Where do I start with toning? Help!

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carlz82
carlz82 Posts: 19
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone,

Please please please could someone give me some advice about where to start with toning (sorry, i know a lot of people hate this word but I don't know what else to use!) muscles? I've had a look on google and there's just so many conflicting ideas that I am utterly confused and don't know where to begin!

I do cardio (running, cycling, 30 day shred) 5-6 times a week (I'm currently training to do a half marathon in September) so I'm beginning to notice I'm losing inches here there and everywhere :laugh: so I'm really wanting to concentrate on building some muscle definition now that I'm getting fitter and nearing my target weight (I'd like to lose another 14lbs but I'm more interested in "toning up" than how much i weigh these days)

I'm not a member of the gym (just can't afford it) but I do have weights...5kg ones but I'm not sure if they're heavy enough?

Anyway, any advice you have would be greatly appreciated :happy:

Replies

  • dbrightwell1270
    dbrightwell1270 Posts: 1,732 Member
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    What is considered "heavy" is a relative term but you should consider lifting with "heavy" weights. For you the 5 kg weights may be heavy but at some point they won't be, There are plenty of things you can do with just bodyweight that will allow firming up muscles and losing fat for a while. I know when I was running, I was losing muscle in the front of my legs.

    Some suggestions to help firm up without a lot of weights are:

    Squats - clasp your hand behind your head and concentrate on making sure your heels stay on the ground. Once you can do 3-5 sets of 15 reps, start doing them with dumb bells in each hand.

    Split squats - start with hands clasped like above. one leg forward, one leg back, Do a squat where the heal of your front foot stays on the ground. Do about 15 reps then repeat with the other leg up front that's one set. Do about 3-5 sets. After a few weeks add some weights.

    Push ups - Don't do them from your knees. If you stay on your toes, you work your core as well as your triceps and your chest. If regular push ups are too hard, do them on a stair well or sturdy stool or something so that your hands are higher than your feet. As push ups become easier lower the position of your hands or raise the position of your feet. Once this gets easier, change the base of support (one foot off the ground, etc.) Do about 3 sets of 15.

    Planks
    Side Planks
    Push Aways - If you have a tile, wood, laminant floor, etc. Place your hands in plastic bags, start in a push up position. Let your hands slide forward. When you feel like you are going to fall on your face, slide your hands back. Repeat for about 10-12 reps. Do 2-5 sets.

    Dumbells Shoulder Press,
    Lunges,
    elevated feet hip raises - Put your feet on a chair, back on the ground, arms to your sides, lift your hips off the ground.

    jump squats - search youtube
    Lunges
    reverse lunges

    squats and shoulder press combination
    reverse lunge and shoulder press combination.

    The only large muscle that I didn't provide some recommendations for is the lats. I'm not sure what to recommend that can be done without weights or a pull up rack. I guess there are dumbbell rows.
  • colorslide
    colorslide Posts: 24 Member
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    If you want those muscles to be "toned" (I'm one of those people that doesn't like that word haha), then you really need to focus on your nutrition because they're only going to be visible when you drop body fat. Period. You can do all the cardio and weight training you want, but if your diet isn't spot on, you're not going to get there. It's about 80% of the equation actually :) Aside from that, I suggest that you lift heavy, focusing on lifting a heavier weight in a lower rep range. But what's heavy for you could be a cakewalk for someone else and vice versa, so just make sure you're lifting heavy enough for you where you max out at say 8 reps or so.

    I also agree with the above that you should incorporate some body weight exercises. In addition to what was suggested, I'm going to throw in some pull-ups as well.

    And I know this might seem a little counter-intuitive, but try limiting cardio to at the most 2-3 times per week, and using the other days for weight training :)

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