Weight training question

discern82

Hi,
I've heard many different philosophies and I wanted to see what others think, believe, heard, or do. I don't want to be bulky but look tone. In order to get that result, how should I weight train. I've heard to do one or the either.
1. Make the weights very light and do like 100 reps or as many as a 4 minute song
2. Make the weights so I can do 10-12 reps slowly and correctly with a slight pause between each rep with a 30-60 sec break (focus on making sure the muscle is doing the work)

Also, I was told that after I do a leg workout, I should do at least 30 minutes of cardio so my body continues to burn the entire day. Has anyone heard of this? How do you get the most out of your workout?

I hear so much and at times I think people are just talking but I'm not too sure. So, I like to get other people's opinions.

indigoigloo

find some users on this website that looks like you want to look and ask them what they do. "look toned" is very vague and can mean a lot of things.

discern82

find some users on this website that looks like you want to look and ask them what they do. "look toned" is very vague and can mean a lot of things.

That's a good idea and so true.

p4ulmiller

Getting bulky is incredibly difficult. You won't look like Arnie by accidentally picking up a dumbbell.

I follow Stronglifts 5x5 and eat in a moderate deficit. The calorie deficit means I won't gain muscle but I look more "toned" because my muscles have more definition as my BF% falls.

Ainar

Training with very high reps will build muscle and get you toned. But it will be harder and slower to build muscle than heavy weights. And takes a lot of unnecessary work to do all those hundreds of reps while you could just do heavier weights with less reps and get faster results.

Lower reps with heavier weights will build muscle faster and easier. So you will get toned faster and easier.

You can add fat pretty fast. But muscle building is EXTREMELY slow process. For people who look bulky, it takes them months or even years, and hard work, to build so much muscle. You can not get too bulky by accident. Just like you can not lose too much fat by accident. "I'm 20 pounds overweight I better go on diet... oops, I'm 20 pounds underweight now, how this that happened?!" NO! It takes some work to lose weight and you can not lose too much if you monitor everything. Same for building muscle.

So I suggest to lift heavy. Once you have body you like just stop increasing weight and maintain muscle. You need to progress in weight, reps or overall workload to get bigger. If you don't, you will not grow, just stay the same.

discern82

Getting bulky is incredibly difficult. You won't look like Arnie by accidentally picking up a dumbbell.

I follow Stronglifts 5x5 and eat in a moderate deficit. The calorie deficit means I won't gain muscle but I look more "toned" because my muscles have more definition as my BF% falls.

Thanks!

discern82

Training with very high reps will build muscle and get you toned. But it will be harder and slower to build muscle than heavy weights. And takes a lot of unnecessary work to do all those hundreds of reps while you could just do heavier weights with less reps and get faster results.

Lower reps with heavier weights will build muscle faster and easier. So you will get toned faster and easier.

You can add fat pretty fast. But muscle building is EXTREMELY slow process. For people who look bulky, it takes them months or even years, and hard work, to build so much muscle. You can not get too bulky by accident. Just like you can not lose too much fat by accident. "I'm 20 pounds overweight I better go on diet... oops, I'm 20 pounds underweight now, how this that happened?!" NO! It takes some work to lose weight and you can not lose too much if you monitor everything. Same for building muscle.

So I suggest to lift heavy. Once you have body you like just stop increasing weight and maintain muscle. You need to progress in weight, reps or overall workload to get bigger. If you don't, you will not grow, just stay the same.

Thanks!

ninerbuff

Building muscle on a calorie deficit is improbable (there are exceptions, but even then the gain is minimal).

To clear it up: lifting weights with lots of reps builds muscle endurance (just like a runner's legs building endurance for long distances)

Lifting "slow" increases time under tension which builds strength, however one doesn't have to lift that slow since explosive movements also build power and strength.

Finally to get "toned" (which really has no definition that's standard in fitness) losing flab is due to calorie deficit and some resistance training that builds strength. If one doesn't want the "ripped" look, then don't lose too much body fat.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Show us a picture of this "toned" look you want.

Sarauk2sf

People have different idea's of 'bulky', so it's a bit hard to answer your question without the context. However, women with very large muscles will be enhanced. For the purposes of my response, I am going to assume that you mean this as 'bulky'.

It is very hard for a female to build muscle as we just do not have the testosterone for it. It is also unlikely that you will build any appreciable muscle on a deficit unless you are significantly overweight.

Very high reps will not build muscle in any event, it will improve endurance


ETA: you will burn calories the entire day without exercise. Cardio after weight training does not burn any more calories than cardio done separately.

discern82

Building muscle on a calorie deficit is improbable (there are exceptions, but even then the gain is minimal).

To clear it up: lifting weights with lots of reps builds muscle endurance (just like a runner's legs building endurance for long distances)

Lifting "slow" increases time under tension which builds strength, however one doesn't have to lift that slow since explosive movements also build power and strength.

Finally to get "toned" (which really has no definition that's standard in fitness) losing flab is due to calorie deficit and some resistance training that builds strength. If one doesn't want the "ripped" look, then don't lose too much body fat.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Thanks for clearing things up! I like the idea of "lose the flab"

discern82

Show us a picture of this "toned" look you want.

I will try!

discern82

Here are pictures. I didn't know how to add them as actual photos and not URL address.
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/woman-s-toned-body-16671966.jpg

http://cdn.simplyshredded.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/female_fitness.jpg

kiwigal41

get the book...."The New Rules of Lifting for Women" by Lou Schuler......I bought it and it's very interesting reading.....includes a workout plan and nutrition plan....i'm pleased with it so far....:)

discern82

As I looked for pictures, I see the dilemma. So here is what I don't want. I guess it isn't bulky that I mean but more so, I don't want to look muscular. I know I won't have the huge muscles! So here are some more pictures but these are what I DON'T want to look like.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f86uD0tCmsE/UT5AA-9_xjI/AAAAAAAADks/UsOmPykOOGI/s1600/Fit+and+Toned+Woman+-+Fitness+Girl.jpg

http://media.onsugar.com/files/ons1/192/1922729/30_2009/259d8811b0caff11_body-builder.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/659/31441927761859560874919.jpg

http://tnation.t-nation.com/forum_images/1/0/1077777.1148496948448.julie2.jpg

discern82

get the book...."The New Rules of Lifting for Women" by Lou Schuler......I bought it and it's very interesting reading.....includes a workout plan and nutrition plan....i'm pleased with it so far....:)

Ok, I'll have to read it!

MisterDerpington

Don't lift too heavy. Your uterus will fall out.

BeachIron

lol at anyone, especially women, accidentally getting bulky at a calorie deficit without drugs.

cmeiron

Unless you're genetically gifted, you won't get that kind of muscle mass by lifting heavy weights, especially not while eating at a deficit. You'd have to train ridiculously hard, for a very long time, and eat above your TDEE to even come close to getting a physique like that. That kind of muscle doesn't happen without a LOT of time and effort (I wish it was easier, 'cause I'm trying to get more muscle mass and it's bloody hard).

Serah87

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picks up heavy things. :bigsmile:

MstngSammy

get the book...."The New Rules of Lifting for Women" by Lou Schuler......I bought it and it's very interesting reading.....includes a workout plan and nutrition plan....i'm pleased with it so far....:)

THIS^^^ Without a doubt. I bought it recently because of friends recommendations. Lou sets the record straight on a lot of the myths and goes into detail on how our muscles/bodies behave. Very good read.