re 32 inches. This is called chafing, [2] and it can make performing simple everyday activities really uncomfortable.
As I alluded to, you’ll also struggle to buy normal clothes that fit you well if you have 32 inch legs.
This might mean spending money on tailored pants, which are certainly not cheap.
How do you get 32 inch quads?
Even the most dedicated weight lifters don’t have 32 inch quads that are pure muscle. Rather, they have such a leg size because of a combination of muscle mass and fat tissue.
Squats, for example, heavily work the quadriceps, especially when you use high bar positioning and maintain a relatively upright torso.
Add in the high-protein, high-calorie diet that’s part and parcel of strength sports, and you can see why some natural bodybuilders and powerlifters are able to sculpt thighs that are as big as some people’s waists!
Of course, some people also have big legs due to their genetics. This can make it harder to slim your thighs and can be highly frustrating.
While some of these folk may never have really slim thighs, they can often make their legs slimmer by eating in a calorie deficit and performing some cardiovascular activity.
How can you get rid of your 32 inch legs?
First and foremost, you need to eat in a calorie deficit. This simply means that you need to consume fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.
It’s also important to follow a balanced exercise regime. You want to perform enough exercise so that you can maintain your muscle mass and trigger an energy deficit.
However, you don’t want to push yourself so hard that your workouts become unsustainable. It’s better to perform shorter, easier workouts on a consistent basis than a long, crushing workout every once in a while. [3]
If you’re concerned about the size of your thighs, then you might also want to skip weighted leg exercises and focus on bodyweight movements instead. After all, weighted squats are great for building your quads and glutes.
But if you have genetically muscular legs, then doing too much heavy resistance training could prevent you from slimming your thighs.
Conclusion: Is having 32 inch thighs good or bad?
While having lean 32 inch thighs may help you to win your powerlifting meet or bodybuilding competition, such a thigh circumference is likely a sign that you’re carrying too much body mass.
If you have 32 inch legs due to being too muscular, then you might find it hard to find clothes that fit. Also, you might lose some flexibility and struggle to perform other athletic activities.
Some people with large builds, however, have a much higher chance of building 32 inch quads when they perform serious resistance training since their frame has a higher capacity to accumulate muscle mass.
Of course, you may also have 32″ thighs due to obesity which, as established, comes with many undesirable health consequences.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008, October). Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults: United States, 2003–2006 (No. 10). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr010.pdf
- Norris, T. (2019, March 8). How to Treat and Prevent Chafing. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/chafing
- Spritzler, F. (2021, March 16). 15 common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/diet-mistakes-weight-loss-b1818103.html
