Crossing Legs

[Traci Simmmons]

Girls,

I don't seem to be able to cross my legs in a ladylike fashion. Is there some trick to this? I don't think I that incredibly endowed. Maybe my legs are too muscular. Maybe I just need more practice. Are there stretching exercises that work? Does tucking help? I need answers here!

Tracy:o

[junetv]

Girls,

I don't seem to be able to cross my legs in a ladylike fashion. Is there some trick to this? I don't think I that incredibly endowed. Maybe my legs are too muscular. Maybe I just need more practice. Are there stretching exercises that work? Does tucking help? I need answers here!

Tracy:o

I think its due to the narrowness of male hips and larger thighs...at least for me that where I feel pressure and strain.

[ChristineM]

Yeah, at least in my case it's fat thighs. Learned to girlishly tuck my legs back under my chair.

[AnnaCalliope]

Tucking can help, just be sure not to put too much pressure on "the package". I started mimicking my female friends in my teens, plus my naturally high metabolism keeps me thin, so crossing my legs is actually quite comfy when I can manage it.

[susan brzezina]

I also can't do this properly. Things sem to be uncomfortable. I normally just cross my legs at my ankles, but would lie to do things properly.

[suzy1]

I have no problem at all crossing my legs girly like? I never have.
This question is a bit of a mystery to me.
I can only think of one reason. And that is being over weight.
Medically speaking the” male” hips is not a reason.

SUZY

[MichelleP]

You gotta practice. It takes a little time. Start with by putting the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other leg (like guys do most times). Keep sliding that ankle to off the side of your your knee until finally you can get one knee atop the other (there may even be a little space between your knees). You can then progress to the "Robin Meade" maneuver where both legs are held parallel to each other while crossed. Its hard to do, you'll be resting on only one of you cheeks and your hips will begin to ache - BUT it's oh so feminine. If you're very adept and you yearn to adopt an ultra feminine posture, you can practice to accomplish the daring double crossed legs! It's usually a younger girl maneuver but it's also almost bullet proof for not getting clocked in the food court at the mall. Elbows tucked in, back straight, a delicate hand taking small bites of your french fries, legs double crossed - you are in ultimate girl mode, honey:heehee:

[Pythos]

When I was younger I was always wondering why I was told "boys don't cross their legs like that", cause I never ever had a problem doing it. In fact I fell more "stable" when sitting legs crossed, opposed to legs spread out. Anyway I find that way of sitting (legs wide apart) to be slovenly. That does not in anyway affect my judgment of someone though, I just don't like it for myself.

I also do not see ONE think "feminine" about sitting with one's legs crossed, aside from the stupid notions applied to it by society.

[NicoleScott]

I can't do it, and I never could even when I was skinny kid., and I am neither any more. I guess it's just the way I'm built. So I just sit with my legs together and my ankles crossed off to one side. Best I can do.

[kym]

It takes practice, the male muscles we have are not used to doing the motion but they can be"trained". for me it is easier to cross my legs in a lady like manner when I am wearing a skirt or a dress and nylons,n the nylons helps the legs slide over one another.

[Loveday]

For me I practiced a few times a day learning to stretch those muscles again. At first I had to use hands to help cross my legs, now I can cross them all on their own. This is something I had not been able to do since about 5 or 6 years old. Also the tucking really helped relieve the pressure when I crossed them. This should make the doctor happy when he does the reflex exame on my legs, I could not even cross them with help before.

[the_me]

I started mimicking my female friends in my teens, plus my naturally high metabolism keeps me thin, so crossing my legs is actually quite comfy when I can manage it.
Same here, now that I think of it. Never have thought of it before...

But have been sitting here for near an hour with legs crossed, alternating. Maybe some kind of flexibility issue? Or maybe genetic, like being able to whistle or bow your tongue? I'm just shooting out ideas... probably flexibility if I had to guess.

[AmiFL]

I found it harder to cross my legs like a lady when tucked then when I was not tucked...... I guess it is the body structure of the the indivual gurl.....

[JohnH]

I guess I'm a little different in that I have absolutely no problems crossing my legs like a lady with certain clothes even though I'm an old geezer (58 years of age). I do have a harder time with stiff men's jeans than I do with skirts and dresses.

Now my wife never crosses her legs like a lady. She also does not wear skirts or dresses; only I do.

[Persephone]

Like Suzy I have no problems crossing my legs and can even sit comfortably with the double cross that Michelle P described.

I was surprised by Nicole's comment that she couldn't do it even when she was young and skinny because I'd always figured that weight was an issue in making it difficult. Turns out it may not be.

One more thing -- most guys seem to do the ankle resting on knee thing by lifting one leg and placing it on top of the other. To do the leg cross in a ladylike manner you need to slide your legs around each other, lifting your leg as little as possible.

[Nicole Erin]

Yeah just when you are alone, practice maybe by forcing it. Not for long periods at first cause it can be painful in the knee.
Don't risk injury tho if you are that bad.
I used to be able to do it no problems back when I was like 15 and weighed 150 pounds. ehh those days are long over.

One thing that helps is if you do not mind wearing pants instead of skirts you don't have to worry about it but I know a lot of TG prefer skirts. I am jeans lady.

[minalost]

I've always crossed my legs "like a girl." Took quite a bit of heat over this issue when I was a kid and had to force/train myself to NOT sit this way. Now that I'm "grown up" I can finally ignor this little bit of cultural BS and sit any way I want. This includes with my legs crossed and my top foot hooked behind the ankle for a "double cross." I also like to sit on the couch or a big stuffed chair with my legs curled up under me - a form of lounging I think is quite feminine. Physically dificult? Nope.

[Melissa Jill]

Im a bit chubby but I can cross my legs fine. Ive been doing it for years. But I can only do my right leg over my left, I can't do it the other way around. It just doesn't feel right.

[Shananigans]

You can always cross at your heels and look very lady-like. The advisors of my sorority were really big on the whole cross at the heels not at the knee thing.

So, if it's uncomfortable to cross at the knee...cross at the heel.

[KrystalA]

Hmm...never had a problem crossing my legs at the knee or any other way, including the double cross. I guess I just figured if I could do it, anyone could...LOL...I remember when I could cross my legs, both feet on top, and walk on my knees...haven't tried that for a while.

[reneeisy]

Women have a wider pelvis which causes women’s femurs (thighbones) to swoop towards the knee at much more of an angle than men’s. This enables them to do that cool, and extremely sexy thing where they cross one leg over the other, then hook the ankle of the top leg behind the shin of the bottom leg. They also have looser ligaments which add greater flexibility.

[Being Paige]

Lots of practice and stretching, just don't over do it. works for me

[Kaz]

Practice, practice, practice... loosen the ligaments and flex the muscles! It is all possible...

[DebsUK]

I've never been comfortable crossing my legs when I'm sitting, so it's not a problem nor crossing them ladylike LOL

[MsMichelle]

While I can cross my legs in a lady like manner which indeed took considerable time to master, I still call it the "nut crackers" Yes I know that certainly wasn't very lady like.

[NicoleScott]

Persephone, your response to my post got me thinking. As a young skinny kid, my crossdressing wasn't getting completely made up and dressed, but rather short times of secretly sneaking off to the bathroom to put something on. So I never "needed" to cross my legs, ladies style. In boy mode, I never wanted to cross my legs that way, only girls do that. It may have been an intended act to cast no doubt that I was all boy. This was at a time when my crossdressing desires were very private thoughts and acts were deep in the closet. So maybe I just never tried. No matter, I can't do it now anyway.

[Loni]

just keep at it in time the body will adapt to how you want to cross the legs. just parts are not used to moving in that way so the body needs to learn how to do it. it is called mussel memory, look at things you do in life. so easy and you do it with not even thinking about it. while others have trouble.

start off by just sitting with both knees together. then after some months work on crossing them.

.

[Kris1775]

What is the "double crossed leg"? I just can not picture it.

[linnea]

Practice, practice, practice (and be patient if you can't do it right away). Other things that may help: tucking, weight loss, stretching. I couldn't cross my legs in the appropriate female way at first; I've gotten much better at it. In my case, tucking and weight loss have helped--and did I mention, "practice"?

[Lena Teegal]

Try doing stretching exercises everyday, start off slow and build up. In the end it will help with a lot of things as GGs are typically more flexible than guys.

[JohnH]

What is the "double crossed leg"? I just can not picture it.

I can barely do it, but this is what I understand what the "double crossed leg" is:
1. Cross your legs like a girl - easy for me to do.
2. While crossing your legs as above, put your foot of the top leg under the bottom leg - very difficult for me to do.


While I can cross my legs in a lady like manner which indeed took considerable time to master, I still call it the "nut crackers" Yes I know that certainly wasn't very lady like.

Do it enough times and it just might be really easy for you to have a femme voice! :) [Just kidding!]


Johanna

[Persephone]

What is the "double crossed leg"? I just can not picture it.


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/sandylewiscares/double-crossed-legs.jpg

[JohnH]

Persephone,

Yes, that is the posture I can do with some difficulty with the right leg over the left leg. I have not mastered it with the left leg over the right leg.

Johanna

[Persephone]

Persephone, your response to my post got me thinking. As a young skinny kid, my crossdressing wasn't getting completely made up and dressed, but rather short times of secretly sneaking off to the bathroom to put something on. So I never "needed" to cross my legs, ladies style. In boy mode, I never wanted to cross my legs that way, only girls do that. It may have been an intended act to cast no doubt that I was all boy. This was at a time when my crossdressing desires were very private thoughts and acts were deep in the closet. So maybe I just never tried. No matter, I can't do it now anyway.

We started out the same way, Nicole! I did lots of hamper diving when I was young.

But I think that when I was young I just automatically crossed my legs, perhaps because I was consciously or unconsciously imitating the girls. I don't recall any issues until I moved to a different town and a different junior high school where the boys promptly said that I "sat like a girl." I think that was when I first actually became completely aware that boys and girls really did sit differently (guess I'm pretty dumb, huh?).

Perhaps it was because I sat that way early on, I don't really know, but I've always been able to do it and sometimes go into the double cross without particularly thinking about it.

Even when men do cross their legs, they almost always stick the raised leg out, either to the side or in front of them. Perhaps it is a control issue, a way to dominate a larger area. Women, on the other hand (leg?), often keep their crossed legs together, right down to the feet, occupying the minimum space. And women cross their legs by sliding them around each other, even in a confined space like a theater seat, rather than swing one leg out around the other one.

Also, when women do cross their legs their raised foot often drops downward toward the toes while men mostly sit with their toes straight or pointed up. Ocassionally you see a woman balancing her shoe on the end of her gracefully downpointed toes. I still find that I can only do that one if I consciously point my toes and, for me, it is still not a relaxed position.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/sandylewiscares/crossedlegs.jpg
Hugs,
Persephone.

[Jennyfir]

I've always sat with my legs crossed in a feminine way. It might be because it feels natural for me, and maybe cuz I was born in Canada, aswell. I can only do the double corss one way, though, which I do often, but the other way i can't for the life of me.

[Charise52]

I used to cross in male mode... a natural writing table while in a class... girl mode felt uncomfortable... then I got used to it, and now girl mode is all i do... it actually feels good now...

[Kim Welcher]

I can cross my legs perfectly, but my problem is that the leg on top loses circulation.

[BiancaEstrella]

I can cross right-over-left much easier, but my overall range of motion in my right leg is terrible. I usually just cross my legs at the ankles.

[erickka]

Although I am in my 50's I can do it with ease. I must admit, I had a real tough time before I lost about 40 lbs., and was a little chubby in the thigh area. As Seamed Nylons said, this style of leg crossing seems to be a little European. My grandfather was an Irishman, who crossed legs like that...always.

[GingerLeigh]

Big thighs can be the only reason. I've got "chicken legs, so crossing them ladylike is not a problem. It's actually more comfortable than any other way.

Ginger

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

I used to be able to sit with legs crossed at the knees but I was criticised by my grandmother for sitting like a girl and so I went on a disciplined time in sitting like a male. Now I try and try but am getting there with slimming down. What I truly think is that the effort I do brings the boys into some form of excitement where they appear to double in size, hence are more subjected gravity. They then seem to fight the issue of knees and thighs hence in order to protect themselves they immediately find a position that lies between the thighs causing me some pain. I guess this is the pain of being a male when twins are around playing a part in the overall protection of the parent body. I wonder if I was in zero gravity the twins may feel its freeer to float than bloat and the knees may become involved a little closer relationship.

[RebeccaLynne]

I really think it has do with flexability... I cross my legs at the knee, and can "double-cross" my ankle behind the stationary leg on either side.

I'd suggest stretching exercises if you're serious about wanting to master the feat.

[franzis]

I wish I could help, never had tha problem, but you know what they say; practice, practice, practice.....

[MatLor]

Best advice right there!!

[ziggie]

Stretches - especially some of the Yoga postures - will help a lot. In addition the stretches are good for the hips and the knees, just don't strain things too much. My knees (old and battered from years of running) feel a lot better when I stretch the out in a nice ladylike cross.