WHAT DOES TONING YOUR BODY MEAN

WHAT DOES TONING YOUR BODY MEAN

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The word toning is constantly in the media, but what does it actually mean? It could mean muscle definition, or lean muscle, a low body fat percentage, or slim hips and shoulders, or even long legs. The thing is that it comes down to perspective. 

If you asked 100 people what toning means there would be a wide variety of answers. I am here to tell you that toning is the result of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Period. Based on your build this will appear differently.

You cannot beat genetics. Your height, the width of you shoulders, hip size cannot be changed through exercise and diet. But you can control your body fat and lean muscle mass. Although, you may not love the lifestyle that is required. You can read more about the relationship between fitness + weight loss in a recent blog post. The role of genetics and the media are clearly discussed. 

Let’s talk more about how the media, nutrition and resistance training can impact you goals of toning your physique. 

And I share my outfit details at the bottom 🙂

tricep extension for tonig

IN THE MEDIA

Every where you look there is a friend, trainer, influencer telling us the secret to a toning. Promising that all we have to do is 5 specific body weight exercises for the best results. 

In reality, there is no scientific proof that there are 5 specific best toning exercises. It is just their opinion. And some opinions might be based on a significant amount of experience and others on just fluff. 

Let’s also remember that achieving a toned appearance is the result of your perspective. And that very perspective has been cultivated over years of experience and exposure. Both in real life and the media. 

It is very easy for a person who carries low body fat and high muscle tone, due to their genetics, to put together a video of their favorite exercises. And for you to fall victim to believing it really is that easy. 

lat pull down for toning

BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES ONLY

There is a misconception that lifting weights for women will cause a bulky appearance and that only body weight exercises should be used for a toned appearance. Here is the fact, you are limiting your potential by only doing body weight exercises. 

As I said above, toning is the result of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Increased muscle definition comes from muscle hypertrophy. And muscle hypertrophy comes from a load being applied to the muscle. A load like weights + resistance. 

And just a little PSA – if you are doing core exercises in hopes of burning body fat in you abdominal region, stop. I am sorry to tell you, but you cannot spot reduce fat. 

Don’t stop doing core exercises, but stop thinking that it is the way to reduce your abdominal fat. You will end up frustrated because of poor results. 

As long as you are doing the core exercises correctly, you are strengthening and defining you abdominal muscles. But the decrease in body fat will need to come from a well rounded approach that includes nutrition, full body resistance training and cardio training. 

bicep curl

NUTRITION

It is important that I make one thing clear. As a personal trainer, I cannot give advice about nutrition. My training in undergraduate school was limited. However, I can share some basic principals rooted in science to get you started. 

Before we get to those two principals I want to address nutritions role in a toned physique. Nutrition is a key component to lowering your body fat percentage and having the lean appearance that allows muscle definition to be apparent. 

Because each of our bodies are different the right diet to achieve a toned appearance can be different. It will also be different based on what your perspective of a toned physique is. The more muscle definition you want (think body builder) the more precise your nutrition will have to become. And that might not be the lifestyle you actually enjoy. 

WATER

Water intake is more important than we can really understand. I can personally feel a huge difference when I drink over 100 ounces of water in a day. I have more energy, I avoid awful headaches and my productivity is always better. 

That is because water is essential to so many functions of our bodies. Drinking enough water can help to maximize physical performance, increase brain function, and boost skin health. 

QUALITY

Counting calories can be effective tool for weight loss, toning and sports performance. It can also cause a load of negative side effects that can be counter productive. 

Instead of tracking quantity, I focus on the quality of the food I am consuming. I am looking to eat more whole foods and limit processed foods. I try to strike a daily balance between protein, fruits, veggies and starch. 

This is because the nutrients in good quality food will help improve your body’s performance. Allowing for better sleep, better workouts, better brain function

I highly recommend you find a qualified (licensed and/or certified) dietician or nutritionist that has experience working with the goals you have. An educated, experienced professional THAT YOU LIKE will be a game changer. If you don’t like them, or don’t have that “this is the one” feeling you should consider looking around a bit more.

And if you love to track your workouts, food and daily actions you should check out our fitness + lifestyle journal. I love using it to keep myself accountable for my fitness goals, but also my personal and professional goals.

single leg rdl for toning

RESISTANCE TRAINING

On to my favorite topic, resistance training. Toning, or increased muscle definition and decreased body fat, is a direct result of consistent resistance training. 

So, to all of those people who are pledging 5 exercises for toned arms in 2 weeks, I am calling BS. A toned appearance is the result of hard work over time. I encourage you to shift your focus from where can I be next week to, where can I be this time next year. The possibilities get bigger with time. 

And just touch back on this idea that women should lift weights because it makes them bulky… women do not produce enough of the hormone testosterone to bulk up like men do. It would require intense nutritional efforts and/or steroids to get to the physique of a man.

But this ties back to perspective. For some toning is long, skinny limbs. For others it is defined shoulders and muscular thighs. 

You can download 5 of our favorite core exercises or our best glute exercises by clicking the appropriate links. 

THE BENEFITS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING

Outside of the toned appearance you might desire, there are many other benefits to resistance training. And these are reasons alone to start a program.

  • Improve bone density
  • Reduce risk of chronic disease
  • Benefit mental health
  • Improve flexibility and mobility
  • Increase strength

For me the increased confidence, and feeling of empowerment I got from lifting weights is what made me make it a habit. There is something to be said for emotional strength you get with physical strength.

A great piece of equipment for anyone working out at home is a TRX. We recently did a month long cover on how to train with the TRX. Take a look and find the fitness inspiration you need!

shoulder press for toning

RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR TONING

Moderate weight and high reps will aid in increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat. Remember, toning is a combination of resistance training, nutrition and cardio. You will want to consider all three as part of the same program. 

TONING WORKOUT

Repeat this 5 times using 10 lb dumbbells for every exercise.

  • Deadbugs 20 (one weight in each hand)
  • Glute bridge 20 (weight on hips)
  • Skull crusher and toe touch 20
  • Cursty lunge and SA shoulder press (front squat hold) 15/15
  • Toes out RDL to sumo squat 15
  • Bent over row and tricep kick back 20
  • Reverse lunge with forward press and rotation over knee 10/10
  • Flat back double extension and single extensions 10 (holding 1 DB)

muscle toning split squat

WHAT ABOUT CARDIO?

There is always a debate on whether cardio and resistance training can be done in the same session. And the answer is inevitably, it depends on the goal you are working towards. When it comes to toning, they can absolutely be combined. 

By combining cardio and resistance training you can increase calories burned with in a workout by manipulating your heart rate. It is also an effective way to improve your endurance. 

One key point I like to mention is quality of work. Don’t ever sacrifice form and range of motion just to get the work done. 

The good news is that cardio doesn’t mean you need to run 5 miles a day. Check out my blog all about “ How I get my Cardio Training Every Week”. It’s all about cardio training with out long runs or workouts.

You can read more about how to get your heart healthy cardio training done without running in this article. 

renegade row for toning

WHERE TO START

I covered a lot in this article, but please take away this one point. Toning is the combination of increased muscle definition and decreased body fat. Definition will come from resistance training for muscle mass and lowering your body fat. Lowering your body fat will come from nutrition, resistance training and cardio. 

If you are looking to tone up your physique this year then follow a program that covers nutrition, resistance training and cardio.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Some of the links below are commission links, where I get paid. The price does not change for you ordering through these links and your support is greatly appreciated!

PERSONAL TRAINER

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Circuit Training: Fact VS Fiction

Circuit Training: Fact VS Fiction

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Ever wonder what all these fitness trends mean? Circuit training is probably one of the most used fitness trends that you will see applied “differently” at various establishments. Let’s break down circuit training – what you need to know before starting your workout.

When you think of a great workout, what do you think of? Most of you would answer that question in three ways. One, you work up a great sweat. The mindset of “if I am not drenched in sweat by the end of this workout I have not done enough”. Two, it is fast paced with little time for water and rest. You envision yourself pushed to the limit. Three, you are sore beyond belief. You are barely able to walk or even do everyday activities the next day.

As a lot of us have been taught, a great workout results in those three things, or at least one of them. It doesn’t matter what we do, how many sets we do, what our form is like, or any of that. This has been the way we have been taught. That attention to detail and the individual doesn’t matter as long as everyone leaves believing they have accomplished one of those three goals. Better yet, all three of them.

But are those the right goals? Or are there other things for you to consider?

DEFINING CIRCUIT TRAINING

All circuit training means is the format of your workout. It is grouping together a handful of exercises in a list, going through them, and then heading back to the top. You move efficiently from exercise to exercise and your larger rest period will come at the end. In fact, HIIT training can be done in a circuit format.

To build a circuit, you would group together a couple of exercises, say an upper, a lower, and a core. Or you could create a muscle group burnout and do a couple of lower body exercises to condense your leg day into a focused circuit. If you search circuit training on the internet, they will tell you it has to be full body. THIS IS FALSE. Targeting one muscle group can still be a circuit and it is actually an effective way to overload.

If your focus is on muscular strength, you might create a shorter circuit of only 5 exercises with a bit more rest in between each exercises and round. You would increase the weight used for a moderate to low rep count.

If your focus is more muscular endurance, you would manipulate the rest intervals to be shorter. You might also choose lighter weight and even body weight exercises for a high rep count.

WHERE CIRCUIT TRAINING GOES WRONG

Often times the popularized group fitness classes focus on how they can get your heart rate up through cardio intervals and sprinkle in some resistance. The emphasis is put on how fast and hard you can push yourself, not on how you are performing the exercises.

This is a dangerous mindset to have for every workout you do. It increases the likely hood of injury (minor to major), it encourages bad form or creates bad habits, and it limits your body’s ability to adapt and recover.

Do not get me wrong, I understand that these group classes can be effective. Circuit training has its place in the world and in your workout routine. I am not here to bash the workouts you have come to enjoy. I myself have found these group circuit training classes to be fun, challenging, and effective for getting a great workout in.

However, these exercises routines are taxing on your body when they are done everyday. They tend to rely heavily on one energy system. Typically they do not focus much on strength training in an intentional way with correct form. There is not enough emphasis on exercises selection to build range of motion, stability, and strength, which are keys to a well-rounded and balanced program.

In is important to note, that circuit training can be used in a less intense manner. You do not have to kill yourself at a high tempo pace. I recommend alternating your workout tempo or speed for the best results physically and increase your consistency.

BENEFITS OF CIRCUIT TRAINING

Circuit training is effective and efficient when done correctly. In fact, I use circuit training in the gym almost every day. Tempo and repetitions are adjusted to purposely work on different energy systems.

The great part of doing a circuit for your workout is you get to choose what you want! If you want to focus on upper, lower, total, or core you can create that circuit to do just that. If you are searching to build your muscular strength or endurance, you can make it focused as such. The possibilities are endless when deciding where you want your circuit to take you.

The other great part about circuit training is it can fit in the time slot you set. If you have twenty minutes you can do one circuit, 4 times through! Or if you have an hour to workout, you could even do 3 circuits, 3 times through! It is completely under your control.

As I said before, the possibilities are endless for circuit training. You can create thousands of different combinations and types of workouts with all the freedom it entails. The important thing is to do the exercises right and create a balanced program!

WHERE TO START

Here are some options for circuit training that build in the correct balance, still give you a great workout, and will develop you in every area essential for overall well-being! I have split these up into muscular strength and muscular endurance circuit training workouts. 30 minutes each. They are total body workout, but as I said you can develop these into anything you want. Scroll down to download each workout.

Muscular Strength

This is a circuit of 6 exercises and you will go through 3 times for a 20 to 30 minute workout. Your rest periods will be about 90 seconds in order to stay in the muscular strength window. You will want to weight these exercises a bit heavier because the rep count is lower! Shop dumbbells and a hip circle for leg extensions.

Muscular Endurance

For this one it is going to be 6 exercises again, this will be for 4 sets total. These are going to be higher rep and are going to have shorter rest periods in order to work in the muscular endurance stage. These rest periods are going to be in the 0-45 second range. These should be weighted moderately.

These are just examples of how you could build a circuit based upon every energy systems. As I stated, the sky is the limit for how you can create a circuit. Just be sure to be intentional with your programming and have a goal in mind when deciding what you want out of your workout. You can create a difficult, sweaty, and effective workout while still maintaining great form and proper programming!

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