question about toning

try a gym ball, my arms r toning up doing press ups, and i do stomach crunches and def muscle toning in that area i cant actually feel muscle there

I don't know that being sore is as important as switching it up--you may want to google muscle memory for more info. I would check out Insanity (by Beach Body). The dvd's keep things switched up and you'll get your cardio and toning. You may even be sore. You could search a few of the boards as I think there are a couple of current Insanity discussions. It is pricey but you could try eBay or your local library. I'm usually not big on those infomercial deals but I do feel comfortable with this one.

Cardio & Strength Trainin' - is what you need to 'toned' up more. Abs are a real hard place to work on...you need to workout your whole core area, and watch what kinda foods you eat as well. If doin' proper Ab exercise - it should somewhat hurt the next day, or if not a few hours after your workout...
Power90 did wonders on my ab area...now I'm currently on Day 25 of P90X Lean...all my results are posted on my picture page.

best wishes in what you do xo :happy:

Go to Bodybuilding.com
This site will give you a routine that works. I found a great plan for me that has helped.


It's normal to be sore after you start lifting weights for the first few days. Once you get into a routine and get a few day or weeks(depending on age0, you shouldn't feel as sore, if at all the next day.

It's important to build muscle to a point. The more you build, the more calories your body will burn naturally.

I have done LOTS of different programs.. my friends and family call me the queen of infomercials cuz i try everything.. i have just done p90x and i am starting 10 minute trainer Monday... i have a stability ball. i do pilates. i have dance and zumba i have wii fit.. really i have done it all..

cardio is absolutely needed at least 3 times a week for heart health and to maintain and more to lose fat.. strength training to build lean muscle is also important. just 3 times a week is sufficient but to see faster results do 5-6 days a week... tony horton and the beach body team have great systems that WORK.... but simply done at home.. in a short period of time.. try this..

simply go old school.. variations of core training. (situps crunches obliques ect. plank..) with pushups that will work the chest arms and back.. and squats and lunges for the legs.. You really DONT have to have all sorts of fancy equipment or a gym membership.. just 20 mintues of a few different moves each day and you will get the same results.. the trick is consistency!!

you can do a you tube search for some ideas.. type in "best core excersize" or best back excersizes.. adn they really are very quick and very effective..

just stick to it.. good luck!

Hello!

So -- I'm trying to incorporate more toning stuff into my routine... to this point, I haven't been interested or motivated to do it. Lots of cardio, very little else. Pretty much what I want to focus on at this point is abs -- planks, crunches, and leg lifts, etc....

I know that doing SOMETHING is better than doing NOTHING, and when I go through my little routine, I definitely feel like my target muscles are working hard... but then, the next day I don't feel anything. Like, I'm not sore. Should I be aiming for feeling sore the next day? Or am I still going to have positive benefits from doing what I'm doing? Do muscles respond to a lighter routine, or should I be trying to wring every ounce of energy from them as I go? I am just aiming for increased strength and general toning...

Thanks!!!!

What is toning exactly?

You can either lose fat or gain muscle. By trying to just "gain definition", you take a minimalist approach and don't lift heavy enough weights to stimulate your muscles. As a female, you will not get huge by lifting heavy weights. Let me repeat that:

You will not get huge by lifting heavy weights.

Also, focusing on your abs won't make them appear any faster. Unfortunately, "Abs are made in the kitchen". If you lower you Body Fat % via dieting and they will literally appear with no exercise at all.

Soreness or DOMs (Delayed onset muscle soreness) isn't a perfect measure of muscle stimulation. Furthermore, you should try to train each muscle group only 1 - 2 times a week. Muscles grow during the recover period after lifting weights.

Extremely high rep work isn't ideal from a muscle building standpoint. Yes, Type 2 muscle fibers will respond to higher rep work, but after a certain point those high reps turn into cardio instead of muscle stimulation. You should be training in 6-12 rep range.

ACSM's stance on rep ranges: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11828249

If you're stretching properly after your exercises, you shouldn't be very sore.

Incorrect.

try a gym ball, my arms r toning up doing press ups, and i do stomach crunches and def muscle toning in that area i cant actually feel muscle there

I don't know that being sore is as important as switching it up--you may want to google muscle memory for more info. I would check out Insanity (by Beach Body). The dvd's keep things switched up and you'll get your cardio and toning. You may even be sore. You could search a few of the boards as I think there are a couple of current Insanity discussions. It is pricey but you could try eBay or your local library. I'm usually not big on those infomercial deals but I do feel comfortable with this one.

I would say that you should be sore the next day. If toning your core is what you are after maybe you could try a pilates class. Always give it every ounce of effort, why not?


You have lost 41lbs!! Great job!!

Core exercises are terrific, but I would recommend balancing your workout with overall toning. I weight train 3 days a week, and focus on different muscle groups on different days.

If you have been doing the same thing each time, your body will adapt. Look for new exercises. Try things like squats and lunges. These will bring killer results to your butt and thighs, AND work your core because of the stability needed to perform.

Overall fitness is defined through cardio endurance, weight training, and flexibility. All are important for different reasons, and the results are awesome! Good luck!

What exactly is "toning"?

I have done LOTS of different programs.. my friends and family call me the queen of infomercials cuz i try everything.. i have just done p90x and i am starting 10 minute trainer Monday... i have a stability ball. i do pilates. i have dance and zumba i have wii fit.. really i have done it all..

cardio is absolutely needed at least 3 times a week for heart health and to maintain and more to lose fat.. strength training to build lean muscle is also important. just 3 times a week is sufficient but to see faster results do 5-6 days a week... tony horton and the beach body team have great systems that WORK.... but simply done at home.. in a short period of time.. try this..

simply go old school.. variations of core training. (situps crunches obliques ect. plank..) with pushups that will work the chest arms and back.. and squats and lunges for the legs.. You really DONT have to have all sorts of fancy equipment or a gym membership.. just 20 mintues of a few different moves each day and you will get the same results.. the trick is consistency!!

you can do a you tube search for some ideas.. type in "best core excersize" or best back excersizes.. adn they really are very quick and very effective..

just stick to it.. good luck!

I haven't done cardio in over a month.

In general I find that the more you vary your routine, the more soreness you feel. Soreness is most often caused by working muscles that aren't as accustomed to being worked - which in my opinion is a really good thing. I hardly ever get sore any more but I LOVE it when I do

What is toning exactly?

You can either lose fat or gain muscle. By trying to just "gain definition", you take a minimalist approach and don't lift heavy enough weights to stimulate your muscles. As a female, you will not get huge by lifting heavy weights. Let me repeat that:

You will not get huge by lifting heavy weights.

Also, focusing on your abs won't make them appear any faster. Unfortunately, "Abs are made in the kitchen". If you lower you Body Fat % via dieting and they will literally appear with no exercise at all.

Soreness or DOMs (Delayed onset muscle soreness) isn't a perfect measure of muscle stimulation. Furthermore, you should try to train each muscle group only 1 - 2 times a week. Muscles grow during the recover period after lifting weights.

Extremely high rep work isn't ideal from a muscle building standpoint. Yes, Type 2 muscle fibers will respond to higher rep work, but after a certain point those high reps turn into cardio instead of muscle stimulation. You should be training in 6-12 rep range.

ACSM's stance on rep ranges: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11828249

YES! I am so glad to see someone else say this! I've given up trying to tell women that they will NOT get huge from lifting heavier weights!

Strength training is very important to your overall health & well-being. It will help you lose more weight in the long run...

Suggestion: Go to http://www.livestrong.com/fitness/
This site has videos of lots of exercises that will help you. In addition to doing ab exercises, I would suggest some chest and back work, which will also benefit that section of your body.