What size weights are the best for a woman to tone arms?

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Replies

  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
    It's not easy for a man or woman to bulk up. People need to stop trying to make it seems that men are the only ones that bulk up. Both men and women bulk up. Every woman that has big muscles hasn't done steroids, just as every man that has big muscles hasn't done steroids. It takes time to get a body like Arnold had in his earlier years or like China. Now steroids can make both a man and woman get bigger faster and a person should never take steroids.

    I've notice that a lot of woman are fast to show their arms to show what heavy lifting has done for them, but what about the rest of their body? Bodybuilders don't have just arms and they have muscles in other areas of their bodies.

    A person doesn't have to lift weights at all to get nice arms, abs or legs. Other thing, if a person wants to bulk up, they don't even have to lift weights period. I know some people will disagree with me, but anyone can take the time out to research this.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    I am just getting into the cardio and strength training routine and currently I am using 5 pound weights in high reps... I am not seeing much in the way of results in my arms ( especially the waddle underneath my arms...) Is this a good size to continue with and it just takes time, or should I bump up the weights?

    Up the weight.

    Find a lifting program based on squats and dead lifts. Go heavy, and low reps to build base strength (low weight, high reps do nothing for joints and connectivie tissue)

    Then in a few months when you are confident in form and have built reasonable strength, increase rep count to make the muscle all purty and stuff.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    It's not easy for a man or woman to bulk up. People need to stop trying to make it seems that men are the only ones that bulk up. Both men and women bulk up. Every woman that has big muscles hasn't done steroids, just as every man that has big muscles hasn't done steroids. It takes time to get a body like Arnold had in his earlier years or like China. Now steroids can make both a man and woman get bigger faster and a person should never take steroids.

    I've notice that a lot of woman are fast to show their arms to show what heavy lifting has done for them, but what about the rest of their body? Bodybuilders don't have just arms and they have muscles in other areas of their bodies.

    A person doesn't have to lift weights at all to get nice arms, abs or legs. Other thing, if a person wants to bulk up, they don't even have to lift weights period. I know some people will disagree with me, but anyone can take the time out to research this.

    Bull****.
  • Iluvchopsticks
    Iluvchopsticks Posts: 130 Member
    A barbell with options up to 350lbs!

    Deadlift
    Squat
    Bench Press
    Military Press
    Rows
    Chin ups

    These are simple to do and learn.
    If somebody says the word "Accessory lift" you need to run fast in the opposite direction!

    ^^^ yeah, that sounds right!
    ^^this
  • elbandito
    elbandito Posts: 157
    That makes sense to a point ( I am almost 40 and have NEVER exercised before... so please excuse my ignorance... I dont want to "bulk" up... but do want to tone my muscles and make them well defined... I hope that makes sense...

    If you're female, you can't bulk up - you don't have the testosterone to do so. Just keep lifting and lifting and lifting and lifting. You WILL be satisfied with the results.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,903 Member
    I guess it depends on what sort of result is desired, right?

    I call shenanigans on the concept of moderate effort every day = no ability to repair/recover (unless what I call moderate is what you call light???). How is that even logically possible? Prior to industrialization and (obesity), humans were putting in moderate effort all day every day for all of human history, rowing boats, chasing goats up mountains, digging, chopping, building, plowing. I am fairly sure that the amount of time required to recover is directly proportional to how many micro-tears occur in your muscles and therefore how much metabolic work the body needs to do to patch up those holes. If work load is moderate, there are not many tears, so does not take entire days to repair those cells. If work load is really high, the muscles are really sore, and it may take multiple days to repair.

    Isn't that how it works, or am I missing something?

    But sure, if i want big, strong muscles that look shapely and are good at doing one thing, I need to lift heavy and rest well.
    Which is why you don't see changes in their bodies. Even some of the most physical jobs (construction, lumberjacking, ditch digging, etc.) have people who's physiques DON'T change even with all the hard work they do because the body can adapt to the workload.



    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,903 Member
    Whoever said bodyweights exercises^.
    Listen to them, its a great way to tone up.

    Also, and I know Im very biased, but if there are any pole fitness classes near you, get yourself along. Its an amazing way to tone and build muscle. Ive just gotten to the point where my back and arms have suddenly 'popped' and are becoming noticeabley more muscular.
    Pole fitness takes LOTS of strength. In fact the amount of strength it takes is much higher than some of standard exercises like bench press since balance is very important.



    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,903 Member
    My trainer also tries to make me do low weight/high rep. But I tell him, i want to go heavier. He asked me if I wanted to become a body builder... Once it becomes too easy, shouldnt you go heavier? Ever since going heavier, i can see my results.
    Get a new trainer. Seriously, if you're spending money on him and he doesn't understand the philosophy and knows the actual research, then you're money is getting wasted. I'd be up front about it and challenge his knowledge. Ask him why he believes what he believes then ask what source provides him with his info.
    IMO, nothing worse than paying a trainer who's limited in their knowledge.



    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,903 Member
    Other thing, if a person wants to bulk up, they don't even have to lift weights period. I know some people will disagree with me, but anyone can take the time out to research this.
    Lol, you "bulk" up by calorie surplus. Yep, you're right you don't need to lift weights to do this.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I haven't read through the responses yet, but I can imagine you have many varying responses. In my exerience, you can tone with light weight (< 10) if you are young and naturally pretty firm, but depending on your age you will likely need to increase to at least 10 lbs with high reps (this has worked just fine for me), or "lift heavy" as I'm sure has been suggested a lot.

    A lot of MFP members come here from bodybuilding.com and try to convince everyone that constantly increasing weight with low reps is the only way, but that hasn't proved true for me (I'm 50 yo).
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    It's not easy for a man or woman to bulk up. People need to stop trying to make it seems that men are the only ones that bulk up. Both men and women bulk up. Every woman that has big muscles hasn't done steroids, just as every man that has big muscles hasn't done steroids. It takes time to get a body like Arnold had in his earlier years or like China. Now steroids can make both a man and woman get bigger faster and a person should never take steroids.

    I've notice that a lot of woman are fast to show their arms to show what heavy lifting has done for them, but what about the rest of their body? Bodybuilders don't have just arms and they have muscles in other areas of their bodies.

    A person doesn't have to lift weights at all to get nice arms, abs or legs. Other thing, if a person wants to bulk up, they don't even have to lift weights period. I know some people will disagree with me, but anyone can take the time out to research this.


    well, i have lost almost 30 pounds since Sept when i started weight lifting... here are my legs... they are improving and look WAY WAY WAY better....

    i have been doing about 8 reps and when that becomes easy enough for me to do 9 i go up...that simple... i am now up to 300 pounds on the leg press, around 90 on the leg curl and leg extension, and about 75 pounds for squats(they are hard!!!!) and also about 40 pounds doing stiff legged deadlifts on a box....and i hardly look bulky...in fact i think i look slimmer.

    i am going to look into the book everyone has been suggesting...thanks all.

    OH!!! and one more thing!!! i feel like lifting has made it so much easier to lose weight and EAT! burn baby burn!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I like pushups, chin ups, seated triceps dips-- those work better for me than weights.

    Yes this is great too. I do weights and body weight exercises.
  • Flippiefloppies
    Flippiefloppies Posts: 319
    I lift 15-20lb dumbbells for bicep curls, 45lb+ for shoulder press, 60lbs for rows, 6-8 reps max. I do 30-40 pushups a day, I do pullups as well.

    I am a firm believer you DO have to go heavy to get really nice results. I've done both (light and heavy weights), and I don't believe my sickly stick arms at 102 pounds looked very nice. Never mind I couldn't lift a thing...and I helped my husband move a couch down the stairs last weekend!

    Bulky, no. "Toned", yes.

    biceps2.jpg


    What she says^^^^^^ this is basically what I do as well. I have some pretty sexy arms. Going heavy will not make you "bulk" up. I know you are a newbie but I just want to clarify that will not happen. Women do not bulk up unless they are using methods to intentionally bulk up. Like extreme methods. I have been lifting heavy for a solid 8 months. Just focus on lifting as much as you can without losing porper form for 8-12 reps or even 6-8 reps.

    Barbell curls, Hammer curls, skull crushers, pushups, bicep curls, tricep dips, tricep extention, tricep pushdown, alternating hammer curls, preacher curls. You can google any of thise to find out what they are or you will find that bodybuilding.com is a great source of information.
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    Whoever said bodyweights exercises^.
    Listen to them, its a great way to tone up.

    Also, and I know Im very biased, but if there are any pole fitness classes near you, get yourself along. Its an amazing way to tone and build muscle. Ive just gotten to the point where my back and arms have suddenly 'popped' and are becoming noticeabley more muscular.
    Pole fitness takes LOTS of strength. In fact the amount of strength it takes is much higher than some of standard exercises like bench press since balance is very important.



    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    That is does :), whole body gets a great workout, amazing for core strength, and its really good for triceps, which a lot of women seem to struggle with
  • persilcolours
    persilcolours Posts: 92 Member
    bump
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    The heaviest weights you can use while maintaining good form will do the job. But if you have excess fat on your arms, they may look bigger. That is why you have to focus on overall weight loss as well as strength training.
  • Shannonpurple
    Shannonpurple Posts: 268 Member
    You need to build muscles in order to tone them and all the advice I see in this blog is pointing you in the direction of build and toning. Point being you can’t tone something you don’t have
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Whoever said bodyweights exercises^.
    Listen to them, its a great way to tone up.

    Also, and I know Im very biased, but if there are any pole fitness classes near you, get yourself along. Its an amazing way to tone and build muscle. Ive just gotten to the point where my back and arms have suddenly 'popped' and are becoming noticeabley more muscular.
    Pole fitness takes LOTS of strength. In fact the amount of strength it takes is much higher than some of standard exercises like bench press since balance is very important.



    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition



    If by "pole fitness" you mean exercise classes in which women simulate strippers, surely there must be workouts that are more dignified and less sexist.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member


    I've notice that a lot of woman are fast to show their arms to show what heavy lifting has done for them, but what about the rest of their body? Bodybuilders don't have just arms and they have muscles in other areas of their bodies.


    The point that often gets missed in these discussions is that most ordinary women don't want to get bigger, forget about bulking up, in any area other than their arms, assuming they have thin or average arms. It may depend on individual body structure and physiology, but most women do get bigger from strength training. So if a woman is concerned about this and has gotten down to the lowest body fat percentage that is reasonable for her she may not want to use heavy weights on areas in which she is prone to distribute body fat. Because muscle in an area where you have fat deposits tends to make you look bigger.

    To look like a professional body builder takes extraordinary training and commitment and often steroids. But most women are not concerned about that level of development.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Which is why you don't see changes in their bodies. Even some of the most physical jobs (construction, lumberjacking, ditch digging, etc.) have people who's physiques DON'T change even with all the hard work they do because the body can adapt to the workload.

    I assume you mean it doesn't change much once they get to certain level. My father owned a construction company and that man's muscles would have put many of the 'lifters' on this site to shame. In all the years I knew him, he never lifted a weight or entered a gym or did anything at all just for "exercise". He just worked hard.

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