If you desire to look more toned, trim and chiseled day after day then you read this article.
People (largely women) say that they want to be more "toned". In other words, they don't necessarily want to build extra muscle mass, yet they want the muscle that already have to look more in shape, toned, and defined.
How most people screw up attempting to get "toned"
Most people totally screw this up. They try to get toned by "going for the burn" when working out. They do this because
1. Somebody told them heavy weights make you hulking...
2. Their muscles feel and look toned as soon as they "Feel the burn" when training with high reps.
Here's why you shouldn't "go for the burn" when exercising if you want to get in shape
The Burn is Lactic Acid.
The reason you feel hard during and after the 'burn' is the same reason a corpse is stiff. Your muscle fibers are akin to mouse traps-they go off by themselves, but need energy to be reset to contract once again. A dead body is out of ATP, the energy compound that relaxes the muscles, that's why their muscles are permanently contracted.
An extreme rep exercise session weakens ATP in your muscle and leads to a brief hardness very much like what happens to a dead body. But you probably don't want to be dead, and yet you still want to be toned. The solution?
Real Muscle Tone - Tension
To get lasting tone, you need to exercise your nervous system to keep your muscles half flexed when you are calm. This is what muscle tone is-residual tension in a relaxed muscle! The kind of tension that comes from neurological activity, and not energy fatigue.
Increased muscle tone is not a physical transformation of your muscle. It is the result of the nervous system being more alert. It keeps the muscles partially contracted all the time.
Strength / Tension / Tone
Strength and tone training is the same thing. If you learn to create tension to acquire strength, instead of building more muscle, then the stronger you are, the harder you will be. This means you need to come to grips with strength training to sculpt a lean, hard, athletic physique you dreamed of. Max tension: max strength.
For Ladies
* Want buns of steel? Extreme, high-tension deadlifts work your butt WAY more than butt squeezes, 'fire hydrants', or similar silly moves popular in 'muscle sculpting' classes
* Want toned abs? Heavy, high-tension deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, ab wheel routines, planks, etc force your abs to generate high tension
* Want chiseled, sleek, sexy hips and thighs? Deadlifts, squats, and other full body movements done with high tension, heavy weights are the ticket.
For men:
* Want a Big Chest and Shoulders? Heavy, High Tension Overhead Presses and Bench Presses will get you there
* Crave for a barnyard back? Weight Pullups and Bent over Rows to build those lats
* Sculpt a killer six-pack? Squats, Deads, Overhead Squats, Overhead presses, Ab Wheels and planks like the ladies
* Want firm, sculpted arms? Heavy presses and other overhead work.
You Can Strength Train and Not "Get Bulky"
Here's how you strength train without getting bulky: keep the number of repetitions at a low level. Then you will get stronger, harder, and more toned without getting any bigger. Keep the total number of reps short for every workout. A general rule is 10 reps or less. So two heavy sets of 5 would work with the major exercises.
If you desire to build bigger, more robust muscles: Lift extra volume during your training. Keep the reps low though so you're still able to lift with maximum tension and build more strength. 5 sets x 5 reps as an example for every major exercise.
So there you go. If you want to get maximum hard-body results and a lean chiseled abs, then you have to build strength. - 16650
People (largely women) say that they want to be more "toned". In other words, they don't necessarily want to build extra muscle mass, yet they want the muscle that already have to look more in shape, toned, and defined.
How most people screw up attempting to get "toned"
Most people totally screw this up. They try to get toned by "going for the burn" when working out. They do this because
1. Somebody told them heavy weights make you hulking...
2. Their muscles feel and look toned as soon as they "Feel the burn" when training with high reps.
Here's why you shouldn't "go for the burn" when exercising if you want to get in shape
The Burn is Lactic Acid.
The reason you feel hard during and after the 'burn' is the same reason a corpse is stiff. Your muscle fibers are akin to mouse traps-they go off by themselves, but need energy to be reset to contract once again. A dead body is out of ATP, the energy compound that relaxes the muscles, that's why their muscles are permanently contracted.
An extreme rep exercise session weakens ATP in your muscle and leads to a brief hardness very much like what happens to a dead body. But you probably don't want to be dead, and yet you still want to be toned. The solution?
Real Muscle Tone - Tension
To get lasting tone, you need to exercise your nervous system to keep your muscles half flexed when you are calm. This is what muscle tone is-residual tension in a relaxed muscle! The kind of tension that comes from neurological activity, and not energy fatigue.
Increased muscle tone is not a physical transformation of your muscle. It is the result of the nervous system being more alert. It keeps the muscles partially contracted all the time.
Strength / Tension / Tone
Strength and tone training is the same thing. If you learn to create tension to acquire strength, instead of building more muscle, then the stronger you are, the harder you will be. This means you need to come to grips with strength training to sculpt a lean, hard, athletic physique you dreamed of. Max tension: max strength.
For Ladies
* Want buns of steel? Extreme, high-tension deadlifts work your butt WAY more than butt squeezes, 'fire hydrants', or similar silly moves popular in 'muscle sculpting' classes
* Want toned abs? Heavy, high-tension deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, ab wheel routines, planks, etc force your abs to generate high tension
* Want chiseled, sleek, sexy hips and thighs? Deadlifts, squats, and other full body movements done with high tension, heavy weights are the ticket.
For men:
* Want a Big Chest and Shoulders? Heavy, High Tension Overhead Presses and Bench Presses will get you there
* Crave for a barnyard back? Weight Pullups and Bent over Rows to build those lats
* Sculpt a killer six-pack? Squats, Deads, Overhead Squats, Overhead presses, Ab Wheels and planks like the ladies
* Want firm, sculpted arms? Heavy presses and other overhead work.
You Can Strength Train and Not "Get Bulky"
Here's how you strength train without getting bulky: keep the number of repetitions at a low level. Then you will get stronger, harder, and more toned without getting any bigger. Keep the total number of reps short for every workout. A general rule is 10 reps or less. So two heavy sets of 5 would work with the major exercises.
If you desire to build bigger, more robust muscles: Lift extra volume during your training. Keep the reps low though so you're still able to lift with maximum tension and build more strength. 5 sets x 5 reps as an example for every major exercise.
So there you go. If you want to get maximum hard-body results and a lean chiseled abs, then you have to build strength. - 16650
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