How to lengthen and tone muscles?

sixibabey

What exercises do you recommend? I don't want to get bulky.

AnvilHead

You can't lengthen muscles. They have fixed insertion points on your body and that can't be changed. What's commonly referred to as "toning" is losing the bodyfat covering your muscles so they're more visible. You can make a muscle larger (hypertrophy) or make it shrink (atrophy), but you can't lengthen or "tone" it.

As far as getting bulky - as long as you stay away from the anabolic steroids, you won't get bulky. It's pretty much impossible to build muscle mass while in a caloric deficit, and females have an even harder time than men adding muscle due to the much lower levels of testosterone in their bodies. At most, given absolutely optimal nutrition (caloric surplus and adequate protein intake) and training, women can add about a half-pound of muscle a month - so you're not going to all of a sudden wake up one morning and find that you've turned into a scary, hulking, masculine she-male.

If you're looking to be "toned", maintain a caloric deficit with adequate protein intake and engage in a strength training program to help you retain what muscle mass you have as you lose fat.

SideSteel

You can't lengthen muscles. They have fixed insertion points on your body and that can't be changed. What's commonly referred to as "toning" is losing the bodyfat covering your muscles so they're more visible. You can make a muscle larger (hypertrophy) or make it shrink (atrophy), but you can't lengthen or "tone" it.

As far as getting bulky - as long as you stay away from the anabolic steroids, you won't get bulky. It's pretty much impossible to build muscle mass while in a caloric deficit, and females have an even harder time than men adding muscle due to the much lower levels of testosterone in the body. At most, given absolutely optimal nutrition (caloric surplus and adequate protein intake) and training, women can add about a half-pound of muscle a month - so you're not going to all of a sudden wake up one morning and find that you've turned into a scary, hulking, masculine she-male.

If you're looking to be "toned", maintain a caloric deficit with adequate protein intake and engage in a strength training program to help you retain what muscle mass you have as you lose fat.

Great post.

billsica

Magic. or just read above if you don't believe in it.

AmyRhubarb

You can't lengthen muscles. They have fixed insertion points on your body and that can't be changed. What's commonly referred to as "toning" is losing the bodyfat covering your muscles so they're more visible. You can make a muscle larger (hypertrophy) or make it shrink (atrophy), but you can't lengthen or "tone" it.

As far as getting bulky - as long as you stay away from the anabolic steroids, you won't get bulky. It's pretty much impossible to build muscle mass while in a caloric deficit, and females have an even harder time than men adding muscle due to the much lower levels of testosterone in the body. At most, given absolutely optimal nutrition (caloric surplus and adequate protein intake) and training, women can add about a half-pound of muscle a month - so you're not going to all of a sudden wake up one morning and find that you've turned into a scary, hulking, masculine she-male.

If you're looking to be "toned", maintain a caloric deficit with adequate protein intake and engage in a strength training program to help you retain what muscle mass you have as you lose fat.

Great post.

Agreed! :drinker:

FullOfWin

is this real life?

ninerbuff

You can't lengthen muscles. They have fixed insertion points on your body and that can't be changed. What's commonly referred to as "toning" is losing the bodyfat covering your muscles so they're more visible. You can make a muscle larger (hypertrophy) or make it shrink (atrophy), but you can't lengthen or "tone" it.

As far as getting bulky - as long as you stay away from the anabolic steroids, you won't get bulky. It's pretty much impossible to build muscle mass while in a caloric deficit, and females have an even harder time than men adding muscle due to the much lower levels of testosterone in their bodies. At most, given absolutely optimal nutrition (caloric surplus and adequate protein intake) and training, women can add about a half-pound of muscle a month - so you're not going to all of a sudden wake up one morning and find that you've turned into a scary, hulking, masculine she-male.

If you're looking to be "toned", maintain a caloric deficit with adequate protein intake and engage in a strength training program to help you retain what muscle mass you have as you lose fat.

Ka pow! This is absolutely correct.

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

CoderGal

You can't lengthen muscles. They have fixed insertion points on your body and that can't be changed. What's commonly referred to as "toning" is losing the bodyfat covering your muscles so they're more visible. You can make a muscle larger (hypertrophy) or make it shrink (atrophy), but you can't lengthen or "tone" it.

As far as getting bulky - as long as you stay away from the anabolic steroids, you won't get bulky. It's pretty much impossible to build muscle mass while in a caloric deficit, and females have an even harder time than men adding muscle due to the much lower levels of testosterone in the body. At most, given absolutely optimal nutrition (caloric surplus and adequate protein intake) and training, women can add about a half-pound of muscle a month - so you're not going to all of a sudden wake up one morning and find that you've turned into a scary, hulking, masculine she-male.

If you're looking to be "toned", maintain a caloric deficit with adequate protein intake and engage in a strength training program to help you retain what muscle mass you have as you lose fat.

Great post.

Agreed! :drinker:

I came here to say this...but this version is better then mine