Toning up - how?

[i'mfaraway]

How do I get a toned body? Some people say personal training to tailormake a plan and others say yoga does it.

 

How did you get your toned body?

[Chocolat]

First off, there is no such thing as "tone." You either have some muscle and low enough bodyfat that it is visible, or you don't.

 

In my experience and opinion, the best way to get a "toned" look is by lifting weights and eating right. You might want to pick up The New Rules of Lifting For Women (Schulyer and Cosgrove), which provides both workouts and some nurtition information, as well as explanations of why it's important to lift. If you are interested in the nutrition aspect, which is key imo, I recommend Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle.

[tman666]

Tony Little's Gazelle.

 

Seriously though, as has been stated and discussed on this forum time and time again, the use of the word "toning" is a bit of a misnomer. Muscles shrink or grow depending on stimuli (exercise), nutrition, and hormonal factors. The "toned" look that people refer to is simply the result of low body fat percentage.

 

Of course, it's much easier to state this fact than to actually achieve it. Both fat loss and muscle gain take considerable time, effort and consistency. There are no miracle training programs or diets that give any sort of easy results, and those that claim so should be viewed with a skeptic's eye.

 

If body recomposition is your goal, keep in mind that fat loss + muscle gain is what gives the impressive "hard body" look that people such as USMCHokie have achieved. He eats a consistently clean diet and trains with heavy weights using multi-joint (compound) movements such as squats, deadlifts, presses, dips, rows, etc. Females benefit from heavy resistance training as well. Not only do compound exercises burn a ton of calories, but they also contribute to longevity. For women in particular, the increase of bone density that accompanies years of resistance training can vastly improve their quality of geriatric life.

 

I suppose that yoga could give great results as well, as long as it is they type of yoga that contains moving drills and poses (not just floor stretches). Plenty of females have achieved nice physiques through practicing yoga and eating a clean diet. In my opinion, yoga would not be the optimal way to lose fat or gain strength, but since consistency is key, whatever keeps a person exercising over the long term should be viewed as a good thing.

[Chocolat]

Faraway, I made the assumption you are female based on your OP, but if this is not the case, speakup! If it is, I want to highlight something tman said:

 

Females benefit from heavy resistance training as well. Not only do compound exercises burn a ton of calories, but they also contribute to longevity. For women in particular, the increase of bone density that accompanies years of resistance training can vastly improve their quality of geriatric life.

 

In addition to this, when women lift weights, they do not become "huge" or masculine looking. If anything, the inverse is true, since muscle is denser than fat. The benefits of lifting manifest themselves long before the geriatric years, imo.

[somedude81]

Chocolat: Don't worry, I looked at i'mfaraway's post history and she's female.

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It's definitely cardio and weight training. And no, sitting on the machine where you open and close your legs does not count as weight training. Neither does doing leg presses using a single 20lb weight count.

 

Squats are awesome. They result in a great butt, nice calves and generally shapely legs.

 

Bicep and tricep work should also be done. A girl isn't going to get big arms unless she trains hard core and even then she most likely needs to do steroids. Toned arms with some muscle is sexy.

 

Watching the diet and cardio is also very important to get and maintain a flat stomach. Don't bother trying to go for a 6-pack since it looks very bad on women.

[allina]

I think running is amazing for cardio and toning. Because your muscles in in constant motion you get toned and lean. I also recommend yoga and pilates

[Chocolat]

It's definitely cardio and weight training. And no, sitting on the machine where you open and close your legs does not count as weight training. Neither does doing leg presses using a single 20lb weight count.

 

QFT!

 

Squats are awesome. They result in a great butt, nice calves and generally shapely legs.

 

Bicep and tricep work should also be done. A girl isn't going to get big arms unless she trains hard core and even then she most likely needs to do steroids. Toned arms with some muscle is sexy.

 

Agreed. Don't forget shoulder and back work, too! Basically, women should work every muscle group. The only ones I don't bother with are traps (don't want 'em) and calves (mine grow just from squats and other lower body movements).

 

Watching the diet and cardio is also very important to get and maintain a flat stomach. Don't bother trying to go for a 6-pack since it looks very bad on women.

 

Really? I like it when I can flex my abs. It hasn't run anyone off yet.

[wrencn]

Do cardio, pushups, pull ups, planks and squats/walking lunges and stick with it-but most importantly watch your calorie intake.

[somedude81]

Personally I believe that sixpack abs on a woman just aren't hot.

 

Example 1

She's very toned. Maybe slightly more muscle than ideal.

 

Example 2

Just not attractive. Her body fat is very low to achieve that definition and she doesn't have any breasts. She's probably stopped menstruating.

 

Example 3

Great abs, they'd look awesome on dude.

 

I didn't know that women needed to do shoulder and back work. I was more concerned about the physical appearance but I can understand how working on those areas also promotes better health & strength.

[Shakz]

Run uphill with ankle-weights.

[Chocolat]

How about this: http://api.ning.com/files/0*SzMLAsSDPBV4MXPUUaVzItfnc2FmuvUYypfkgbW8Zied-tNG1PnwL1XU3D4ugyTVYuQr0KJVs5x4UpvvEK6QOhutyd965v/Sophie.1.jpg

 

She has abs and delts.

 

Or this: http://www.tmuscle.com/pi.do?id=3887711

 

Or this: http://img224.imageshack.us/i/angiechittendenfitnessfz9.jpg/

 

Re back. See the line she has down the center of her back? That comes from doing back work: http://www.tmuscle.com/pi.do?id=3842875

 

Working the shoulders widens them, which creates the illusion of a smaller waist and helps to balance the hips to create an hourglass figure. Plus the "cap" on the shoulder balances the arm. This girl has delts: http://www.tmuscle.com/pi.do?id=3636108

[i'mfaraway]

Thanks for all your replies. I'm asking because I've been doing cardio for a few years now and just hired a personal trainer. But he's starting to make me feel uncomfortable so I was hoping you guys would tell me yoga would give me the kind of definition I want so I could just stop doing one-on-one training.

 

But I don't think I can now. I can change the trainer but others cost more.

[Shakz]

Thanks for all your replies. I'm asking because I've been doing cardio for a few years now and just hired a personal trainer. But he's starting to make me feel uncomfortable so I was hoping you guys would tell me yoga would give me the kind of definition I want so I could just stop doing one-on-one training.

 

But I don't think I can now. I can change the trainer but others cost more.

 

Well, yoga's great but understand that it won't give you the body you desire unless you it take pretty seriously and practice it daily. Alot of trainers have their own idea of how you should look and what it takes to get there. Problem is, everybody is different and each person has different goals and capabilities. What is your idea? How do you want to get there? A good trainer will help you define your goals and get you there. A yoga instructor can do the same, but unless you see physicality as having a spiritual component, and you are pretty flexible, yoga may disappoint you.

Edited June 27, 2010 by Shakz

[i'mfaraway]

Well, yoga's great but understand that won't give you the body you desire unless you take pretty seriously and practice it daily. Alot of trainers have their own idea of how you should look and what it takes to get there. Problem is, everybody is different and each person has different goals and cababilities. What is your idea? How do you want to get there? A good trainer will help you define your goals and get you there. A yoga instructor can do the same, but unless you see physicality as having a spiritual component, and you are pretty flexible, yoga may disappoint you.

 

My idea is to have a tailormade personal training to help me get there. I don't expect an overnight transformation so I'm willing to stick it out. This trainer has been doing that but it's the non-training part about him that bothers me. I'm a female and the trainer is male and I think there's some inappropriateness going on.

 

Maybe I should search harder for another trainer.

 

Is my idea the "right" way?

[Shakz]

My idea is to have a tailormade personal training to help me get there. I don't expect an overnight transformation so I'm willing to stick it out. This trainer has been doing that but it's the non-training part about him that bothers me. I'm a female and the trainer is male and I think there's some inappropriateness going on.

 

Maybe I should search harder for another trainer.

 

Is my idea the "right" way?

 

Well, if there is anything "inappropriate" going on then, yes, you need a new trainer. His job is to shape you, not to make you! As far as what's right for you, only you can determine that. Listen to your body. It will most certainly tell you what is working and what is not. Your own body is the best trainer you could have. If your trainer is telling you to do something that is causing you to feel any pain that is not the ordinary ache of exertion, then he is failing you.

[i'mfaraway]

Well, if there is anything "inappropriate" going on then, yes, you need a new trainer. His job is to shape you, not to make you! As far as what's right for you, only you can determine that. Listen to your body. It will most certainly tell you what is working and what is not. Your own body is the best trainer you could have. If your trainer is telling you to do something that is causing you to feel any pain that is not the ordinary ache of exertion, then he is failing you.

 

 

Actually the inappropriateness is really impropriety. He's not a bad trainer, but he's starting to cross the line.

[tman666]

Actually the inappropriateness is really impropriety. He's not a bad trainer' date=' but he's starting to cross the line. [/quote']

 

Fire his ass. This kind of thing will not help your results.

[i'mfaraway]

Fire his ass. This kind of thing will not help your results.

 

 

Should I? Before I find another trainer? Or stick it out and make sure I put my foot down about it?

[Chocolat]

If your trainer is making you uncomfortable, quit using him. You can follow one of the plans in the book I recommended and get excellent results without a trainer. Alternately, if the trainer is someone you hired through a gym, go to the manager and ask to be assigned to someone new.

[USMCHokie]

 

If body recomposition is your goal, keep in mind that fat loss + muscle gain is what gives the impressive "hard body" look that people such as USMCHokie have achieved. He eats a consistently clean diet and trains with heavy weights using multi-joint (compound) movements such as squats, deadlifts, presses, dips, rows, etc. Females benefit from heavy resistance training as well. Not only do compound exercises burn a ton of calories, but they also contribute to longevity. For women in particular, the increase of bone density that accompanies years of resistance training can vastly improve their quality of geriatric life.

 

 

Late entrance to the party, heh, but thanks Tman for that.

 

I'd have to agree with all the great advice that has been given so far.

 

To sum it up in a single sentence, the best thing you can do to "tone up" is watch or ask what fit guys are doing either on LS or at your gym...then do what they do...seriously...I don't understand why women (and even trainers) think that women need to work out differently from men...

 

And if your personal trainer is being all shady and creepy, then get rid of him. Find a different one, or just go at it without the trainer.