Want To Tone Up and Have Definition But not look muscly?!?!

Jenjaz1910
Jenjaz1910 Posts: 433 Member
edited December 16 in Fitness and Exercise
I basically want to tone up my overall body and a bit of definition (some areas are going to need more work than others lol) I currently do 30DS at least 6 times a week plus I do Zumba about twice a week. Also I've been using my weights most evenings to do arm exercises! What I need is advice on what exercises, with the weights, I can do to help tone me up and give me a bit of definition but NOT make me overly muscly/bulky. Also what weight weights should I use and what workouts can help?! Also wanting to lose weight as well. Sorry for the 20 questions! Thanks in advance for any advice. Jen x
«13

Replies

  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    Squats and deadlifts with as much weight as you can for 5-8 reps, 4-6 sets. Maybe throw in some pull ups and over head presses for good measure.
  • jellymuffin
    jellymuffin Posts: 28
    Have you got a body pump class at the gyn you go to? the class is designed to burn fat, and it also defines and tones your body. I did it for the first time today and the instructor said it is one of the best classes for women to tone up and define your body shape and you definately won't bulk up which women actually struggle to do anyway xxx
  • KPainter70
    KPainter70 Posts: 152
    I third the heavy lifting. Amazing what it does for the female figure!
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    Lift heavy and train like a man

    Have been lifting like that for 2 years now

    FxCam_1330632950560.jpg

    Not so bulky eh^^

    Try Starting Strength to learn how :D
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    then keep your body fat % up and you'll be just fine.

    Honestly unless you have some medical issue as long as you're eating at a deficit you shouldn't bulk.
  • memcd911
    memcd911 Posts: 230 Member
    [facepalm] Sorry to be unassisting. But is March "Nat'l Women Get Freaked Out About Weight Training Month?" I feel like every other post has been either a woman being afraid or a mand telling women not to be afraid. Read books, people. The knowledge you get from them will far surpass the knowledge of MFP "doctors."
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    This.
    I WISH getting muscly was that easy lol.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I bought a program called Visual Impact for Women. (I have no connection to it.)

    http://visualimpactforwomen.com/
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    This

    and by proper eating for gaining muscle, that means eating at a caloric surplus, if you are losing weight you are in a deficit and have nothing to worry about there.
  • _Christine_
    _Christine_ Posts: 1,385 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    <whispers>

    What's a compound lift?
  • mstawnya
    mstawnya Posts: 450 Member
    What size weights do you have? I started with 5 pounders and just did everything I could think of-bicep curls, overhead triceps, tricep kickbacks, shoulder raises(front & side), overhead presses, upright rows, flies, etc.. I did at least 20 reps of each exercise. I have increased my weights to 10-15 pounds for most of the exercises now and will do 20 lb. bicep curls (less reps), but I would say that most of my arm definition came from 5-7.5 pound free weights. Off to hide before the heavy lifting police get me. :)
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
    Lift heavy and train like a man

    Have been lifting like that for 2 years now

    FxCam_1330632950560.jpg

    Not so bulky eh^^

    Try Starting Strength to learn how :D

    Yeah look at your manliness......*drool* you look fantastic lady :flowerforyou:
  • krissypea79
    krissypea79 Posts: 362 Member
    "The New Rules of Lifting for Women." You WILL NOT get "bulky" unless by some rare chance you are genetically predispositioned to (unlikely). There is no such thing as "toning" or "sculpting." Read that book, join the group on MFP, go to the website. Lift heavy! You might not see it on the scale right away, but you will see it when you lose inches!!!! Don't be afraid to lift!

    http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women
  • myboysmomx2
    myboysmomx2 Posts: 505 Member
    Lift heavy and train like a man

    Have been lifting like that for 2 years now

    FxCam_1330632950560.jpg

    Not so bulky eh^^

    Try Starting Strength to learn how :D

    You're my hero girl! You look fantastic! APPLAUSE!!!!!!
  • Jenjaz1910
    Jenjaz1910 Posts: 433 Member
    Thanks guys, I workout from home, I've been doing overhead lifts also I kinda lean to the sides and raise the other arm holding a weight push. I.e lean to the right then raise my left arm over my head. Heaviest weight I have is 5lbs (probably too light lol) I'm going on holiday in 19 weeks and not aiming to be at goal but want to look good in my bikini!! Would like my mummy tummy to reduced by then and be less wobbly lol x
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    Compound movements like squats and pushups. you won't get bulky unless you're eating a bajillion calories everyday!!

    DON'T BE AFRAID TO LIFT HEAVY!!!
  • EpiGaiaRepens
    EpiGaiaRepens Posts: 824 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    ^^ This. Ladies that lift heavy look babe-a-licious! That's what my arms and shoulders and legs have to say about it.... still working on that six pack though ;)
  • krissypea79
    krissypea79 Posts: 362 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    <whispers>

    What's a compound lift?

    "Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that rely on the coordinated actions of several muscle groups to move two or more joints through a range of motion." from skinnybulkup.com
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    Not to mention an pretty healthy dose of testosterone, which is pretty hard for females without "supplementation." Lift heavy and hard and you'll get the muscle you want, but still look like a woman.

    PS: If you haven't met my friend, Staci, you really should!
    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    That's true. It would take many years and steroids to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, if ever.

    But if you are woman who tends to put weight on only in certain areas, any kind of heavy duty strength training will only make you look bigger and even a small increase will be problematic. Most women develop bigger shoulders and arms from strength training, which they're very happy about. They don't mind buying a larger jacket. They might mind having to buy bigger jeans.

    I'm only talking about women who are strength training for general health and to look good, not women who are training for a particular sport.

    I know this is not the conventional wisdom, but this is what I have observed.
  • _Christine_
    _Christine_ Posts: 1,385 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    <whispers>

    What's a compound lift?

    "Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that rely on the coordinated actions of several muscle groups to move two or more joints through a range of motion." from skinnybulkup.com

    You lost me at 'coordinated'. ;)
  • EpiGaiaRepens
    EpiGaiaRepens Posts: 824 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    <whispers>

    What's a compound lift?

    aww. that's cute!

    A compound lift is things like squats and deadlifts that you do with free weights and use your whole body.

    Also, some buff six pack carrying lady wrote on here that she used 10-15 lbs weights and got definition and that she was leaving before the heavy lifting police came! haha! But seriously, I'd like to see more of your pics and figure out why you got so babe-a-licious with light weights, but I had to go heavy to see any change. Why do you suppose that is??? Cuz I would do 10-15 lb weights and nothing really changed for me but the amoutn of time i spent in the gym.
  • superstarcassie
    superstarcassie Posts: 296 Member
    Ditto to the heavy lifting comments! I have read and have started following the New Rules of Lifting for Women. Excellent way to get started with strength training. Strength training doesn't mean you will turn into a body builder. It is very hard to grow muscle as a women, so don't even worry about the bulking. I already feel great after 3 weeks of it.....noticed I was able to buy a size smaller in pants this past weekend! woo hoo (even though the scale didn't drop yet) Excited to see what my body does with more calories, more heavy lifts!! :smile:
  • Jenjaz1910
    Jenjaz1910 Posts: 433 Member
    Lift heavy and train like a man

    Have been lifting like that for 2 years now

    FxCam_1330632950560.jpg

    Not so bulky eh^^

    Try Starting Strength to learn how :D

    WOW!!! Not bulky at all, would love my figure to be like that!! I'm new to all this using weights etc... But something's clicked with me recently and I want an all round change for good. I'm trying to learn so bear with me (and my possible stupid questions lol) x
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Don't want to look too muscular? It's easy. Don't flex and stay well hydrated.

    Cool video illustrating that point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jdyILCFhKA

    Female body builders, in addition to working really hard for a really long time to look muscular, only look that extreme when they're prepped for a show or photo shoot. They're flexed, they're slightly dehydrated to give them that shrink-wrapped look, plus they're spray-tanned and oiled to make the definition really pop.
  • EpiGaiaRepens
    EpiGaiaRepens Posts: 824 Member
    focus on compound lifts.

    you won't get bulky or muscly. it takes years of heavy lifting and eating properly to put on significant muscle

    <whispers>

    What's a compound lift?

    "Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that rely on the coordinated actions of several muscle groups to move two or more joints through a range of motion." from skinnybulkup.com

    You lost me at 'coordinated'. ;)

    So to clarify even more- a compound lift wouldn't be sitting in a chair doing over head presses. It would be standing doing overhead presses (at least that's how I think of it). Basic lifting i suggest:

    squats
    deadlifts
    military (overhead) press
    rows (for the back)
    bench press
    bicep curls
    chin ups
    hanging knee raises with a twist to make those obliques POP!
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    Lift heavy and train like a man

    Have been lifting like that for 2 years now

    FxCam_1330632950560.jpg

    Not so bulky eh^^

    Try Starting Strength to learn how :D

    My hero! ♥
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
    I love when I get to post this link:

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Tell me what you think of Staci :) She lifts heavy and I don't think you need to worry. You will be fine if you lift. :)
  • Jenjaz1910
    Jenjaz1910 Posts: 433 Member
    [facepalm] Sorry to be unassisting. But is March "Nat'l Women Get Freaked Out About Weight Training Month?" I feel like every other post has been either a woman being afraid or a mand telling women not to be afraid. Read books, people. The knowledge you get from them will far surpass the knowledge of MFP "doctors."

    I'm new to all this weight stuff so please bear with me!! I need lessons lol I've always imagined that I'd start lifting weights and I'd look like the rock lol but realising now that's not the case :) x
This discussion has been closed.

Categories