Curves workout...toning???

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BReit1
BReit1 Posts: 28
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi All,

I'm wondering (for the ladies) if anyone here has used Curves circuit training to tone up? I signed up and went through the circuit twice tonight for the first time. Even though my heart rate did get up to a target rate, and I was sweating, i didn't FEEL like I was working hard. I did put a lot of effort into it, but it still felt effortless. Any similar experiences? With such experience, is it still possible to tone up when working out doesn't feel difficult? Thank you! :-)

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  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    I'm assuming the circuit is weight machines? Since you mentioned 'toning'.... If you are lifting and it's effortless, you aren't lifting enough.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    I'm sorry, I have a serious thing against the word "tone." You can grow muscle, muscle can atrophy, or you can maintain it. You cannot "tone" it. The look that people call toned is achieved by lowering body fat. Since body fat is fat mass/(lean mass+fat mass), you can reduce body fat percent by lowering the fat mass by more than lean mass or by raising lean mass without raising fat mass. I'm going to guess that you are interested in lowering fat mass while maintaining lean mass. As far as workouts go, you need to provide sufficient stimulus to maintain muscle via resistance training. Many people disagree about this component, I don't think it needs to be heavy lifting, but I do think it needs to involve the upper body too, so pure cardio won't be good enough. Cardio really just increases the deficit (and of course provides health benefits through aerobic capacity).

    I know nothing about curves, but I've heard it is circuits. Then, it would be great as cardio and burning fat, but you may need to do a little resistance on your own so you don't lose more muscle than necessary.
  • BReit1
    BReit1 Posts: 28
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    I'm sorry, I have a serious thing against the word "tone." You can grow muscle, muscle can atrophy, or you can maintain it. You cannot "tone" it. The look that people call toned is achieved by lowering body fat. Since body fat is fat mass/(lean mass+fat mass), you can reduce body fat percent by lowering the fat mass by more than lean mass or by raising lean mass without raising fat mass. I'm going to guess that you are interested in lowering fat mass while maintaining lean mass. As far as workouts go, you need to provide sufficient stimulus to maintain muscle via resistance training. Many people disagree about this component, I don't think it needs to be heavy lifting, but I do think it needs to involve the upper body too, so pure cardio won't be good enough. Cardio really just increases the deficit (and of course provides health benefits through aerobic capacity).

    I know nothing about curves, but I've heard it is circuits. Then, it would be great as cardio and burning fat, but you may need to do a little resistance on your own so you don't lose more muscle than necessary.



    Sorry. I know some people don't like the word "tone". Yes, I would like to lower body fat, although I have lost a lot of weight, I still have a pretty high body fat percentage all things considered, and I would like to build muscle (is that better? :-) to achieve that healthy sculpted look!
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    If that's your goal, then I'd look at lifting heavy weights. Not a circuit of machines.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    If that's your goal, then I'd look at lifting heavy weights. Not a circuit of machines.
    This, or bodyweight resistance work. Basically you need to tell your body it wants to keep its muscle!
  • sarahtbland
    sarahtbland Posts: 11
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    I'm sorry, I have a serious thing against the word "tone." You can grow muscle, muscle can atrophy, or you can maintain it. You cannot "tone" it. The look that people call toned is achieved by lowering body fat. Since body fat is fat mass/(lean mass+fat mass), you can reduce body fat percent by lowering the fat mass by more than lean mass or by raising lean mass without raising fat mass. I'm going to guess that you are interested in lowering fat mass while maintaining lean mass. As far as workouts go, you need to provide sufficient stimulus to maintain muscle via resistance training. Many people disagree about this component, I don't think it needs to be heavy lifting, but I do think it needs to involve the upper body too, so pure cardio won't be good enough. Cardio really just increases the deficit (and of course provides health benefits through aerobic capacity).

    I know nothing about curves, but I've heard it is circuits. Then, it would be great as cardio and burning fat, but you may need to do a little resistance on your own so you don't lose more muscle than necessary.

    This. Circuit machines can get you started towards gaining muscle/burning fat, but that's where it ends. Sort of the same thing with curves. I watched my mom use curves for a while and she hit a point where the machines just didn't do any more for her. She was working the same muscles over and over with nothing new.

    Go to a gym that offers a free session with a trainer and see what works for you. High intensity workouts that heavily rely on your own weight or kettle bells/free weights do an amazing job (and much better than circuit machines) to help you burn fat.
  • SammyKatt
    SammyKatt Posts: 364 Member
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    The only people I know who uses Curves are the 40+ year old people I work with. I know one woman who goes 3 times a week and also walks on both her breaks (which is 2 miles daily, I checked) and then uses the stationary bike on her lunch. She's about 45 years old and does not look "toned" in any way. She has lost some weight, but looks very squishy.

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