I'd like to tone up, not bulk up

ndev777
ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
edited December 25 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys and gals...

I feel my target weight is fast approaching, and I need some helpful hints on how to do strength training purely to tone at the weight I'll be. Forgive me, but I'm far too lazy to get into the "going to the gym everyday" mindset to work on muscles..

Instead, I'd just like to be "ripped" enough where I'll be happy to show my sexy new arms :)

What sort of weights am I looking at?
How many reps?
I currently don't own any dumbells, nor do I want to subscribe for a gym membership.. So tips on good brand name dumbells that won't break the piggy bank would be much appreciated.
I have one of those total gyms 1000, but due to hip problems (I'm awaiting surgery), I find the machine too clumsy for me to use, and I can't seem to find a good bicep curl workout on that thing.

According to myfitnesspal, I'm getting enough protein from my diet, will I need to do protein shakes? Bearing in mind I have no intention in bulking up...

Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
Val

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Congrats on getting near your goal weight. Start lifting now, and lift heavy, while losing weight you lose muscle along with fat, lifting will help retain the muscle you already have.

    For starters, there is no such thing as toning muscles. That being said, if you are eating in a caloric deficit you will not bulk-up. It takes years, adequate protein, and proper lifting program to bulk up.

    I would suggest you take a look at Starting Strength, or Stronglifts 5x5. There are both heavy lifting programs focusing on full body using compound lifts. (these programs are only 3 days/week)

    If you are using MFP defaults for protein, that is not enough. Aim for 1 grams per lb of lean body mass, if you don't know your body fat % aim for 0.8 grams/lb of body weight. So if you weigh 170, aim for a minimum protein intake of 136 grams.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    well val, to properly bulk up, you don't need to go to the gym every day, nor will lifting heavy make you bulky overnight. i lift, and i'm lifting progressively heavier, and i'm not bulky. i've been doing strength training since about october, and doing fine. being "ripped" is normally associated with having a low body fat percentage. a low body fat percentage usually comes from having a very disciplined diet, and strength training.

    if you just want to do body weight exercises to get in shape, there are many options. you do not need to buy dumb bells (i haven't done a bicep curl since i started getting in shape). push ups are on of the best arm exercises you can do. pull ups/chin ups are great for your back and arms too. body weight squats and lunges are excellent for your legs. and all these exercises, when done properly, target your core specifically.

    most personal trainers will have people do many body weight exercises for a few weeks before actually doing strength training such as squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and chest press. when i start strength training, i did mostly body weight work outs, about three times a week, along with cardio three times a week. you don't need to go to the gym every day, but if you are inherently lazy, well... the results will speak for themselves.

    here are some links that have helped me out.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/01/09/warm-up/

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/17/advanced-body-weight-workout-warning-this-will-kick-your-*kitten*/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/19/sandbag-workout/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/01/16/how-to-stretch/
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Pendlay rows are great for your arms/upper back.


    How's your hip... Can you squat?
  • jimbo_a_logo
    jimbo_a_logo Posts: 26 Member
    A good fitness trainer can help you with setting up a program that would meet your goals. It doesn't have to be a huge expense. Get together with an FT every month or every two months to review your goals, measure your progress and create an exercise plan.

    I'm 9 pounds away from my target weight and I want to do more strength & flexibility training (I'm not interested in bulk either) so I'm going to start getting together with a trainer I know from my church to get his guidance in how to best acheive this. He believes in keeping things simple. Kettlebells, straps, bodyweight training and cardio.

    I figure that it's worth the expense to get the most out of my training time and to avoid injuries.
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    Awesome, thank you very much for all the info. I've always heard "do small weights, lots of reps" to get lean... I'm confused :)
    Congrats on getting near your goal weight. Start lifting now, and lift heavy, while losing weight you lose muscle along with fat, lifting will help retain the muscle you already have.

    For starters, there is no such thing as toning muscles. That being said, if you are eating in a caloric deficit you will not bulk-up. It takes years, adequate protein, and proper lifting program to bulk up.

    I would suggest you take a look at Starting Strength, or Stronglifts 5x5. There are both heavy lifting programs focusing on full body using compound lifts. (these programs are only 3 days/week)

    If you are using MFP defaults for protein, that is not enough. Aim for 1 grams per lb of lean body mass, if you don't know your body fat % aim for 0.8 grams/lb of body weight. So if you weigh 170, aim for a minimum protein intake of 136 grams.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    tumblr_lqitucNvWq1qgvfs8o1_250.gif

    You aren't going to accidentally wake up one day bulky, big defined muscles are hard to build.

    to bulk up you need to eat a lot and properly balance your macros. it's not an easy thing to do. Just go lift heavy do, squats and other exercises you enjoy. You will cut the body fat and look "tone".
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    I'll definitely look into those, many thanks! I once was doing pushups everyday, about 60-80... Now, well.. I need someone to kick my *kitten* to do them :) ... But i will! I've not been lazy about my diet, and I won't let myself be lazy about this.
    well val, to properly bulk up, you don't need to go to the gym every day, nor will lifting heavy make you bulky overnight. i lift, and i'm lifting progressively heavier, and i'm not bulky. i've been doing strength training since about october, and doing fine. being "ripped" is normally associated with having a low body fat percentage. a low body fat percentage usually comes from having a very disciplined diet, and strength training.

    if you just want to do body weight exercises to get in shape, there are many options. you do not need to buy dumb bells (i haven't done a bicep curl since i started getting in shape). push ups are on of the best arm exercises you can do. pull ups/chin ups are great for your back and arms too. body weight squats and lunges are excellent for your legs. and all these exercises, when done properly, target your core specifically.

    most personal trainers will have people do many body weight exercises for a few weeks before actually doing strength training such as squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and chest press. when i start strength training, i did mostly body weight work outs, about three times a week, along with cardio three times a week. you don't need to go to the gym every day, but if you are inherently lazy, well... the results will speak for themselves.

    here are some links that have helped me out.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/01/09/warm-up/

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/17/advanced-body-weight-workout-warning-this-will-kick-your-*kitten*/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/19/sandbag-workout/

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/01/16/how-to-stretch/
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Awesome, thank you very much for all the info. I've always heard "do small weights, lots of reps" to get lean... I'm confused :)
    Congrats on getting near your goal weight. Start lifting now, and lift heavy, while losing weight you lose muscle along with fat, lifting will help retain the muscle you already have.

    For starters, there is no such thing as toning muscles. That being said, if you are eating in a caloric deficit you will not bulk-up. It takes years, adequate protein, and proper lifting program to bulk up.

    I would suggest you take a look at Starting Strength, or Stronglifts 5x5. There are both heavy lifting programs focusing on full body using compound lifts. (these programs are only 3 days/week)

    If you are using MFP defaults for protein, that is not enough. Aim for 1 grams per lb of lean body mass, if you don't know your body fat % aim for 0.8 grams/lb of body weight. So if you weigh 170, aim for a minimum protein intake of 136 grams.

    All the light weights will do for you is give you better endurance, and visible results will take much longer than lifting heavy.
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    Squats or rowing motion is completely impossible for me with my current hip situation unfortunately :(
    Pendlay rows are great for your arms/upper back.


    How's your hip... Can you squat?
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    Yup, sounds good... I wish you great success and god bless!
    A good fitness trainer can help you with setting up a program that would meet your goals. It doesn't have to be a huge expense. Get together with an FT every month or every two months to review your goals, measure your progress and create an exercise plan.

    I'm 9 pounds away from my target weight and I want to do more strength & flexibility training (I'm not interested in bulk either) so I'm going to start getting together with a trainer I know from my church to get his guidance in how to best acheive this. He believes in keeping things simple. Kettlebells, straps, bodyweight training and cardio.

    I figure that it's worth the expense to get the most out of my training time and to avoid injuries.
  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    This link would normally tell you all you need to know although it isn't going to help work around your injury.

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=146519303
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    Well, I'll say this much... With a body like yours, I'll be stupid not to listen to you! :) many thanks Eric , and congrats on your accomplishments... You look amazing!
    Awesome, thank you very much for all the info. I've always heard "do small weights, lots of reps" to get lean... I'm confused :)
    Congrats on getting near your goal weight. Start lifting now, and lift heavy, while losing weight you lose muscle along with fat, lifting will help retain the muscle you already have.

    For starters, there is no such thing as toning muscles. That being said, if you are eating in a caloric deficit you will not bulk-up. It takes years, adequate protein, and proper lifting program to bulk up.

    I would suggest you take a look at Starting Strength, or Stronglifts 5x5. There are both heavy lifting programs focusing on full body using compound lifts. (these programs are only 3 days/week)

    If you are using MFP defaults for protein, that is not enough. Aim for 1 grams per lb of lean body mass, if you don't know your body fat % aim for 0.8 grams/lb of body weight. So if you weigh 170, aim for a minimum protein intake of 136 grams.

    All the light weights will do for you is give you better endurance, and visible results will take much longer than lifting heavy.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Squats or rowing motion is completely impossible for me with my current hip situation unfortunately :(
    Pendlay rows are great for your arms/upper back.


    How's your hip... Can you squat?


    Pendlay rows don't involve hip motion.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    the "low weight, high reps" thing is a myth that has been around for a while, however it is partially built in truth. check this out: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/15/how-to-build-your-own-workout-routine/
    If you’re looking to build size and strength, you should vary your rep ranges depending on the workout. Although I’m currently following a variation of Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength (2nd edition) routine (heavy weight at five reps per set), I’ll be switching to this type of routine in the next few weeks:

    Low reps (5-8) and heavy weight on Mondays.
    High reps (12-15) and lower weight on Wednesdays.
    Medium reps (8-12) and medium weight on Fridays.
    If you can keep your muscles guessing by constantly forcing them to adapt to different routines, they’re more likely to get harder, better, faster, stronger.

    What’s the significance of the different number of repetitions?

    Reps in the 1-5 range build super dense muscle and strength (called myofibrillar hypertrophy).
    Reps in the 6-12 range build a somewhat equal amounts of muscular strength and muscular endurance.
    Reps in the 12+ range build muscular endurance and size (this is called sarcoplasmic hypertrophy).
    By doing rep ranges at each of these different increments, you’re building well-rounded, balanced muscles – full of endurance, explosive power, and strength.

    You can even mix up your amount of weight and reps within a single exercise. Here’s an example of what I’d do for a dumbbell chest press on a Friday:

    12 reps at 65 pound dumbbells, rest 90 seconds.
    10 reps at 70 pound dumbbells, rest 90 seconds.
    8 reps at 75 pound dumbbells, rest 90 seconds.
    6 reps at 80 pound dumbbells, done!

    in case you haven't noticed, i REALLY like the http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/ website, because it has a lot of articles and spells out almost everything you need to know about fitness for the beginner and intermediate athlete.
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    Awesome... Many thanks.. One more tip to my arsenal, I greatly appreciate it!
    Squats or rowing motion is completely impossible for me with my current hip situation unfortunately :(
    Pendlay rows are great for your arms/upper back.


    How's your hip... Can you squat?


    Pendlay rows don't involve hip motion.
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    Your a gun, thanks captain! Very nice of you to do all that for me! Cheers

    I can't wait to put into practice all of these excellent tips and info... All you guys are amazing!
    the "low weight, high reps" thing is a myth that has been around for a while, however it is partially built in truth. check this out: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/15/how-to-build-your-own-workout-routine/
    If you’re looking to build size and strength, you should vary your rep ranges depending on the workout. Although I’m currently following a variation of Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength (2nd edition) routine (heavy weight at five reps per set), I’ll be switching to this type of routine in the next few weeks:

    Low reps (5-8) and heavy weight on Mondays.
    High reps (12-15) and lower weight on Wednesdays.
    Medium reps (8-12) and medium weight on Fridays.
    If you can keep your muscles guessing by constantly forcing them to adapt to different routines, they’re more likely to get harder, better, faster, stronger.

    What’s the significance of the different number of repetitions?

    Reps in the 1-5 range build super dense muscle and strength (called myofibrillar hypertrophy).
    Reps in the 6-12 range build a somewhat equal amounts of muscular strength and muscular endurance.
    Reps in the 12+ range build muscular endurance and size (this is called sarcoplasmic hypertrophy).
    By doing rep ranges at each of these different increments, you’re building well-rounded, balanced muscles – full of endurance, explosive power, and strength.

    You can even mix up your amount of weight and reps within a single exercise. Here’s an example of what I’d do for a dumbbell chest press on a Friday:

    12 reps at 65 pound dumbbells, rest 90 seconds.
    10 reps at 70 pound dumbbells, rest 90 seconds.
    8 reps at 75 pound dumbbells, rest 90 seconds.
    6 reps at 80 pound dumbbells, done!

    in case you haven't noticed, i REALLY like the http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/ website, because it has a lot of articles and spells out almost everything you need to know about fitness for the beginner and intermediate athlete.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    nerdfitness is an awesome website.
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    I'll make sure to check it out.. Thanks bro.. and well done on your journey , you look great..
    nerdfitness is an awesome website.
  • ndev777
    ndev777 Posts: 44 Member
    I've updated some photos from where ive come to now... if anyones curious :)

    Please feel free to add me if anyone can be bothered...
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